• The Forum: Frikki Walker

    Last Sunday the speaker at our Forum meeting was Frikki Walker, St Mary’s Director of Music.

    His forum was a tour de force and kept the audience entranced as he educated, opined and inspired us. Together we talked about favourite music, the composer he would most like to be locked into a church with, what makes a musician and what makes music at St Mary’s so special.

    We thought about what matters most, the music or the words. And we had a go a the question that was raised in a forum a few weeks ago as to whether it matters whether a church musician believes.

    Take a look.

2 responses to “E and B”

  1. Martin Ritchie Avatar
    Martin Ritchie

    One of the interesting things about choral evensong is that in some places it can seem like a living tradition that can speak to anyone, whereas in others it can appear to be dry as dust, pompous and irrelevant. What do you think the “method” is that produces a living choral evensong as opposed to an antiquarian one?

  2. kelvin Avatar

    That’s a good question, Martin and I agree, it can be miserable.

    I think that worship tends to take off when those planning it and organising and leading it care more about what we are doing when we worship than in the form in which we worship.

    I suspect that Choral Evensong is not best led by liturgical, musical or prayer book fundamentalists or by those who happen to find this a way of encountering the holy.

    A culture of offering the best we can be to God helps. Good relationships between musicians and clergy help. As usual, clear liturgical books in the hands of the faithful help. And whoever is leading needs not to be frightened of a bit of silence now and then amidst the music.

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