Royal School of Church Music

He was followed by the highlight of the concert, in the opinion of many—Schubert's Scherzo in B flat, played most artistically by Atkinson. This piece obviously delighted the audience. In contrast, Mason followed with two Shakespearian songs by Quilter, both sung with great conviction. His words were clear, and his voice very pleasant to the ear—a good performance.

Finally, Smithson rounded off a varied programme with Chopin's stirring and ever-popular Polonaise in A. Playing without music, he survived a shaky start to give a bold, vigorous rendering of this piece. D.G.H.

ORGAN RECITAL 28th July, 1950

Mr. Waine started this recital, given within an hour or two of the exact bicentenary of the death of John Sebastian Bach, with the wellknown Prelude in C minor. This work is normally associated with a comparatively immature fugue, but on this occasion the fugue was omitted. The movement from the trio sonata in E flat was registered in the "baroque" style in which the mutation stops of the organ are predominant. If Bach's name is associated in most peoples' minds with the perfection of the musical form known as Fugue, he is for the organist indissolubly associated with the Chorale Prelude. In the three which followed, Mr. Waine indicated the amazing diversity of style that Bach employed in his numerous Chorale Preludes. The Fugue in E flat (St. Anne), so called from the chance similarity of its subject with the tune of that name which is sung to "0 God our Help in Ages Past", and the Toccata in F were the two remaining Bach works in the programme. Before the Toccata in F, however, Mr. Waine played Liszt's eloquent and musical tribute to the memory of one of the greatest names in music, the prelude and fugue on the notes B.A.C.H.

ROYAL SCHOOL OF CHURCH MUSIC Cathedral Course, 9th-23rd August, 1950

For the last few years it has been the custom of the Royal School of Church Music to organise a course for members of affiliated choirs (St. Peter's is affiliated) for a fortnight in August and supply fully choral services in a Cathedral during the regular choir's holidays. This year, for the first time, the course was held in York.

The 72 members of the choir, drawn from public school and parish church choirs, were somehow squeezed into School House, dormitories, common rooms and the sanatorium being pressed into service. They fed in the old School House dining room, rehearsed in the old Geography Room and were directed by their choirmaster, Mr. Edred J. Wright, from—the Headmaster's Office ! Dr. Edgar P. Brice, Director of Music of Brentwood School, acted as House Master.