Songs of Praise from Arundel

[Southern Comfort]

Did anyone see this Sunday's broadcast, including an interview with the Director of Music of Arundel Cathedral, Elizabeth Stratford? In the course of it she claimed to be the first woman cathedral director of music in the country.

I was reminded that she said something similar when she was first appointed, and a letter from a Mr Pierce Armitage of Aldwick, Bognor Regis, appeared in the West Sussex Gazette on 12 December 2002, headed Organ Double Fault, in response to a feature headed Historic Double the previous week.

Elizabeth Stratford thinks (December 5) that her recent appointment to Arundel RC Cathedral makes her the first woman and the youngest-ever cathedral director of music in the country. She is, alas, wrong on both counts.

The first-ever woman cathedral director of music in England was Anne Adams at St George's RC Cathedral, Southwark, in the 1970s. The Catholic cathedrals in Plymouth, Norwich (diocese of East Anglia), Sheffield (diocese of Hallam) and Liverpool have all at various times had women directors of music in the past 25 years, and the Catholic cathedrals in Shrewsbury and Wrexham still have a woman at the helm today. Two of these were younger at the time of their appointment than Miss Stratford is now. In addition, she surely must know that her own recent predecessor at Arundel from 1988 to 1992 was a woman — Catherine Christmas — who was also appointed at the early age of 24.

Great to have another young woman continuing in the tradition of cathedral directors of music in the Catholic Church in England? Yes, indeed. Historic double? Far from it. Hopes for the future? Rather mixed.

As well as not knowing the current history of the field in which she has so recently started working, it seems that Miss Stratford has also already ruffled some feathers by attempting to graft the musical approach of an Anglican cathedral musician onto a Catholic cathedral — a very different kind of establishment. Evidently she still has a lot to learn.

Today, of course, we know that Anglican cathedrals have had women as assistant organists during the past two decades. Some of those have been appointed as Anglican cathedral Organists; and very good they are too! I wonder how many Catholic cathedrals can say the same? Of the list provided by Mr Armitage, only Shrewsbury and Arundel still have a woman director of music today.

[HallamPhil]

Don't misunderstand me, SC, my heterosexual inclinations remain positive but I have no such interest in any of the women you have mentioned ... However Mr Pierce Armitage of Aldwick, Bognor Regis seems a man of great discernment. Where is he now, Postsmouth?

[Southern Comfort]

Don't misunderstand me, SC, my heterosexual inclinations remain positive but I have no such interest in any of the women you have mentioned ... However Mr Pierce Armitage of Aldwick, Bognor Regis seems a man of great discernment. Where is he now, Postsmouth?

I understand his wife died and he remarried and subsequently moved away. Not what you were thinking, clearly. I assume he was a parishioner of Arundel Cathedral with an interest in church music.

[presbyter]

I was reminded that she said something similar when she was first appointed, and a letter from a Mr Pierce Armitage of Aldwick, Bognor Regis, appeared in the West Sussex Gazette on 12 December 2002, headed Organ Double Fault, in response to a feature headed Historic Double the previous week

One wonders if she responded to that with a certain certain regal epithet of final expiration.

[musicus]

Bognor, not Portsmouth, presbyter?

[Organist009]

In the interests of setting the record straight I make the following post.

When I was appointed as Organist and Director of Music to Arundel Cathedral I never claimed to be the first woman to work in church music. The key is in the title. The first female to run an entire Cathedral music department, perhaps - Anne Adams held a role at Southwark but I have it on firm authority that she did not run the entire department and all that such a role includes. This is the same at the other Cathedrals mentioned by Mr Armitage and indeed Catherine Christmas only ran the choir at Arundel as Paul Dowbekin was the organist. Thus she was not given the appointment Organist and Master of the Choristers or Organist and Director of Music. In addition, her job description did not include many of the remits mine does. I suspect on closer inspection this may well be the case with the other Cathedrals mentioned, though have not had chance to research this. Catherine was older than me when she was appointed and as far as I am aware it was neither a contractual appointment nor competitively auditioned. The appointment did not carry a liveable salary nor a house either. Many things have changed since then.

Regarding the ruffling of feathers this is surmising and utter rubbish. Perhaps if Mr Armitage HAD been worshipping at the Cathedral he would have heard the repertoire in use - Palestrina Masses, responsorial psalms, plainchant and compositions by 'modern' Catholic composers such as Inwood, Farrell etc. The Cathedral now uses a broad range of repertoire and has long been applauded for the development in this field in the 8 years I have been in post.

Irrespective of who was first, last, the latest or whatever surely the whole focus should be on music and the use of appropriate repertoire in worship and so forth, rather than what sex the person running the department is.

On a final note, regarding Songs of Praise, the BBC use researchers to research the history of the people they are interviewing. Has it not occurred to you that they wouldn't want to be put in a difficult position by getting their facts wrong? Watch the programme back and you will see that I am issued with a statement as being the first female Director of Music. They researched this question and it's likely answer (mine was something along the lines of 'it is believed so') BEFORE broadcasting in order to avoid getting into hot water or offending people.

Do feed all this back to Mr Armitage if you happen to be in touch with him.

Trust this clears things up.

[mcb]

Welcome to the forum, Elizabeth, and thanks for putting the record straight. I hope you'll stay and join in happier discussions than this one.

Glad to hear about your repertoire too. 'Broad range' is always good in my book.

Martin

[musicus]

Indeed: welcome to the forum! I too hope to hear more from you - especially in these most interesting times.

[Southern Comfort]

When I was appointed as Organist and Director of Music to Arundel Cathedral I never claimed to be the first woman to work in church music.

