Music
Choir
Elvet Choir, June 2011
Elvet choir has always played an integral part in the life of the church, maintaining the high standards of a long musical tradition, which is our heritage. When the present building was opened in 1903, the choir sang Handel's Hallelujah Chorus, and a choir was active in the former Wesleyan Chapel, built on land which is now part of the Marriott Royal County Hotel. Referring to the introduction of an organ in l840, the Rev'd Thomas Collins wrote: "Not without need, for the choir was the most pitiful I ever knew". Happily, things improved. Our present Minister, the Rev'd Shaun Swithenbank is very supportive of the choir, and sings with us when he is able. Shaun’s wife Jane is also a choir member.
Our choir consists of about 20 singers: soprano, alto, tenor and bass, and we are always glad to welcome new members. We sing mainly during morning services (10.45 a.m.)
We rehearse in church on Sunday mornings, from 9.45 a.m. till 10.30 a.m., preceding the morning service. We have a wide repertoire of music, ranging from renaissance motets through to works by contemporary composers.
We join with St Oswald's Parish Church choir to sing for the annual Covenant service, and on other occasions, and we sometimes form the nucleus of a 'Circuit Choir'. The latter comprises choirs within the Durham and Deerness Valley Circuit of the Methodist Church, which sing at circuit services and festivals.
Elvet choir is directed by Brian Tanner and Hilary Phillips, and works well, both musically and socially.
New members will be warmly welcomed.
Contact: Ann Bradbrook, Choir Secretary
Rehearsals: Sunday mornings, 9.45 am. till 10.30 a.m. (preceding morning service)
Place: The choir vestry (room 1) at Elvet Methodist Church
Organ
Elvet's Organ
Elvet's organ console
Elvet Methodist Church possesses a fine 3 manual pipe organ, built in 1934 by the Durham firm of Nelson and now maintained by the famous Durham organ builders Harrison and Harrison. It has electro-pneumatic action, balanced swell and choir box pedals, and a radiating concave pedal board. The specification is:
| Great | Choir | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lieblich Bourdon | 16' | Viol d’Amour | 8' |
| Open Diapason I | 8' | Lieblich Gedeckt | 8' |
| Open Diapason II | 8' | Concert Flute | 4' |
| Höhl Flute | 8' | Piccolo | 2' |
| Principal | 4' | Tierce | 1 3/5' |
| Harmonic Flute | 4' | Clarinet | 8' |
| Nazard | 2 2/3' | Trumpet (from Great) | 8' |
| Flautina | 2' | Swell to Choir | |
| Mixture | II [12-15] | Octave | |
| Trumpet | 8' | Tremulant | |
| Swell to Great | |||
| Choir to Great | |||
| Swell | Pedal | ||
| Violin Diapason | 8' | Harmonic Bass | 32' |
| Röhr Flute | 8' | Open Diapason | 16' |
| Viol d’Orchestre | 8' | Bourdon | 16' |
| Voix Celeste | 8' | Echo Bourdon (from Great) | 16' |
| Gemshorn | 4' | Bass Flute (ext Bourdon) | 8' |
| Fi'eenth | 2' | Trombone (ext Gt Trumpet) | 16' |
| Mixture | II [19-22] | Great to Pedal | |
| Contra Oboe | 16' | Swell to Pedal | |
| Oboe | 8' | Choir to Pedal | |
| Cornopean | 8' | Great & Pedal Combinations | |
| Octave | Coupled | ||
| Sub-Octave | |||
| Unison Off | |||
| Tremulant | |||
| 5 thumb pistons to Great | |||
| 5 thumb pistons to Swell | |||
| 4 thumb pistons to Choir | |||
| 5 toe pistons to Pedal | |||
| 5 toe pistons to Swell | |||
| Reversible thumb and toe pistons for Swell to Great, Great to Pedal, Trombone | |||
| Balanced expression pedals to Swell and Choir | |||
Organists wishing to use the instrument for practice or to volunteer to play occasionally for services, weddings or funerals should get in touch with the Organist, Professor Brian Tanner.