St Peter’s Choir
About this week’s music
This week’s Mass setting is the Missa Qual Donna, by Orlando di Lassus (1532 – 1594). The anthem, O God who Through the Grace of the Holy Spirit, is by twentieth-century composer Richard Lloyd (1933 – 2021).
Orlando di Lassus (or di Lasso) was a composer in the late Renaissance period, considered to be one of the leading composers of this time. Like many musicians of his day, he was involved in professional music-making from a young age, with an uncorroborated story still surviving: that at a young age he was kidnapped and forced to perform because of the beauty of his voice. He is one of the most prolific and versatile composers of the late Renaissance period, and remained a staunch Catholic despite the strength and influence of the Reformation in Europe at the time. He is known for his parody Masses – settings of the Mass based on the music of motets or secular songs – and created discussion (and scandal) by setting Masses to secular songs that even at the time were considered obscene. The Missa Qual Donna, although based on the music of a popular song of his day, is not one of these controversial settings!
The polyphony of this week’s Mass setting is placed in complement and contrast to the much later musical style of this week’s anthem: Richard Lloyd is a twentieth-century composer and organist, who, like di Lassus, was part of the musical world from an early age, starting as a choirboy from the age of six. He worked almost his whole career in church and cathedral music (apart from a stint as organist and choirmaster at the military headquarters of NATO, outside of Paris), and devoted much of his time and talent to composition. O God Who Through the Grace features words from the Sarum Breviary, and was written late in his career.
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.