Cornovian Singers is a community choir based in Pontesbury, and performing in the Shrewsbury area.
We sing at community events, local concerts, church and charity 'fundraisers' etc, and enjoy leading services in historic churches which have no choir. This has been much appreciated, as you'll see from the testimonials below.
We welcome experienced singers to come and try singing with us. It's a friendly and enthusiastic group, performing a mixture of sacred and secular music, with an emphasis on singing Christian music a capella. Our repertoire includes historic and 'early' music, as well as modern/gospel music from both Anglican and Catholic traditions.
If you're interested in joining, we usually rehearse in Pontesbury, and there’s no membership fee or subscription, and no scary audition! All music is provided, it's a chance to receive a free musical education, and a great chance to make new friends. If you're interested please contact Paul, our director of music, on 0795-167-4428.
Upcoming dates Autumn/Winter 2025:
Sunday 26th October at 5 pm: Psalms - a service at Yockleton Church, based on the psalms - but including favourite hymns to sing, and the first performance of a brand new setting of Psalm 121.
Sunday 7th December - Advent Service at Pontesbury Congregational Chapel
Sunday 14th December at 3 pm- Carol service at Holy Trinity Yockleton with Sian West (organ)
Saturday 21st December at 4 pm - Carol Service at All Saints Worthen with Brian Cottle (organ)
Recent comments on our choir:
'On behalf of Pontesbury Congregational Church, I just wanted to say a big thank you to the Cornovian Singers for a lovely and successful evening yesterday. Everyone said how much they had enjoyed the concert and we have made approximately £450 from the event'. (Wendy Williams)
'Just a quick line to say that we have received several unsolicited favourable reports relating to the Concert at the Congregational Church last week. Everyone who has contacted us say how much they enjoyed the whole event. I can't wait to be able to update you more after this coming Sunday's service'. (Roy Forbes)
'I just wanted to express our sincere thanks for a really enjoyable evening of choral music at All Saints Church, Worthen on 25th May. Everyone who attended were unanimous in their appreciation of the choir’s performance: it was wonderful to hear such historic music in our ancient building. Thank you all so much for coming along: I’d like to let you know that this event raised the sum of £687 for much needed Church funds'. (Ann)
'Amazing sound - only 10 voices on the day, but the sound seemed to carry around the whole of St Mary's. I was taken back to the middle ages'. (Roger)
'I loved the pieces you sang at the Congregational Chapel, - you brought an Appalachian style which was amazing, and the Latin songs were also great - really different from the usual Christmas fayre'. (Patrick and Sandy)
'Well, a massive ‘thank you’ to you and each member of the choir for guiding us through the church year and festivals in such an engaging way through words and music. It was a real treat to hear settings from a number of musical epochs and to learn some of the origins of the traditions we keep to this day.
'We, at Holy Trinity, Yockleton, all thoroughly enjoyed the concert and are most grateful for the time, expertise and enthusiasm which you so generously gave to the Church. The funds raised by the concert came to the highly respectable figure of £430 – for which the PCC is very thankful! We hope that you might come and sing at Yockleton again at some point in the future. Thank you once again for bringing us a most memorable afternoon – and for your part in raising money for our Church'.
Barbara Turpin (Churchwarden).
Thank you for the wonderful concert you gave us at Yockleton recently, You kindness and generosity of time and talent was much appreciated.
Shelia (Churchwarden).
'Very much enjoyed yesterday evening at the Congregational Chapel - a very good choir. Catch them if you can'. (Will)
'It was brilliant - thank you - the choir lifted the whole event, and I particularly enjoyed the Latin numbers, Gaudete etc'. (Roy)
'The choir sounded fantastic - only 7 voices, but it filled the Chapel completely (Sue)
A lovely evening enjoyed by all. Rev. Debbie Martin led us in a thought-provoking service of carols and readings, supported by this lovely choir. (Viv)
Benefits of Choral Singing:
Choral singing can be really enjoyable and uplifting, offering many health benefits, and the opportunity to become part of a fantastic musical heritage. Choristers acquire singing skills, learn to be part of a team, and often develop an enriching and life-long love of choral music. It's also a means to explore Christian faith. However, all choirs need a supply of new voices, the next generation of singers who will keep this tradition alive. So how about giving it a try?
In fact, choral singing is particularly strong in Britain. English cathedral choirs, the chapel choirs of some Oxford and Cambridge colleges as well as many church choirs set very high standards in choral singing. ‘Oxbridge’ chapel choirs often supply our cathedral choirs with singers who are skilled sight readers, and many singers with this background go on to join fine professional British choirs which specialize in a capella singing, with a strong emphasis on early music. These include The Sixteen, The Tallis Scholars, Stile Antico, Tenebrae, Voces 8, Gesualdo 6 and Apollo 5. The performances and recordings of these world famous 'premier league' choirs define the ‘gold standard’ of interpretation of choral music, particularly the 'golden age' early church music by Byrd, Tallis, Taverner, Dunstable, Palestrina, Josquin, Victoria etc. We're great admirers of these choirs and of this repertoire, and while a community choir based in a Shropshire village can't reach their superb standards, we try our best, and we certainly enjoy ourselves.
