tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22443145470771671672024-03-13T00:41:51.666+00:00The Orkney ScholaA Gregorian chant group based in OrkneyBen Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-35994491336121707962021-09-20T16:08:00.006+01:002021-09-20T16:08:39.461+01:00New, improved article on the Magnus Office!<p>This is a more up-to-date account of my work to reconstruct the medieval liturgy of St Magnus of Orkney. It can be read or downloaded here: <a href="http://www.uco.oldham.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Spark-2020-21-web.pdf">http://www.uco.oldham.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Spark-2020-21-web.pdf</a></p><p>Begin at page 20.</p>Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-19226886911979310772021-01-17T20:56:00.000+00:002021-01-17T20:56:19.480+00:00Article on the Magnus Office<p> It can be read here: <a href="http://www.scottishmusicreview.org/">http://www.scottishmusicreview.org/</a></p><br />Click on the words <span class="title" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a class="pdflink" href="http://www.scottishmusicreview.org/Articles/5/Whitworth%3A%20Can%20we%20reconstruct%20the%20medieval%20liturgy%20of%20St%20Magnus%3F.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">"Can we reconstruct the medieval liturgy of St Magnus?"</a></span>Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-11917967270377707172019-05-27T13:57:00.001+01:002019-05-27T13:57:14.073+01:00BBC Radio Orkney broadcastAs I mentioned in my last post about *ahem* eighteen months ago, I gave a talk on the Tullimentan programme in October 2017. <a href="https://www.mixcloud.com/radioorkney/tullimentan-october-2017/" target="_blank">You can listen to it again by clicking here.</a> The section on music for St Magnus starts at about 13 minutes 35 seconds.Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-15378520450575685872017-10-16T21:01:00.000+01:002017-10-16T21:02:22.931+01:00BBC Radio Orkney broadcast Please tune in to BBC Radio Orkney at 6.10pm on Wednesday 25 October for the arts programme Tullimentan. This month's show includes a talk by me on music inspired by St Magnus, illustrated with an excerpt from the plainsong Office of St Magnus. This has been specially recorded for the programme by the Orkney Schola, and it is the first time that any part of the Magnus Office has ever been broadcast.Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-73649264252287340552017-07-26T22:33:00.002+01:002017-07-26T22:33:46.629+01:00Talk on FridayPlease come to the St Magnus Centre in Kirkwall on Friday (28 July) at 7pm, to hear me talking about music inspired by St Magnus - past, present and future - and to hear some medieval music in the Saint's honour, sung by the Orkney Schola.<br />
<br />
Mine will be the first of four talks about St Magnus and his legacy, and the whole evening is part of the Aberdeen Diocesan pilgrimage on the 900th anniversary of Magnus's martyrdom.Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-42825981148392896422017-04-24T00:30:00.000+01:002017-04-24T00:30:08.560+01:00Happy St Magnus Day!Yes, today is the feast of St Magnus the Martyr, transferred this year from 16 April, which was of course Easter Sunday, to 24 April.<br />
<br />
This is the story:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fxDt1RG1RZs" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
This is the song:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kGzEkECWdqM" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
This is the way:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IqdWgkcETmg" width="560"></iframe>Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-13908282189633426472017-04-04T10:45:00.004+01:002017-04-04T10:45:56.614+01:00St Magnus evening class<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I
am teaching an evening class on St Magnus of Orkney – the ideal way to get to
know our local saint during this novocentenary year of his martyrdom!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The
course starts on <strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tuesday 2
May</span></strong>, and runs for eight weeks. To book, phone Customer Services
at the Council on (01856) 873535. Enrolment is open now but closes on Friday 14
April.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h_2OVvNbYSM/VqDQQ9b4tvI/AAAAAAAATIM/-aH_92g4u5Q/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-decoration-line: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75"
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href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h_2OVvNbYSM/VqDQQ9b4tvI/AAAAAAAATIM/-aH_92g4u5Q/s1600/images.jpg"
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7dthX_hKmo4/WONqtauhM-I/AAAAAAAATWg/-PJEczwI2jQNOisTEhZJjoL5HfEoulPDwCLcB/s1600/nobilishumilis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7dthX_hKmo4/WONqtauhM-I/AAAAAAAATWg/-PJEczwI2jQNOisTEhZJjoL5HfEoulPDwCLcB/s400/nobilishumilis.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The hymn to St Magnus, <i>Nobilis humilis</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://musicologie.baloney.nl/main/harmonie/harmonie.inleiding.htm#4.5" target="_blank">image source</a> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">From
