Holy Saviour’s History in Music

The Church of the Holy Saviour enjoys a reputation for fine choral and organ music. Our current music director, Jeff Enns (B.Mus. Honours, WLU) leads a disciplined and dedicated choir in traditional church music. Familiar hymns and impressive cantatas which show off the voices of both choir and organ, the choir also presents lesser known hymns and psalms. (RE-DO). The Generations Choir offers traditional and modern music presented by musical church members of all ages.

The 1980s and ’90s.

1991: Dr. Edward Phillip’s predecessor, composer Barry Cabena debuted his anthem “Epiphany”, at the11 a.m. service on January 20, 1991.

1990: The Passion of Mark, a complex musical composition written by Charles Wood in 1920, highlights the story of Jesus’ crucifixion based on the Gospel of Mark. Performed at the Church of the Holy Saviour on Good Friday, April 13, 1990. This service too was recorded. Choirmaster Barry Cabena contributed his own “Three Advent Hymns” to the Advent Lessons and Carols service on December 2, 1990.

1989: A rich and versatile service was experienced March 12, 1989 with a special Lenten Meditation in Verse and Meditation gathered together by Barry Cabena. Music and anthems by Tchaikosky, Richard Farrant, John Hilton, Henry Purcell, Maurice Green and William Boyce were featured and readings were given by George Herbert, John Donne and Phineas Fletcher.

In a special All Saints Evensong service, November 5, 1989, the choir sang the canticles in a special setting by Smith and Walmsley. The well known Requiem Mass (a Mass service for the dead) by 19th century French composer Gabriel Faure was also performed and the service was recorded on cassette tape.

1988: Barry Cabena, A.R.C.M., F.I.C.L., F.R.C.C.O., F.R.C.O., Professor of Music at Wilfred Laurier University, and Director of the Church Music Program. The highly gifted and creative musician and composer contributed his talents to both the rich historical classical church music and to creating new musical pathways in devotional music. Dr. Cabena’s own communion setting “Mass in the Dorian Mode”

In September, 1988, he took up his post at Holy Saviour, and began an era of rich choral work that is still underway at the time of writing. Our mature, well experienced choir was now associated with a highly gifted creative musician in offering both the rich resources of classical church music and also breaking trail on the frontier of devotional music of our own day. Barrie Cabena’s communion setting Mass In The Dorian Mode had been introduced by Canon Jack Peck in 1974 and was practiced by choir and people in that year. Regularly sung in the parish thereafter, it was an old friend as we welcomed its composer to our midst.

A History of Music at Holy Saviour

(published for the church centenary in 1994 by Paul Cornell)

Choir books and hymn books were among the first essentials donated, in late 1897, as the people readied the new church building for its first services. Presumably there was an organ on hand, for there is reference to “Mrs. Clayton Wells at the organ” in an 1888 description of an earlier Sunday School and regular Evening Prayer meeting in rented quarters in Waterloo. The annual vestry meetings in the first years of the century voted thanks to the choir and the organists Mrs William Carthew, Mr. Brain and Miss Annie Hortop. The earlier reed organ was replaced in 1906, at a cost of $1000 by a two manual tracker pipe organ built by Bechels and Matthews. The pipes were built on the south wall of the chancel, the organist’s bench facing away from the choir. In order to cope with the new instrument Mrs. Carthew took lessons from the organist at Old St. George’s Church, Guelph.

The choir was vested for the first time on Easter Sunday 1913. The erection of the parish hall provided the needed accommodation; and the choir members made their own cassocks and surplices. Choir practices and musical entertainments in the parish hall started with a gift of a piano by the A.Y.P.A. This new beginning also marked the end of the pioneering era. Ill health forced Mrs. Carthew to retire in 1912, and the engagement of a Mr. Anderson for one year saw the end of voluntary service.