We sing at community events, local concerts, church and charity 'fundraisers' etc, and enjoy leading services in historic churches which have no choir. This has been much appreciated, as you'll see from the testimonials below.
We welcome experienced singers to come and try singing with us. It's a friendly and enthusiastic group, performing a mixture of sacred and secular music, with an emphasis on singing Christian music a capella. Our repertoire includes historic and 'early' music, as well as modern/gospel music from both Anglican and Catholic traditions.
If you're interested in joining, we usually rehearse in Pontesbury, and there’s no membership fee or subscription, and no scary audition! All music is provided, it's a chance to receive a free musical education, and a great chance to make new friends. If you're interested please contact Paul, our director of music, on 0795-167-4428.
Upcoming dates Autumn/Winter 2025:
Sunday 26th October at 5 pm: Psalms - a service at Yockleton Church, based on the psalms - but including favourite hymns to sing, and the first performance of a brand new setting of Psalm 121.
Sunday 7th December - Advent Service at Pontesbury Congregational Chapel
Sunday 14th December at 3 pm- Carol service at Holy Trinity Yockleton with Sian West (organ)
Saturday 21st December at 4 pm - Carol Service at All Saints Worthen with Brian Cottle (organ)
Recent comments on our choir:
'On behalf of Pontesbury Congregational Church, I just wanted to say a big thank you to the Cornovian Singers for a lovely and successful evening yesterday. Everyone said how much they had enjoyed the concert and we have made approximately £450 from the event'. (Wendy Williams)
'Just a quick line to say that we have received several unsolicited favourable reports relating to the Concert at the Congregational Church last week. Everyone who has contacted us say how much they enjoyed the whole event. I can't wait to be able to update you more after this coming Sunday's service'. (Roy Forbes)
'I just wanted to express our sincere thanks for a really enjoyable evening of choral music at All Saints Church, Worthen on 25th May. Everyone who attended were unanimous in their appreciation of the choir’s performance: it was wonderful to hear such historic music in our ancient building. Thank you all so much for coming along: I’d like to let you know that this event raised the sum of £687 for much needed Church funds'. (Ann)
'Amazing sound - only 10 voices on the day, but the sound seemed to carry around the whole of St Mary's. I was taken back to the middle ages'. (Roger)
'I loved the pieces you sang at the Congregational Chapel, - you brought an Appalachian style which was amazing, and the Latin songs were also great - really different from the usual Christmas fayre'. (Patrick and Sandy)
'Well, a massive ‘thank you’ to you and each member of the choir for guiding us through the church year and festivals in such an engaging way through words and music. It was a real treat to hear settings from a number of musical epochs and to learn some of the origins of the traditions we keep to this day.
'We, at Holy Trinity, Yockleton, all thoroughly enjoyed the concert and are most grateful for the time, expertise and enthusiasm which you so generously gave to the Church. The funds raised by the concert came to the highly respectable figure of £430 – for which the PCC is very thankful! We hope that you might come and sing at Yockleton again at some point in the future. Thank you once again for bringing us a most memorable afternoon – and for your part in raising money for our Church'.
Barbara Turpin (Churchwarden).
Thank you for the wonderful concert you gave us at Yockleton recently, You kindness and generosity of time and talent was much appreciated.
Shelia (Churchwarden).
'Very much enjoyed yesterday evening at the Congregational Chapel - a very good choir. Catch them if you can'. (Will)
'It was brilliant - thank you - the choir lifted the whole event, and I particularly enjoyed the Latin numbers, Gaudete etc'. (Roy)
'The choir sounded fantastic - only 7 voices, but it filled the Chapel completely (Sue)
A lovely evening enjoyed by all. Rev. Debbie Martin led us in a thought-provoking service of carols and readings, supported by this lovely choir. (Viv)
Benefits of Choral Singing:
Choral singing can be really enjoyable and uplifting, offering many health benefits, and the opportunity to become part of a fantastic musical heritage. Choristers acquire singing skills, learn to be part of a team, and often develop an enriching and life-long love of choral music. It's also a means to explore Christian faith. However, all choirs need a supply of new voices, the next generation of singers who will keep this tradition alive. So how about giving it a try?
In fact, choral singing is particularly strong in Britain. English cathedral choirs, the chapel choirs of some Oxford and Cambridge colleges as well as many church choirs set very high standards in choral singing. ‘Oxbridge’ chapel choirs often supply our cathedral choirs with singers who are skilled sight readers, and many singers with this background go on to join fine professional British choirs which specialize in a capella singing, with a strong emphasis on early music. These include The Sixteen, The Tallis Scholars, Stile Antico, Tenebrae, Voces 8, Gesualdo 6 and Apollo 5. The performances and recordings of these world famous 'premier league' choirs define the ‘gold standard’ of interpretation of choral music, particularly the 'golden age' early church music by Byrd, Tallis, Taverner, Dunstable, Palestrina, Josquin, Victoria etc. We're great admirers of these choirs and of this repertoire, and while a community choir based in a Shropshire village can't reach their superb standards, we try our best, and we certainly enjoy ourselves.
