Funeral of Canon John Thurmer

St Michael’s Mount Dinham saw its largest congregation in many a year for the Funeral Mass for Canon John Thurmer on Monday 9th February. The church was filled with well over 250 mourners who came to give thanks for John’s long and fruitful life of 89 years and priestly ministry for 61 years. Indeed, for half a century he had served Exeter, first as the University’s Lazenby Chaplain, then as a Canon and Chancellor of the Cathedral, and in retirement as a wise and witty friend and counsellor to many as he served the Parish of St David’s with St Michael & All Angels.

During the service, great shafts of light from the rose window cut through the clouds of incense to illuminate the scene, giving the chancel and sanctuary a heavenly glow.

The singing of the hymns chosen by John, “Jerusalem the golden”, “O what their joy and their glory must be” and “Ye watchers and ye holy ones”, full of imagery and doctrine, was tremendous. The choir of nearly 30 sang the Plainsong Missa de profunctis and Propers for the Departed, Stanford’s Beati quorum via integra est, and the Russian Kontakion.

Fr Trevor Jones SSC of St Peter’s Wapping read the Lesson from Wisdom 3 with clarity and insight, and the Gospel was the Resurrection narrative from Mark 16. Solemn Mass was celebrated with simple dignity by Fr David Hastings, assisted by half a dozen servers and Frs Tom Honey and John Henton, the present and former incumbents of this Parish where Canon Thurmer served as Honorary Assistant Priest throughout his 24 years of retirement. There was no Sermon, but a biography was printed (and is linked here).

The Commendation and Committal were prayed with evident emotion by Fr David on behalf of us all. Then John Thurmer’s coffin was borne from the church through the great west doors in clouds of incense into the afternoon sunshine in a blaze of glory. O friends, in gladness let us sing.

Again on John’s instructions, there were copious amounts of sandwiches, cakes and champagne provided, in memory of a great and humble priest who taught and influenced so many. Here we acknowledge the huge debt owed to Canon John Thurmer in maintaining and shaping the worship, intellectual life and hospitality of St Michael’s during many years; his presence is greatly missed.

The words of Gerald Bray, reviewing John Thurmer’s 1987 book “The Son in the Bible and the Church”, were true to the end. “The [then] Chancellor of Exeter Cathedral is one of that vanishing breed of Anglican churchmen – intellectual without being incomprehensible, conservative without being stuffy, and pastorally-minded without being sentimental. It is a combination which was once the glory of …”

Services & Music List, July-August 2014

Please Note – Two Services originally listed for early August have been cancelled/postponed to give priority to the Requiem in memory of Fr John Hughes on Wednesday 6th August.

St Michael’s is a community of diverse Christians with with a friendly, inclusive fellowship. While our worship is at the Catholic end of the Anglican spectrum, our members and visitors span a surprising range of ages and beliefs and come from both Exeter and much farther afield. All are welcome.

A reminder that our regular services at St Michael’s, Mount Dinham, Exeter, EX4 4EB, are:-
Sunday 10.45 am • Solemn Mass; Sung with Plainsong Propers, a wide repertoire of Settings for Kyrie, Sanctus/Benedictus, Angus Dei, and Motet; Congregational Hymns, Gloria, Creed and Lord’s Prayer (Shaw/Merbecke).
Sunday 6.00 pm • Choral Evensong & Benediction (First Sunday of each month)
Tuesday 6.00 pm • Plainsong Vespers & Meditation (not August)
Tuesday 7.00 pm • Choir Practice
Wednesday 9.30 am • Morning Prayer
Wednesday 10.00 am • Said Low Mass
Thursday 6.00 pm • Plainsong Vespers & Meditation (not August)

Chandel window – 3 angels

As Prof Oliver Nicholson comments,“Worship at St Michael’s follows formal patterns; this formality frees the private prayer of individuals so that it may be offered in a communal context.
It helps to form intimate habits of devotion – and much of life is, after all, lived by habit.
It connects us to the worship of past generations of Christians, so freeing us from the illusion that Christianity was invented yesterday – by us. And we enjoy it!”

Music List for Choral Services. (NEH = New English Hymnal numbers)

The Choir’s repertoire spans six centuries and more; its music characterised by the use of Plainsong, English and European Renaissance polyphony and music of the Anglican choral revival from the past 150 years.