There are brief glimpses of the choir in the record of “a sacred cantata, congregation 180,” March 31, 1915. the offering of $16.10 was given to the choir funds. The membership of the choir was increasing and “new accommodation” was provided in the chancel. The choir comes more clearly into focus in October 26, l9l9, when the service leaflet for the Service of Consecration of the church building presents a picture and lists names. The choir is in surplice and cassock, the eleven boys wear black bow ties and the ten women “mortar boards”. There are thirteen men. Several families are represented in strength: P.N. Harding (the Rector) together with his wife and son Leslie; Mr. Charles Merritt (Lay Reader, later Churchwarden) with his son and two daughters; Mr. George Bringlow and two sons. Mrs. S. Hirans, her son Bernard (the organist) and two other sons; Mr. and Mrs. G.T. Dixon; two Colbourne children. Other family names in the choir: Binning, Myers, Moore, Naylor, Tucker, Edmonds are also to be noted in the records of Vestry and women’s organizations. Mrs W. Pym for some years choir secretary and treasurer, and Mrs. R. Hawke, organist in 1933 are also present. This was the apparently healthy choir of the post war years; its members a cross section of the parish.

Yet in January 1923 the new Rector could speak of the choir, “having had its drawbacks owing to the removal of some of its oldest and most faithful members”. Presumably there was also discontent with the treatment of Bernard Hirans. In 1917 Mrs. Hirans had urged her teen-age son to volunteer his services when an organist was being sought. As we have noted, the choir progressed, and in April 1918 he was honoured by election as sidesman. At the Vestry meeting of 1923 he was congratulated “for his work with the boys of the parish.” But Bernard had asked for an increase in his stipend as organist and had been told that “he was a young man and getting enough!”

There are few records of the choir as it was “rebuilt” by Rev. C.W. Foreman. At annual Vestry meetings Mr. George Dixon or Mrs. Peggy Pym reported for the choir. Bernard Hirans’ last pay was $10 on October 21, 1921, and there followed, at the organ, Leslie Harding from November 1921 to the end of 1924, and Miss N.E. Cunliffe through to November 1927.

When the chancel of the Church was undergoing major alterations, including new furnishings in 1927, attention also focused on the “organ question.” The Vestry meeting of January 15, 1929 agreed that the organ, “constantly in need of repairs” must soon be repaired or rebuilt, and established a committee, of the Rector, Wardens, F.S. Kumpf, P.V. Wilson, and T.W.Seagram, to recommend action. The new Rector, R.J. Seaton-Adamson galvanized the committee into action, led a visit to the Woodstock Organ Company in October 1929 resulting in the purchase of a new organ at the cost of $4830.

Meanwhile, from December 1927 the parish had been employing Mrs. K.W. Ziegler as organist and as choir director. Mr. Charles Etherington volunteered to play the organ for choir practices from November 27, 1929, allowing Mrs. Ziegler to give her undivided attention to directing the choir. With the installation of the new organ, Mr. Etherington became organist in mid January 1930, serving until March 1932. Miss Dorothy Dixon was Secretary Treasurer of the Choir in these years.

We get another glimpse of the choir in 1931, in a parish “Year Book and Directory”. To the eighteen choir members listed, five names of others remembered to have been there, are added:

Boy Soprano’s: Billy Evans, Jimmy Evans, Allan Hancock, Erle Hancock, Leslie Hancock, George Heller, Albert Heller, Douglas Hogg.

Soprano’s and Alto’s: Miss Dorothy Dixon, Mrs. Charles Etherington, Miss Muriel Garner, Miss Eleanor Hawke, Miss Grace Merritt, Miss Peggy Pym, Miss Myrtle Riley, Miss Marjorie Springford.

Tenors and Basses: Mr. Fred Dixon, Mr. Charles Etherington, Mr. Floyd Freeston, Mr. Fred Hogg, Mr. Leonard James,

Mr. Douglas Merritt, Mr. Fred Moogk. (Only Grace and Douglas Merritt were veterans of the 1919 choir.)

Between the withdrawal of Charles Etherington in the spring of 1932 and the arrival of Leonard Grigg in September 1934, three names are recorded as organist: Eugene Hill (May 1932 – Mar. 1933); Maynard Miller, a member of the parish (part of 1933); and Mrs. Hawke, of the parish (late fall 1933). The only major musical event recorded in the period is “Choir Festival”, Nov. 27, 1932; 29 men and 5 women sang at 11 a.m., 24 men and 11 women at 7 p.m.

