Music
We believe in the ministry of music and see it as an integral part of our congregational worship. At St. Columba's we seek to merge the contribution of the professional choir and congregational singing. The musical contribution of the professional choir is drawn from church music from the 15th to the 21st century and reflects the liturgical seasons of the church. Our Organist and Director of Music David Terry leads the professional and congregational choirs. Throughout the year, there are opportunities for special music events, such as recent performances of Fauré's Requiem, Handel's Messiah, and Mozart's Requiem performed by an enhanced congregational choir with professional soloists. Occasional orchestral concerts are performed in the church and in the hall. We hope you will enjoy and share in this rich musical tradition.
This Month and Next Month
Music for July and August 2010
18 July 11.00am
Jesu, the very thought - Edward Bairstow
Exultate Jubilate - Ludovico da Viadana
25 July 11.00am
Locus iste - Anton Bruckner
O salutaris hostia - Gioacchino Antonio Rossini
1 August 11.00am
Teach me, O Lord - William Byrd
Sing joyfully - William Byrd
8 August 11.00am
Brother James' Air - James Leith Macbeth Bain
Cantate Domino - Giuseppe Pitoni
15 August 11.00am
Day by Day - How
Ave maria - Jacob Arcadelt
22 August 11.00am
Lord, I trust thee - Georg Friedrich Händel
O Saviour of the world - John Goss
29 August 11.00am
Teach me, O Lord - Thomas Attwood
The peace of God - John Rutter
Professional
This group of paid singers provide weekly musical contributions to our Sunday service. Composed of a highly talented group of London musicians, they greatly enhance our worship experience. From time to time the choir is enlarged for special seasons and services such as Advent, Christmas, Holy Week, and Easter.
Congregational Choir
This group of congregational members was formed in March 2007. This facilitates participation from our own musically gifted members and friends. The congregational choir currently sings at the evening service. Rehearsals are held prior to the service with a longer weekday practice held quarterly. If you are interested in joining this group please contact the Church Office at office@stcolumbas.org.uk.
Our Organ
The organ in St Columba's was built for the new church in 1956 by J W Walker and Sons. It was conceived on a grand scale and built with great conviction and craftsmanship. Over the years, however, it had developed one serious problem. The organ was built with a system of Roosevelt blowers supplying air to the stops through small leather covered pallet valves. Over time the leather was cracking and perishing, resulting in unreliable operation and increasingly intrusive ciphers.
The solution adopted was to replace all 3500 valves with the proven slider chest system, whereby air is admitted to the pipes when holes in wooden slats are lined up like Meccano strips. This was the central feature of the major organ restoration carried out in 2003 at a cost of £180,000 by Geoffrey Coffin of Principal Pipe Organs of York. In addition, all pipe work was carefully removed, cleaned and overhauled in the workshop.
At the inaugural recital in May 2004 three distinguished organists demonstrated the new organ's capability to stunning effect. It is now fully reinstated in its historic place as one of the leading organs of its kind in Britain.
