Maurice Frost Review
From Church Matters, August 2010
Our evening reviewing the Maurice Frost Festival was attended by about 30 people. We looked at photos and video of the occasion with canapés and a glass of wine (thanks to those who provided images and food). In discussion later certain caveats as to what might happen in the future were entered: be mindful of cultural difference in matters of hospitality; keep the size of any visiting party manageable; make sure that no one has more than a couple of visitors to host ; don't be over-ambitious with the catering and so over-burden the congregation. Reservations notwithstanding, people generally seemed to feel that the weekend had been worthwhile, and a number reported very positive experiences with those they hosted. There appeared to be no desire to drop the links with the Church of the Resurrection or Sofiakyrkan, it being recognised that these links allow valuable engagement with other cultures and other Christians.
There will be a visit to Vaxjo Diocese, including some time in Jonkoping, next year at the end of May/beginning of June. Final dates are yet to be fixed. The plan is that the whole visit would last 12-14 days and that there would be three basic elements: a tour of Vaxjo diocese by coach; a visit to Jonkoping to stay with parishioners of Sofiakyrkan and join with them in Sunday worship (it is hoped that we can raise a Choir to sing at the Sunday service and also to give a concert); a pilgrimage from Jonkoping to Vadstena, where stands the abbey founded by St Birgitta, possibly the greatest of Scandinavian saints and one of the patron saints of Europe. Birgitta's relics lie in her abbey, having been brought back from Rome, where she died and Vadstena is now a major centre for Scandinavian spirituality. The pilgrimage will be by foot (for some, at least) and will take four or five days but other means of transport could be made available. It is intended that this trip should be a Deddington Deanery event.
Please let me know if you might be interested in coming and note that it would not be necessary to join in all the stages of the visit; were you to want just to come to Jonkoping, for instance, you'd be away for only 3 or 4 days.
Hugh
From the Deddington News - July 2010
Volcanic ash, visa issues and the British Airways strike added to the excitement in the days leading up to the Maurice Frost Festival. Would our visiting choirs from Sweden and South Africa get here? Preparations for the Festival began over two years ago and it would be a shame if things fell apart at the last minute. But, as they say, ‘Que sera, sera’ … . But everyone got here, no one, through the generosity of Deddingtonians and others, had to sleep on the street, complicated catering was managed with aplomb, the Deddington hostelries and Bakers Coaches did us proud, bishops preached, the community gathered – and the singing was great. The Choir of the Church of the Resurrection sang (and danced) to raise awareness of the huge problem of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. At the signoff concert in Bloxham School, pupils and staff were wowed by the energy and verve of African sound and movement. An extremely large donation from the School towards the Tsogo Centre for children infected or affected by HIV/AIDS in Mafikeng/Mmabatho was received with great gratitude. It went beyond Deddington on Radio Oxford and over the internet – people in Sweden and elsewhere tuned in to the Sunday morning Eucharist – some service! The Swedes joined our own choir and the Boys’ Brigade brass to bring off a difficult Vaughan Williams piece, there was African – and Swedish – music and Setswana and Swedish as well as English were used in said parts of the service, which has probably never happened before anywhere. You can find a recording of this service and other Festival items (and a lot else besides) on www.deddingtonchurch.org. Maurice Frost, our former Vicar, would have liked best the traditional Evensong sung splendidly on the Saturday evening by the Choir of St George’s Chapel, Windsor and featuring a composition commissioned for the occasion by the distinguished composer Cecilia McDowall. Dr Frost would have been intrigued, too, by the hymn and reminiscence session on Sunday afternoon when a number of those who knew him contributed anecdotes – always interesting to find out how others see you! – and he would have been touched by the exhibition mounted about him and the Deddington Choir of which he was such a supporter (copies of the excellent brochure produced to complement the exhibition are still available in the Church). There were many other wonderful moments: the Africans and the School together in Church for an Ascension Day Eucharist, and balloons flying away from the tower; the Swedish rite Eucharist in Hempton the same day, and that cake! the Afro-Anglo-Swedish toyi-toyi in celebration across the green, which brought people running with their cameras. The Festival was about recognising a contribution to Church music made by a Deddingtonian and about demonstrating how Church music can help to bind together communities widely separated geographically and culturally. It was also about having fun: there was much joy and our visitors loved it. Thanks to all of you who joined in and made it happen.
Hugh
Listen again
16th May 2010 - Eucharist with the three choirs.
16th May 2010 - Church, Choirs and technology.
Reproduced with the kind permission of BBC Radio Oxford.
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Phil Mercer was joined in the studio by (from left to right) Rev. Hugh White - the Vicar of Deddington, David Phalatse - Choir Director from the South African parish of Resurrection in Mafikeng, Hans Boeryd - a Priest from Sweden and the Rector from the parish Sofiakyrkan in Jönköping, and David Rogers. |
15th May 2010 - Songs of Praise
13th May 2010 - Ascension Day service with Deddington Primary School.