Leonard Grigg embarked on a twenty year period of service to the parish in September 1934 (’til Oct. 1955); a range of years from the midst of the Great Depression in the fifth year of Rev. R.J. Seton Adamson‘s tenure to the heartening post-war years of growth in Rev. E.F. Bishop‘s time. Some highlights of the choir in these years include the Advent Carol service on December 21, 1939 and a Choir Festival on December 21, 1941. Easter Day, April 5. 1942, saw girls attending the choir on the same terms as boys; the Vestry thanked Mr. Grigg and choir for “excellent Easter Music” on April 11, 1945.

During the war years George Kadwell supplied for Leonard Grigg during summer vacations. In our archives are “Choir Attendance” books for the years 1941-1949, when choir boys and girls received a small honorarium for attendance. An entry November 16,1941 shows “George Cadwell ended service as a boy.”

A rapid survey of choir numbers at the, larger than usual, Christmas, Easter, and Harvest services through these years shows choir attendance at a service increased from 23 to 31, with the split of 18 adults, 5 boys and 2 girls being about average. Where there were Sunday services at both 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., the Evensong had slightly fewer members attending.

In the early 1950’s the life of the parish seems to have quickened, with increasing parish membership, more children and exciting projects to renovate the buildings, enlarge the parish hall and to extend Sunday School to a second location in north Waterloo. The choir shared in the new enthusiasms. A music committee of the Board (S. Riley, T.B. Seagram, and A.W. Solman), between March and June 1952, “reviewed the choir and organ situation”, and recommended an increased stipend for the organist, a budget for choir music and advertising for more choir members. John Shilling, as Treasurer of the Choir, reported to the Board. In February and March 1953, the Music Committee, now chaired by R. Hines, enquired and reported “the organist generally satisfied and the organ tuned and repaired”.

In the spring of 1954 Leonard Grigg wished to resign, but agreed to carry on for a further year while a replacement was identified. A choir recruiting campaign continued and Neville Bishop was subsidized for supervising the Junior Choir. By May 12, 1955, the Board marked the progress in the revival of the choir with a choir dinner attended by 35 choir members and 10 from the Board.

This new era in the life of the choir was fully launched in the fall of 1955 with the arrival of Harold Christie as organist and choir master and lasted through to the move of Frank and Marian Daley to Scarborough in the summer of 1966.

Harold Christie moved from the west to an appointment at Dominion Life, and began his duties on November 1. Within a month the Board heard that choir morale was improving and “Mr. Christie was keen on developing a boys choir”. The Ladies Guild had begun to overhaul the choir gowns. As for the organ, it was now in shape again, having been repaired at a cost of $1370 by William F. Legge of Burford.

A year later probably reflecting the enthusiasm of Rev. Harvey Southcott (who arrived Nov. 4, 1956) the evening service of the Fourth Sunday in Advent was a choir service of Nine Lessons and Carols attended by a congregation of 140 people. It was established as a regular event for Advent IV at 7p.m. and in the years 1957 to 1967 was attended by 286, 263, 235, 224, 221, 251, 262, 233, 243, and 200 people respectively. Palm Sunday evenings at 7 p.m., in these years, are usually recorded as Evening Prayer, except in 1959 and 1962 where there is the notation “Cantata” in the first and “The Crucifixion” in the second, with 139 and 74 attending.

The fairly high level of attendance: 120 in 1957, 90 in 1958, 84 in 1960, 109 in 1961 and 76 in 1963 may reflect that the choir presented special music. The pew leaflets for Palm Sunday, April 18, 1959 are preserved, with the specific details: “special highlight of the choirs work for the year” . . . “The Passion of our Lord”, the music by Arthur Somerville. The Soloists: Jesus – Ian Marr, The Evangelist – John Shilling, Sopranos – Mrs. J. Best, Mrs. T. Mains, Contralto – Miss. L. Freeston, Baritone – William Smith

On October 26. 1958 (Trinity XX1) the parish was observing Laymen’s Sunday and drew a congregation at the 11 a.m. service of 225. The notation “Laymen’s Sunday Male Choir” indicates that the ladies had the day off.