Sunday 6th July, Trinity III, 10.45am Mass. NEH:63:271:376
Setting: Mass in F, Darke. Motet: O for a closer walk with God, Stanford.

Sunday 6th July, 6pm Evensong and Benediction. Responses: Byrd, Office Hymn: 242,
Canticles: Dyson in F, Anthem: How beauteous are their feet, Stanford.
Tantum Ergo & O Salutaris Hostia: Plainsong.

Sunday 13th July, Trinity IV, 10.45am Mass. NEH:415:495:486
Setting: Bairstow in E flat. Motet: If ye love me, Tallis.

Monday 14th July, Young Organists’ Competition, 7.30-9.45pm. Our 9 competitors play approx 12 minute programmes on our new pipe organ to 3 distinguished judges. Prizes and refreshments around 9.20pm.

Sunday 20th July, Trinity V, 10.45am Mass. NEH:379:440:369
Setting: Leighton in D. Motet: Verily, verily I say unto you, Tallis.

Sunday 27th July, Trinity VI, 10.45am Mass. NEH:339:413:367
Setting: Mass for 4 voices, Byrd. Motet: God is a spirit, Sterndale Bennett.

Sanctuary Window – Eucharist and Passion

Sunday 3rd August, Trinity VII, 10.45am Mass. NEH:436:295:368
Setting: Anglican Folk Mass, Shaw. Motet: O taste and see, Vaughan-Williams.

Cancelled; Sunday 3rd August. Owing to Holidays and extra services, there will be NO 6pm Evensong and Benediction on this occasion.

Postponed Monday 4th August Owing to the Requiem Mass on Wednesday, the service to commemorate the beginning of the First World War has been postponed.

Wednesday 6th August, 7.30pm, Requiem Mass in memory of Fr John Hughes. Music will include the Requiem by Gabriel Fauré and the Preacher will be Fr John Henton.

Sunday 10th August, Trinity VIII, 10.45am Mass. NEH:338:353:464
Setting: Mass in the Dorian mode, Tallis. Motet: How beauteous are their feet, Stanford.

Madonna and Child

Friday 15th August, Feast of the Assumption, 7:30pm Mass. NEH:188ii:161t385:185
Setting: Missa “Dixit Maria”, Hassler. Motet: Ave Maria, Arcadelt.

Sunday 17th August, Trinity IX, 10.45am Mass. NEH:332:324:480
Setting: Mass in F, Sumsion. Motet: O Lord, increase our faith, Loosemore.

In planning for Sunday 17th August, ?6pm/6.30pm Evensong at St Martin’s in the Cathedral Close, EX1 1EZ.

Sunday 24th August, St Bartholomew the Apostle, 10.45am Mass. NEH:333:216t433:179t357
Setting: Sarum Mass, Plainsong. Motet: Give us the wings of faith, Bullock.

Sunday 31st August, Trinity XI, 10.45am Mass. NEH:452:408:449
Setting: Mass in A minor, Casciolini. Motet: Christus factus est, Bruckner.

St Michael’s Lecture

We welcome an informed and authoritative speaker on an important current topic.

Wednesday 2nd July, 7.30 pm St Michael’s Lecture.  The regular programme of lectures returns with Professor Emma Loosely speaking on “Christianity in Syria: Glorious Past, Uncertain Future.” Emma Loosely is Associate Professor in the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Exeter.  After graduating from a PhD in Late Antique Syria at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), she spent three years living and working as an archaeologist, fund-raiser, secretary and potato-peeler for the Community of Al-Khalil at Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi in Syria. The Community is dedicated to hospitality and Christian-Islamic dialogue.  She spent the summers directing an archaeological excavation for the Community at their other monastery, Deir Mar Elian in Qaryatayn. (Image)

She also worked for the Abu Dhabi Ministry of Information as an archaeologist studying the artefacts found at a sixth-century monastery on the island of Sir Bani Yas. She has taught Oriental Christian and Islamic Art at the University of Manchester, where she was appointed Senior Lecturer.  Since 2012, she  has been working on a five-year European Research Council funded project entitled Architecture and Asceticism: Cultural Interaction between Syria and Georgia in Late Antiquity.