Recent Performances by Cornovian Singers:
Pontesbury Congregational Chapel (1st June 2025)
Cornovian Singers presented a lovely service on the theme of the Psalms - a mixture of psalms, but also favourite Welsh hymns based on psalms (Bryn Calfaria, Cwm Rhondda, Aberystwyth etc.), as well as some 'potted history' about psalm singing and early hymnody. The congregation were absolutely delighted with the service, the church community made us really welcome and our new alto singer Denice sang really well at her first concert with us.
'A triumph" - Roy Wainwright.
Concert at Welshpool Methodist Centre (15th April, 2025)
A really pleasant afternoon concert - with only 6 singers on this occasion, but this was perfect for the many partially-sighted people in the 'visually-impaired' audience, and for this acoustic. They all loved it - the audience response was really amazing, and the numerous questions afterwards suggested they were very attentive!
Choral Evensong at Holy Trinity, Yockleton (23rd March, 2025)
Starting at 4 pm, the light coming through the stained glass was fading as the a capella introit opened the service in commemoration of Thomas Cranmer and the Book of Common Prayer (1549). A really atmospheric and popular service, which included a psalm setting and anthem by Purcell, and canticles by local composer Paul Bracken.
Carol Service at All Saints Church, Worthen (Saturday 21st December, 2024)
A very nice way to round off 2024 by returning to All Saints for a service of 9 Lessons and Carols, with Rev. David Moss and Brian Cottle (organ). We were delighted to see 93 in the congregation, but we ran out of hymnbooks and folk had to share! Nevertheless, the atmosphere was great, with lusty congregational singing, and the choir performing some new pieces, including new arrangements of traditional carols 'Ding Dong Merrily' and 'O Holy Night' as well as a new carol 'Babe of Bethlehem' (written this year) which were all very well received.
'Times and Seasons' Concert at Holy Trinity Church, Yockleton (Sunday 27th October, 2024)
This fundraising event was a concert taking us on a 'guided tour' through the Church Year with seasonal music ancient and modern, with a buffet to follow. The audience response was most enthusiastic, and the choir were delighted to be so warmly welcomed. The Churchwardens/ PCC were very pleased with a profit of £430 on the evening.
Cornovian Singers Concert and Harvest Supper, Congregational Chapel, Pontesbury (Saturday, 5th October, 2024)
This concert developed our successful 'Times and Seasons' format with a Harvest/Michaelmas twist, and was followed by a delightful Harvest Supper in the Hall. The audience response was most gratifying - see below - and whole event raised £450 towards Chapel funds. A big thank you to Wendy Williams and Viv Boden who did so much to make this happen, and also to Hignett's in Pontesbury, who sold tickets - and provided some really delicious ham!
Cornovian Singers: 'Times and Seasons' Concert at All Saints Church, Worthen (May 2024)
This concert took the audience on a journey through the church year in music and words, blending church history/traditions and folklore in this most atmospheric church. The response was amazingly enthusiastic, and the event raised £687 for church funds. 'Times and Seasons' included anthems by JS Bach, SS Wesley, Thomas Campion, and first public performances of new pieces by local composer Paul Bracken.
Pontesbury Congregational Chapel (1st June 2025)
Cornovian Singers presented a lovely service on the theme of the Psalms - a mixture of psalms, but also favourite Welsh hymns based on psalms (Bryn Calfaria, Cwm Rhondda, Aberystwyth etc.), as well as some 'potted history' about psalm singing and early hymnody. The congregation were absolutely delighted with the service, the church community made us really welcome and our new alto singer Denice sang really well at her first concert with us.
'A triumph" - Roy Wainwright.
Concert at Welshpool Methodist Centre (15th April, 2025)
A really pleasant afternoon concert - with only 6 singers on this occasion, but this was perfect for the many partially-sighted people in the 'visually-impaired' audience, and for this acoustic. They all loved it - the audience response was really amazing, and the numerous questions afterwards suggested they were very attentive!
Choral Evensong at Holy Trinity, Yockleton (23rd March, 2025)
Starting at 4 pm, the light coming through the stained glass was fading as the a capella introit opened the service in commemoration of Thomas Cranmer and the Book of Common Prayer (1549). A really atmospheric and popular service, which included a psalm setting and anthem by Purcell, and canticles by local composer Paul Bracken.
Carol Service at All Saints Church, Worthen (Saturday 21st December, 2024)
A very nice way to round off 2024 by returning to All Saints for a service of 9 Lessons and Carols, with Rev. David Moss and Brian Cottle (organ). We were delighted to see 93 in the congregation, but we ran out of hymnbooks and folk had to share! Nevertheless, the atmosphere was great, with lusty congregational singing, and the choir performing some new pieces, including new arrangements of traditional carols 'Ding Dong Merrily' and 'O Holy Night' as well as a new carol 'Babe of Bethlehem' (written this year) which were all very well received.
'Times and Seasons' Concert at Holy Trinity Church, Yockleton (Sunday 27th October, 2024)
This fundraising event was a concert taking us on a 'guided tour' through the Church Year with seasonal music ancient and modern, with a buffet to follow. The audience response was most enthusiastic, and the choir were delighted to be so warmly welcomed. The Churchwardens/ PCC were very pleased with a profit of £430 on the evening.
