Music in St Giles
With a professional quartet of singers at services, regular concerts in the Church, three outstanding pipe organs, a Steinway B grand piano and its use for recording sessions and broadcasts, music is a major part of the life of the Church. Since 1992 this church has been the headquarters of a major movement to recruit and train organists; lessons and classes in organ playing for all ages continue here throughout the year.
The Director of Music
Anne Marsden Thomas (Director of Music)
Anne has been Director of Music at St Giles' since 1980. She founded St. Giles International Organ School in 1992 and directed it until January 2012 when it became part of the education programme of RCO Academy. For many years she also directed the annual RCO Academy Summer Course for Organists in the City of London which regularly attracted 60-75 students from around the world. She is widely known for her work as organ teacher, concert organist and church musician. Her concert and teaching work has taken her to the USA, Japan, Europe and all over the UK, and she has made several commercial recordings. She has written and edited many books for organists, published by Oxford University Press, Cramer Music and the Royal School of Church Music. She has wide experience of examining grade examinations and diplomas. As well as teaching students of all standards, Anne enjoys training organ teachers.
Elizabeth Day (Organist)
Elizabeth was educated in Scotland and attended Dundee University where she read mathematics as well holding the post of Assistant Organist of Dundee Cathedral. After graduating she trained as a primary school teacher and has taught in schools in Dundee, Edinburgh and Switzerland.
Whilst working in Edinburgh, she started taking organ lessons with Anne Marsden Thomas. She has given many solo recitals including at Oxford Town Hall, St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh, and Lichfield Cathedral as well as at several churches in London.
She lives in South London with her husband and daughter.
The Choir
The professional vocal quartet sings two anthems and leads the congregational singing at the Sunday morning service. The choir is also available for special services (weddings, funerals, memorials, livery and carol services).
The Organs
There are three organs at St Giles'. The grand organ and the chancel organ are in the body of the church; the practice organ is in the vestry.
The Grand Organ
The Grand Organ, mounted on a gallery, has three manuals, a radiating/concave pedalboard, mechanical action, 39 speaking stops, balanced Swell pedal and a full range of modern accessories including a sequencer. This organ is ideal for solo work, and for accompanying musicians in the west gallery. Organ history: Jordan & Bridge 1733, Willis 1872, Jones 1902, Mander 1970. It was cleaned and restored in Autumn 2008.
Specification:
Double Open Diapason 16
Open Diapason 8
Stopt. Diapason 8
Principal 4
Flute 4
Twelfth 2 2/3
Fifteenth 2
Larigot 1 1/3
Mixture lll
Fourniture lV-Vl
Mounted Cornet V
Trumpet 8
Clarion 4
Great Reeds on Choir
Swell to Great
SWELL (enclosed)
Open Diapason
Stopt. Diapason 8'
Viola 8
Principal 4
Fifteenth 2
Mixture lll
Contra hautboy 16
Cornopean 8
Clariaon 4
Tremulant
PEDAL
Open Diapason 16
Bourdon 16
Octave 8
Flute 8
Gemshorn 4
Mixture lll
Trombone 16
Trumpet 8
Swell to Pedal
Choir to Pedal
CHOIR (unenclosed)
Stopt. Diapason 8
Dulciana 8
Principal 4
Nason Flute 4
Nazard 2 2/3
Spitz Flute 2
Tierce 1 3/5
Mounted Cornet V (from Great)
Cymbel lll
Cremona 8
Tremulant
Swell to Choir
COMPASS
Key compass C to a3 (58 notes)
Pedal compass C to f1 (30 notes) Radiating Concave
ACCESSORIES
8 general pistons, arranged above the Swell manual, with 16 memories
5 department pistons to Swell, Great, Choir.
5 combination pedals to Pedal department (right of centre)
5 combination pedals to Swell department (left of centre)
All couplers available as reversible pistons
Swell to Great, Great to Pedal also available as reversible coupler pedals
Rocker switch for Great and Pedal Combinations Coupler,
Rocker switch for Generals on Swell Combination Pedals
Independent sequencer, with three 'Next' pistons, one 'Next' pedal, and one 'Back' piston General cancel piston
Fully adjustable bench
Independent lights for manuals and pedals.
Mechanical action to manuals and pedals, with electrical stop action and electrical assistance on Swell to Great.