All are warmly welcomed to the St Michael’s Lectures and admission is FREE (with a voluntary retiring collection).  They are followed by discussion and light refreshments.  The lectures are held in St. Michael’s Church (Mount Dinham, Dinham Road, Exeter, EX4 4EB) which has a tall spire and is located by the Iron Bridge on St. David’s Hill.  For further information, or to discuss disabled access, contact David Beadle atdnb201@ex.ac.uk

Also thank you to everyone involved in and/or attending the Heritage & Music Festival. A few thoughts and pictures from the last week.

Bp Richard Hawkins dedicates the new Organ

Bp Richard Hawkins blesses the new Organ

Sunday 22nd June, 6pm Evensong & Dedication of the new Organ. Thanks to Bishop Richard Hawkins and Fr David Hastings for this special service, and to Alex, Nigel & Neil for the Organ music. Also to visitors who swelled the choir for Balfour-Gardner’s Evening Hymn and the Stanfordfest; come again. We are again grateful to Heritage Lottery Fund, Viridor Credits and our many generous donors who have made installing this splendid organ possible.

Carillon de Westminster – Neil Page

Wednesday 25th June, 7.30pm Heritage Lecture. Paul Morgan (Exeter Cathedral Organist Emeritus) gave an entertaining and moving talk on the difficult life and lasting achievements of Samuel Sebastian Wesley. Having left a promising career in London to find Hereford Cathedral in dire musical straits, repeated clashes with difficult clergy meant that Exeter, Leeds, Winchester and Gloucester also had the benefit of the most talented organist and composer of his generation.

Prayers at the Tomb of John Dinham

Friday 27th June, 7.30pm Requiem Mass. In a simple Sung Mass with the Requiem Propers, two dozen or so gathered to honour the memory of John Dinham, Exeter Tea Merchant, Philanthropist and Founder of the Mount Dinham development on the 150th Anniversary of his death . After the service we processed over the Iron Bridge to offer our prayers at the tomb of John Dinham and his wife Susanna in the cemetery above Exe Street.

At the Tomb of John and Susanna Dinham

June Festival Final Week

The warm mid-June Monday evening past, about 120 of us heard the technical brilliance, musicality and sheer joy of David Briggs (www.david-briggs.org) in his spectacular Inaugural Recital on our new Organ. I think every pipe, pedal, key and stop was played, individually and all together!

Neil Page introduces David Briggs

Starting with a Fanfare by Graham Keitch, the Bach Prelude & Fugue showed the new Organ’s clarity in the classical repertoire, while the delicate Haydn pieces for musical clock showed its gentler colours. Briggs’ own variations on Greensleeves illustrated a different palette again, while the familiar Cocker Tuba Tune did what it said and the MacDowell Sea Pieces touched the romantic notes.

The words of Star Trek’s Chief Engineer Scotty, “She cannae take any more, Captain!”, came to my mind as David Briggs reached the climax of his transcription of Dukas’s “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” (made famous by Disney’s Fantasia) to end the first half of his tremendous Opening Recital. Thankfully it could, and after the interval David returned to talk about his training in France in the art of improvisation. In response to ideas from the audience, he created an Organ Symphony from “I got rhythm”, “We’ll meet again” and “Westminster Chimes”. Bach’s Air on a G string provided a calming encore to conclude a wonderful evening celebrating what can now properly be called the St Michael’s Organ.

David Briggs at St Michael’s

Many thanks to Tim Trenchard, our organ builder, for a year-long labour of love cleaning, renewing, reconfiguring, installing, voicing and tuning, to Nigel Browne for overseeing the project, to Neil Page for arranging such a fitting opening Recital, and to all who have encouraged and supported us in this task. David spoke movingly about the history of this organ in Birmingham, much of it played over 5 decades by his grandfather, and his pleasure at seeing it rebuilt in our beautiful church to be used in liturgy, recitals, concerts and teaching. Our HLF guest, Evelyn Stacey, was impressed with what we have achieved.

Richard Barnes, David Briggs & Tim Trenchard

Please now support:-

Sunday 22nd June, Music Sunday, 10.45am Mass. Setting: Little Organ Mass. Motet: Insanae et Vanae Curae. (Unhealthy and vain cares invade our minds; What profit, O Mortal, in worldly things, if you neglect the heavens? But all things are favourable to you, if God is for you.) Both by Franz Joseph Haydn.

