CE Chapel of Merton College, Oxford [L] 26th April 2023

[DracoM]

CE Chapel of Merton College, Oxford [L]

Order of Service:

Introit: Sing my soul, his wondrous love (Rorem)
Responses: Byrd
Office hymn: The Lamb’s high banquet we await (Deus tuorum militum)
Psalms 67, 72 (Bairstow, Bairstow)
First Lesson: Genesis 3 vv.8-21
Canticles: Chichester Service (Walton)
Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 15 vv.12-28
Anthem: Blessed be the God and Father (Wesley)
Hymn: Walking in a garden (Dun Aluinn)

Voluntary: Symphonie-Passion (Résurrection) (Dupré)

Owen Chan, Francois Cloete (Organ Scholars)
Benjamin Nicholas (Director of Music)

[DracoM]

Reminder: today @ 4 p.m.

[ardcarp]

A good mixture of choral styles and compositional eras. Look forward to it. Good acoustics in Merton, I think. Wasn't it one of Higginbottom's favourite recording venues?

[mopsus]

It has been a favourite recording venue for many groups including The Tallis Scholars (hence Peter Phillips' initial involvement with the choral foundation at Merton). Particularly since the current chaplain arrived about 20 years ago. It helps that it is not near a busy road - in fact the road past the College is cobbled, and I mean cobbles, not setts - so no risk of horns, sirens etc. disrupting recording.

[Peanut]

Much to admire... but, as one listens to the big moments in the Walton, Wesley and Dupre, I wish somebody would buy them a 32' reed! There's surely got to be at least one wealthy benefactor circling the college who would give them their spare change?

[jonfan]

I thought the organ sounded terrific when it was let loose in the final voluntary. It’s a magnificent instrument and IMO doesn’t need anything extra.
Hooray, no unnecessary speeches and beautifully read lessons, especially the Genesis. Warm, expressive singing with a confidently strong solo in the anthem which I enjoyed. The second Bairstow chant was new to me. Very enjoyable service.

[Pulcinella]

I thought the organ sounded terrific when it was let loose in the final voluntary. It’s a magnificent instrument and IMO doesn’t need anything extra.
Hooray, no unnecessary speeches and beautifully read lessons, especially the Genesis. Warm, expressive singing with a confidently strong solo in the anthem which I enjoyed. The second Bairstow chant was new to me. Very enjoyable service.

Really?
We didn't need quite so much about the history of Merton, or what the readings were going to be about.

I'll be interested to see what happens the next time York broadcasts.
The times I've been since moving here there's been an introduction and welcome to the audience before the red light goes on, with a few 'instructions', but little else once the service has got going, iirc.

Good to hear the Rorem.
I'm hoping our choir director includes it in a planned Quaker-based concert we're planning next March.

[jonfan]

Yes really.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Really?
We didn't need quite so much about the history of Merton, or what the readings were going to be about.

I'll be interested to see what happens the next time York broadcasts.
The times I've been since moving here there's been an introduction and welcome to the audience before the red light goes on, with a few 'instructions', but little else once the service has got going, iirc.

Good to hear the Rorem.
I'm hoping our choir director includes it in a planned Quaker-based concert we're planning next March.

The bit about Merton being a caring community made me laugh a bit . It used to be notorious as an academic forcing house with frequent compulsory end of term exams. Got a lot of firsts though.

[cat]

I can't recall ever being subjected to a potted history lesson on the current place of worship or an organisational mission statement in a non-broadcast mid-week evensong.

[DracoM]

Reminder: rpt today [Sunday].

[mopsus]

The bit about Merton being a caring community made me laugh a bit . It used to be notorious as an academic forcing house with frequent compulsory end of term exams. Got a lot of firsts though.

As a Mertonian, I should correct you! I don't remember compulsory end of term exams - they were at the beginning of term.

Merton was also among the last Colleges in Oxford to introduce a 'Moral Tutor' system (whereby undergraduates each have a Fellow of their college who is responsible for their welfare, and separate from their academic Tutor). In my time there were a lot of questions being asked about why Merton was resisting introducing this, and it was widely believed that it was because the Fellowship didn't want to be landed with students' problems. I can't speak about how it is today, but it's almost certainly more of a 'caring community' now than it was then.

[Pulcinella]

As a Mertonian, I should correct you! I don't remember compulsory end of term exams - they were at the beginning of term.

Merton was also among the last Colleges in Oxford to introduce a 'Moral Tutor' system (whereby undergraduates each have a Fellow of their college who is responsible for their welfare, and separate from their academic Tutor). In my time there were a lot of questions being asked about this and it was widely believed that it was because the Fellowship didn't want to be landed with students' problems. I can't speak about how it is today, but it's almost certainly more of a 'caring community' now than it was then.

Not much seemed to rub off on Liz Truss though. (Is wiki wrong, or did she not get an MA?)
Born Mary Elizabeth Truss
26 July 1975 (age 47)
Oxford, England
Political party Conservative (since 1996)
Other political affiliations Liberal Democrats (until 1996)
Spouse Hugh O'Leary (m. 2000)
Children 2
Parent John Truss (father)
Education Merton College, Oxford (BA)

[ardcarp]

Don't all Oxbridge BAs end up as MAs...for a fee?
I had to work for my redbrick MA. But that was in the days when all fees and expenses were paid for by the government, which apart from the cost of the course included countless train journeys to the Music Room of The British Museum, The Bodleian, Tenbury Wells (then a major source of music Mss) and other places.
O tempora, o mores

[Pulcinella]

Don't all Oxbridge BAs end up as MAs...for a fee?
I had to work for my redbrick MA. But that was in the days when all fees and expenses were paid for by the government, which apart from the cost of the course included countless train journeys to the Music Room of The British Museum, The Bodleian, Tenbury Wells (then a major source of music Mss) and other places.
O tempora, o mores

Maybe she couldn't find an expenses account against which to claim the upgrade fee!

(Sorry for going off topic.)

I enjoyed the Rorem, but found the psalms rather too fussy/micromanaged.