Cornovian Singers Concert and Harvest Supper, Congregational Chapel, Pontesbury (Saturday, 5th October, 2024)
This concert developed our successful 'Times and Seasons' format with a Harvest/Michaelmas twist, and was followed by a delightful Harvest Supper in the Hall. The audience response was most gratifying - see below - and whole event raised £450 towards Chapel funds. A big thank you to Wendy Williams and Viv Boden who did so much to make this happen, and also to Hignett's in Pontesbury, who sold tickets - and provided some really delicious ham!
Cornovian Singers: 'Times and Seasons' Concert at All Saints Church, Worthen (May 2024)
This concert took the audience on a journey through the church year in music and words, blending church history/traditions and folklore in this most atmospheric church. The response was amazingly enthusiastic, and the event raised £687 for church funds. 'Times and Seasons' included anthems by JS Bach, SS Wesley, Thomas Campion, and first public performances of new pieces by local composer Paul Bracken.
Cornovian Singers at Shrewsbury Abbey (May 2024)
Really lovely acoustics in this amazing historic building, warmed by the sunlight coming in through the south windows. Our programme included the first public performance of a new setting of Ave Maria recently written for us, as well as anthems old and new, plus psalm settings, and some Gregorian Chant as old as the abbey itself. Excellent feedback, and the Abbey staff were really helpful and welcoming.
Really lovely acoustics in this amazing historic building, warmed by the sunlight coming in through the south windows. Our programme included the first public performance of a new setting of Ave Maria recently written for us, as well as anthems old and new, plus psalm settings, and some Gregorian Chant as old as the abbey itself. Excellent feedback, and the Abbey staff were really helpful and welcoming.
Cornovian Singers at St Mary's Church, Shrewsbury (Christmas 2023)
Cornovian Singers provided seasonal entertainment for the Christmas Market at St Mary's Church in Shrewsbury. There has been a church on this site for over 1000 years, and it was a real pleasure to sing here, in a wonderful historic atmosphere, superb acoustics and surrounded by magnificent stained glass. We were delighted with the feedback from this, and indeed from all our 2023 Christmas events. The Carol Service in Pontesbury Chapel on the 17th December proved particularly popular!
Background: Cornovian Singers was established recently (2023) in Pontesbury. We're a chamber choir performing mostly Christian music (often a capella) at community/charity events. All members of the choir are experienced church choristers, and our aim is to develop a unique sound, as well as a unique repertoire of music, old and new, appropriate to church services/informal worship and concerts. This repertoire includes 'early' music, as well as a number of new pieces written especially for us, including a full setting of the Eucharist Service in English, and newly-composed settings of many of the major Latin texts of the Christian church (Agnus Dei, Ave Maria, Pater Noster, etc). However, we're also working on classic anthems (Tallis, Farrant, Tye, Byrd) as well as some Gospel music.
We visit churches to perform, to fund-raise and we're also very happy to sing at services, either for Eucharist or BCP Evensong. We can offer a workshop beforehand based which involves the congregation in the psalmody and responses, and we can also offer a more informal Celtic style evening service with a mixture of modern music plus Taizé and Gregorian chant.
Repertoire List.
Anthems:
Ave Maria (PB)
Cantate Domino (Anon 17th-century)
Confession (Sibelius)
De profundis - Psalm 130 (Purcell)
Hide not thou thy face (Farrant)
If ye love me (Tallis)
Jesu, meine Freude (Bach)
Lamb of God (Dvorak arr. PB)
Lead me Lord (SS Wesley)
Libera me Domine (Tavener, arr. PB)
Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake (Anon 16th-century)
The Lamb (Tavener)
Never weather-beaten sail (Campian)
O sacred head (Bach/Hassler)
Pastyme with good company (Henry VIII arr. PB)
Psalm 23 (Bain arr. PB)
Psalm 102 (new setting)
Laudate Dominum (Roman Missal - arr PB)
Salvator Mundi (PB)
Saviour of the world (PB)
They shall grow not old (PB)
Thou knowest Lord (Purcell
Gospel:
Benediction (Barrows arr. PB)
Bind us together (Gilman arr. PB)
Calm me Lord (Rizza - new arrangement)
Father we love you (Adkins arr. PB)
I watch the sunrise (Murphy arr. PB)
Nearer my God to Thee (Adams/Mason arr. PB)
O happy day (Doddridge arr. PB)
Shall we gather at the river? (Lowry arr. PB)
The Spirit lives (Damian Lundy arr. PB)
Christmas Repertoire:
Babe of Bethlehem (PB)
Boar's Head Carol (Trad. arr. PB)
Come to Bethlehem (Warlock - arr. PB)
Ding dong merrily (Trad, - new arrangement)
Gaudete (Piae Cantiones - new arrangement)
Go tell it on the mountain (Trad. - new arrangement)
O Holy Night (Adam - arr. PB)
Puer natus in Bethlehem (14th-century chant)
Silent Night (Grüber - new arrangement)
Zither Carol (Trad. Czech - new arrangement)
Common Worship Eucharist: Our service material includes settings of Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Lord’s Prayer, Agnus Dei, Sanctus/Benedictus etc.