Sunday 22nd June, 6pm Evensong & Dedication of the new Organ. With Bishop Richard Hawkins – special order of service, preceded by a 20 minute mini Organ recital. Much of the choir’s music will feature bold organ accompaniments in Balfour-Gardner’s Evening Hymn and a Stanfordfest of Psalm 150 and the Canticles in C. We are grateful to Heritage Lottery Fund, Viridor Credits and our many generous donors.

Wednesday 25th June, 7.30pm Heritage Lecture. Paul Morgan (Exeter Cathedral Organist Emeritus) on the Life and Achievements of Samuel Sebastian Wesley. Hear about the eccentric SSWesley, who was Organist of Exeter Cathedral in the 1830s and, as well as composing well-known hymns and anthems, set about improving the musical life of the CofE. He is buried just below the Catacombs in the cemetery across the valley from St Michael’s.

John Dinham, died June 27th 1864

Friday 27th June, 7.30pm Requiem Mass. In memory of the 150th Anniversary of the death of John Dinham, Exeter Tea Merchant, Philanthropist and Founder of the Mount Dinham development. Weather permitting, after the service, Richard Parker & I hope to lead a procession to the tomb of John Dinham, and his wife Susannah, in the cemetery above Exe Street.

Tomb of Susannah and John Dinham

Wednesday 2nd July, 7.30 pm St Michael’s Lecture.  The regular programme of lectures returns with Professor Emma Loosely speaking on “Christianity in Syria: Glorious Past, Uncertain Future.” Emma Loosely is Associate Professor in the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Exeter.  After graduating from a PhD in Late Antique Syria at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), she spent three years living and working as an archaeologist, fund-raiser, secretary and potato-peeler for the Community of Al-Khalil at Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi in Syria. The Community is dedicated to hospitality and Christian-Islamic dialogue.  She spent the summers directing an archaeological excavation for the Community at their other monastery, Deir Mar Elian in Qaryatayn. She also worked for the Abu Dhabi Ministry of Information as an archaeologist studying the artefacts found at a sixth-century monastery on the island of Sir Bani Yas. She has taught Oriental Christian and Islamic Art at the University of Manchester, where she was appointed Senior Lecturer.  Since 2012, she  has been working on a five-year European Research Council funded project entitled Architecture and Asceticism: Cultural Interaction between Syria and Georgia in Late Antiquity.

Please remember also to support a new generation of organists at our Young Organists’ Competition on Monday 14th July at 7.30pm. We have 9 applicants who will each play a short selection of pieces to our panel of three judges; Devon organists Jonathan Watts, Andrew Daldorph and Neil Page. Prizes include the opportunity to perform in Exeter Cathedral, in our St Michael’s Recital series, and lessons with Cathedral organists Andrew Millington and David Davies. We thank Exeter School, Exeter Festival Chorus and Budleigh Music Festival for sponsorship.

Organ Console

Fledging & Festival Updates

By midday on Sunday 8th June both the female Peregrine chicks (HeBe & HeiDi) had fledged and flown too. With no need for monitoring from us on the ground this year, it’s been hard to keep track of their first movements, but it seems all 3 are already able to fly to high points around the spire to roost and be fed.

Many took the opportunity to observe the Peregrines before attending Nick Dixon’s talk. A cameraman from the BBC’s One Show has been on hand too, so we hope there will be a feature on St Michael’s Peregrines in due course.

However, on Thursday 12th, the young male was found down, with some damage to his primary feathers; he has been taken to an RSPCA unit for treatment and rehabilitation, and we are still hopeful for a good recovery.

Heritage & Music Festival 2014

The Music & Heritage Festival is in full swing with choral concerts on Wed 11th and Fri 13th; please pull out all the stops to come and hear David Briggs, exciting player and entertaining speaker, performing on our new pipe Organ on Monday 16th June – all these at 7.30pm.

David Briggs – International Organ Virtuoso

If you need to park at the church, please get a pink parking permit when you arrive. Otherwise, the closest Exeter City car parks are Harlequins – free after 6pm, open till 11pm; Mary Arches Street – £2 after 6pm, staffed until 12pm; but NOT Guildhall, which closes at 9pm.