As the parish, 88 members attending, said farewell to Mr. and Mrs. Harold Christie at Evensong May 8, 1960 the pattern of choir offerings was well established and a nucleus of good confident voices was on hand. The prospering community of Waterloo and the new university continued to bring new parishioners with excellent voices to augment the choir and fill out the ranks of the Junior Choir. There was no gap in the leadership as Frank and Marian lead at the services on May 15. Frank A. Daley and his wife Marian moved to Waterloo in 1958 as he joined the educational services department of the Waterloo Music Company. When they moved away he had been appointed Supervisor of Music in Scarborough’s Board of Education. His skills, personality and professional situation all combined to further the choir’s development.

Marian Daley was a gifted pianist, and as the parish was losing its organist, undertook to polish up her skills at the organ and was jointly appointed with her husband.

The Junior Choir received active training in the fall of 1960, and took part in the Royal Canadian College of Organists’ festival of choirs at Trinity United Church on December 12, Frank Daley leading. The Carols sung by our Junior Choir were “In Bethlehem” in Gaelic and “O My Dear Heart” both by K. Bissel. A second visit occurred two years later on Dec. 10, 1962. Within weeks they were on television in a half-hour program directed by Frank Daley on the Elaine Cole Show January 2, 1961 at 12:45 p.m.

The pew leaflet in mid-November under “Choir Notes” had indicated a few openings in the adult choir especially for sopranos and tenors. Beginning October 9, 1960 the 9:30 am Sunday service was broadcast, with the senior choir attending. These broadcasts continued at about monthly intervals for the next years.

Special Christmas and Eastertide music included a Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on the evening of Advent IV with a congregation of 224 attending. In 1961 on Advent III the Lessons and Carols Service included “In Bethlehem” and Handel”s “Glory to God” sung by the Junior choir before 221 people. On Palm Sunday evening 1961, “From Darkness to Light” was a service of Carols and Readings for the Lenten season rendered by both the Senior and Junior Choirs. The next year Sir John Stainer’s “The Crucifixion” was presented before a congregation of 74: John Shilling, Tenor; Ian Marr and Bill Smith, Basses.

From the spring of 1961 both the Senior and Junior Choir began to exchange visits both with area choirs and with choirs farther a field. Exchanges with St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Benton St., followed, our Senior Choir joining a program of choral music by area choirs at that church on Monday, April 17, 1961. Visits back and forth of Junior and Senior Choirs, at festival seasons, followed in the next three years (Apr. 8, 1962, Mar. 31, 1963, & Nov. 29, 1964). Our choir visited St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buffalo in the fall of 1962 and on April 21, 1963. Their choir came to us in the fall of 1964. Twice our choir sang at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, and they returned to us once. Rev. Denton Massey and the Senior Choir sang Evensong at St. James’s Church, Paris on November 15, 1964. The Senior Choir of Christ Church, Scarborough sang Evensong in our church December 6, 1964, and a week later The Chancel Singers of Trinity United Church, with their Minister Rev. Frank Morgan joined our service of Advent Lessons and Carols. All these musical contacts beyond the parish greatly enlarged the vision, and the esprit of the choirs.

Several experiences, under Frank Daley’s leadership stand out in the choir’s memory. From March 4 to August 26, 1962; Rev. Morley Pinkey, who had an excellent singing voice, was Vicar while the Rector was seconded to other duties. It was his practice to sing responses in the lower level of the church as the choir procession formed up, and his sung services were of the best quality. Again, at Rev. Harvey Southcott’s final service in the parish, Dec.30, 1962, the choirs recorded special settings of Morning Prayer and Anthems; Venite – Keith Bissel; Psalm 150 – C.V. Stanford, Festival Setting; Te Deum – C.V. Stanford Service in Bb; Senior Choir Anthem How Lovely Are Thy Dwellings” – Brahms; Junior Choir Anthem “Snowy Flakes Are Falling Softly” – H. Willan. (Congregation numbered 168 – 9:30 a.m., 128 – 11 a.m.)

Rev. Denton Massey composed two hymns which were sung in church and Sunday school regularly. In 1963, he introduced Lenten Vespers with Sermonettes; the Senior Choir attending. On Palm Sunday the choir offered a Cantata at 4 p.m.