BCP Evensong: service material includes Ferial Responses, Mag. & Nunc + Lord’s Prayer settings, plus various psalm settings.
Paul's comments:
The choir seem to enjoy the pieces which I've written for them, some of which developed out of the writing of canticles and re-arrangements of music made to accommodate the ranges and abilities of the singers available in church choirs. Generally, I find that when writing for female, rather than male, altos, the choral sound is better if the alto parts are written slightly higher than is usual in standard repertoire, and lifted by melodic part writing where possible. Female alto singers seem to enjoy this in my experience. Similarly, I tend to keep the tenor parts slightly lower than in 'standard' repertoire, and again, try and emphasize melodic (rather than merely functional) part writing.
However, I don't see my role as a choir leader as just facilitating the making of sacred music - it's important to pass on to choristers/students some aspects of our rich ecclesiastical and choral heritage, which I try to do through what I hope are entertaining anecdotes. (Eccentric organs and organists I have known, S.S. Wesley's secret ladder into the organ loft, Thomas Weelkes' troubled relationship with the Dean of Chichester, etc. These curiosities, in my view, interest and involve singers in their choral heritage - and such stories can be used to allow the choir to rest for a few minutes without the rehearsal session losing energy! Actually, it's amazing how many choristers tell me that they value the background knowledge they acquire in rehearsals, and feel it enriches their experience of being a chorister. However, this isn't an accident - this story-telling attempts to address a serious problem. Many people attend the Anglican Church for decades, sometimes becoming involved as church officers, PCC members - even as choristers without absorbing even the most basic knowledge of choral music and heritage, the history of hymnody, the creeds, the Lectionary, or indeed of church history as a whole. They worship and sing in a vacuum, with very little background knowledge about their faith, with an extraordinary lack of passion or emotional involvement which, in my experience, colourless contemporary preaching does little to address.
These seems quite tragic - access to relevant information about church music and history has never been more accessible. In recent decades wealth of recordings by choirs such as The Sixteen, Tenebrae, Voces 8 (with really informative CD liner notes) have opened the door to a wealth of church music, making the 'Golden Age' English choral music of Byrd, Tallis, Mundy, Taverner, Tye etc. very well-known. Furthermore, scholars such as Diarmaid MacCulloch (Professor of the History of the Church at Oxford) Eamon Duffy (Professor of the History of Christianity at Cambridge) Nicholas Orme (Emeritus Professor of History at Exeter) Alec Ryrie (Professor of the History of Christianity at Durham University) have done much to raise public awareness of church history through their excellent and most accessible writing and broadcasting (see bibliography below).
Nevertheless, ignorance about fundamental aspects of Church history remains commonplace. A number of contributory factors may be mentioned, but surely one of the most important is the way in which the Anglican Church (especially its Evangelical element) seems to pointedly ignore its own history. Important commemorative dates mentioned in the Lectionary are almost never referred to in sermons, newsletters, or even mentioned in pew slips. Important dates such as March 21st (Cranmer Day - when we might remember the martyrdom of this 'founding father' of Anglicanism in 1556) or October 6th (Bible translator William Tyndale's martyrdom in 1526) and October 16th (the martyrdom of Bishops Latimer and Ridley in 1555) are routinely ignored. Surely, these days are opportunities for clergy to remind us of these important figures, and perhaps to highlight and teach about their Christian witness and example, but few take advantage. Some deliberately ignore these things.
Trends in higher education may be partly responsible for this lamentable situation. Church history now seems a marginalized subject in many British Universities, often surviving in the undergraduate curriculum as a minor element of longer ‘survey’ courses within history courses. Some rather diluted church history is 'bolted on' to theology courses, or forms a very small part of ordination training. (I recently found myself in the rather alarming situation of having to explain to a theology graduate, at the time employed as a Youth Worker in the Church of England, what the Vulgate was!) Such problems are compounded by what many perceive to be 'aggressive secularism' in our universities. As universities serve their master 'Lord Lucre' ever more diligently, they are place great emphasis on new historical sub-disciplines - media studies, critical theory, gender studies, etc. and consequently, many history departments no longer have a specialist church historian on their staff, and a perverse blindness to the central place of Christian culture in the story of Western Europe consequently prevails.
Nevertheless, no student, Christian or not, can achieve any sort of overview of European history without a knowledge of the Christian Church - the largest multi-national corporation in Europe, politically active, exercising wide-reaching and important jurisprudence, and for a thousand years the greatest patron of music, arts and of architecture in Europe. As a result, our landscape, our place-names, our calendar, our architecture, our seasonal traditions, many of our greatest works of art and many of our popular sayings are shaped by Christian culture. Indeed, it is often pointed out that the Book of Common Prayer (1549, rev. 1552, 1559 and 1662) and the King James Bible (1611) have had far more influence on the development of modern English than (even) the works of William Shakespeare, because they were far more widely read and heard.
