CE Winchester College Chapel October 3rd 2012

**ardcarp** · 02-10-12, 15:50

This should be a classic. I know the back desks include youngsters (I do hate the use of the word 'students' before undergraduate age) some of whom I guess are proto choral scholars; but does Winchester College still employ a few lay clerks as Eton used to do in the old days? Are you still around Lizzie, and do you hear the College's choir as well as the Cathedral's?

**DracoM** · 03-10-12, 09:30

Reminder of today's CE @ 3.30 p.m.

**ardcarp** · 03-10-12, 15:18

This may (or may not!) be of interest:

404 - Page not found - Mander Organ Builders

http://www.mander-organs.com/portfolio/winchester.html

**Quilisma** · 03-10-12, 16:15

Ardcarp, as an alumnus of the bass section twice over (when aged 15-18 and when aged 29-31) I hope I can comment usefully. There is indeed a small de facto "lay clerk" element, reflecting (although probably not consciously) William of Wykeham's statutory provision of three Lay Clerks in the Foundation, alongside sixteen Quiristers, three Chaplains, a Warden, ten Fellows (originally supposed to be in holy orders), two Schoolmasters, seventy poor Scholars and up to ten Gentlemen Commoners. However, the vast majority of ATB singers are "men in the school" (pupils/teenagers/students).

I don't know exactly what happened with the formal Lay Clerks, and for much of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the Quiristers were hardly choirboys in the commonly understood sense, more a ready source of menial child labour: Chapel music was hardly considered the high priority it had been for William of Wykeham. Indeed, the survival of the choir into the modern age is a miracle. Even S.S. Wesley didn't seem to have quite what it took to turn things round; perhaps he was too busy with his other post at the Cathedral, but they don't seem to think so, and it seems as if he spent most of his time fishing.

Luckily, interest in music-making within the school itself began to grow during the later Victorian age, but when E.T. Sweeting was appointed in 1901 things really took off. His good work was reinforced by George Dyson (who relieved the Quiristers of their menial duties), then Sydney Watson, then Henry Havergal, then Christopher Cowan. In 1969 it was decided that Chapel Music and School Music deserved separate directors, so while Angus Watson, then Keith Pusey and now Nicholas Wilks have ensured that the general music scene in the College has continued to thrive and develop, Raymond Humphrey, then Julian Smith, then Christopher Tolley and now Malcolm Archer have nurtured Chapel music as befits the unique survival of a genuine medieval choral foundation within the context of a school. (Eton lost their Choir School in 1968; in 1965 Win Coll had managed to come to an arrangement with The Pilgrims' School to educate their Quiristers, which stands to this day, and thereby they have survived.)

I don't know when "men in the school" (pupils/teenagers/students) arrived in the back rows of Chapel Choir, but for a long time now they have been in the majority. The de facto lay clerks are members of the College's teaching staff, and sing in the choir on an entirely voluntary basis. There are two stalwarts adults who have sung with the choir for at least twenty years (or rather longer), but if I recall correctly there have (hardly?) ever been more than four adult members at any one time. The vast bulk of the back rows is made up of teenagers, many or most of whom will apply for choral scholarships. Several very good singers, soon to be choral scholars, reached the end of their school careers this summer. Perhaps some of them came back for the broadcast, and one could hardly object, but I know of at least one who is on the other side of the world, so he obviously didn't!

I should also add that the ATB rows were never explicitly all-male, and there has been a coincidentally female presence there (occasionally two) for at least twenty years. We like it that way.

**egg counter** · 03-10-12, 19:14

I don't often post but what a wonderful sound from these trebles/sopranos, almost a fresh St Johns sound, well done Malcolm Archer. The back rows should also be commended. Jackson is a beautiful setting, hopefully he listened in his 90's.

"I will stand upon my watch" a back row layclerk classic line!

**Keraulophone** · 03-10-12, 19:26

... I hope that treble's watch is still working. Not quite as classic as 'They scoffeth at Kings' (when sung by St John's).

A wonderful CE, in ambition and achievement. Kudos to Malcolm Archer. Few other schools could have given us such a treat. Many thanks.

**Pegasus** · 03-10-12, 21:07

This neither felt like an end-of-term school concert at which the most ambitious pieces tackled during the course of the year got an airing, nor a cathedral thinking it must attempt something beyond its capabilities in order to seek some misplaced recognition. Phew.