Meanwhile on Sunday 15th June, again at 7.30pm, we can learn more about the fascinating history of the part of Exeter we now call Mount Dinham, from Roman Camp and virtuous Victorians to melodious musicians and eloquent educators, from archaeologist and historian, Richard Parker.

Church and Episcopal School

It’s also great that the number of applicants for our Young Organists’ Competition, organised by Alex West, had swelled from a couple to 9, by the time entries closed last weekend. We look forward to an entertaining evening with our competitors and judges on Monday 14th July.

Organ Rebuilt

Finally, a reminder of Trinity Sunday 15th June, 10.45am Mass. Setting: now Mass in F by Charles Wood. Motet: Duo Seraphim by Guerrero. (Two Seraphim, from Isaiah 6, with 3 intertwining 4-part choirs representing the Holy Trinity)

Fledging News 1

Peregrine parent – Sat 7 June 2014

With much less fuss than last year so far, the news from Saturday 7th June is that HeCtor, the young male, has fledged and flown, and returned to the church tower. The young females have been flapping their wings on the edge of the trefoil opening, but not yet left the nest box.

HeCtor fledged – Sat 7 Jun 2014

Nick Dixon and local residents saw the young male down on an area of church roof this morning being fed by an adult. Later photographers here saw him back up on the decorated ledge at the base of the spire and then taking a brief flight mid-afternoon with one of the adults.

and testing his wings – Sat 7 Jun 2014

So we’re all set for an enthralling talk by Nick Dixon on the history and habits of our Peregrine family at St Michael’s, plus video clips from this season’s nest box camera bringing us right up-to-date.

Sunday 8th June, 7.30pm Heritage Lecture. Nick Dixon (Raptor expert) on 20 years with Exeter’s Peregrine Falcons.

The Mount Dinham Festival continues this coming week with 2 Concerts by local choirs and the interesting and surprising history of Mount Dinham itself from our resident historian. We also hope to see you on the 16th to be entertained by one of the world’s foremost organists playing our new pipe organ.

Wednesday 11th June, 7.30pm Charity Concert. Exeter Rotary presents Torbay Police Male Voice Choir in a programme of Gilbert & Sullivan and popular songs. (Admission £6.50 on the door.)

Friday 13th June, 7.30pm St Michael’s Recital. Exeter Chorale, conducted by Dr Nigel Browne and accompanied by Dr Paul Evans & Alex West (piano duet), return with a summer programme of Madrigals, Partsongs & Glees. (Admission £7.50/£4 on the door, children free.)

Sunday 15th June, 7.30pm Heritage Lecture. Richard W Parker (our own Architectural Historian) on the long History of Mount Dinham and St Michael’s.

David Briggs – International Organ Virtuoso

Monday 16th June, 7.30pm Inaugural Organ Recital. David Briggs (International Organ Virtuoso) will perform a varied programme on our newly installed, restored pipe organ. Don’t miss this exciting Concert; see organrecitals.com for details. (Admission £10/£8 on the door.) David’s Finale will be an improvised Symphony, from themes suggested by the audience!

Organ Console

Heritage & Music Month – June 2014

Hopefully you’ve seen the Posters in the recent News Update blog. This is the same information in Diary form combined with the Music List for June. We have now had a myriad (10,000) views of the blog, from 65 different countries – thank you.

Meanwhile, keep watching our Peregrine chicks, live on the internet at our website thanks to generous sponsorship of the streaming costs by Devon Birds ( http://www.devonbirds.org ). The 4-week old juveniles are quite mobile around the nest box, starting to feed for themselves on what the adults bring in, and looking rather untidy as they grow their proper feathers; they are due to fledge in the second week of June.

Heritage & Music Festival 2014

So, this is when we bring most of the Project together with a wonderful variety of entertainment, education and worship. Please come and enjoy this exciting month with us at St Michael’s. We will also shortly be launching a new, enhanced website at http://www.stmichaelsmountdinham.org.uk . Don’t miss David Briggs on Monday 16th June; he is one of the world’s most exciting concert organists.

Thursday 29th May, Ascension Day N.B. 7.30am Matins. Plainsong sung from the West Gallery; followed by Breakfast.