Church history is thus crucial to an understanding and appreciation of the Christian culture on which Western Europe is built, and thus a really exciting area of study. In my experience many university undergraduates (often contrary to their own expectations) enjoy it greatly when they discover it's an inescapable part of a core module at university! However, Christian culture should not be understood as monolithic, uniform and over-arching – not only were there many regional differences in traditions, but also numerous mutations and changes in response to reformers acting from within the Christian hegemony, as well as to social, demographic and political pressures acting from without. Before the Reformation, liturgy itself varied considerably in different parts of Europe. Even within England, prior to the Reformation, the Dioceses within the Archbishopric of York (York, Carlisle and Durham) followed the Use of York, whereas Dioceses within the Archbishopric of Canterbury (with the exception of the Diocese of Hereford) followed the Use of Salisbury - the so-called Sarum Rite. After the Reformation in England, despite the Act of Uniformity of 1549, many churches in Wales, Lincolnshire and Norfolk ignored the new English Prayer Book and continued using the Latin rite.
Church history is thus, in many ways, a rich tapestry of variety and a story of endless change and renewal. The Christian Church acts as a mirror reflecting the history of ideas and of social changes, and continues to be so today. Accordingly, Church history is surely of interest to any European with even a passing curiosity about the society in which they currently live, although for those of faith, it is much more than this. Only by tracing and understanding the long and sometimes painful processes of change that we can really come to terms with our faith in the fullest sense, and cultivate a genuine and deep respect for our liturgical forms and traditions. Furthermore, it is often by looking back to earlier Christian examples, to early mystical writers and scholars, that we can find real integrity, and from it draw the inspiration and ideas with which to renew and refresh our own faith. Furthermore, we're still surrounded with the remains of that culture, despite increasing secularization, the growth of consumer culture, and the best attempts of politicians (anxious to ensure the continuity of their jobs) to misrepresent contemporary society as ‘multi-cultural’.
Personally, the process of reaching historical and cultural understandings of Christianity has become a means of affirming, reinforcing and deepening my own faith. Furthermore, I regard the sharing of those understandings as a form of ministry, which hopefully affirms and strengthens the faith of others. These ideas draw on my background both university and adult education teaching, and certainly underpin the work I've done with choirs including Cornovian Singers; St Giles, West Bridgford; the Reformation Early Music Group; Bridgford Camerata, etc.
Bibliography - some important recent publications in Church History.
Campbell, G. Bible: the story of the King James Version, Oxford UP, 2010.
Clark, J.G. The Dissolution of the Monasteries: a new history, Yale UP, 2021.
Duffy, E. The Stripping of the Altars: traditional religion in England, c. 1400-c. 1580, Yale UP, 1992.
Duffy, E. Marking the Hours: English people and their prayers, 1240-1570, Yale UP, 2006.
Gant, A. O Sing unto the Lord: a history of English church music, Profile Books, 2015.
Garbini L. Nouvelle histoire de la musique sacrée: du chant synagogal à Stockhausen, Bayard, 2010.
Greengrass, M. Christendom Destroyed: Europe 1517-1648, Viking Penguin, 2014.
Jacobs, A. The Book of Common Prayer: a biography, Princeton UP, 2013.
Jotischky, A. the Monastic World: a 1,200-year history, Yale UP, 2024.
MacCullough, D. Thomas Cranmer: a life (Revised Edition) Yale UP, 2017.
Madigan, K. Medieval Christianity: a new history, Yale UP, 2015.
Marshall, P. 1517 - Martin Luther and the Invention of the Reformation, Oxford UP, 2017.
Morris, J. A People's Church: a history of the Church of England, Profile Books, 2022.
Orme, N. Going to Church in Medieval England, Yale UP, 2019.
Ryrie, A. Protestants: the radicals who made the modern world, William Collins, 2017.
Cornovian Singers provided seasonal entertainment for the Christmas Market at St Mary's Church in Shrewsbury. There has been a church on this site for over 1000 years, and it was a real pleasure to sing here, in a wonderful historic atmosphere, superb acoustics and surrounded by magnificent stained glass. We were delighted with the feedback from this, and indeed from all our 2023 Christmas events. The Carol Service in Pontesbury Chapel on the 17th December proved particularly popular!
Background: Cornovian Singers was established recently (2023) in Pontesbury. We're a chamber choir performing mostly Christian music (often a capella) at community/charity events. All members of the choir are experienced church choristers, and our aim is to develop a unique sound, as well as a unique repertoire of music, old and new, appropriate to church services/informal worship and concerts. This repertoire includes 'early' music, as well as a number of new pieces written especially for us, including a full setting of the Eucharist Service in English, and newly-composed settings of many of the major Latin texts of the Christian church (Agnus Dei, Ave Maria, Pater Noster, etc). However, we're also working on classic anthems (Tallis, Farrant, Tye, Byrd) as well as some Gospel music.
We visit churches to perform, to fund-raise and we're also very happy to sing at services, either for Eucharist or BCP Evensong. We can offer a workshop beforehand based which involves the congregation in the psalmody and responses, and we can also offer a more informal Celtic style evening service with a mixture of modern music plus Taizé and Gregorian chant.
Repertoire List.