No, you didn't. If you had, no one would have commented. It was the "first and youngest woman cathedral director of music in the country" that drew attention, and clearly flew in the face of history. This claim is still occasionally being talked about in the area today, and interest in it was certainly revived on the occasion of the recent Songs of Praise broacast. The internet started to hum and the phone wires ran hot.....

The key is in the title. The first female to run an entire Cathedral music department, perhaps

This does appear to be be nit-picking. All the persons mentioned in Mr Armitage's letter did run an entire Cathedral music department.

What you are trying to say is that directors of music were not also appointed as organist. However some of them were, and some of them were better organists than those they supervised, the Liverpool and Arundel appointments at the time being two cases in point.

and indeed Catherine Christmas only ran the choir at Arundel as Paul Dowbekin was the organist. Thus she was not given the appointment Organist and Master of the Choristers or Organist and Director of Music. In addition, her job description did not include many of the remits mine does.

When Ms Christmas was appointed at Arundel the titular organist was Mr Phil Taylor, who retired in his late 80s shortly after. Paul Dowbekin was subsequently appointed as organist, after a search for a new assistant. I have no knowledge as to the specifics of Ms Christmas's job title, nor that of other Catholic cathedral directors of music, but it is quite clear that some of them prior to your appointment were de facto organists and directors of music who operated with organists as assistants. You would only need to ask who played the organ for weddings and funerals at those cathedrals to ascertain the state of play.

as far as I am aware it was neither a contractual appointment nor competitively auditioned.

This is clearly nonsense. Most of our Catholic cathedrals operate proper contractual appointments, and have done so for many years, and have had competitive auditions. I could quote chapter and verse, but this would become tedious.

Regarding the ruffling of feathers this is surmising and utter rubbish. Perhaps if Mr Armitage HAD been worshipping at the Cathedral he would have heard the repertoire in use - Palestrina Masses, responsorial psalms, plainchant and compositions by 'modern' Catholic composers such as Inwood, Farrell etc. The Cathedral now uses a broad range of repertoire and has long been applauded for the development in this field in the 8 years I have been in post.

I do not know whether Mr Armitage did indeed at the time worship at the Cathedral, but he was certainly at one time director of music at one of the churches in the cathedral deanery, so presumably knew something of what he was talking about. As far as the ruffling of feathers is concerned, I have no direct knowledge; but a number of cathedral parishioners and choir members at the time were grumbling to anyone who would listen. It may be that things have settled down since then. I would be glad to hear that this is the case.

I would also be interested to hear more about the relationship between cathedral and diocese. It appears that the diocese finds it no longer possible to work collaboratively with the cathedral music staff for diocesan liturgies. If this is true, it would be a matter for regret.

[musicus]

I have no wish to stifle useful debate, SC, but I do wonder how productive all this is and whether this is the right place to pursue it, especially given the noticeably qualified language that you have used.

[HallamPhil]

For the record my predecessor at Hallam, Ms Joanne Overend, was not an organist but a fine singer and Director of Music. She currently directs a music academy in the Bahamas.

[Organist009]

In response to SC's recent post:

The newspaper gave the 'first and youngest' title not me.

As for nit-picking, isn't that what you are doing? I stand by my original points. Some of your comments are really quite insulting.

It is not nonsense that appointments have been made without contract or competitive audition. The assistant organist at Arundel (who still remains) was appointed without either. So whilst MOST Catholic Cathedrals operate proper contractual appointments and have done for many years, THIS one did not.

If Mr Armitage was Director of Music at a church in the cathedral deanery I assume he was busy playing the organ or directing services each Sunday and therefore unable to worship at the Cathedral.

Regarding direct knowledge of grumbling, you admit you have no have no direct knowledge. So, a number of cathedral parishioners and choir members may have been grumbling - but equally they may not and with any change comes a potential for annoyance in some quarter. I can absolutely assure you that the only grumbling that is occurring presently regards the wording of the new Mass texts which are being introduced later in the year.

I am interested to note you do not pick up on the BBC research element of my posting.

Regardless of all that has been said here, I do not really care whether I am the first, last, 33rd or 90th woman to be a Director of Music/Organist and Master of the Choristers/Organist/wedding organ player/singer/whatever. Surely the point of focus must be that the Cathedral's music department is going from strength to strength. I am sure if you come and survey our parishioners and the choir they will tell you that they are happy with the balance which is struck between English and Latin, chant and modern repertoire, accompanied and unaccompanied work and so on. We have 22 choristers who sing with the 16 or so adults during liturgies. This in itself is a huge achievement; my predecessor established something of a children's' choir but sadly it was not in existence when I arrived and I had to build up from scratch. There were no Head Choristers, no deputies, no funding for scholarships to allow voice or theory training, no outreach work, no schools relationships, no prize giving ceremonies, rare social outings, no tours or CD recordings during his time. This is in no way a criticism of him as I do not know the full extent of the circumstances he worked under but he was a good man and did all he could to ensure things were done properly. I also know he was not auditioned competitively but I won't drag all that up again. The point I am making is that surely the focus should be on now, not what was surmised to have happened 8 years ago? The bottom line is that I am good at what I do and have fulfilled what I set out to do. It is a pity you do not feel able to merely commend what is now occurring without pulling me apart which is hardly productive or called for.

[presbyter]

You know, I think we really should stick to our quasi-parliamentary procedure of pseudonymity so that matters never become personal and insulting..... or even tending towards the libellous!
Peace be with you!

Now, having google-mapped Arundel, it seems a mighty small place to support a Cathedral Choir. May I ask from how far afield the singers are drawn?

[alan29]

Peace.

[Organist009]

All over! Current members come from Arundel, Chichester, Bognor Regis, Littlehampton, Worthing, Shoreham, Durrington and Fontwell. We have a good number from St Philip's primary-'our' school but not a choir school.