May 1, 1964 the Senior and Intermediate Choirs presented a choral recital in the Theatre of the Arts, University of Waterloo. The assisting artist was Joseph J. Bartole, French Horn soloist. In the program the Section I, from the Masters, consisted of Schubert’s “Mass in G. Major by the Senior Choir and strings. Soloists were Jane Williams, soprano; John Shilling, tenor and Ian Marr, baritone. Mozart’s Concerto for Horn in E flat – S.S. Bartole, French Horn; Marian Daley, piano. Section II, Madrigals and Men, included songs of Donato, Morley, Purcell, Ford and Corelli’s – Sonata in F Major for Horn. Section III: Music in the Church; Part A – Music of Keith Bissel and Part B – Other Favorites. Muriel Parsons was Cantor for Willan’s – Nunc Dimitis.

Three weddings of choir people in the fall of 1964 were times of celebration. On October 10, Paul D. Berg and Karen E. Blyth were married by Rev. Denton Massey. On December 13 George E. Mervyn married Carol D. Pearce, and David P. Woodhall and Linda J. Clark on Dec. 26 were married, the latter weddings conducted by Rev. Don Irvine.

May and June of 1966 saw the celebrating of the six Daley years. There was the cutting of a record in April. Then on Saturday, May 14 at 8:30 in the Theatre of the Arts, University of Waterloo: “An Evening of Sacred Choral Music, with the choirs of the Church of the Holy Saviour” was presented with the assistance of George Wosniak, violinist. This was one of twelve programs in the Community Festival Of The Arts sponsored by University, twin cities and under the chairmanship of Paul Berg (Senior).

The soloists mentioned in the program were, from the Intermediate Choir: Muriel Parsons and Jane Williams and from the Senior Choir: Elizabeth MacRae and Caroline Roy – Sopranos, Joan Venn – Contralto, John Shilling – Tenor and Ian Marr – Bass.

The last service of the Daleys was Evensong June 12, 1966, with a congregation of 144. Soon thereafter a tradition developed of exchanging Senior Choir visits with St. Andrew’s Church, Scarborough where Frank Daley was now choirmaster. This “home and home” series extended for many years.

Father Sam Knight, on leave from Barbados to study music at the University of Western Ontario, who had been assisting The Reverend Denton Massey previously, conducted most of the services in the late spring of 1970 during the interim before the arrival of Reverend Jack Peck. Father Sam’s singing voice added extra rich dimensions to the choir office services and Choral Eucharists. At this time too, on April 10th, the parish Board decided not to purchase and adopt the new “Red” Hymn Book developed in connection with discussions of union between the Anglican and United Church. Thus another generation of our parish people enjoyed a wealth of devotional music lost in the new book.

The ten years following the departure of the Daleys saw the choirs prospering under the direction of John Capindale who had been a member of the choir since the early 1960’s. John’s experience and personality provided the “spark” and co-ordination to maintain the momentum of the experienced singers. The now well established pattern of choral music for the festive seasons was continued and elaborated, and contacts with the “outside world” were a feature of these years. In June 1969, and again a year later, the Senior Choir entered the Heritage Sangerfesten, and was well received. In 1969 there were two visits to the Cathedral in London, Ontario and one return visit of the Cathedral choir to sing Evensong at our church. In December 1970 the choir joined those of St. Columba’s, All Saints and St. Michael’s (RC) to sing “The Messiah”. In October of the following year, special music was prepared by both the Senior and Junior Choirs for the Community Interfaith Service of Thanksgiving at the K.W. Auditorium. The Senior Choir also competed in the Kiwanis Annual Music Festival winning first place in its class. April 1973 found the men of the choir rendering secular songs in various locations at Burlington’s 125th Anniversary: The Thayundenaga Choral Festival. In a similar happy mood, on May 11, 1974, a capacity audience heard the Senior Choir’s “Music in a Lighter Vein”.

Perhaps as an augury of things to come, the choir and people took time at several morning Sunday services in 1973 to rehearse and learn Barrie Cabena’s setting of the “Mass in the Dorian Mode”. It was thereafter a familiar friend.