Anthems:
Ave Maria (PB)
Cantate Domino (Anon 17th-century)
Confession (Sibelius)
De profundis - Psalm 130 (Purcell)
Hide not thou thy face (Farrant)
If ye love me (Tallis)
Jesu, meine Freude (Bach)
Lamb of God (Dvorak arr. PB)
Lead me Lord (SS Wesley)
Libera me Domine (Tavener, arr. PB)
Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake (Anon 16th-century)
The Lamb (Tavener)
Never weather-beaten sail (Campian)
O sacred head (Bach/Hassler)
Pastyme with good company (Henry VIII arr. PB)
Psalm 23 (Bain arr. PB)
Psalm 102 (new setting)
Laudate Dominum (Roman Missal - arr PB)
Salvator Mundi (PB)
Saviour of the world (PB)
They shall grow not old (PB)
Thou knowest Lord (Purcell
Gospel:
Benediction (Barrows arr. PB)
Bind us together (Gilman arr. PB)
Calm me Lord (Rizza - new arrangement)
Father we love you (Adkins arr. PB)
I watch the sunrise (Murphy arr. PB)
Nearer my God to Thee (Adams/Mason arr. PB)
O happy day (Doddridge arr. PB)
Shall we gather at the river? (Lowry arr. PB)
The Spirit lives (Damian Lundy arr. PB)
Christmas Repertoire:
Babe of Bethlehem (PB)
Boar's Head Carol (Trad. arr. PB)
Come to Bethlehem (Warlock - arr. PB)
Ding dong merrily (Trad, - new arrangement)
Gaudete (Piae Cantiones - new arrangement)
Go tell it on the mountain (Trad. - new arrangement)
O Holy Night (Adam - arr. PB)
Puer natus in Bethlehem (14th-century chant)
Silent Night (Grüber - new arrangement)
Zither Carol (Trad. Czech - new arrangement)
Common Worship Eucharist: Our service material includes settings of Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Lord’s Prayer, Agnus Dei, Sanctus/Benedictus etc.
BCP Evensong: service material includes Ferial Responses, Mag. & Nunc + Lord’s Prayer settings, plus various psalm settings.
Paul's comments:
The choir seem to enjoy the pieces which I've written for them, some of which developed out of the writing of canticles and re-arrangements of music made to accommodate the ranges and abilities of the singers available in church choirs. Generally, I find that when writing for female, rather than male, altos, the choral sound is better if the alto parts are written slightly higher than is usual in standard repertoire, and lifted by melodic part writing where possible. Female alto singers seem to enjoy this in my experience. Similarly, I tend to keep the tenor parts slightly lower than in 'standard' repertoire, and again, try and emphasize melodic (rather than merely functional) part writing.
However, I don't see my role as a choir leader as just facilitating the making of sacred music - it's important to pass on to choristers/students some aspects of our rich ecclesiastical and choral heritage, which I try to do through what I hope are entertaining anecdotes. (Eccentric organs and organists I have known, S.S. Wesley's secret ladder into the organ loft, Thomas Weelkes' troubled relationship with the Dean of Chichester, etc. These curiosities, in my view, interest and involve singers in their choral heritage - and such stories can be used to allow the choir to rest for a few minutes without the rehearsal session losing energy! Actually, it's amazing how many choristers tell me that they value the background knowledge they acquire in rehearsals, and feel it enriches their experience of being a chorister. However, this isn't an accident - this story-telling attempts to address a serious problem. Many people attend the Anglican Church for decades, sometimes becoming involved as church officers, PCC members - even as choristers without absorbing even the most basic knowledge of choral music and heritage, the history of hymnody, the creeds, the Lectionary, or indeed of church history as a whole. They worship and sing in a vacuum, with very little background knowledge about their faith, with an extraordinary lack of passion or emotional involvement which, in my experience, colourless contemporary preaching does little to address.
These seems quite tragic - access to relevant information about church music and history has never been more accessible. In recent decades wealth of recordings by choirs such as The Sixteen, Tenebrae, Voces 8 (with really informative CD liner notes) have opened the door to a wealth of church music, making the 'Golden Age' English choral music of Byrd, Tallis, Mundy, Taverner, Tye etc. very well-known. Furthermore, scholars such as Diarmaid MacCulloch (Professor of the History of the Church at Oxford) Eamon Duffy (Professor of the History of Christianity at Cambridge) Nicholas Orme (Emeritus Professor of History at Exeter) Alec Ryrie (Professor of the History of Christianity at Durham University) have done much to raise public awareness of church history through their excellent and most accessible writing and broadcasting (see bibliography below).
Nevertheless, ignorance about fundamental aspects of Church history remains commonplace. A number of contributory factors may be mentioned, but surely one of the most important is the way in which the Anglican Church (especially its Evangelical element) seems to pointedly ignore its own history. Important commemorative dates mentioned in the Lectionary are almost never referred to in sermons, newsletters, or even mentioned in pew slips. Important dates such as March 21st (Cranmer Day - when we might remember the martyrdom of this 'founding father' of Anglicanism in 1556) or October 6th (Bible translator William Tyndale's martyrdom in 1526) and October 16th (the martyrdom of Bishops Latimer and Ridley in 1555) are routinely ignored. Surely, these days are opportunities for clergy to remind us of these important figures, and perhaps to highlight and teach about their Christian witness and example, but few take advantage. Some deliberately ignore these things.
