Page 25 - LOTN Summer Issue 47 2021
P. 25

FAITH AND CULTURE

                                                              the saltire to remind us that Andrew did not shrink from death,
                                                              and found eternal life.
                                                               In contrast, there is a side altar to Our Lady of Succour and
                                                              Victory. The Madonna holds the baby Jesus and dates from
                                                              1585. There is a wardrobe of ornate vestments for this statue.
                                                              However, in 2001 Antwerp held “Fashion Year”. Designer Ann
                                                              Demeulemeester gave the statue a 'makeover' and the Madonna
                                                              is currently wearing contemporary clothing!
                                                               There is much more to see in this wonderful church including
                                                              the magnificent stations of the cross. A volunteer guide is on
                                                              hand to show you around and a guidebook in English is also
                                                              available.
               The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew
                                                              For more information take a look at the Christian tourists'
        the call from Jesus are all rendered in amazing detail. Above   website  at  https://www.topa.be/en/antwerp/kerken-in-
        them the roof of the pulpit is surmounted by angels holding up   antwerpen/sint-andries-2/

         Anglican psalms in



         a Scottish Catholic


         church?




        BY DR SHELAGH NODEN


             n my time as a Cambridge undergraduate, I was very
             privileged to be able to attend Evensong sung by the
             various college choirs, notably that of King’s. It was an
        Iopportunity to hear the choral music of the Anglican   Lismore Seminary at Kilcheran House on the island of Lismore
        liturgy performed to an extremely high standard in beautiful   Lismore College, the seminary founded in 1803 on the island of
        and inspiring surroundings. One thing that stood out for me   Lismore off the west coast of Scotland. The Lismore Choir Book
        then, and still does, was the Anglican chant that was used   now forms part of the Scottish Catholic Archives, and is kept in
        to set the words of the psalms. In Catholic churches these   the Special Collections section of Aberdeen university library.
        days we are more used to hearing psalms sung by one cantor   Several Anglican chants appear in this book, with one by
        with everyone joining in the response (well, one hopes that   the English composer Jonathan Battishill (1738-1801). The
        they do) but Anglican chant is usually sung throughout by   chants are grouped together with the heading ‘Chants for
        the choir in four-part harmony. When done well this style   the psalm after the Epistle at High Mass or at Vespers when
        of chant is extremely expressive                                          sung’, showing that these chants were
        and  flexible,  and  has  much  in                                        intended for use at Mass. There is no
        common with Gregorian psalm                                               indication of whether the psalms were
        tones from which it was originally                                        sung  in  English  or  Latin;  one  might
        derived. As in Gregorian chant,    Thomas Errington was a younger brother   suppose that Latin was used. Another
        the words are fitted  to the  music   of the English Bishop George Errington   chant is entitled ‘Lismore’ suggesting
        according to speech rhythms.       ... sent to Lismore in the hope that fresh   that its composer was a member of
        Another similarity is that Anglican   sea air would be of benefit to him ... a   the college, and another was named
        chant is usually sung antiphonally,   disapproving report  circulated  at the   ‘Ushaw’ after the seminary in north
        that is with the choir divided into   time described him, along with another   east England, near Durham.
        two halves, sitting opposite each   student and Bishop Macdonald’s niece,   This name is particularly significant
        other and singing alternate verses   enjoying  ‘a gaudeamus of toddy and   in that it implies some sort of link
        of the chant. This style of singing   every good thing from 11 o’clock at   between the two colleges. Such a link
        the psalms is not usually found in   night till 3 next morning’.          would also explain the presence of
        Catholic churches in Scotland.                                            Anglican chant in the Lismore choir
          It was a surprise to me, therefore,                                     book,  because  the  Catholic  church
        when I came across evidence of                                            of St Cuthbert in Durham is also
        Anglican chant being used for the singing of psalms during   known to have used Anglican chant in the liturgy. A collection
        Mass in early nineteenth century Scotland. Several examples of   of 114 Anglican chants is contained in an early nineteenth-
        it were written down in a manuscript choir book belonging to   century manuscript book associated with this church, and it is
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