the Community Learning Spring Programme:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">B167:
St Magnus of Orkney<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">As
we commemorate the 900th anniversary of his martyrdom, this course looks at the
background, life, death and legacy of St Magnus of Orkney. Drawing on history,
art, music, archaeology and literature, we will explore how the 12th century Saint
has continued to intrigue and inspire both here and further afield. This is
another chance to take this course, which was oversubscribed in Autumn 2017.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
Tutor: Dr Ben Whitworth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
Tuesdays from <strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2 May</span></strong> (8
meetings).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
7.00pm-9.00pm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
Course fee: £80.00.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Maximum
class size: 20 students.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-51173277642266183992017-03-31T17:59:00.003+01:002017-03-31T18:03:41.430+01:00Nobilis humilis<a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11445238/Nobilis%20humilis%20pronunciation.mp3" target="_blank">Click here for a recording of me speaking the words of the St Magnus hymn. </a>This is just here as a guide to pronunciation.<br />
<br />
<i>I've gone for a sort of generic medieval Latin pronunciation; it's hard to know exactly how this would have been pronounced in Orkney, as there were marked local variations as well as changes over time, and of course even the scholars can only make an informed guess, since there are no recordings! But this may well differ from the pronunciation you might have been taught as "Church Latin", because that's really late nineteenth-century Italian pronunciation ...</i>Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-20396423472745967062017-03-27T23:58:00.002+01:002017-03-28T18:37:01.190+01:00MI Sancti Magni<b>I</b>nvitatory at <b>M</b>atins in the office of St Magnus.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sancti Magni * </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
coléntes solénnia,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
regis regum</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
laudémus magnália.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Celebrating the solemnities </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
of holy Magnus, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
let us praise
the mighty works </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
of the king of kings.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>UPDATE 28/03/2017: <a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11445238/MI%20Sancti%20Magni.mp3" target="_blank">Click here for practice recording.</a></b><br />
<br />
Model: <i>Assunt Thome</i> (office of St Thomas Becket). Recordings: <a href="https://play.spotify.com/track/2gbCXxKQ1Z0dYVKi009w0J" target="_blank">Schola Hungarica (track 1)</a> (video below); <a href="https://play.spotify.com/track/6ag5eOavIKX0zYPZWgReTq" target="_blank">Lay Clerks of Canterbury Cathedral Choir (track 14)</a>.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l7RvKI_-5ro" width="560"></iframe></div>
Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-21107075203480455352017-03-27T23:46:00.000+01:002017-03-29T17:41:32.520+01:00LA1 Favus stillans<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Favus stillans</i> is the <b>1</b>st Psalm <b>A</b>ntiphon at <b>L</b>auds (hence <b>LA1</b>) in the office of St Magnus.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Favus stillans frángitur, * </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">mellis dans dulcórem; </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mala queque fúgiunt </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">cujus per odórem.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The dripping honeycomb is broken, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">releasing the sweetness of