What I enjoyed was a thoroughly well-prepared and well-crafted Choral Evensong, offered for the most part by aspiring young professionals, under the master-craftsman himself, MA. The voices showed good technique and phrases were supported through to their natural conclusion. Whilst the psalm chants would not make my Desert Island Discs, there was an impressively intelligent flow to the delivery of the text which helped overcome my psalmodic narrowmindedness.

Whilst this is a foundation of much privilege, it will be the case that the majority of the vocal training comes from one (or two) professionals. Oh, that more had aspirations to the pursuit of such a quality of production and tone.

Finally, I suspect I shall not be disappointed never to accompany a service on that organ. Perhaps others can speak more highly of it at first-hand? (I know neither the instrument, nor the building.)

**DracoM** · 03-10-12, 21:51

An ensemble that trusted the material, their own capabilities, their training, and their director. They felt entirely at ease with what they were doing. Scarcely a wobble.

I very much liked the introit [ any relation to Ralph?], including a lovely little solo, and SO tricky to start a service so exposed a cappella and with many sostenuto and pp passages.

The psalms were carefully balanced - altos strong.

The Jackson was very fine - not totally my cup of tea, but very ably done.

For me, the Stanford anthem was an absolute show-stopper: operatic start, but after that pretty well a show-piece for any choir, including solos, ensemble bits, and full on slam bang. But how appropriate that Stanford's rage at the 1WW should be sung so boldly and muscularly by YOUNG voices, making it all the more poignant, particularly that moving finale, a consciously tragic, and thus dramatic end, after the more ranting rhetoric of earlier.

The back row were stars, big tone, unafraid, caution to the winds stuff, BUT with some technique refinement and focus - tenors particularly notable, not always a strength of this age group at all. .

I realise that Winchester are in a special position in some senses, BUT I wonder if the R3 authorities might learn a bit of a lesson here and look at more 'schools' for CE.

Congrats to MA too. The magic goes on.

**ardcarp** · 03-10-12, 21:54

Quilisma. How good to hear from you again. And thanks for that comprehensive account of the College Chapel set-up, both past and present. (Indeed, the sorry status and mis-use of choristers in the 18th and 19th centuries was not confined to Winchester.)

It was a lovely CE as one would expect from Mr Archer. The back desks sounded very mature...more so than that of some of the 'lesser' Oxbridge colleges. In terms of excellence of sound, the unison verses of the final hymn...trebles in mezzo register and T+B sounding very rounded.....were IMO very special. What an original and spellbinding end to the Downes anthem.To be hyper-critical, and only in the context of an excellent choir, the trebles were just occasionally less confident in moments of quiet control in upper register than when 'going for it'.

To pick up on others' comments, yes Jackson in G is a particularly well-wrought piece, probably one of the most effective mid 20th century set of canticles. And some posters seem to be getting picky about organs.....so what's wrong with the one we heard today???

**terratogen** · 04-10-12, 06:41

Just lovely.

Malcolm Archer can do very little wrong in my mind. I absolutely adored the sound he developed at Wells, and I've been looking forward to hearing from his choir at Winchester College since I saw this service listed on the CE website.

What a treat, to hear a favourite anthem taken on by a choir of this calibre. Was a bit sorry to hear, at least through my headphones, the exposed top line get drowned out by the organ, but that's a very minor gripe amidst all the rest of the wonderful sturm und drang.

I know that some would prefer to hear less from the speakers and more from the choir, but in this case, I appreciated the comments made just prior to the anthem. I hadn't before realised that Stanford wrote For Lo, I Raise Up as a reaction to the outbreak of the First World War, and knowing it here made the piece that much more compelling. The swell up to the words we shall not die gets me every single time, but I felt it all the more powerfully this time through.

This service was a delight to listen to. Well done and many thanks to Mr Archer, the choir, and to everyone at Winchester College.

**ardcarp** · 04-10-12, 06:43

I realise that Winchester are in a special position in some senses, BUT I wonder if the R3 authorities might learn a bit of a lesson here and look at more 'schools' for CE.

