Southern Cathedrals Festival
Encyclopedia
The Southern Cathedrals Festival is the bringing together of the choirs of Chichester Cathedral
, Winchester Cathedral
and Salisbury Cathedral
in the penultimate weekend of July. Chichester, Winchester and Salisbury take it in turn to host this event.
of Chichester
died in September 1907, so the return to Chichester had to be delayed until 1908. Thereafter, the "Three Choirs Festival", as it was then known, continued until 1913 when the annual meeting was suspended because of the First World War. The festival was revived in 1920 and continued to be held until 1932. At that time the annual meeting consisted of just a single day and the joint performance by the three choirs of a choral evensong
. In 1960 the festival was re-established, with the title changed to the "Southern Cathedrals Festival", and the proceedings increased to two days, with two joint Evensongs and the addition of a concert.
The festival is now three days long consisting of three concerts, a choral masterclass, an organ recital, a Festival Eucharist, buffet lunches, evensongs sung separately by each choir and performances of the "Fringe Revue".
In 2011, the SCF was hosted at Winchester Cathedral.
Chichester Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, otherwise called Chichester Cathedral, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Chichester. It is located in Chichester, in Sussex, England...
, Winchester Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral at Winchester in Hampshire is one of the largest cathedrals in England, with the longest nave and overall length of any Gothic cathedral in Europe...
and Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, considered one of the leading examples of Early English architecture....
in the penultimate weekend of July. Chichester, Winchester and Salisbury take it in turn to host this event.
History
In September 1904 a service was held in Chichester Cathedral to celebrate the reopening of the main organ of Chichester Cathedral following its restoration in by Hele of Plymouth. This brought together the cathedral choirs of Chichester Cathedral, Winchester Cathedral and Salisbury Cathedral. In 1905, the cathedral choirs met in Salisbury, followed by Winchester in 1906. Bishop WilberforceErnest Roland Wilberforce
Ernest Roland Wilberforce was an Anglican clergyman and bishop. From 1882 to 1896 he was the first Anglican Bishop of Newcastle upon the diocese's creation, and from 1896 to 1907 he was Bishop of Chichester....
of Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
died in September 1907, so the return to Chichester had to be delayed until 1908. Thereafter, the "Three Choirs Festival", as it was then known, continued until 1913 when the annual meeting was suspended because of the First World War. The festival was revived in 1920 and continued to be held until 1932. At that time the annual meeting consisted of just a single day and the joint performance by the three choirs of a choral evensong
Evening Prayer (Anglican)
Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening...
. In 1960 the festival was re-established, with the title changed to the "Southern Cathedrals Festival", and the proceedings increased to two days, with two joint Evensongs and the addition of a concert.
The festival is now three days long consisting of three concerts, a choral masterclass, an organ recital, a Festival Eucharist, buffet lunches, evensongs sung separately by each choir and performances of the "Fringe Revue".
Rota
The rota for hosting is as follows:- Chichester
- Winchester
- Salisbury
In 2011, the SCF was hosted at Winchester Cathedral.
Compositions (examples)
- Leonard BernsteinLeonard BernsteinLeonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
: Chichester PsalmsChichester PsalmsChichester Psalms is a choral work by Leonard Bernstein for boy treble or countertenor, solo quartet, choir and orchestra...
1965 - Malcolm ArcherMalcolm ArcherMalcolm Archer is an English organist, conductor and composer. He combines this work with a recital career. Archer was formerly Organist and Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral, and is now Director of Chapel Music at Winchester College....
: Benedicite and Angelus