Musically prayers

Dr. Mirjam James grew up with church music and over the years her interest in (church) music has developed considerably: the musical interests of her English family have left their traces. Browsing through the collection English Choral Music Mirjam James and the men in her life (husband and son) also discovered some of their favorites: Stanford in C! one of them calls out, before both simultaneously sing Charles Villiers Stanford’s Magnificat from memory.

I grew up with church music. That is hardly surprising as I was born into a music-loving pastor’s family. Christmas was not Christmas without the distinctive timpani strokes of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio.

Over the years my interest in (church) music has developed considerably and the musical interests of my English family have left their traces: my English singer husband, through whom I learnt to love Byrd, Tomkins, and Tallis, and my London choir, with its very British repertoire, enabled me to discover that Peter Phillips may conduct the Tallis Scholars today, but in the 16th century Peter Philips (with one “l”) composed wonderful Anthems such as Ascendit Deus. But I have my son to thank for probably the most far-reaching influence. As an 8-year-old on the search for “his” choir, he decided on the English path of being a chorister at Westminster Abbey. The many church services I attended (the Abbey Choir sings up to nine services each week!) were initially out of a parental sense of duty. Anyone who has ever attended a sung service in an English cathedral, especially the service of evensong which also takes place during the week, will perhaps be able to understand the kind of meditative effect 45 minutes can have – a mixture of music, readings, prayer, and more music. And so, out of this parental sense of duty developed a kind of dependency. Some people need regular yoga training for their spiritual equilibrium, but I go to evensong. I arrange appointments during the week around the liturgical singing planned by the “school choir”, as I like to call my son’s choir: a meeting on Tuesday afternoon? – “Oh, not after 4pm. On Tuesday it’s Hubert Parry’s anthem My soul, there is a country.” Thursday? “Hmm, then there’s Thomas Tomkins’ When David heard, I can’t miss that either.”

Browsing through the collection English Choral Music the men in my life also discovered some of their favorites: Stanford in C! one of them calls out, before both simultaneously sing Charles Villiers Stanford’s Magnificat from memory. Luckily I have my copy so I can join in.