Hannah Parry-Ridout Organ Recital at Norwich Cathedral

On Thursday 20th February 2014 I attended the Hannah Parry-Ridout Lunchtime Organ Recital at Norwich Cathedral. Hannah is Assistant Musical Director of the Fulham Camerata, Assistant Organist at St. Mary's Putney and a regular accompanist to choirs and instrumentalists. She started her musical career as a chorister in the Norwich Cathedral Girls' Choir and started playing the organ with the aid of a Norwich Diocesan Scholarship.

The programme consisted of Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 565 - Bach, Master Tallis's Testament - Howells, Intermezzo from Sonata No.4 - Rheinberger, Scherzo from Symphony No.4 - Widor and St. Patrick's Breastplate Movement III from Sonata Celtica - Stanford.

This was another fantastic Lunchtime Organ Recital at Norwich Cathedral with featured works by Bach, Howells and Stanford. Hannah Parry-Ridout who graduated from the Royal College of Music in 2010 performed a wonderful programme of music which was greatly appreciated by the enthusiastic audience at Norwich Cathedral.

The Festival Eucharist at Norwich Cathedral

On Sunday 12th May 2013 I attended The Festival Eucharist at Norwich Cathedral. The annual Eucharist cements and renews the unique relationship between the Norfolk and Norwich Festival and Norwich Cathedral. This year the service celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation with Liturgical performances of music heard at the ceremony in 1953.

The service used Vaughan Williams' Mass in G minor for double choir and included anthems and motets by Vaughan Williams, Howells and Wesley. It closed with Walton's Coronation Te Derum which was composed to conclude the coronation ceremony and Gordon Jacob's arrangement of the National Anthem.

Norwich Cathedral was full of the pomp and majesty of great choral works from Stanford's Gloria in Excelsis which was composed for the coronation of George V in 1911 to Walton's Crown Imperial march. The Norwich Cathedral Choir directed by Ashley Grote and organist David Dunnett made this a moving and memorable service.

I Was Glad to be at St. Peter Mancroft Church

An Evening of English Song awaited us on the evening of Saturday 11th February 2012 at St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich from the Norwich Music Group with conductor Philip Aldred and leader Frances Banham. This concert was in support of Central Norfolk Stroke Services at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

The programme consisted of The Clock Symphony - Haydn, Aria - Handel, Dear Lord and Father - Parry, Lux Aeterna - Elgar, Jerusalem - Parry, Faint with Love - Hawes, Love's Echo - Hawes, The Seals Lullaby - Whitacre, The Bluebird - Stanford, Quanta Qualia - Hawes, Blessed Pair of Sirens - Parry and I Was Glad - Parry.

One of the country's most popular and inspirational composers Patrick Hawes was in attended on the evening to make this a truly special night. Haydn's Clock Symphony is called this because of the ticking rhythm throughout the second movement and was a wonderful way to commence the concert. Veronica Grint gave a splendid performance of Handel before a trio of songs took us to the interval included a rousing version of Jerusalem which had the audience on their feet.

After the interval Patrick Hawes witnessed three of his own compositions which were performed to the highest standard by the Norwich Music Group and Sonia Waters. Faint with Love, Love's Echo and Quanta Qualia are all wonderful pieces that delighted us all at St. Peter Mancroft Church. The evening came to an end with two classic compositions from Parry. Blessed Pair of Sirens and I Was Glad which are always a delight to listen too and especially on an evening like this.

Music of the Spirit

On the evening of Saturday 26th November 2011 I made my way back to St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich for The Jay Singers Music of the Spirit concert directed by Neil MacKenzie who is their new conductor and is a graduate of Clare College, Cambridge. He was a founder member of The Sixteen and later joined the BBC Singers.

The programme consisted of Der Geist Hilft - Bach, Looquebantur - Tallis, Justorum Animae - Byrd, Justorum Animae - Stanford, Never Weather Beaten Sail - Campian, Five Folksongs - Williams, My Spirit Sang All Day - Finzi, Deep In My Soul - Elgar, Ave Maris Stella - Grieg, The Gallant Weaver - MacMillan and Five Negro Spirituals - Tippert.

The Jay Singers have been in existence for more than 15 years as one of the foremost choirs in East Anglia and what a joy it was to be at St. Peter Mancroft Church on Saturday evening with singing of the highest quality. Byrd's Justorum Animae was out of this world. A wonderful time was had by all as we celebrated the music of the spirit.