honey; </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">at whose scent </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">all evils flee.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11445238/LA1%20Favus%20stillans.mp3" target="_blank">Click here for a practice recording.</a> <i>N.B. These recordings are rehearsal aids only; no claims are made for the quality either of the singing or of the recording!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The model for this antiphon was <i>Granum cadit</i> from the office of St Thomas of Canterbury. Recordings of <i>Granum cadit</i> [N.B. not from the same manuscript that I am using] can be found on the CDs by Schola Hungarica (track 19) and Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge (track 10; starts at 4'58"). See <a href="http://orkneychant.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/st-magnus-of-orkney-becket-of-north.html" target="_blank">here</a> for details of these recordings; <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/4cyZGTGfyOHsjtOSEaoevh" target="_blank">the Schola Hungarica recording is on Spotify</a> (<b>UPDATE 29/03/2017: </b>and on Youtube, see embedded video below, and in blogposts on the other Lauds antiphons).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9ROF_k1uQ1Q" width="560"></iframe></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>This is the first of a series of posts illustrating chants from the medieval liturgical office of St Magnus of Orkney. </i></span><i style="font-family: inherit;">For this and subsequent excerpts from the office of St Magnus, I have established the text by collating all four pre-Reformation sources; however, I am indebted to Alan McQuarrie for his excellent edition of one version of the office in </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Legends of the Scottish Saints: Readings, hymns and prayers for the commemorations of Scottish saints in the Aberdeen Breviary</span><i style="font-family: inherit;"> (Four Courts, 2012), and I largely follow his punctuation of the texts. The translations, the setting of the texts to ancient melodies, the practice recordings, and any errors occuring in these posts, are my own.</i>Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-68328821743415640772017-03-27T23:45:00.002+01:002017-03-29T17:40:58.200+01:00LA2 Vir sanctus<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Vir sanctus</i> is the <b>2</b>nd Psalm <b>A</b>ntiphon at <b>L</b>auds (hence <b>LA2</b>) in the office of St Magnus. There are two other antiphons in the office which also begin <i>Vir sanctus</i>, so the 'serial number' is useful for avoiding confusion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Vir sanctus occíditur, *</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
cujus dant stupórem </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Signa: cecos lúminant,</div>
témperant furórem.</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
The holy man is killed, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
whose miracles cause astonishment: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
they enlighten the blind, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
they restrain madness.</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11445238/LA2%20Vir%20sanctus.mp3" target="_blank">Click here for a practice recording.</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Model: <i>Totus orbis</i> (office of St Thomas). Recordings by <a href="https://play.spotify.com/track/0jGvgTH1RLPtPRfrUmD3he" target="_blank">Schola Hungarica (track 20)</a> (video below) and Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge (track 10; starts at 7'25").</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_royo6rOjvk" width="560"></iframe></span></div>
Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-48744608315829726642017-03-27T23:45:00.001+01:002017-03-29T17:42:47.332+01:00LA3 Surdi mutiThird psalm antiphon at Lauds in the office of St Magnus.<br />
<br />
Surdi, muti, précibus *<br />
Magni reparántur;<br />
Claudis datur sánitas,<br />
leprósi mundántur.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The deaf, the dumb are cured </div>
<div>
by the prayers of Magnus; </div>
<div>
health is given to the lame, </div>
<div>
lepers are cleansed.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11445238/LA3%20Surdi%20muti.mp3" target="_blank">Click here for a practice recording.</a> A somewhat shaky recording, I fear; this mode 3 melody never goes quite where you expect it to, but these *are* the notes you're looking for. I'll upload a better version in due course.<br />
<br />
Model: <i>Aqua Thome</i> (office of St Thomas). Recordings: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/3dEycgCzwFJypGrW5NSIME" target="_blank">Schola Hungarica (track 21)</a> (video below); Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge (track 10; starts at 11'27").<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BJLAnjhsRnE" width="560"></iframe></div>
Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-59825995263875356432017-03-27T23:45:00.000+01:002017-03-29T17:43:27.739+01:00LA4 Ferro vinctiFourth psalm antiphon at Lauds in the office of St Magnus.<br />
<br />
Ferro vincti mártyris *<br />
ope relaxántur;<br />
Naufragántes néxibus<br />
mortis liberántur.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
From irons the enchained are released<br />
by the martyr’s aid;<br />
the shipwrecked are delivered<br />
