St Peter’s Choir
About this week’s music
This week’s Mass setting is the Missa Brevis by Andrea Gabrieli (1532–1585). The anthem is O Taste and See, by English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958).
Andrea Gabrielli was a Venetian composer who was influenced by the German composer Lassus. Little is known about his life and there is contradictory information about different churches in which he served as organist, but he is best known for the music he wrote for various church and civic / state occasions. Much of his music was not published until after his death, as he was reluctant to publish it himself. Most of the Mass is written for four voices, but, like many settings, Gabrielli has added a fifth voice for the Agnus Dei. This is balanced by the Benedictus, which is written for only three voices.
Ralph Vaughan Williams wrote O Taste and See as a communion anthem for the occasion of the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953, taking its words from the text of Psalm 34. Listen out for the repetition of the solo soprano line, as the different voices repeat the full text in canon. The piece was also used for the funeral of Elizabeth II in 2023.
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.