Thursday 29th May, Ascension Day 7.30pm Mass. Setting: Mass in C & F. Motet: Coelos Ascendit Hodie, both by C V Stanford.

Sunday 1st June, Easter VII 10.45am Mass. Setting: Missa Dixit Maria, Hassler. Motet: God is gone up with a merry noise, Hutchings (1906–1989)[Ascendit Deus, Philips]

Sunday 1st June, 6pm Evensong and Benediction. Responses: Sumsion. Psalm 47. Canticles: Stanford in G. Anthem: To My Request and Earnest Cry, by S S Wesley. (A substantial Bach-like piece, written in Exeter in 1836, setting the last 8 verses of Psalm 119 from Tate & Brady’s metrical “New Version”.) O Salutaris Hostia & Tantum Ergo: Plainsong.

Wednesday 4th June, 7.30pm Heritage Lecture. Dr David Oates on the Colourful Arms of Devon’s colourful Gentry.

Sunday 8th June, Pentecost, 10.45am Mass. Setting: Missa Brevis Laetatus Sum by Browne. Motet: Exultate Deo by Palestrina.

Sunday 8th June, 7.30pm Heritage Lecture. Nick Dixon (Raptor expert) on 20 years with Exeter’s Peregrine Falcons at St Michael’s, including new video footage from the nest box camera. Indeed, the young Peregrines should be on the threshold of fledging.

Juveniles at 3 weeks

Wednesday 11th June, 7.30pm Charity Concert. Exeter Rotary presents Torbay Police Male Voice Choir in a programme of Gilbert & Sullivan and popular songs. (Admission £6.50 on the door.)

Friday 13th June, 7.30pm St Michael’s Recital. Exeter Chorale, conducted by Dr Nigel Browne and accompanied by Dr Paul Evans & Alex West (piano duet), return with a summer programme of Madrigals, Partsongs & Glees. (Admission £7.50/£4 on the door, children free.)

Sunday 15th June, Trinity Sunday, 10.45am Mass. Setting: Spatzenmesse (Sparrow Mass) by Mozart. Motet: Duo Seraphim by Guerrero. (Two Seraphim, from Isaiah 6, with 3 intertwining 4-part choirs representing the Holy Trinity)

Sunday 15th June, 7.30pm Heritage Lecture. Richard W Parker (our own Architectural Historian) on the long History of Mount Dinham and St Michael’s.

Monday 16th June, 7.30pm Inaugural Organ Recital. David Briggs (International Organ Virtuoso, Artist-in-Residence at Toronto Cathedral, and Organist Emeritus of Gloucester Cathedral) will perform a varied programme on our newly installed, restored pipe organ. David will include 3 pieces played by his grandfather when the organ was re-dedicated after a re-build in 1952 at St Jude’s Church, Birmingham. Don’t miss this exciting Concert; see organrecitals.com for details. (Admission £10/£8 on the door.) David’s Finale will be an improvised Symphony, from themes suggested by the audience!

Click here for “Organ Specification”

David Briggs – International Organ Virtuoso

Thursday 19th June, Corpus Christi, 7.30pm Mass with Procession around Mount Dinham. Setting: Mass in F by Rheinberger. Motet: Panis Angelicus, Cavalli/Leppard

Sunday 22nd June, Music Sunday, 10.45am Mass. Setting: Little Organ Mass. Motet: Insanae et Vanae Curae. (Unhealthy and vain cares invade our minds; What profit, O Mortal, in worldly things, if you neglect the heavens? But all things are favourable to you, if God is for you.) Both by Franz Joseph Haydn.

Sunday 22nd June, 6pm Evensong & Dedication of the new Organ. With Bishop Richard Hawkins – special order of service, preceded by a 20 minute mini Organ recital. Much of the choir’s music will feature bold organ accompaniments in Balfour-Gardner’s Evening Hymn and a Stanfordfest of Psalm 150 and the Canticles in C.

We hope also to include prayers used by Bishop Ernest Barnes from the 1952 Organ Re-dedication Service at St Jude’s, Birmingham. We are grateful to Heritage Lottery Fund, Viridor Credits and our many generous donors.

