A Visit to Tenbury Author(s): F. G. E. Source: The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular, Vol. 41, No. 693 (Nov. 1, 1900), pp. 713-719 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3366900 Accessed: 09-01-2016 08:05 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/ info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Musical Times Publications Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 129.96.252.188 on Sat, 09 Jan 2016 08:05:23 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The Musical Times.] [November,1900oo. rs. -?1 This content downloaded from 129.96.252.188 on Sat, 09 Jan 2016 08:05:23 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.-NOVEMBER I, 19oo. 713 does not appear to be a serious drain upon THE MUSICAL TIMES their resources,at least so far as the natives AND SINGING-CLASS CIRCULAR. are concerned. ' Horridstuff,' was the verdict passed in our hearing upon the waters of the NOVEMBER I, I900. wells by a Tenburyite,who, by the way, has a certain interestin the manufactureof cider! But our pilgrimageis to St. Michael's College, Two extra Supplements are presented gratis withwhich the name of Ouseleyis inseparably with this number. A Portrait the late Rev. associated. A delightfulup-hill stroll of two of milesin this fertile us to an Sir Frederick A. Gore at the regionbrings open Ouseley, Bart., breezy spot. From this pleasant table land age of sixty, from a Photograph taken by may be seen in the distance the blue Clee Hill Messrs. T. 5ones, Son and Harper, Photo- and the Ludlow Vinhalls. Here we are at the graphers,Ludlow; and an Anthemfor Christmas, 'Old Wood' common. Adjacent theretothe entitled the late Rev. Sir FrederickArthur Gore Ouseley, 'Hark glad sound,' composed by in some ten B. Bart., purchased, June, 1852, Myles Foster. acres of land, in orderto erect his celebrated College, and to bringinto living actualitythe dream of his life. The initial stage of St. A VISIT TO TENBURY. Michael's College was at Lovehill House, Langley, Buckinghamshire,in 1851. Writing ALTHOUGH is an from Langley, Ouseley said: ' I must have Tenbury out-of-the-way choral Service: choir must be a place, it well repays a visit. Geographicallydaily my modelchoir: and I will not up anythingif speaking,it is of a somewhathybrid nature-- give that is to it is situatedin the north-westI once commence.' say, laid corner of Worcestershire,within a mile of The foundationstone of the College was where the three counties of on May 3, 1854, and the finely-proportioned Shropshire, All Herefordshire,and Worcestershiremeet at church,dedicated to St. Michaeland Angels, the ofthe riversTeme and was consecrated on Michaelmas Day, 1856. junction Ledwyche. As the were into in The sleepy littletown is served by a branch clergy forming procession whose trains are not on their thevestry, one was heardto whisperto another, railway, always 'This is the firstEcclesiastical Foundation mettle in regard to punctuality. You may to an of its kind since the Reformation.' At the perchance plan your journey join consecration the treblesin the choir express trainat Birminghamfor London; but ceremony a will advise to at included C. J. Corfe,now Bishop in Korea, friendlyguard you change and Arthur then one of the Children 'Kiddy '-railwayesque forKidderminster-and Sullivan, to travelsouth vid Worcester.The leisurelinessof the Chapel Royal, who sang the treblepart in the middle movementof Goss's anthem of the trains will probably land you at an hour or so later than ' Praise the Lord.' Ouseleyhimself was one of Paddington you the four and the Rev. the anticipatedon Saturdaynight, but is it not all altos, JohnHampton, in a Festival week's ? presentWarden, formed one of a dozen tenors. enjoyment of was at the To approachTenbury from Hereford is quite Elvey, Windsor, organ--a very an matter. And what could furnisha fine instrument-and the service included easy in I have builtThee moredelightful coda to a Three ChoirsFestival Rogers D, Boyce's ' surely than a visit to. when an house,' Elvey's ' Praise the Lord of heaven,' Ouseleyland,especially and the Goss anthem mentioned. A the mostdistinguished of Tenburyex-organists already has his desire to in the High Churchmanof the old-fashionedsort, expressed join you had a touch of in the pilgrimagethereto? Thus it happened that, Ouseley Medimevalism on a I was met at promptingsof his nature which found its lovelySeptember morning, naturaloutlet in the foundationof this Tenbury Station