The Choir

School of Church Music, £5; Historic Churches Preservation Trust, £5;

Universities' Mission to Central Africa, £20; Missions to Seamen, £10. Imperial Cancer Research Fund, £25; St. Dunstan's, £10; British

Empire Leprosy Relief Association, £20; British Limbless Ex-Service Men's

Association, £10; York and District Deaf and Dumb Benevolent Society, £5; Sunshine Fund for Blind Babies and Children, £10; Cheshire Homes, £20; British Epilepsy Association, £5; National Spastics Society, £10. People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, £10; Royal National Life-Boat

Institution, £5; National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, £15; Pearson's Fresh Air Fund, £5.

This sum of £288 3s. Od. was in addition to the three donations made in the course of the year.

Even the best-regulated families have their crises; and at the beginning of term the Choir was faced with an acute shortage of trebles; somehow, however, Mr. Waine overcame this difficulty and the Summer Term, reaping the fruit of the previous two terms' work, proved to be one of successful effort : in addition to two choral communions the following music was sung :-

Anthems: This joyful Eastertide—Old Dutch. The Strife is o'er—Vulpius. 0 how amiable—Vaughan-Williams. All the ends of the world—Boyce. Come Holy Ghost—Attwood. Call to remembrance—Farrant. Give us the wings of faith—Bullock. Jesu, joy of man's desiring—Bach. How lovely are thy dwellings—Brahms. Services: Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in B flat—Stanford Te Deum in B flat—Stanford (arr. Lang). Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in D minor—Walmisley.

Three dates were outstanding in the Choir's diary. The Ripon Festival is reported in full elsewhere; but for half the Choir probably the most memorable event is their visit, on 2nd June, to the village of Thorganby, where, at the invitation of Sir John DunningtonJefferson, we sang a selection of our favourite music, whilst Mr. Waine amply showed his ability and ingenuity on the simple village organ. We would especially like to thank all those who were responsible for the absolutely magnificent tea which followed; we only hope we earned it.

Owing to our various commitments the anuual outing to Scarborough had to be shortened, and many people wondered in advance whether it was worth going if we did not set off until 12-30 p.m.; but all fears were proved unfounded and the perfect weather, careful arrangements and excellent tea combined to make this one of the most successful Choir Outings ever. 34

Commemoration, the consummation of the whole year, was also extremely good this year : most enjoyed the almost lyrical Brahms' anthem and everybody remarked how the combined choir and congregation's rendering of Stanford's Te Deum succeeded. It only remains for me to thank all those who are leaving the Choir for their help.

E.W.T.

THE RIPON FESTIVAL, 1957

On hearing that the annual outing to Scarborough would be restored this year—much to the joy of the trebles and the satisfaction of the Choir's stalwart backbenchers—we regarded the Ripon Festival with more enthusiasm than last year.

So on the 6th June we went to the quiet city of Ripon for the second Northern Schools' Festival arranged by the Royal School of Church Music. This is a counterpart of festivals held elsewhere in the United Kingdom in the Cathedrals of Canterbury, Gloucester and Birmingham and the School Chapels of Harrow, Marlborough and Lancing.

The day's proceedings started rather badly as the coach arrived an hour late. However, the Choir's spirits, having been dampened by a cloudburst, were fully restored by the time we arrived outside the Cathedral at Ripon, twenty-five minutes late. Luckily Mr. Waine had travelled by car and so was able to start the practice for the rest of the choirs promptly.

The practice, thus rudely interrupted by our entrance, proceeded, and Mr. Waine, supported by Mr. Dakers, on the organ, patiently moulded the six choirs into one.

The Service began at four o'clock and took the form of Evensong, including three anthems. I can say, on behalf of the whole Choir, how impressed we were by the high standard of singing, the whole Cathedral reverberating with the glorious trains of the music. In his warm address of welcome, the Dean of Ripon reminded us of the value of our choral singing in worship.

The standard of singing was much higher than last year, possibly because this year the service was held in the Choir and not in the Nave. Consequently we experienced a much greater sense of unity. The highest praise should be extended to Mr. Lionel Dakers, the Cathedral organist, who played for us with his usual zeal.

Although this is only the second Northern Schools' Festival of the R.S.C.M., about 200 voices from the choirs of St. Peter's, Giggleswick, Rishworth, Ashville College, York College and Queen Margaret's School attended. We hope that more choirs from northern Public Schools will join us next year.