
HAVPCD357 – 40 Years at Wakefield
The Wakefield Cathedral Choir consists of up to twenty boys, twenty girls and ten lay clerks, and undertakes a full programme of services, concerts, recordings, radio and TV appearances. There are six choral services each week – Parish Eucharist, Cathedral Eucharist and Evensong on Sunday and Evensong on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The Yorkshire Three Choirs Festival (boys and men) and the Yorkshire Cathedral Choirs Festival (girls and men) take place in October and March respectively.
The Cathedral has had only four Organists: Joseph Naylor (1888-1930), Newell Wallbank (1930-1946), Percy Saunders (1946-1970) and Jonathan Bielby (1970-2010). The formidable past record of Assistant Organists includes John Scott (organist of St Thomas’ Church, Fifth Avenue, New York), Peter Gould (organist of Derby Cathedral), Keith Wright ( assistant organist of Durham Cathedral), and Louise Marsh (director of the Girls’ Choir at Ely Cathedral).
Famous previous members of the Choir include the composer, Kenneth Leighton, and the former Archbishop of York, David Hope. The Cathedral Choir has done a tremendous job in promoting the city and diocese of Wakefield and the cause of English cathedral music. Besides appearing at many UK venues, the boys and men have visited Germany three times, the United States twice, France, Austria, Italy and Holland; the girls and men have sung in Sweden, the Rhineland and New York; and the men have made an enjoyable trip to Dublin.
Jonathan Bielby’s wonderful work at Wakefield has encompassed many facets. On his upcoming retirement he will leave a legacy in hearts and minds for generations to come. As a composer, he is pre-eminently practical, clear, concise and – perhaps most importantly – comprehensible. His works have often been in the form of personal gifts – and those who receive his Christmas Cards each year will be aware of that – or mindful of a particular Cathedral service or event.
He knows a good melody when he sees one, and many of his compositions contain a reassuring and yet refreshing ambience in which the themes seem inevitable, fluent and memorable. To have recordings of music composed by him will give great and continuing pleasure to us all for many years. As one of his oldest friends, I commend the enterprise to you whole-heartedly and with enthusiastic acclaim!
Dr Simon Lindley
Organist & Master of the Choristers, Leeds Parish Church, and Leeds City Organist