Page 3 - RSCM Festival Evensong 2022

Introduction
This festival evensong service celebrates a number of events in 2022. Most importantly, of course, is the Platinum Jubilee of the RSCM’s Royal Patron, a unique event that none of us will see again our lifetimes. The RSCM is proud to have commissioned a special anthem to mark the occasion from award-winning composer Thomas Hewitt Jones, In Our Service, which is the main anthem in this collection.
We have also included Handel’s Coronation anthem, Zadok the Priest, which has been performed at every coronation since that of George II.
This year is also the 150th anniversary of the birth of Ralph Vaughan Williams, whose contribution to Twentieth Century hymnody, through his editorship of the English Hymnal, was of huge importance. RVW composed original hymn tunes, arranged already existing hymns,
and arranged folksongs as hymns. This service uses Down Ampney, an original hymn tune, and Laast uns erfreuen, one of his arrangements.
The final hymn features the wonderful tune East Acklam, by Francis Jackson, who died earlier this year, at the grand age of 104. Dr Jackson was the longest holder of the Fellowship of the Royal School of Church Music award, and we offer this hymn in grateful thanks for his contribution to church music as a choir director, organist and composer.
In Pace by John Blitheman is a glorious piece of Tudor polyphony and is now on the RSCM’s Silver Award syllabus. Blitheman was a member of the Chapel Royal during the Elizabethan era. This new edition, based on part-books in the British library, corrects errors in previous editions, not least in the performing practice as it would have been sung as a Respond for Compline.
For many of us, it has been quite some time since we have been able to sing together to the glory of God. It is our hope that this Festival Evensong will enable singers to join together to sing some glorious music. We hope you enjoy it!