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Music at St. Mary's








April 28th.

Free parking for the Saturday Lunchtime Concerts, click here for a map.

Read the On-Line Newsletter here

Photographs from the lunchtime concerts

The 18th. year of Free Saturday Lunchtime Concerts at
St. Mary's Parish Church, Church Street, Slough Berkshire!
12 noon - 12.30, refreshments available.



In 2007,
440 pieces of music were heard,
played by 57 performers,
of which 35 were male and 22 female.
58 concerts were given to a total audience of 2804 people.
raising over £2350

Over the last 5 years alone, monies raised now exceeds £18,000 !




CONTENTS

St. Laurence's Church
Upton cum Chalvey

CD ! Now Available.

Forthcoming Concerts
to end December 2008 		St. Mary's Church
Web Site

About the Organ		 About the Concerts
How it all Started.
Live Recordings
Lunchtime Concerts
Review Our
Evening Concerts. 		Photographs
The Church & Windows.		 Slough Links
What's On & History.


Concerts in May
3rd.
Ian May, organ
10th.
Brass Soloists Day, pupils and friends of Charley Brighton
17th.
Charley Brighton, Euphonium with guest Matthew J. Ingram, Euphonium, Malcolm Stowell, piano
24th.
Orado Guitar Duo, with Simon Davis
31st.
Elizabeth French, piano

Concerts in June
7th.
Berkhamsted Young Musicians, pupils of Catherine Orton
14th.
James Paget, Music for Organ
21st.
Jill Crossland, Piano
28th.
Ian Stewart, Organ

Concerts in July
5th.
Concert 1000! with The Reading Minster Mid Week Choir, conductor David Butler
The Celebration Brass Ensemble, Conductor Charley Brighton
Mark Robbins & David Iggulden, violins, Andrew Adams, Cello, David Darby & Henry Macey, Pianos
Joanna Hamilton, reader, Malcolm Stowell, Organ & Guest Conductor Terry Treherne
12th.
Malcolm Stowell, Organ
19th.
Julia Booker, Soprano & Robin Howles, Tenor
26th.
Susan Piggott, Soprano & Andrew Piggott, Piano

Concerts in August
2nd.
Charley Brighton, Euphonium, Malcolm Stowell, Piano
9th.
Mark Ellis, Flute, and friends
16th.
Lucas Imbiriba, Classical Guitar
23rd.
Rebecca Bell, Soprano & Anthea Fry, Piano
30th.
David Darby, Piano & Thea Cramp, Flute

Concerts in September
6th.
Naomi Wright, Cello & Robert Hunter, Piano
13th.
David Darby & Henry Macey, Piano Duets
20th.
Malcolm Stowell, Organ
27th.
The Monday Madrigalists

Concerts in October
4th.
The Cameo Consort
11th.
Forest Voices Chamber Choir
18th.
Malcolm Stowell, Organ
25th.
Emma Grimsey, Flute, Hannah Lewis, Oboe with Guy Bunce, Piano

Concerts in November
1st.
Ian May, St. Gile's Reading, Organ
8th.
Elaine Stowell, Reader with Malcolm Stowell, Piano
15th.
Henry Macey, Organ
22nd.
Charley Brighton, Euphonium with Malcolm Stowell, Piano
29th.
Voices Anon Choir, conductor Guy Bunce

Concerts in December
6th.
Christmas Music with Brian Neal, Piano, Charley Brighton, Euphonium, Malcolm Stowell, Piano
13th.
Michael Thomas, Organ
20th.
Christmas Concert with The Reading Minster Mid Week Choir, Conductor David Butler and Malcolm Stowell, Organ
27th.
Malcolm Stowell, Organ



Malcolm Stowell wins Mayor's Arts Award

On Thursday, April 29th. 2005 at a ceremony held at the Thames Valley University, Slough, Mayor Laurie Gleeson presented the 2004 Arts Award to Malcolm in recognition of his services to music in Slough.



Members of St. Mary's were present at the awards ceremony as well.




Listen to Malcolm



The C.D. of recordings live from St. Mary's.



Track 1; England’s Glory, Nigel Ogden.
Malcolm Stowell, organ.

Track 2; Danse, Claude Debussy,
In memoriam, John Burrows (d. 14/11/2002) piano.

Track 3; Bird Song at Eventide, music by Eric Coates, lyrics by Roydon Barrie.
Roger Lyon, bass, with Malcolm Stowell, piano.

Track 4; Aka Tombo (Red Dragonfly), Kosaku Yamada, arranged by Philip Kim.
Charley Brighton, (Highams 5 valve euphonium, circa 1891) and Malcolm Stowell, piano.