Wednesday 25th June, 7.30pm Heritage Lecture. Paul Morgan (Exeter Cathedral Organist Emeritus) on the Life and Achievements of Samuel Sebastian Wesley.

Friday 27th June, 7.30pm Requiem Mass. In memory of the 150th Anniversary of the death of John Dinham, Exeter Tea Merchant, Philanthropist and Founder of the Mount Dinham development.

Sunday 29th June, SS Peter & Paul, 10.45am Mass. Setting: Anglican Folk Mass by Martin Shaw. Motet: Tu Es Petrus, Palestrina.

As usual at St Michael’s, virtually every event will have Refreshments afterwards, with voluntary donations.  Unless otherwise stated, entrance is free with a voluntary collection as you leave.  This celebratory month of diverse events is the climax of our 18-month Heritage Lottery Funded project (with other donors) to make Heritage, Music, Education, and indeed Religion, lively on Mount Dinham, now and for the future, in the spirit of our Victorian forbears, John Dinham, Rev Theophilus Toye and William Gibbs.

Northernhay Gardens – John Dinham statue (1866)

I’m not sure what John Dinham would make of a Requiem in his memory; he seems to have been of a more puritan, evangelical persuasion than those who built this church to his memory. What all had in common, though, was a fervent Christian faith demonstrated in the worship of God and the welfare of their fellow citizens.

Richard Barnes.

News Update

A quick update on exciting current and forthcoming events.

Church and Episcopal School

Tonight! Wednesday 21st May, 7.30pm. St Michael’s Recital. Alex West (Organ). See Organ Recitals for details.

Application date for Young Organists’ Competition extended to Sat 7th June. See details here

Peregrine chicks weighed, measured and ringed, all three are healthy, developing well and getting around the nest box. See website and click Peregrine link. And yes, I’ve unofficially named them after their leg-rings HeCtor, HeBe & HeiDi!

Poster now available for Celebrity Recital by David Briggs, International Organ Virtuoso, to launch the our new Organ, on Monday 16th June at 7.30pm.

Opening organ concert on reconstructed organ formally in St Jude’s Church, Birmingham, where David’s grandfather was Organist, inspiring him as a child to learn to play and to improvise.

David Briggs – International Organ Virtuoso

Click image to enlarge.

It is a real coup for St Michael’s to have David Briggs come and formally open our newly installed pipe organ next month. It will be a thrilling opportunity to hear one of the world’s foremost organists perform pieces from J S Bach to Dukas’ the Sorcerer’s Apprentice (from Disney’s Fantasia), and to improvise a Symphony from themes suggested by the audience!

And a beautiful poster for the whole of our busy Festival Season.

Heritage & Music Festival 2014

Click image to enlarge.

We hope to see those who live near enough at St Michael’s as we celebrate.

Best regards, Richard.

May at St Michael’s

St Michael’s on a May morning

We start May with two of the most joyful and uplifting Anthems for Easter from the Anglican Choral tradition; I wrote about “Ye Choirs” this time last year. Singing Samuel Sebastian Wesley’s “BBGF” is always a treat (the male recits, the girls’ antiphony, the massive organ chords and the final full-on fugue), but especially when one is just 200 yards North of his grave by the Exeter Catacombs.

We end the month with Ascension Day Matins and Sung Mass. In between is our usual diet of excellent music, plus a Lecture and a Recital to feed the mind as well as the soul. (Alex should have a choice of the old Wyvern electronic and the restored St Jude’s pipe organs for his recital.)

Meanwhile the programme for a month-long Heritage and Music Festival on Mount Dinham in June to celebrate the (near) completion of our Heritage Lottery Fund project, and the 150th Anniversary of John Dinham, will be released soon. We are thrilled that International Organ Recitalist David Briggs will be coming on Monday 16th June to inaugurate the rebuilt Organ which he knew as a child at St Jude’s Church, Birmingham.

Please also consider prompting any keyboard players aged 21 or under to enter the Young Organists’ Competition – the judging will be gentle and there’s no obligation to commit to giving a recital, just the opportunity. Likewise, keep an eye on the progress of our Peregrine chicks via the live webcam stream, sponsored by Devon Birds.

Devon Birds

Sunday 4th May, Easter III 10.45am Mass. Setting: Mass in F, Sumsion. Motet: Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem, Stanford.