Great idea in principle....but I don't know of many state schools singing regular chapel services. No doubt there are some pretty fine mixed choirs amongst the public schools with chapels...and there may be some prep schools that could do an SSA. In fact the occasional SSA broadcast would be good, wherever it came from. There's a wealth of repertory out there.

**Quilisma** · 04-10-12, 09:37

Glad you seem to have enjoyed it; I also thought they sounded on good form...

Just a few miscellanea I could add about Win Coll. For a long time now, the teaching staff has been rather larger than William of Wykeham's statutory two schoolmasters! (In the early days all seventy scholars, and presumably the commoners, did their lessons together in one not particularly large room.) This is why all dons except the Headmaster and Second Master are termed "assistant masters". Also, William of Wykeham envisioned up to ten fee-paying commoners to help fund the place, but demand constantly outstripped supply, and ways were found to fit more and more in, which themselves had knock-on effects, gradually changing the physical and demographic shape of the institution. There are now ten whole boarding houses of commoners, about six hundred boys in addition to the seventy scholars. (I should add that very generous fee reductions are still available, and no longer just for scholars.) Meanwhile, the Warden and Fellows are no longer in residence, and are largely unknown to the "men in the school", and since it was officially categorised as one of the Public Schools in 1868 (which was by no means without controversy at the time) the significance of the continuing collegiate heritage is by no means universally understood or appreciated.

Back to the choir (one of those very aspects), the front row, the Quiristers, are all male, in case I need to clarify that! And in case anyone was wondering what sacred choral singing is available for the younger "men in the school" (13 to 15), there is a junior parish-type choir now based at St Michael's Church (Michla), which was acquired by Win Coll in 1966. But the non-adult majority of the back rows of Chapel Choir is drawn from singers in their last three years in the school.

Oh, and it occurs to me that there are a number of singing teachers. I don't know if one or more of them were singing yesterday; it's possible.

**Quilisma** · 04-10-12, 10:44

Also, I'm no organist, but I can relate what little I have been able to glean about the instrument. The 1984 mechanical-action Mander, custom built according to the specifications of then-organist Christopher Tolley, incorporates seven pedal stops from its predecessor, a mighty Norman and Beard of 1908, and is housed in a case by W.D. Caroe on the west wall of the Chapel as part of a large overhanging gallery. It does exactly what it says on the tin; I can't really elaborate...

It is reported that Chapel organs before 1908 were either of very poor quality or were very badly maintained. There is another organ on the north wall of the Chapel, nearer to the choir, but I think I am right in saying that it has been virtually out of use for a long time. Before the west gallery was constructed, this would have been the site of previous organs. The remodelling of the chapel with dark east-facing pews (and the west gallery) makes it hard to imagine the original configuration, with antiphonal collegiate bench seating and, originally, a screen (above the site of which there remains a blocked-up doorway). I don't know whether I'm making this up, but it seems probable that the first organ was on top of the screen. Contrary to some people's belief, our ancestors didn't always know best when it came to "improvements" inside medieval buildings. Another very sad thing is that all but one of the original stained glass windows was replaced with a replica (using industrial-era techniques) and the originals lost or destroyed, which at the time was thought much better than cleaning and reinstalling the originals.

Enough carping. Il faut cultiver le jardin.

**W.Kearns** · 04-10-12, 18:24

Quilisma -

Given your local knowledge, I hesitate to rush in. Nevertheless, in an 1899 memoir of SS Wesley, his sometime pupil James Kendrick Pyne offers an intriguing reflection. In SSW's time, Pyne claims,

'The [Winchester College] chapel ... was a delight, wainscoted to a great height in oak, carved sumptuously in a Renaissance style (c1650) with seats of the same period arranged North and South in the collegiate fashion, and an old fashioned "hanging" organ case, designed and carved in the same manner: the effect of the whole was unique. I saw it about three years ago [ie around 1896] and was shocked to find the appearance of the fabric much altered and mutilated. The wainscoting, reredos, and fittings were gone; modern benches facing the altar had been introduced; and in lieu of the old organ case, a modern one of somewhat ordinary and feeble design had been substituted.' J.K.Pyne, 'Wesleyana', Musical Times, 1899.

Don't know whether these details are of interest....

CE Winchester College Chapel October 3rd 2012

CE Winchester College Chapel October 3rd 2012

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