Track 5; Intermezzo (Forget-Me-Not), Allan Macbeth arranged by Alfred J. Eyre.
Ian Stewart, organ.

Track 6; The Girl With The Flaxen Hair, Debussy.
The Windsor Festive Brass Quintet.

Track 7; Toccata, movement 4 of Suite Gothique, Leon Boellmann.
Henry Macey, organ

Track 8; Here’s That Rainy Day & Love is Lovelier (the second time around), Johnny Burke & Jimmy Van Heusen.
Peter Vaughan, piano

Track 9; All In The April Evening, Hugh Roberton
The Equale Low Brass Quartet.

Track 10; Trumpet Voluntary, Gordon Young.
Louise Willis, organ.

Track 11; Organ duet; Fugue in D minor, Johann Kellner
Played by Malcolm Stowell & Louise Willis.

Track 12; Gratias Ago, Guy Bunce.
Louise Taylor, flute and Guy Bunce, piano.

Track 13; Meditation, Frank Bridge.
Mark Robbins, violin, with Guy Bunce, piano.

Track 14; Elsa’s Procession To The Cathedral, from Lohengrin, Richard Wagner.
The Celebration Brass Ensemble & Malcolm Stowell, organ.

Listen to Elsa's Procession !

Programme compiled by Malcolm Stowell.
Recorded and mastered by Charley Brighton & Mark Robbins.

For orders, Email us here.



Pictures below show Charley Brighton (Euphonium) & Fritz Steiger (Clarinet).

These were taken whilst rehearsing "Twilight Shadows"
for Euphonium & Clarinet with Piano by American composer, Steven Barton.

This was a U.K. & European Premier and Malcolm Stowell was the pianist.

Please click on the " thumbnail " prints for enlarged pictures, then 'F11' on the top line off your keyboard for a full screen picture, and 'F11' again to return to thumbnail.










Live Recordings from St. Mary's;
Played by Charley Brighton, Euphonium, with Malcolm Stowell, Piano.
Click here




On May 17th. we saw the long awaited arrival of the Rutgers University Chorus from
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.A. with their conductor John Floreen.



Celebration Brass commenced the proceedings with Fantasia by John Wilbye,
as a double brass choir at opposite ends of St. Mary's Church.
Charley Brighton was the featured euphonium soloist with Malcolm Stowell on piano,
in two numbers from West Side Story, Maria & Tonight.
Organ recitals were given by Malcolm Stowell, Louise Willis
and Brenda Arnold Day (U.S.A.).
Brass and choir closed the first half of the concert in special arrangement of
Elsa's Procession to the Minster, from Lohengrin, by Wagner.
The finale to the concert was the combined forces of band, choir & organ in
Gerre Hancock's Song to the Lamb and Vaughan Williams Old Hundredth,
conducted by John Floreen.

The featured brass players were;

Soprano cornet, Robin Lock
Flugel Horns, Eileen Lock & Shirley Drake
Baritones, Susan Vel & Kate Thulborn
Euphonium, Andrew Barratt & Tuba, David Elliott-Smith.



The Hendon Band of The Salvation Army



St.Mary's hosted this wonderful band back in April 2004.

On October 2nd. we had a stunning concert of classical guitar music given Matthew Mc.Allister



Catherine Orton regularly performs fine recitals at St. Mary's. Visit her web site here.





Photograph featuring some of the music team, left to right;
John Burrows, piano, Malcolm Stowell, organ, Neil Benson,clarinet,
Charley Brighton, euphonium & Louise Willis, organ.

Sadly, John Burrows died on Thursday, November 14th. 2002.
Every year a memorial plaque is awarded to an oustanding performer of the Saturday lunchtime concerts at St. Mary's in memory of John.
In 2002 it was awarded to Neil Benson, clarinet and in 2003, to Roger Lyon, bass.
This year we were very pleased to award it to Keith Bosley, piano.



About the Concerts.

In January 1990, Malcolm Stowell (Chairman of the Windsor & District Organists' Association and Organist & Choirmaster at St. Mary's Parish Church), founded the popular series of lunchtime concerts.


Malcolm Stowell at the controls of the mighty instrument of Christchurch Priory.


Over the years, he has established a close relationship with local artists and produced a thriving programme of weekly Saturday recitals.

These live events take an informal, enlightening and, above all, entertaining approach to music making.

Concerts are held every Saturday in St. Mary's Parish Church at 12 noon and usually last about 35 minutes. The concerts are free of charge, although we are always grateful for donations towards refreshments or Church funds.