Following Marian Daley’s departure, the duties of organist were in the hands of Dr. Fraser Reid of the Chemistry Department, University of Waterloo for a year. Mrs. Clarine Hicks then took up the responsibilities. On her death, Mrs. Alice Dillon substituted at the organ from January 1971 to September 1972.

In the spring of 1972 Mrs Dillon wished to retire form the organ and Howard LeRoy, Director of Music for the Waterloo County Board of Education was appointed and served for the fall period. His removal from the city terminated the arrangement, and Mrs. Dillon agreed to continue briefly. Mrs. Patricia Brown, who had presented an Organ Recital on May 26 was available as a relief during the summer months.

Jane Vatcher a choir member in the Daley’s era was available from early 1973 to give special attention to developing and leading the Junior Choir, down to the summer of 1976, when she moved away.

David Hall a gifted music student at W.L.U. became organist-director in September 1973, and continued until his graduation in the summer of 1976. He advised in the $10,000 overhaul of the pipe organ and the addition of new stops.

The parish’s music, in the last year of Reverend Jack Peck’s tenure followed the established pattern but in addition included special occasions: a visit of the Choir of St. John’s School, Elora (February 9, 1975); organ recitals by David Hall (March 30, April 20).

The Senior Choir and Rector visited St John’s Episcopal Church, Royal Oak, Michigan on June 1, 1975, accompanied by nine parishioners. At the 10 a.m. service they presented the Anglican Book

of Common Prayer service, Canon Peck celebrating and the Choir singing the Cabena setting of the “Mass in the Dorian Mode”. The Gradual was sung to Tone V, the Alleluia to Tone VI, and the anthem was Purcell’s “O God, Thou Art My God” (Psalm 63). The pew leaflet named the choir:

Cantoris Decani

Sopranos: Laurie Gray Olive Capindale Heather Porter Dana Culp Audrey Shilling Shirley Culp Joan Gray

Altos: Karen Berg Lillis Freeston Hilda McConnell Joan Venn

Tenors: John Capindale John Shilling, Cantor: George Mervyn

Basses: Peter Russell Paul Berg Barry Gough

Canon Peck’s last function in the parish was Evensong sung at 4 p.m., November 23, followed by a reception honouring himself and Mrs. Peck as they moved away to Windsor, Ontario.

The six years from July 1976 when David Hall graduated and moved away saw the arrival and departure of several organists and/or choir directors. Underlying the volatility was the financial constraint in parish budgets that limited the attractiveness of our offers. Thus the able and dynamic Clement Carelse came to the parish in September 1976 but was lost to a “better offer” from Toronto in the summer of 1978. Richard Burney Smith, musical director of St. James’, Dundas was available to direct our music from January to June 1979 while his parish church recovered from a devastating fire.

Dr. Peter Hardwick served for a year from September 1979, and Angus (Gus) Sinclair, a senior student of Music at W.L.U. joined as organist in September 1980. However, after a promising beginning, ill health forced him to retire from the parish in the late fall of 1981. In the intervals between appointments, and as summer reliefs a number of organists served: Jane Christmas (during the Hall-Carelse period), Leonard Grigg (June 1980), Mrs. Diana Daniels (Summer 1982), and Alice Dillon (August 1982).

It was, however, Mrs. Margaret Skells who was the principal support over the years (Summer 1976, April 1977, October 1978, Summer 1980, and 1981, Spring 1982…).

Throughout all these changes the choir preserved its elan and worth. Clement Carelese followed the usual pattern of Lessons and Carols of Christmas 1976, and Epiphany Evensong before the Annual Vestry (Jan 30, 1977) and at Eastertide: a Palm Sunday evening choral presentation by ritual and antiphonal choirs; and Gabriel Faure’s Requiem on Good Friday Evening (April, 1977).

At Christmastide 1977: Advent I heard a Festival of Advent Lessons and Carols, Advent III, “Meditation on Christ’s Nativity” and Advent IV, the annual pageant of Lessons and Carols. In the new year 1978 there was the enthusiasm of a “going concern”: singing at a New Year’s secular concert of the R.C.C.O. in Toronto; Festival Evensong (January 29), Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater” sung on Palm Sunday Evening, Stainer’s “Crucifixion” on Good Friday evening, Choral Evensong on Ascension Day. And when it was known that Clement was moving away there was “Music for a Summer Evening”: a major presentation in the chancel with guest artists as an orchestra. Purcell’s “Come Ye Sons of Art” and Vivaldi’s “Gloria” constituted the first half of the program; Mrs. Antoinette Carelse’s piano recital constituted the second half. The choir, that spring, cut a record under Clement Carelse’s direction.

