Evensong at New College EEvensongvensong booklet.inddbooklet.indd 1-21-2 113/10/103/10/10 118:39:318:39:31 In order that the Divine Office be celebrated each and EVENSONG every day in our College Chapel and that a full, at NEW COLLEGE OXFORD complete and truly devout service of praise be made to God, “ FounderFounder William William of Wykeham of Wykeham1324-1404 1324–1404 we will, ordain, and state that in addition to the Warden, 1 Introit: William Harris, Faire is the heaven 5'30 thirteen of the seventy Scholars and Fellows abovementioned, 2 Opening Versicles and Responses (William Smith) 1'09 3 Psalm 84 (chant: J. Coward) 3'15 (being sufficiently educated, moral, and of good conversation), 4 Psalm 85 (chant: G. Martin) 4'02 5 First Lesson: Ecclesiasticus 44.1–15 2'14 shall act as acolytes and serve in the Chapel at these 6 Office Hymn: Thomas Tallis, Te lucis ante terminum 2'19 Offices each every day as is their due. We further will and 7 Magnificat: setting in G major by Charles Villiers Stanford 4'06 Treble soloist: Joseph Littlewood ordain that in addition to the Warden, the scholars and Fellows, 8 Second Lesson: I Corinthians 12.27 & 13.1–13 2'54 9 Nunc dimittis: setting in G major by Charles Villiers Stanford 4'15 ten Priests and three clerks of this College and Chapel, Bass soloist: Gregory Sanderson 10 Creed and Lesser Litany (William Smith) 2'22 a further sixteen poor and needy boys of around twelve years 11 Lord’s Prayer (John Farmer) 1'31 of age, who, being sufficiently competent in the arts of reading 12 Versicles, Responses and Collects (William Smith) 4'11 13 First Anthem: Gerald Finzi, Lo, the full final sacrifice 14'51 and singing, honest, and of decent speech and conversation, 14 Second Anthem: Charles Wood, Hail, gladdening light 3'10 15 Prayers and Blessing 2'50 shall be suffered to assist with the serving, reading, and singing 16 Hymn: Glory to thee my God this night (tune by Thomas Tallis) 2'25 in Chapel; and shall assist the Priests and Fellows in 17 Organ Voluntary: Charles Villiers Stanford, Postlude in D minor 5'24 Total 66'31 Holy Orders who are to celebrate each day in Chapel... ORGAN SCHOLAR (TRACKS 1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 13,16): NICHOLAS WEARNE ASSISTING ORGANIST (TRACK 17): ROBERT PATTERSON OFFICIATING PRIEST:THE REVD DR JANE SHAW, CHAPLAIN AND DEAN OF DIVINITY OF NEW COLLEGE OXFORD From the Founder’s Statutes of the College of St Mary of Winchester in Oxford, THE CHOIR OF NEW COLLEGE OXFORD commonly called New College ” DIRECTED BY EDWARD HIGGINBOTTOM EEvensongvensong booklet.inddbooklet.indd 3-43-4 113/10/103/10/10 118:39:348:39:34 NewNew CollegeCollege ChapelChapel andand itsits Music From thethe outset,outset, Wykeham’s Wykeham’s Oxford Oxford foundation foundation was was marked marked out outfor musicalfor musical distinction. things. IfIf thethe 19th19th centurycentury waswas aa quietquiet moment inin the chapel’s history, the publication ofof aa His provisionprovision forfor chaplains,chaplains, clerks clerks and and sixteen sixteen choristers choristers was was more more ambitious ambitious than than for New College hymnal inin 19001900 marked marked an an upturn upturn in inthe the aspirations ambition of of the the chapel chapel and and its otherfor other such such chantries chantries and andplaces places of learning,of learning, and and it became it became a model a model for for a succession a succession of itsmusic, music, underpinned underpinned by bythe the inspired inspired appointment appointment in in 1901 1901 of of Sir Sir Hugh Hugh AllenAllen asas later foundations, (including Magdalen, Eton, King’s Cambridge and Wolsey’s Cardinal Organist. The subsequent list of organists is impressive but it is perhaps appropriate of distinguished later foundations (including, Magdalen, Eton, King’s Cambridge and Organist. The subsequent list of organists is impressive but it is perhaps appropriate to College). According to Wykeham’s statutes, fellows and scholars were obliged to attend to single out H.K.Andrews. His regular broadcasts of evensong from New College Wolsey’s Cardinal College). According to Wykeham’s statutes, fellows and scholars single out H K Andrews, the centenary of whose birth is also the 600th anniversary of daily Mass, and the rituals of the chapel were the dominant feature of the life of the during the Second World War brought the choir into a wider sphere; and his considerable were obliged to attend daily Mass, and the rituals of the chapel were the dominant Wykeham’s death. His regular broadcasts of evensong from New College during the College. (To this day, the statutes refer to the privileged place of the chapel and its accomplishments as a writer on music (Palestrina, Byrd, the Oxford Harmony Course) liturgy.)feature of There the life is ofevidence the College. of a (Torich this vein day, of the polyphony statutes refer attached to the to privileged New College place providedSecond World an invaluable War brought contribution the Choir to University into a wider studies. sphere; The