The Choir:
St Mary’s Church is blessed to have the services of a friendly, enthusiastic, dedicated and talented group of singers that is St Mary’s Choir.
The choir sings in St Mary’s at the morning services and at the evening service on the first Sunday of the month. The evening service is often a full Choral Evensong, and special musical services are sung throughout the year at Advent, Christmas, Candlemas, Palm Sunday, and Remembrance.
The choir generally has a cathedral visit each year –
The choir also performs an annual concert in aid of local charities.
Rehearsals are on Tuesday evenings from 7.30 to 9.00 in St Mary’s Church.
If you would like to sing in St Mary’s Choir, or know of anyone who might be interested in doing so, please have a word with our Organist, Mike Smith or our Choirmaster, Richard Potter. Click here to contact them by email.
The Choir Members' Page contains information on diary dates etc.
To hear the Choir, click on a link below:
Song of Mary by Richard Shephard,
Psalms 13 & 14, recorded in Salisbury Cathedral,
The Lord at first did Adam make by Paul Byran,
O holy night by Adolphe Adam,
What sweeter music by John Rutter,
A child is born in Bethlehem by Philip Stopford
Jesus, springing by Bob Chilcott
The Organ:
The first organ was built by Forster and Andrews and installed in St Mary's in 1871. It was a gift of Mrs Esther Combe of Pierrepont. It was entirely reconstructed by Hill, Norman and Beard in the spring of 1922. It had tubular pneumatic action and was blown by a new hydraulic engine although this was replaced by an electric motor in 1929. Since then, further restoration and enhancements have given us the magnificent instrument we have today.
To hear the organ please click on a link below:
Handel - Processional from the Music for the Royal Fireworks
David N Johnson - Trumpet Tune
Rawsthorne - Aria
Burtonwood - Cantilena
Elgar - Nimrod
Vaughan Williams - Rhosymedre
Coates - March:The Dambusters
Howells - Master Tallis's Testament
Manz - Aria
Williams - Star Wars
There are also recordings of the organ on the Wedding page - click here
For a full history and specification click here.