from the clutches of death.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11445238/LA4%20Ferro%20vincti.mp3" target="_blank">Click here for a practice recording.</a> (Updated with a better version, 26/2/16.)<br />
<br />
Model: <i>Ad Thome memoriam</i> (office of St Thomas). Recordings: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/6K58rzJeqn7xNnClrz4yUs" target="_blank">Schola Hungarica (track 22)</a> (video below); Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge (track 10; starts at 16'49").<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sEJc063Ka6k" width="560"></iframe></div>
Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-30020490792171428142017-03-27T23:44:00.000+01:002017-03-29T17:44:13.261+01:00LA5 Fit mestisFifth psalm antiphon at Lauds in the office of St Magnus.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Fit mestis letítia, * </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
egris medicína, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Spes firma perículis,</div>
salus in ruína.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is joy for the sorrowful, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
medicine for the sick, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
firm
hope for those in peril, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
rescue from ruin.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11445238/LA5%20Fit%20mestis.mp3" target="_blank">Click here for a practice recording.</a><br />
<br />
Model: <i>Tu per Thome</i> (office of St Thomas). Recordings: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/4LxGLh1DGyKAAobkjWfSBi" target="_blank">Schola Hungarica (track 23)</a> (video below); Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge (track 10; starts at 23'53").<br />
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Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-76737554665431000482017-02-03T20:28:00.003+00:002017-02-03T20:28:36.760+00:00NRK TV visits Orkney (1966)<a href="https://tv.nrk.no/serie/sommerbrev-fra-vesterled/FOLA66001166/27-09-1966" target="_blank">Click here to watch a lovely 18-minute Norwegian travel show about Orkney.</a> There are some nice shots of the Italian Chapel towards the end, overlaid with the <i>Regina caeli</i> (solemn tone).Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-43904345444342878522016-10-23T17:23:00.002+01:002016-10-23T17:23:24.610+01:00Chant courses in Scotland, November 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
1. Introductory workshop on liturgical plainsong at St Mary’s Cathedral, Aberdeen, on the afternoon of Saturday 12 November. The workshop is led by Benjamin Saunders, Diocesan Director of Music in Leeds diocese, who will also talk about the wonderful work he’s been doing to promote singing, especially among children, in Leeds and Bradford. Full details, including how to reserve a place, here: <a href="http://www.dioceseofaberdeen.org/archives/8341">http://www.dioceseofaberdeen.org/archives/8341</a>. I intend to be there.</div>
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2. Gregorian Chant Weekend at the St. Ninian Institute, Dundee, 19-20 November: see the poster below for details (click on the picture to make it full size). The Institute is very happy to provide overnight accommodation for participants who may need it - the rate is £30 per person, per night on a B&B basis. Lunch will be provided as part of the course.</div>
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Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-57916298815883355592016-09-04T22:16:00.003+01:002016-09-04T22:17:50.411+01:00Echoes and TracesApologies for the short notice, but <b>tomorrow (Monday 5 September) at 7.30 p.m. in St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall</b>, the Glasgow-based choir Cappella Nova will be performing eight new works inspired by the thirteenth-century song in honour of St Magnus, <i>Nobilis humilis</i>.<br />
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It is going to be <i style="font-weight: bold;">great</i>. <a href="http://www.echoesandtraces.com/" target="_blank">Full details on the website of the project, which is called <i>Echoes and Traces</i>.</a>Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-29834191884705803552016-08-19T08:04:00.001+01:002016-08-19T08:04:37.982+01:00Happy Saint Magnus' Day ...... according to the traditions of Roskilde in Denmark. Most places keep the Orkney martyr's feast on 16 April (the day of his death) and/or 13 December (the day his relics were translated), but Roskilde was one of the main centres of the Magnus-cult, and they celebrated him in summer.<br />
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My apologies for this blog's half-year of dormancy. I will shortly post a belated report on our April performances; and news of another choir's forthcoming Magnus-related concert in Kirkwall (<a href="http://www.echoesandtraces.com/" target="_blank">link here</a> if you can't wait to learn about this).Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-12856000252502291482016-03-02T15:12:00.003+00:002016-03-06T08:56:00.137+00:00Forthcoming performancesThe Orkney Schola will sing parts of the reconstructed office of St Magnus at the following events:<br />
