Music at Queen's Cross Church
The Master of Music | The Organ | The Choir | The Annual Charity ConcertMusic in The Sanctuary | Other Activities
The Master of Music
Geoffrey Atkinson is a music graduate of the University of Aberdeen and has been Master of Music at Queen’s Cross Church since 1977. He has been able to continue and develop the strong music traditions of this church, notably in the establishment of the Charity Concert series with its wide-ranging and adventurous programme policy. He is a prize-winning composer of church music, and arranger of folk songs, and is also an editor of old English organ music. He has many successful publications to his credit and now runs his own publishing enterprise. He has edited and published a twelve volume series of the complete organ works of Samuel Wesley as well as editions of similar music by William Russell, Thomas Adams and several others. He is at present working with the pre-eminent Wesley scholar Professor Philip Olleson on an edition of Samuel Wesley’s Latin Church Music for Musica Britannica.
The Organ
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It is clear that right from its opening in 1881 the members of this splendid new church in Aberdeen ’s west end were prepared to take music seriously. There was a choir from the very beginning but there being no organ the music was led, as was the then custom by precentors whose job was to prepare the choir and to train the congregation in the art of unaccompanied singing.
By 1887 there was strong pressure for the installation of an organ, for which most of the money was raised by subscription. Showing great good sense the church commissioned Henry Willis I (Father Willis) to construct the organ. He was the foremost builder of the day and his instruments have always been prized - in Aberdeen his work can also be seen and heard in the Music Hall, St Machar’s and Rubislaw. This was an interesting and intelligent move. There must have been other firms tendering for the contract, who would have doubtless been offering to provide larger instruments at the same or less cost. But in 1887 the church went for quality, with two consequences, firstly the instrument has lasted well and still sounds thrilling, and secondly, for over 100 years Queen’s Cross organists have been regretting that there was never a third manual, which is something one would expect in a church of this size. The third manual was ‘prepared for’ - you can see the third keyboard in old photographs, the idea being that, when funds allowed, pipes and action for this third manual would be installed. Naturally we are still waiting, though when the instrument was rebuilt in 1955 the dummy third manual was removed, since then, as now, the notion that such an extravagance would be vouchsafed was plainly ridiculous.
The 1955 re-build repositioned the instrument in the west gallery where it speaks clearly into the body of the church. The work was done by Rushworth & Dreaper and included the adding of a fine set of high pressure reeds for the Great and Pedal.
A renovation of the interior was undertaken for the church’s centenary in 1981, and one of the features of this was to bring the choir downstairs so that they could properly be heard and more effectively lead the singing. The console thus had to come downstairs too, since the organist has to be in close contact with the singers. The main problem with the present arrangement is that there is an acoustic delay between pressing a key and hearing the sound, which is not insignificant, and which can cause problems for players not used to it. Indeed some music with very rapid figurations or complex rhythms remains difficult even by expert players.
Specification of the Organ
top| Great | Swell | ||
| Bourdon | 16 | Open Diapason | 8 |
| Open Diapason | 8 | Lieblich Gedeckt | 8 |
| Gamba | 8 | Salicional | 8 |
| Claribel Flute | 8 | Viox Angelica | 8 |
| Dulciana | 8 | Gemshorn | 4 |
| Principal | 4 | Fifteenth | 2 |
| Harmonic Flute | 4 | Mixture | III |
| Fifteenth | 2 | trumpet | 8 |
| Larigot | 1 1/3 | Contra Oboe | 16 |
| Tromba | 8 | Tromba (Gt) | 8 |
| Pedal | Couplers | ||
| Open Wood | 16 | Great to pedal | |
| Sub Bass | 16 | Swell to pedal | |
| Bourdon | 16 | Swell to Great | |
| Octave | 8 | Swell Octave | |
| Bass Flute | 8 | Swell Unison Off | |
| Fifteenth | 4 | Swell Sub-Octave | |
| Trombone | 16 | ||
| Tromba | 8 | Tremulant | |
| Clarion | 4 |
The Choir
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The choir contributes to the 11.00 am service each Sunday from September to June each year. Additionally they also sing at the 10.00 am communion service on the second Sunday of each of these months. During the Summer a less formal group sings a simple anthem for the single 10.00 am service.