During Richard Burney Smith’s term his work schedule confined him to one weekday choir practice. During the spring the choir sang two Festal Evensongs and presented an “All Tallis” Evensong at Christ Church Cathederal in Hamilton.

A new six year period of continuity and growth commenced with the appointment of William S. I. McArton, B. Mus., A.R.C.C.O.(Ch. M), A.R.C.T., F.T.C.L., as organist and choir master September 1982. He was a gifted musician who delighted in traditional Anglican Church Music. At Elora he had considerable experience with choir music for children and young people. His enthusiasms were lead from within rather than “above” any group.

The pattern of choir activity, maturing since the early 1960’s focused again under Bill McArton, with a renewed sense of the ancient worth of choral celebrations of the Eucharist and sung offices. On the eve of All Saints Day, (Oct. 31, 1982) Festal Evensong marked the reappearance of the choir service, and thereafter the Sunday evening office was sung on three or four occasions in each fall and winter, in the intervals between the seasons of Advent-Christmas and Lent-Easter. In the high seasons of 1983, Ash Wednesday: Penitential Office and Choral Eucharist; Lent III: Concert of Sacred Music for Lent and Passiontide; Palm Sunday: Choral Eucharist at both 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.; Maundy Thursday evening: Choral Eucharist; Easter Eve: Vigil; Easter Day: Choral Eucharist at both 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.; Trinity 13 (November 13): A concert of Sacred Music in commemoration of the Faithful Departed at 8 p.m.; Advent I: Festival of Advent Lessons and Carols; Advent IV: Festival of Christmas Lessons and Carols; Christmas Eve: Procession, Blessing of Crib and Choral Eucharist at 7 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. were all occasions of rich, moving musical devotion.

The Junior Choir again increased in numbers and momentum, practising twice each week and singing at the 9:30 Sunday services. In the spring of 1985 Bill McArton lead a Schola Cantorum at which the young people were immersed in choral techniques in a weekend that included a “sleep over” at the church, supper, breakfast, and recreation. On April 19 and 20 of the following year, the school was held at Listowel in combination with their choirmaster.

The Senior Choir remembers two very special presentations. In March 1985, with the K-W Chamber Orchestra and external soloists they sang Vivaldi’s Gloria and Schubert’s Mass in G. Late in 1986 a special musical service included Mozart’s Colorado Mass and Pergolesi’s Magnificat.

The pipe organ, new in 1929 and overhauled in 1974 was physically, mechanically and electrically unreliable. An Organ Task Force lead by Heather Porter was established in April 1983. After thorough investigation, they recommended to the Annual Vestry Meeting, January 1984, a four manual, custom built, all electronic organ by the Classic Organ Company, Markham, Ontario. A financial campaign seeking $150,000 to cover the organ and other necessary repair and painting was launched. In ensuing months there was reconsideration, within the parish, of a policy of purchasing an electronic organ. It was learned that new technical advances now permitted the building of first class pipe organs at a cost within our means. At the 1986 Annual Vestry meeting approval was granted for the purchase of a new custom-built, two manual pipe organ, by Casavant Freres, an instrument on the frontier of development. The last weeks of 1986 and of early 1987 saw the actual renovation of the chancel, the repainting of the Church’s interior, and the building and voicing of the new organ. The illness and death of the Rector: Reverend Gerald T. Churchill coincided with the work. The organ was dedicated to his memory by the Diocesan Bishop Derwyn Jones on March 8, 1987.

Between Nov. 23, 1986, when Gerald Churchill last lead a service and September 2, 1987 when the new Rector, Dennis Hayden, first celebrated the Eucharist lies a period of ten months in which the parish “soldiered on” without a Rector actively in charge. Eight of these months were a period of quiet mourning that pervaded every element of parish life. Bill McArton and the Choir were a most important element of continuity through these days. The regular calendar of services was not interrupted in spite of a temporary pipe organ near the pulpit, in the nave.

