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West Gallery Forum
This Forum has been set up for members of the West Gallery Music Association and any others who are interested in the music, the literature (starting with Thomas Hardy!) and the social life and times during which west gallery musicians played and sang in the galleries - usually at the west end - of our country churches. It is hoped that in time this may become the forum for debate on scholarly and not-so-scholarly matters. Please use this space wisely, however, and within the accepted bounds required for such a discussion group.
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From what I understand of the current usage of WGM, it is limited to performance settings, and not actually used in a church service, except for perhaps a special occasion. Are there any churches in England that are using WGM psalms as part of regular worship? My parish here in Lancaster, Ohio (USA) already uses... more
are there any West Gallery quires or groups in Northern Ireland. I am a fiddle player near Downpatrick
The tune Bolton by Edward Harwood (1707-87)(HTI 4708) has the following SM text in James Carey's A Selection of Psalm and Hymn Tunes (Edinburgh 1820)(NLS Cwn. 539). The HTI lists it as appearing in one other Scottish source, set to Thomas Clark's tune Margate. Come, let us praise the Lord, And magnify his name, Let us ... more
This text appears to be a conflation of verses from several different psalms. It is set to a tune on page 8 of James Dallas's A Short and Simple Psalmody (Edinburgh 1742)(NLS Cwn.637). It does not figure in the Hymn Tune Index, presumably because of the prose text, though the style of the setting is more like a psalm... more
The wide knowledge on church music history regularly forthcoming on this forum makes me wonder if anyone in the Shropshire/West Midlands area knows about the doings of Thomas Hollister at Whitchurch c. 1715-1720. It seems he erected an organ in St Alkmund`s Church, whose case looks spectacular on the web. Hollister... more
Please can anyone identify this text, set by John Broderip? God of goodness, source of life, From thy gracious throne above, Look with pity on thy race, Lead us through this thorny maze, Through this wilderness below, State of trouble, scene of woe. Calm, Redeemer, ev'ry fear, Wipe away each bitter tear, Nor desert... more
Tony Singleton leads a WEST GALLERY WORKSHOP on Sat 27th April 2013 from 2.30 until 4.30pm at the United Church Croft Road Crowborough TN6 1HA. Singers and Instrumentalists very welcome,especially the latter as we do not appear to have any here in Crowborough! Tickets £5 by sending sae to Crowborough Arts, Fernleigh,... more
Fascinating reading in these two books, uploaded on the Internet Archive (and freely downloadable). First Series: http://archive.org/details/studiesinworsing00curw Second Series: http://archive.org/details/secmuworship00curw Especially relevant for WGM enthusiasts will be the interview with one Daniel Burton (An Old... more
I have half wondered for some time if the problem of finding authorship for underlay words was caused by the words not being intended to be sung in church services, but only for practising. If so, we are not going to find more verses for these underlays, because they have never existed! I have analysed the words for... more
Here's another early sighting of our old favourite, familiar from the John Moore MS and the Praise & Glory psalter. Unattributed, in John Robertson's 'The Seraph' (Glasgow, c.1827), scanned & uploaded on the Internet Archive by the University of Toronto.... more
I have the following two verses set to an SMD tune in a printed book from Scotland, but cannot find who wrote them. Even Julian is of no help! Any thoughts, please?! If there were any other verses, that would also be most helpful. Thanks! Ye glorious hosts above, Your sweetest anthems raise; While mortals gladly sing... more
I have made a spreadsheet of information about William Knapp's published works in A Sett of New Psalm Tunes (1738), Anthems for Christmas Day (1744) and New Church Melody (1753). It is available at http://www.rodingmusic.co.uk/articles/knapp.htm . I am still working on it, and any feedback will be welcome.
Gordon Ashman wrote a piece in West Gallery 13 about instruments owned by the Shropshire Regular Militia during the Napoleonic Wars. I have recently discovered an advertisement for instruments being advertised for sale in June 1839 as follows: "A variety of Musical Instruments belonging to the cavalry depot,... more
Does anyone know where a copy of William Knapp's Anthems for Christmas Day ... (London 1743) (HTI source code KnapWACD) may be consulted? It is not in the British Library.
Hello. Here's an extract from correspondence on this subject, after I found evidence for use of Anglican chants at Fort William RC chapel in 1829. Any comments? I can provide more info. "It certainly does look as though, from a primary connection with the musical traditions of Durham Cathedral, a practice of using... more
William Croft and Jeremiah Clarke were both contributors to Henry Playford's Divine Companion (1701) which I regard as the earliest WG music published. In searching for images of both composers, I noticed that Google Images gives the same picture for both men. Any ideas what's going on?
Please can anyone recommend any good extended anthems or set pieces in three parts for my collection? I have plenty of short simple ones.
I am trying to locate a copy of George Gay's Harvest Anthem (text unknown) of 1819. He claims that 600 copies were printed. So far, I have only sourced the list of subscribers, valuable in its own right. If any fellow members of the Forum have found a copy of the score I would be most grateful if they could contact... more
I am leading a project (HLF funded) to uncover a wall painting, created in the parish church of Hoylandswaine, South Yorkshire (S36 7JQ)in 1869 when the church was built. We know the organ was not installed until a few years later and my interest is in finding out how music in the church was created. We have the... more
My husband has been transcribing some of the poor law and parish accounts for our parish of Stoodleigh and has found various items relating to instruments and their upkeep/repair. Is anyone interested in this information - maybe for a study of comparative costs? The transcripts will be lodged with the Devon Record... more
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