Rehearsals from September to June take place in the Session Room from 10.00 am to 10.45 am, and additionally on one Thursday during the month (usually the Thursday before the Communion Sunday). The Summer Choir meets at 9.15 during July and August.
We will always welcome new members. We have good coverage in all parts so newcomers will not be exposed, and you will be assured of a friendly welcome.
The Annual Charity Concert
topThe interior of Queen’s Cross Church was remodelled in time for the building’s centenary in 1981. The new layout allowed for the first time the presentation of large-scale choral and orchestral concerts, and the first event took place that year on 1 February. A little earlier, in 1980, the internationally regarded tenor Neil Mackie, upon hearing these plans, had suggested that we organise a charity performance of Haydn’s The Creation to raise funds for a leukaemia research fund set up in memory of his brother Colin who had been an elder of this church. Both Colin and his wife Norma had been members of the choir. This concert was such a success that we decided to make the venture an annual event, and now, over the years, a well-defined modus operandi has developed. The singers and instrumentalists are all individually invited each year, and it is with delight that we note that some have performed with us every, or nearly every year.
No one taking part in any of these concerts receives a fee - soloists, instrumentalists and singers all perform free for the charity we are supporting.
Preparation is over a relatively short period of time, but intense and rigorous. Our approach to programming is moderately adventurous. We are proud to have introduced a number of works to Aberdeen audiences, and the concerts continue with a mixture of the familiar and the new.
It is believed that the concept of an annual event of this nature is unique in Scotland , and possibly in the UK .
The charities we support are always local and are invariably those associated with the alleviation of human suffering. They are chosen with great care to help with the basic and practical needs that are essential to their work.
We would be pleased to hear from anyone who would like to take sing in the chorus. The only essentials are a reasonable ability to read music (there are no auditions), and a keenness to work hard over a relatively short period.
Please contact Elspeth Mogendorff on 01224 581557
Elspeth@mogendorff.freeserve.co.uk
Next Concert:
Sunday 3 February 2008 at 7.30 pm in aid of Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital Families Bereavement Support Group - for further information on programme and ticket details please look at our Music Events page.
Recent programmes and sums raised
| 2000 | Millennium Concert |
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| Haydn | The Creation | |
Ward 15 ARI (Cancer Support) |
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| £4750 |
| 2001 | Vaughan Williams | Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis |
| Poulenc | Concerto in G minor for Organ, String, | |
Orchestra and Timpani |
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| Mozart | Requiem K 626 | |
| Cruse Bereavement Care | ||
| £3800 |
| 2002 | Mendelssohn | Overture Ruy Blas |
| Bruch | Violin Concerto in G minor | |
| Mozart | ‘Great’ Mass in C minor |
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| Aberdeen University Gastroenterology Unit | ||
| £4000 |
| 2003 | Ferguson | Overture for an Occasion |
| Stanford | Songs of the Fleet | |
| Rachmaninov | Piano Concerto no 2 |
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| Borodin | Polovtsvian Dances | |
| Camphill Medical Centre Therapy Appeal | ||
| £3750 |
| 2004 | Dukas | Fanfare La Peri |
| Fauré | Pavane op 50 | |
| Poulenc | Gloria |
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| Ravel | Pavane pour une infante défunte | |
| Saint-Saens | Symphony no 3 | |
| Hazelwood School Senior Library Project | ||
| £3750 |
| 2005 | Walton | A Wartime Sketchbook |
| Bax | Tintagel | |
| Vaughan Williams | A Sea Symphony |
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| Jenna’s Trust for Cystic Fibrosis | ||
| £4000 |
| 2006 | Brahms | Nänie |
| Franck | Symphony | |
| Grieg | Symphonic Dances 2 and 4 | |
| Bruckner | Te Deum | |
| Brain Injury Grampian | ||
| £3800 |
| 2007 | Dvorak | Mass in D |
| Rachmaninov | Piano Concert no 3 in D minor | |
| Dvorak | Going Home | |
| Aberdeen Instant Neighbour | ||
| £4150 |
Other activities
topWe also run a series of informal concerts from September to June entitled Sunday@6.30.
These last about an hour and conclude with the audience joining the performers for a glass of wine or juice at the back of the church.
We like to provide a platform for good local musicians of all types, including jazz, and if you would like to be considered for inclusion in the schedule please contact Elspeth Mogendorff on 581557 (elspeth@mogendorff.freeserve.co.uk)