Bach's Magnificat

The Dean of York came to St. Peter's on the first day to welcome the boys to York. He arranged for all the doors in the Minster metaphorically to be open to them, taking several parties round the Minster himself. A large party climbed the West towers to see the belfry and Big Peter. In York, by kind permission of the Lord Mayor, another party visited the Mansion House, where they saw the State Rooms and inspected the Mansion House Plate. On this occasion they were welcomed by the Lady Mayoress in the unavoidable absence of the Lord Mayor.

Evensong was broadcast from the Minster on Tuesday, 22nd, and that evening an enjoyable concert (the second of the course) rounded off a fortnight of hard work (Sundays, for instance, saw the choir attending two rehearsals in the Chapter House of the Minster, each of over an hour's duration, and singing three services). At the end Mr. Wright made a short speech thanking the Headmaster and domestic staff of St. Peter's for the warm welcome the members of the course had had at St. Peter's, and Canon Patteson for celebrating Holy Communion in Chapel both Sundays. Mr. Waine, who was present in liaison as well as a musical capacity, responded, in the absence of the Headmaster.

Two members of the Chapel Choir, P. J. R. Mason and D. A. Haxby, attended the course.

BACH'S MAGNIFICAT

1950 is, of course, the bicentenary of J. S. Bach's death, and in what better way could the School commemorate it than by making history? Towards the end of the term, the School Choir, with Mary Collier, under the direction of 'Mr. Waine, presented, it is believed for the first time in the history of York, Bach's 'Magnificat in D.

Bach's Magnificat presents difficulties, it is agreed, but the confidence, understanding and expression which typified its performance by the School Choir completely concealed them.

Mr. Waine prefaced the recital by a compact and interesting résumé of Bach's life, and pointed out that his music has always been in vogue from the time of Mendelssohn.

The choruses, portraying various moods, were sung with clearness of diction and telling expression. By reason of the music scoring, the trebles had to be split into two parts, and therefore it was largely owing to the lack of numbers that their execution wavered a little, but they blended well in the choruses. All the soloists had successes. Mary Collier and Eustace Piers, performing with obvious feeling, suited the moods exactly; clearness and control were perhaps the qualities which made D. A. Haxby's alto solo so pleasing; P. J. R. Mason in his singing of "Quia fecit mihi magna . . ." gave evidence of a remarkably expressive voice capable of a wide range of tone,