Sunday 4th May, 6pm Evensong and Benediction. Responses: Radcliffe. Psalm 48. Canticles: Stanford in C. Anthem: Blessed be the God and Father, Wesley. O salutaris: Rossini. Tantum Ergo: Fauré (in Gflat).

Sunday 11th May, Easter IV 10.45am Mass. Setting: Missa O Quam Gloriosum, Victoria. Motet: Psalm 23, Schubert.

Wednesday 14th May, St Michael’s Lecture 7.30pm. Dr Sarah Goldingay (Univ of Exeter, Dept of Drama) Performance/Placebo – 21st Century Adventures in Culture, Medicine & Healing.

Sunday 18th May, Easter V 10.45am Mass. Setting: Mass in F, Darke. Motet: Surrexit Christus, Praetorius.

Wednesday 21st May, St Michael’s Recital 7.30pm. Alex West (Organ Recital). See Alex West on organrecitals.com

Sunday 25th May, Rogation Sunday 10.45am Mass. Procession around Mount Dinham. Setting: Missa Brevissima, Casciolini. Motet: If Ye Love Me, Stopford. STOP PRESS! Motet changed to “God looks on nature with a glorious eye”, words by poet John Clare (1793-1864), music by in-choir composer, Graham Keitch.

Thursday 29th May, Ascension Day 7.30am Matins. N.B. Time reverted to 7.30 to allow for climbing the tower and breakfast (Please note the new time.) Sung from the West Gallery; followed by Breakfast.

Thursday 29th May, Ascension Day 7.30pm Mass. Setting: Mass in C & F. Motet: Coelos Ascendit Hodie, both by C V Stanford.

Sunday 1st June, Easter VII 10.45am Mass. Setting: Missa Dixit Maria, Hassler. Motet: Ascendit Deus, Philips.

Sunday 1st June, 6pm Evensong and Benediction. Responses: Sumsion. Psalm 47. Canticles: Stanford in G. Anthem: To My Request and Earnest Cry, SSWesley. O salutaris & Tantum Ergo: Plainsong.

Three chicks and an egg

Having waited expectantly since mid-week, our holy Peregrines have again seen their eggs hatching on the last Sunday in April, just like last year, and exactly 34 days after laying their 3rd egg.

It was a wet and windy night but, with a touch of late night peregrinitis, it looked to me like one of the eggs had cracked around midnight and by 1am on the 27th the female was removing the shell and eating some of it, but nestling so well that I couldn’t see any chick. An automatic recording at 3.30am showed her removing a second shell and gave hints of some fluffiness under her breast.

At 8.30am Nick Dixon caught a swapover on the live webcam and saw 2 chicks and 2 eggs. At 12noon, accompanied by the church bell ringing for the Regina Coeli (Queen of Heaven), Kim confirmed this at another changeover of adult birds. Fittingly Sunday’s Mass setting was by William Byrd.

By 3.30pm I was suspecting maybe a third hatchling, and this was clear at 4.45pm when the female left the 3 chicks unattended in the nest for about 10 minutes. Two chicks were stretching upwards and squauking, with the third smaller chick less vocal; two female and a male?

It was a little worrying that the adults kept the chicks warm but showed no sign of attempting to feed them at all on Sunday, though they looked quite comfortable and active. Today, Monday, feeding has started with breakfast and tea observed; it will be a day or 2 more before we know whether the 4th egg will hatch.

Inside the Spire of St Michael & All Angels

The Heritage Lottery Funded camera mounted by Wildlife Windows in the nestbox 35 metres up St Michael’s spire gives a wonderful opportunity to observe these beautiful birds at close quarters, but remember that feeding might be messy. So go to http://www.stmichaelsmountdinham.org.uk/ click on the Peregrine image and then the “play” button, and watch our Peregrine family.

We are hugely grateful to Devon Birds for sponsoring the live-video-streaming. Please also visit their website to learn about the wider bird scene in Devon.

It’s not cheap (sorry for the pun) to run the streaming, so a little donation to one or both of St Michael’s and Devon Birds would be much appreciated.

Congratulations also to the educated Peregrines of Nottingham Trent University who hatched 3 eggs on St George’s Day, last Wednesday; they now have 4 chicks.