Trends in higher education may be partly responsible for this lamentable situation. Church history now seems a marginalized subject in many British Universities, often surviving in the undergraduate curriculum as a minor element of longer ‘survey’ courses within history courses. Some rather diluted church history is 'bolted on' to theology courses, or forms a very small part of ordination training. (I recently found myself in the rather alarming situation of having to explain to a theology graduate, at the time employed as a Youth Worker in the Church of England, what the Vulgate was!) Such problems are compounded by what many perceive to be 'aggressive secularism' in our universities. As universities serve their master 'Lord Lucre' ever more diligently, they are place great emphasis on new historical sub-disciplines - media studies, critical theory, gender studies, etc. and consequently, many history departments no longer have a specialist church historian on their staff, and a perverse blindness to the central place of Christian culture in the story of Western Europe consequently prevails.
Nevertheless, no student, Christian or not, can achieve any sort of overview of European history without a knowledge of the Christian Church - the largest multi-national corporation in Europe, politically active, exercising wide-reaching and important jurisprudence, and for a thousand years the greatest patron of music, arts and of architecture in Europe. As a result, our landscape, our place-names, our calendar, our architecture, our seasonal traditions, many of our greatest works of art and many of our popular sayings are shaped by Christian culture. Indeed, it is often pointed out that the Book of Common Prayer (1549, rev. 1552, 1559 and 1662) and the King James Bible (1611) have had far more influence on the development of modern English than (even) the works of William Shakespeare, because they were far more widely read and heard.
Church history is thus crucial to an understanding and appreciation of the Christian culture on which Western Europe is built, and thus a really exciting area of study. In my experience many university undergraduates (often contrary to their own expectations) enjoy it greatly when they discover it's an inescapable part of a core module at university! However, Christian culture should not be understood as monolithic, uniform and over-arching – not only were there many regional differences in traditions, but also numerous mutations and changes in response to reformers acting from within the Christian hegemony, as well as to social, demographic and political pressures acting from without. Before the Reformation, liturgy itself varied considerably in different parts of Europe. Even within England, prior to the Reformation, the Dioceses within the Archbishopric of York (York, Carlisle and Durham) followed the Use of York, whereas Dioceses within the Archbishopric of Canterbury (with the exception of the Diocese of Hereford) followed the Use of Salisbury - the so-called Sarum Rite. After the Reformation in England, despite the Act of Uniformity of 1549, many churches in Wales, Lincolnshire and Norfolk ignored the new English Prayer Book and continued using the Latin rite.
Church history is thus, in many ways, a rich tapestry of variety and a story of endless change and renewal. The Christian Church acts as a mirror reflecting the history of ideas and of social changes, and continues to be so today. Accordingly, Church history is surely of interest to any European with even a passing curiosity about the society in which they currently live, although for those of faith, it is much more than this. Only by tracing and understanding the long and sometimes painful processes of change that we can really come to terms with our faith in the fullest sense, and cultivate a genuine and deep respect for our liturgical forms and traditions. Furthermore, it is often by looking back to earlier Christian examples, to early mystical writers and scholars, that we can find real integrity, and from it draw the inspiration and ideas with which to renew and refresh our own faith. Furthermore, we're still surrounded with the remains of that culture, despite increasing secularization, the growth of consumer culture, and the best attempts of politicians (anxious to ensure the continuity of their jobs) to misrepresent contemporary society as ‘multi-cultural’.
Personally, the process of reaching historical and cultural understandings of Christianity has become a means of affirming, reinforcing and deepening my own faith. Furthermore, I regard the sharing of those understandings as a form of ministry, which hopefully affirms and strengthens the faith of others. These ideas draw on my background both university and adult education teaching, and certainly underpin the work I've done with choirs including Cornovian Singers; St Giles, West Bridgford; the Reformation Early Music Group; Bridgford Camerata, etc.
Bibliography - some important recent publications in Church History.
Campbell, G. Bible: the story of the King James Version, Oxford UP, 2010.
Clark, J.G. The Dissolution of the Monasteries: a new history, Yale UP, 2021.
Duffy, E. The Stripping of the Altars: traditional religion in England, c. 1400-c. 1580, Yale UP, 1992.
Duffy, E. Marking the Hours: English people and their prayers, 1240-1570, Yale UP, 2006.
Gant, A. O Sing unto the Lord: a history of English church music, Profile Books, 2015.
Garbini L. Nouvelle histoire de la musique sacrée: du chant synagogal à Stockhausen, Bayard, 2010.
Greengrass, M. Christendom Destroyed: Europe 1517-1648, Viking Penguin, 2014.
Jacobs, A. The Book of Common Prayer: a biography, Princeton UP, 2013.
Jotischky, A. the Monastic World: a 1,200-year history, Yale UP, 2024.
MacCullough, D. Thomas Cranmer: a life (Revised Edition) Yale UP, 2017.
Madigan, K. Medieval Christianity: a new history, Yale UP, 2015.
Marshall, P. 1517 - Martin Luther and the Invention of the Reformation, Oxford UP, 2017.
Morris, J. A People's Church: a history of the Church of England, Profile Books, 2022.
Orme, N. Going to Church in Medieval England, Yale UP, 2019.
Ryrie, A. Protestants: the radicals who made the modern world, William Collins, 2017.