successionand his considerable of talented duringof the chapelits pre-Reformation and its liturgy.) years,There some is evidence of it withof a richconcordances vein of polyphony in the Etonattached Choir to andaccomplishments committed organists as a writer have on musicmaintained (Palestrina, the standing Byrd, the of Oxford the Choir Harmony as one Course) of the Book,New College though duringthe College its pre-Reformation organists were not years, among some the of most it with celebrated concordances of 15th- in andthe leadingprovided ensembles an invaluable of itscontribution kind in the to country, University bringing ambitions. to its The work succession a vigour ofand talented polish earlyEton 16th-centuryChoir Book, composers.though the College organists were not among the most celebrated ofand which committed Wykeham organists would has have maintained surely approved, the standing but for of the the regrettable Choir as businessone of the of of 15th- and early 16th-century composers. partingleading withensembles Rome. of its kind in the country, bringing to its work a vigour and polish All this was to change dramatically at the Reformation, a process of change which of which Wykeham would surely have approved. convulsedAll this was the to changeCollege dramatically during some at thethirty Reformation, years, until a theprocess Elizabethan of change Actwhich of Even though New College sustains a centuries-old tradition, the daily routine brings Settleconvulsedment. the Under College the during stipulations some thirtyof the years, Book until of Common the Elizabethan Prayer, Act the of of Settlement.fi ces were withEven it though very contemporary New College challenges. sustains a Eachcenturies-old year a new tradition, set of singers the daily must routine be recruited brings reducedUnder the to astipulations morning and of anthe evening Book ofservice Common (Matins Prayer, and Evensong) the offices with were the reduced frequency to andwith trained, it very contemporaryand grafted onto challenges. the stock Each remaining. year a new Each set ofday singers something must beneeds recruited to be ofa morningHoly Communion and an evening drastically service curtailed. (Matins This and ‘Anglican’ Evensong) liturgy with has the run presence all the way of addedand trained, to the andChoir’s grafted accomplishment; onto the stock which remaining. will always Each beday measured something against needs whollyto be downHoly Communionto our own time, drastically with only curtailed. the expulsion This ‘Anglican’ of the fellows liturgy during has run the all Common- the way professionaladded to the standards.Choir’s accomplishment; The training required which will is seenalways as bea propermeasured re flagainst ection whollyof the wealthdown breakingto our own the tradition.time, with In theonly 18th the century, expulsion the College of the subscribed fellows during to most the of edu-cationalprofessional standards.purpose of The the trainingUniversity required as a whole, is seen and as mucha proper has reflectionbeen achieved of the in theCommonwealth signifi cant publications breaking the of tradition. sacred musicIn the by18th the century, likes of the William College Croft, subscribed Maurice to recenteducational years purposeto integrate of the the University work and achievementas a whole, and of themuch Choir has intobeen the achieved warp and in Greenemost of andthe Williamsignificant Boyce. publications Manuscript of sacred materials music in bythe thepossession likes of ofWilliam the College Croft, woofrecent of years the toUniversity’s integrate the academic work and life. achievement In a similar, of altogether the Choir contemporary in the warp and way, woof the showMaurice that Greene choruses and from William Handel’s Boyce. oratorios Manuscript became materials a part ofin the repertory,possession andof thewe Choirof the widensUniversity’s its reputation academic throughlife. In a itssimilar, recordings altogether and tours,contemporary and its regular way, the webcast Choir knowCollege that show the Collegethat choruses organists, from notably Handel’s Philip oratorios Hayes, became were in a touch part ofwith the the repertory, leading ofwidens services its reputation from the throughchapel. Toits recordingsbe sure, it andsings tours. its servicesTo be sure, in ait medieval sings its servicesOxford musicaland we knowfi gures that of thethe Collegeday. organists, notably Philip Hayes, were in touch with the chapelin a medieval according Oxford to a traditional chapel within liturgy, the but context its music of a traditionalcontinues to liturgy, serve buta contemporary its music is need for spiritual refl ection with the context of artistic endeavour. leading musical figures of the day. heard across the world. EEvensongvensong booklet.inddbooklet.indd 5-65-6 113/10/103/10/10 118:39:348:39:34 Evensong at New College The ofofficefi ce of of Evensong Evensong is is the the principal principal liturgy liturgy sung sung by today’s by today’s chapel chapel choir.The choir.