The Chancel Organ
The chancel organ was installed 2008, has two manuals, a straight/concave pedalboard, mechanical action, 15 speaking stops, a balanced Swell pedal and a full range of modern accessories including generals and a stepper. This organ is ideal for accompanying musicians on the large chancel, to which it is adjacent. There are unique carvings on the woodwork
Specification:
GREAT
Open Diapason 8
Stopped Diapason 8
Principal 4
Fifteenth 2
Mixture IV 11/3
Trumpet 8
Swell to Great
SWELL
Gedackt 8
Principal 4
Chimney flute 4
Recorder 2
Sesquialtera II 22/3
Oboe 8
Tremulant
PEDAL
Bourdon 16
Principal 8
Trumpet 8
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
COMPASS
Key compass C to a3 (58 notes)
Pedal compass C to f1 (30 notes) Straight Concave
ACCESSORIES
6 divisional pistons/toe pedals and 8 general pistons served by 66 memories
Stepper
Gt and Ped combinations coupler
Generals on Swell toe pistons
Adjustable toe pedal to give Swell to Pedal/Stepper Advance/Stepper Reverse
Fully adjustable bench
DISABLED-FRIENDLY FEATURES
Adjustable music stand
Talking stops device
Rings on the stop shanks to aid identification of tonal families
Mechanical action to all departments
The Practice Organ
Organ by Kenneth Tickell 2008 situated in the church office. For the exclusive use of students of Royal College of Organists Accredited Teachers. Please email [email protected] for details of how to book and pay for practice on this organ.
Specification:
MANUAL I (LOWER)
Stopt. Diapason 8
Principal 4
MANUAL II (UPPER)
Chimeny Flute 8
Spitz Flute 4
PEDAL
Open Flute 8
TOE PEDALS
Tremulant
Manual 1 to Pedals.
Direct suspended action to the upper manual.
Balanced action to the lower manual.
COMPASS
Key compass C to a3 (58 notes)
Pedal compass C to f1 (30 notes) Straight Concave
DISABLED-FRIENDLY FEATURES
A single ridge on the stop shank to identify the Principal stop by touch.
An adjustable bench with an exceptionally wide range of positions.
The Steinway B Grand Piano
We have a beautiful and well-maintained Steinway B Grand Piano. If you would like to use this piano please contact the parish administrator, Jake Kirnir.
The Bells
There is a ring of twelve bells hung for change ringing with a tenor weighing 34cwt and tuned to C-sharp. They are augmented by a sharp-second which provides a light ring of eight, tenor 11cwt in G-sharp. Full details of these bells, and their predecessors, are published at http://london.lovesguide.com/giles_cripplegate.htm. Ringing is arranged by the Ancient Society of College Youths and details are on their website http://www.ascy.org.uk/act_services.php. Visiting ringers are very welcome. To arrange a visit please contact the Tower Secretary Gwen Rogers.
New Gudgeons for St Giles’ Bells November 2017
The old bells of St. Giles’ were destroyed in a WW2 incendiary raid on the 29th. December 1940. The cracked remnants lay at the bottom of the tower until 1949 when the war was over, and they could be moved Whitechapel Foundry workers with the surviving bells and metal in 1949.
In 1954 a completely new ring of twelve bells was installed in the tower.
After more than sixty years moving parts are wearing out and must be replaced before they break. Three bells were leaking grease from their bearings which is a sign of a severely worn or even a cracked gudgeon. “What are gudgeons?” PCC members asked when the bell ringers requested permission and financial support for replacement. An explanation that “they are metal pins from which a bell hangs and which rotate in bearings mounted on a frame attached to the tower walls” did not convey much information. The following labelled picture of a bell would have helped.
If a gudgeon breaks the bell will fall, smashing into its wheel or frame. Where it lands is unpredictable and how much damage it does on the way equally so. Look again at the bells in the post-war photograph above!
Convinced that the work was necessary the PCC agreed to pay half of the bill and the rest was funded by a grant from the Ancient Society of College Youths (ASCY) (www.ascy.org.uk).
Work commenced in November 2017 when the three bells were lowered to the belfry floor, their wheels were removed and the headstocks with gudgeons and bearings attached were winched to the church floor for transit to Whites of Appleton (www.whitesbellhangers.co.uk). Six weeks later the process was reversed. Bright blue headstocks with brand new gudgeons and bearings were winched back up the tower and the three bells rehung.
The work was done by a team of volunteers, all ringers, including members of the Middlesex Association Spanner Club (http://www.bellringing.london/) and St. Giles’ own steeple keeper, Terry Streeter. They were led by James Haseldine one of the Whites’ Bell Hangers.
Headstock (blue) being lowered into place above the 8th. bell after being winched on chains from the church floor.
With thanks to all involved especially the PCC and ASCY for funding and the volunteer bell hangers for several days’ hard labour.
Gwen Rogers
Tower Secretary Terry and the freshly rehung 9th. bell
St. Giles’ Cripplegate