St Peter’s Choir
About this week’s music
This week’s Mass setting is the Communion Service in G, by Francis Jackson OBE (1917 – 2022), with an anthem by Guiseppe Corsi de Celano (1632 – 1691), the Adoramus Te.
The extraordinarily long-lived Francis Jackson was an English organist and composer who trained under Sir Edward Bairstow and served as Director of Music at York Minster for thirty-six years. He served under nine different Archbishops, and is responsible for the popularity of Widor’s Toccata as a postlude for weddings, having played this for the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Kent.
Guiseppe Corso de Celano was an Italian Baroque-era composer who was predominantly active in Rome. He was arrested, tortured and imprisoned by the Inquisition in 1677 before being forced to leave Rome, although sources are conflicted as to some details – he was known for disseminating forbidden books but was also accused – as a pretext? – of having an illicit affair. His Adoramus Te – “We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee, because by Thy Holy Cross Thou has redeemed the world” – was written in this background of suspicion and fear, with intellectuals and artists scrutinised for religious and political subversion.
About the St Peter’s Choir
Founded in 1847, the choir of St Peter's Eastern Hill is one of the oldest continuing Anglican church choirs in Australia.
Music plays an important part in the liturgical life of St Peter’s, with the choir singing at High Mass on Sundays as well as regular Evensongs. Our repertoire ranges from Plainsong to more recent liturgical settings, with a range of familiar and lesser-known composers. We are particularly enjoying re-discovering English Communion settings of the late 19th and early 20th century, alongside the great Mass settings of the Renaissance.
Membership is made up of volunteers, professional musicians, and a quartet of Foundation Scholars who are studying singing at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. The Church recently launched the music foundation to support this endeavour and to provide opportunities for young up-and-coming singers to develop their performance experience while contributing to our liturgy; if you would like more information about this, or to support this vital ministry, please contact the Director of Music, Christopher Watson.
Join the choir
The choir rehearses at 9 am for a 10.30 am service, with no mid-week rehearsal or other commitment. We encourage amateur singers who wish to sing regularly or occasionally to get in touch with our Director of Music, Christopher Watson, to arrange an audition.