Dimakatso, Naledi and Sarah entertain the Tuesday Club. 18th May 2010
A big thank you
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A big thank you to everyone who helped in so many ways with the Maurice Frost Festival and the Choir visits. For me there were many highlights; among them the sound of the men's voices of St George’s Choir; Peter - the Desmond Tutu look-a-like; the Anglo/Afro/Swedish toyi-toyi in celebration across the Market Square; the Hempton Cake; balloons after the Ascension Day service at Deddington; the Setswana reading from Acts; the Vaughan Williams sung by our choir and the Swedes with Boys’ Brigade brass; the exhibition and pamphlet on Dr Frost; the hymn karaoke with reminiscences: a brilliant concert at Bloxham School from the Africans; the anthem Psallite Domino; the co-ordination of the catering, particularly on Saturday afternoon; the prosecco-filled ‘fridge in the Nave; the relief of having it all over...
Hugh |
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MAURICE FROST FESTIVAL - Review
Four choirs – our Parish Church Choir, the Choir of the Church of the Resurrection, Mafikeng, South Africa, the Sofiakyrkan/Dalvik Kyrka Choir from Sweden (link churches with Deddington) and the Choir of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, also with Deddington links – gathered in the Parish Church on 15 May to celebrate the life and specifically the hymnological work of the Revd Maurice Frost, Vicar of Deddington 1924 – 61. Saturday’s Evensong included the first performance of Psallite Domino, composed by Cecilia McDowall, known to Deddington from her community opera, King Leo, performed at the 2006 Deddington Festival. The Bishops of Oxford and Dorchester presided over the weekend-long celebration.
During their stay, between them the African and Swedish choirs also sang in Banbury, Hempton, at the University Church, Oxford, and in Bloxham. A wide swathe of the village was involved in their visit, from the children of Deddington Primary School to generous hosts and hostesses, to those who cooked and chauffeured, together with local hostelries. There was much to remember – the Swedish Folk Mass during Songs of Praise on the evening of 15 May and, not least, the ongoing sight of venerable members of the SS Peter and Paul congregation caught up in the life rhythm of African music. More details next month.
Kristin Thompson
Deddington News June 2010 edition
THE DEDDINGTON MAURICE FROST FESTIVAL
MAY 15-16, 2010
The Revd Dr Maurice Frost, Vicar of Deddington from 1924 until his death in 1961, was an eminent authority on hymns. His Historical Companion to Hymns Ancient and Modern was completed in 1960 and our Festival honours this achievement in its 50th anniversary year (which is also the 150th anniversary year of the first publication of Hymns Ancient and Modern).
As well as being a scholar of church music, Dr Frost was strongly committed to his own Parish Church Choir. Our celebrations, accordingly, have Deddington Parish Church Choir very much at their centre. Our choir is joined for the Festival by the choirs of our link parishes in South Africa (Resurrection, Mafikeng) and Sweden (Sofiakyrkan, Jönköping) and by the Choir of St George’s Chapel, Windsor, St. George’s being our ecclesiastical patron.
There will be opportunities during the Festival to contribute to the work of the Tsogo Centre in Mafikeng, a day centre for pre-school children infected or otherwise affected by HIV/AIDS. The Tsogo Centre is affiliated to the Church of the Resurrection, Mafikeng and supported by Deddington parish Church.
All events take place at Deddington Parish Church, Church Street, Deddington, Oxon (OX15 0SA). Entry is free and all are welcome.
Please click here to open the Maurice Frost Festival leaflet.
Saturday May 15:
6.30 – 9.30 pm Psallite Domino: An Evening of Praise
6.30 pm Evensong sung by the Choir of St George’s Chapel , Windsor under the direction of Tim Byram-Wigfield with the first performance of Psallite Domino, an anthem by Cecilia McDowall. The Rt Revd John Pritchard, Bishop of Oxford will preach.
7.30 pm Laying of wreath at Dr Frost’s grave, followed by refreshments.
8.15 pm Ancient and Modern: Songs of Praise led by the Choir of Deddington Parish Church, the Choir of the Church of the Resurrection, Mafikeng, South Africa and the Choir of Sofiakyrkan, Jönköping, Sweden
Sunday May 16:
10.30 am Choral Eucharist led by the three Parish Church choirs. The Rt Revd Colin Fletcher, OBE, Bishop of Dorchester will preside and preach.
3.30 pm Tea and Hymns with Dr Frost. An informal service, with hymn requests, refreshments and reminiscences of Dr Frost by those who knew him.
6.00 pm Dithaga tsa Tsogo: Robins of Resurrection. A concert by the Choir of the Church of the Resurrection, with traditional and contemporary songs and an HIV/AIDS focus.
For further details contact:
Revd. Hugh White - 01869 349869 vicarhugo@hotmail.com
Sue Addison (Benefice Secretary) - 01869 338017 susan.addison@virgin.net