Page 28 - Church Music Quarterly June 2019

sure I could easily choose between the two of them: it’s usually the one I’m conducting at the time! It was the same when I was a singer and even as a member of an audience: there’s nothing that moves me quite so much – apart, perhaps, from the same composer’s monumental B Minor Mass. Having said that, it’s rather unfair to make me select one as there is so much life-enhancing choral music to choose from.
CMQ You are organist at the church of St James the Great, Fulbrook. Which hymn has a special place in your heart?
BK We are very lucky in Fulbrook as we have no fewer than four villagers who can play the organ (a bit of a luxury these days!) so we share the honours. Again, it’s hard to know how to select any one particular favourite. As organist, I love pulling out all the available stops and encouraging the congregation to give of its all. The first
To conduct a cast of thousands in the Royal Albert Hall in several of the greatest choral and orchestral works is a huge excitement, every time
time I ever appeared on television – way back in 1962 – was as a sixth- former at Rydal School, where five
of us sang the hymns unaccompanied as the school chaplain preached the Sunday morning sermon. I so well remember Angel-voices ever singing and this has remained a firm favourite with that specially appropriate line ‘craftsman’s art and music’s measure for thy pleasure all combine’. For a man like me who loves words and music, that just about says it all. Of
the more modern hymns, you’d be hard to beat John Barnard’s wonderfully
CHURCH MUSIC QUARTERLY JUNE 2019 34
uplifting tune (Guiting Power) setting Michael Saward’s words in ‘Christ triumphant, ever reigning, Saviour, Master, King!’
For more information about this year’s Really Big Chorus events visit www.trbc.co.uk
www.trbc.co.uk
Above: The Really Big Chorus at the Royal Albert Hall