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On Thursday 14 April 2016, at 6 p.m. in St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall. A public lecture by Dr Barbara Crawford (University of St Andrews) on <i>Seals in Medieval Orkney: communal and personal identity</i>, as part of the <a href="https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/research-enterprise/cultural/centre-for-nordic-studies/conferences/3rd-international-st-magnus-conference-visualising-the-north" target="_blank">Third International St Magnus Conference</a>.<br />
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On Friday 15 April (the eve of St Magnus' Day), at 7.30 p.m. in the St Magnus Centre, Palace Road, Kirkwall. <a href="http://www.dioceseofaberdeen.org/archives/6827" target="_blank">The launch of Alison Gray's new book <i>George Mackay Brown</i></a>. <i><a href="http://www.dioceseofaberdeen.org/archives/6827" target="_blank">No Separation</a> </i><a href="http://www.dioceseofaberdeen.org/archives/6827" target="_blank">(Gracewing)</a>.<br />
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This is the first time any of this music will have been performed in public since 1560, so please come! Both events are open to all.Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-16821577730777309052016-01-27T22:45:00.003+00:002016-01-28T13:53:35.892+00:00The Modes Demystified<a href="http://myopus.com/modesDemystified3.html" target="_blank">Click here for Francis Koerber's simple but brilliant demonstration of the eight 'church modes' and how they relate to major and minor scales.</a><br />
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Music plays after a few seconds, so look to your volume controls if you are at work!Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-21169120244641905032016-01-27T21:06:00.000+00:002016-01-27T22:42:54.509+00:00"O tempora! o mores!" - O Times! O Daily Mirror!There was an interesting article about St Thomas of Canterbury in <i>The Times</i> on Saturday, so I wrote them a letter about St Magnus, the 'Becket of the North'. I know they printed it because my wife's publisher saw it! I'm not a subscriber, however, and one doesn't often see a copy of the newspaper out in these parts, so if any <i>Times</i>-readers have a copy of the relevant issue, could you kindly let me know? Thanks.<br />
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<i>I didn't write to the Daily Mirror, by the way; I just couldn't resist the Flanders & Swann allusion.</i>Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-57012778552535333172016-01-21T12:36:00.001+00:002016-01-22T11:21:06.683+00:00St Magnus of Orkney evening class<div style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">I am again offering my evening class on St Magnus of Orkney. Today is the official deadline for enrolment, but in fact bookings will still be accepted for a few days yet. The course was very successful last year, and it will be a NEW and IMPROVED version this term!</span></div>
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The course now starts on <strong>Tuesday 9th February</strong>, a change from the date previously advertised, and runs for eight weeks. To book, phone Customer Services at the Council on (01856) 873535, or print off & send in the form that can be downloaded here: <a data-mce-href="http://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/E/Evening-Classes.htm" href="http://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/E/Evening-Classes.htm" target="_blank">http://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/E/Evening-Classes.htm</a></div>
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<i>Stained glass window by Oscar Paterson, St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall</i></div>
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<i>Photographer unknown; if this is your work, please let me know!</i></div>
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From the Community Learning Directory:</div>
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B142: St Magnus of Orkney</div>
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As we approach the 900th anniversary of his martyrdom in 1117, this course looks at the background, life, death and legacy of St Magnus of Orkney. Drawing on historical sources, archaeology, art, music and literature, we will explore how the twelfth-century saint has continued to intrigue and inspire both here in the Northern Isles and further afield.</div>
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Tutor: Dr Ben Whitworth.</div>
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Tuesdays from <strong>2 February</strong> (8 meetings).</div>
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19:00 - 21:00.</div>