by a valued contributorto College. THE MUSICAL in the of Mr. His practical belief in the scheme may be TIMES, person J. estimatedso far as lucre' is concerned F. R. Stainer,and outsidethe pleasanthostelry, 'filthy the of The Swan, it was at the amount of some ?30o,ooo-the cost of the bearing sign equally an endowmentof about thesame pleasant to experience another heartyhand- buildings,plus shake in the warm accorded to me sum. The Chapel, ofwhich more anon, is also greeting a Parish and the deed of endowment by the ex-organistaforementioned-Sir John Church, Stainer. is such that the Warden of the College is ipso factovicar of the parish. Thus,independently of THE EARLY DAYS OF THE COLLEGE. thechoral services, there are twoplain parochial Bustle, even on a marketday, does not seem servicesevery Sunday. Soon afterthe church to be a special characteristicof Tenbury. had been consecrateda worthyold Hereford- Easy-going to a. degree, its chief attractionshire dame gave her opinion on the eagle is a certain antiquatednessspecially exampled lectern,then a noveltyin these parts, thus- in some picturesqueold houses. It is true wise: ' O yes,' she said, ' I got a good seat; that thereare some medicinalwells, but there rightup anunstthe turkey'! This content downloaded from 129.96.252.188 on Sat, 09 Jan 2016 08:05:23 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 714 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-NOVEMBER I, 1900oo. THE ORGANISTS, AND ONE IN PARTICULAR. conclusion, Sir Frederick gave me a few words of advice and much As to the group of good kindlyencouragement. picturesque buildings-- ' The next interview I had with him was full designed the well known architect, Mr. by of momentto me it constituteda Henry Woodyer-which form the church and ; turning-point in life. I was then between sixteen and college, the view given on the adjoining page my will furnisha better idea of their attractiveness seventeen years of age, and was playing the afternoonservice at St. both Goss and than any technical The Paul's, description. beautifully absent for a few designed church is Middle Pointed, it is Cooper being days. During Early the service came into the 122 feet long with a very strikingroof, seventy Ouseley quickly organ feet in and is rich in carved woodwork loft and, aftergreeting me, watched me closely height, as I the music from the old and stained glass. The fine four-manualorgan, accompanied " scores." On the same I had a letter rebuilt and added to Father Willis in 1873, evening by fromhim to that the of his visit to occupies a raised position in the south say object St. Paul's had been to find an for St. transept. The have held organist following gentlemen Michael's and he offeredme the the post of at College, post. organist Tenbury :-John Capel I must for thus Hanbury Stainer Langdon apologise introducing myself (1856), John (1857), into this but it and how I Colborne (186o), Alfred Alexander (1874), paper,t explains why William Claxton Walter came to know so much about the character and (1877), James and friend. In Lancaster Allan Paterson abilities of my patron 1857 I1 (1886), (1889), James found after a to and Edgar C. Broadhurst, the myself, railway journey Lyon (1893), Worcester and then miles on the of present holder of the office." In this organist twenty top a settled in the which connection the following interesting incidents coach, charmingbuilding in the career of Sir Stainer, as he had raised at his own cost for the advance- early John ment of church music.' organist of St. Michael's, Tenbury (1857-59), find a may appropriately place. OUSELEY'S CANONIC FACILITY. 'It was soon after Ouseley's appointment as Professor that he came to examine the chorister Sir John Stainer bears testimony to the boys of St. Paul's, of whom I was one. I shall extraordinaryfacility with which Ouseley com- never forget the nervousness with which I posed intricate canons. 'The Bart.,' as the approached this musical and clerical dignitary Founder is still called at Tenbury, looked upon when summoned to meet him in the drawing this occupation not only as a daily delight, but in room of our master, the Rev. J. H. Coward. the nature of a daily duty. By the kindness of But I played a Prelude and Fugue by Bach, Sir John we are enabled to give the following from the 'forty-eight,'by memory, and, at its specimen:- PERPETUAL CANON, 3 IN I, AT THE UNDER-SEVENTH AND NINTH, AT THE BEAT, WITH CODA. 1_7 _1 z _____ ------I _ __rn ~=73-_ I.