Artists can undertake an entire programme or just one or two items. Either way, recitals can be designed to suit a performer's repertoire. Malcolm is always delighted to discuss a musician's particular area of interest and build an entertaining programme that meets everyone's needs.

Interested ? A few bookings are still available for this year.
Call Malcolm Stowell on 01628 660651.






About the Organ.


The present organ in St. Mary's is situated in the north transept, and was built in 1912 by Norman & Beard Ltd. The specification was drawn up by Sir Walter Parratt (then organist of St. George's Chapel, Windsor), who gave the opening recital. The organ was paid for by James Elliman, who regarded it as his " particular gift to the Parish Church ".

The organ has 3 manuals and pedals. The action is Tubular Pneumatic throughout. The Thumb Pistons are also controlled by Tubular Pneumatic Action, but the Foot Pistons are Exhaust Pneumatic Action. An unusual feature of this organ is that the key transmission has a charge action as opposed to exhaust action, which is very rare for organs built by this firm. The organ has 37 speaking stops and 9 couplers, and has over 2400 speaking pipes ranging in size from 16 feet to 1/4 inch speaking length.

In 1968 the organ was taken down and extensively cleaned, with some re - leathering to the action and stop mechanism. Some tonal revisions were made at this time. The Swell 6 rank and Great 4 rank composition mixtures were revised. Two new stops were added to the Choir Organ, Nazard and Tierce, in place of the Dulciana and Open Diapason.

The Swell reeds and Open Diapason are on high pressure. The flue chorus to the Great, like the rest of the organ, is brightly voiced, the flutes to the Swell and Great being round in timbre. The Choir flutes and mutations are bright in texture and essential to modern - day repertoire. The Swell reeds are superbly voiced and are one of the most striking features of the organ, matching in quality the William Hill organ in Eton College Chapel. The Pedal Organ lacks upper work but has a powerful Violone, Ophicleide, Open Diapason and Octave which contrast with the soft Flute and Bordun, blending well with single strings or sustaining a semi - flue chorus to manuals.

The pitch is "French Diapason Normal", being slightly lower than the present day concert pitch.

During the past few years more re- leathering work has taken place, with further work necessary to keep the organ up to standard. A new 3 - phase electric blower was installed in 1985, owing to the original single - phase blower being unable to sustain power to the full organ.

This organ is a splendid example of the English "Romantic" style of building and it can cope with any period of the organ repertoire, being a fine instrument for both accompaniment and concert performances.

Specifications.

Manuals CC - C 61 notes
Pedals CCC - F 30 notes

Swell Organ (Enclosed).

Liblich Bordun 16'
Open Diapason 8'
Rohrflote 8'
Viol 8'
Voix Celeste 8'
Octave Geigen 4'
Flageolet 2'

Mixture VI ranks.

Double Trumpet 16'
Hautboy 8'
Horn 8'
Clarion 4'

Swell Octave
Swell Sub - Octave
Tremulant

Great Organ.

Double Open Diapason 16'
Open Diapason no.I 8'
Open Diapason no.II 8'
Open Diapason no.III 8'
Hohlflote 8'
Octave 4'
Harmonic Flute 4'
Octave Quint 2 2/3'
Super Octave 2'

Mixture IV ranks.

Tromba 8'
Great Pistons to Pedal Composition

Pedal Organ.

Open Diapason 16'
Violone 16'
Bordun 16'
Octave 8'
Flute 8'
Ophicleide 16'

Choir Organ (Enclosed).

Lieblich Gedackt 8'
Viola 8'
Flauto Traverso 4'
Lieblich Flote 4'
Nazard 2 2/3'
Harmonic Piccolo 2'
Tierce 1 3/5'
Corno di Bassetto 8'

Couplers.

Swell to Great
Swell to Choir
Swell to Pedal
Great to Pedal
Choir to Pedal

Thumb Pistons.

4 to Great
4 to Swell
3 to Choir

Foot Pistons.

4 to Pedal
4 to Swell
1 to Great (Reversible).










St. Mary's Parish Church.
Commenced 1875 - completed 1913.




Photographs by Malcolm Stowell.




Architect; John Oldrid Scott.



The West Window, 1915. Designed by Alfred A. Wolmark, given by Mary Elliman.
The first abstract church window in the country.



Links to Other Sites.

Slough On The Web

The Cameo Consort

Views of Slough.

A History of Slough.

For Dog Lovers Only !

Euphonium Pictures.

Ebony, Ivory & Brass.

The Capriccioso Brass Quartet.

The B.B.C. Elstree Concert Band.

The Celebration Brass Ensemble.

Music Links.






Email us here

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