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Course fee: £58.00.</div>
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Maximum class size: 20 students.</div>
Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-52183752146680607582016-01-13T14:49:00.000+00:002016-01-28T16:36:31.028+00:00St Magnus of Orkney: the Becket of the North (updated)<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We are approaching the nine hundredth anniversary of the death of St Magnus, which may
have taken place in 1117. I have been conducting research for some years, with a view to reconstructing the medieval liturgy for the feast-day of St Magnus, as it would have been
celebrated at his shrine in St Magnus Cathedral.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Last summer I had a breakthrough with this project. I noticed that the proper rhymed office of St Magnus, as it is found in the Aberdeen Breviary (1509/10), the Roskilde Diurnal (1511), the Roskilde Breviary (1517) and the Lund Breviary (1517), is closely based on the office in honour of St Thomas Becket, which was written and composed by Becket's friend Abbot Benedict of Peterborough in around 1173. So close are the parallels, that the greater part of the Magnus office can be (and probably was) sung to the melodies contained in the Becket office. This is rather fortunate, since the printed sources of the Magnus office, listed above, contain text only, whereas there are numerous surviving copies of the Becket office with musical notation.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I know of <strike>three</strike> four CD recordings of parts of the Becket office, and would be glad to hear of any others. The ones I have are as follows:</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><i>The Martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket</i> by Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge/dir. Mary Berry (Herald HAVPCD 192), 1996 - contains three Matins responsories (<i>Thomas manum</i>, <i>Post sex annos</i>, <i>Ex summa rerum</i>), the complete Lauds, and the antiphon <i>Felix locus</i>.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rhSP9uTO4Jo/VpZhN_Yt_TI/AAAAAAAATHk/7ULzJgpHeOQ/s1600/Schola%2BGregoriana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="317" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rhSP9uTO4Jo/VpZhN_Yt_TI/AAAAAAAATHk/7ULzJgpHeOQ/s320/Schola%2BGregoriana.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Memory of Thomas Becket</i> by Schola Hungarica/<span style="line-height: 18.2px;">László </span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">Dobszay & Jank Szendrei (Hungaroton HCD 12458-2), 1983 - Matins invitatory, nine antiphons, three responsories (<i>Thomas manum</i>, <i>Mundi florem</i>, <i>Christe Jesu</i>, <i>Jacet granum</i>), the Lauds antiphons, and <i>Felix locus</i>.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f7WMarLnHP0/VpZiioSAAOI/AAAAAAAATHw/4nqRm1bApzk/s1600/Schola%2BHungarica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f7WMarLnHP0/VpZiioSAAOI/AAAAAAAATHw/4nqRm1bApzk/s320/Schola%2BHungarica.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><i>Gregorian Chant from Canterbury Cathedral</i> by Lay Clerks of Canterbury Cathedral Choir/David Flood (Metronom<span style="font-family: inherit;">e </span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">B000024G60), 1994 - Matins invitatory, responsories (<i>Studens libor</i>, <i>Lapis iste</i>, <i>Mundi florem</i>, <i>Ferro pressos</i>, <i>Jesu bone</i>), and two antiphons.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">UPDATE: There is also this - </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i>O felices lacrimae</i> by Ensemble de Caelis/Laurence Brisset (Studio SM B00006370G), 2002 - first Vespers Magnificat antiphon (<i>Pastor cesus</i>).</span></div>
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Apart from the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge CD, all these albums are available to stream on <a href="https://www.spotify.com/uk/" target="_blank">Spotify</a>.</div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-21286461105768896962014-12-01T13:48:00.003+00:002016-01-13T14:25:20.280+00:00Saga and SongErnest Marwick taped the following programme when it was broadcast on Radio 3 in 1972: <a href="http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c85fc62beab44e19aa22c9b0f5317158" target="_blank"><i>Saga and Song</i>, presented by Dr John Bergsagel</a>. I don't suppose anyone else has a recording of it! It featured the St Magnus hymn, <i>Nobilis humilis</i>, performed by Czechoslovakian singers accompanied on medieval instruments.Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2244314547077167167.post-15035378251478735702014-11-04T00:13:00.001+00:002016-01-13T14:02:12.831+00:00Chant from Orkney on the BBC!<a href="http://bbc.in/1wenl0v" target="_blank">Kudos to Br Martin Mary.</a>Ben Whitworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00499311491843942923noreply@blogger.com0