In the autumn of the 1987 there was a quiet sense of a new beginning following the induction of our new Rector, Dennis Hayden. A first very special presentation was “Music For All Saints’-Tide” on Sunday evening November 1. This was a presentation, with guest organist and soloists, of biblical and classical readings with settings by Brahms, Sir Earnest Bullock, Edgar L. Brinton, Thomas Luis de Victoria, Sir Charles V. Sanford and Maurice Durufle. Advent, Christmas, Lenten and Easter music followed in the new church year. Soon after Easter it was known that Bill McArton had accepted appointment to direct music at St Paul’s Cathedral, in London.

It was announced on May 29, 1988 that the new musical director of the parish would be Barry Cabena, A.R.C.M., F.I.C.L., F.R.C.C.O., F.R.C.O., Professor of Music at Wilfrid Laurier University, Director of the Church Music Program. In September he took up his post at Holy Saviour, and began an era of rich choral work that is still underway at the time of writing. Our mature, well experienced choir was now associated with a highly gifted creative musician in offering both the rich resources of classical church music and also breaking trail on the frontier of devotional music of our own day. Barrie Cabena’s communion setting, Mass In The Dorian Mode was an old friend as we welcomed its composer to our midst.

A Lenten Meditation in Verse and Music, assembled by Barrie Cabena, incorporating reading by George Herbert, John Donne, Phineas Fletcher, and music and anthems by Tchaikovsky, Richard Farrant, John Hilton, Henry Purcell, Maurice Greene and William Boyce was presented on March 12, 1989 – a very rich experience.

The Choir sang a special All Saints Evensong on November 5, 1989. Special setting of the canticles by Smith and Walmsley were balanced with Gabriel Faure’s Requiem Mass. This service was recorded on cassette as was the Passion of Mark by Charles Wood on Good Friday, April 13 1990. The voices were:

Evangelists John Shilling Ven. Dennis Hayden, Jesus Steven Wright (guest soloist), Judas Alec Pitt, High Priest David Embury, First Maid Carolynn Berg, Second Maid Susan Drayson, Peter Peter Russell, Treble Descant Grace Bender, Pilate John Capindale

The Advent Lessons and Carols Service, December 2, 1990 included “Three Advent Hymns” by Barrie Cabena:

He who by a mother’s love; Once he came in blessing, and The King shall come when morning dawns

The anthem “Epiphany”, a very moving work by Barrie Cabena had its first public performance at the 11 a.m. service (Epiphany II) on January 20, 1991.

Experiencing these items within the rich customary program of choir offerings has been bringing home to the Parish the realities of the present era of our musical history. The close-knit band of devoted parishioners, honing their musical talent for decades while serving at the centre of our formal worship, are now joined with a Director, of international stature, devout in spirit, who is on the frontier of creative innovation in the field of Church music.

Organists and Choir Directors

1888 Wells, Mrs. Clayton

1898 Carthew, Mrs William

1904-05 Brain, A. F.

1905-06 Hortop, Miss Annie

1912-13 Anderson, Mr.

1917-22 Hirans, Bernard

1921-24 Harding, Leslie (part-time)

1925-27 Cunliffe, Miss N.E.

1927-30 Ziegler, Mrs. K.W. (choir)

1929-32 Etherington, Charles

1932 Hill, Eugene (Composer)

1932-33 Miller, Maynard

1933 Hawke, Mrs.

1934-55 Grigg, Leonard (Cabinet maker)

1955-60 Christie, Harold

1960-66 Daley, Frank Daley, Marian (Organist)

1966-73 Capindale,John

1966-67 Fraser-Reid, Prof. Burt (Organist)

1966-70 Vatcher, Mrs. Jane (Junior Choir)

1967-70 Hicks, Mrs. Clarine (Organist)

1970-72 Dillon, Mrs Alice (Organist)

1972-73 LeRoy, Howard (seven months)

1974-76 Hall, David

1974-76 Christmas, Jane (Junior Choir)

1976-78 Carelse, Clement

1976 Skells, Mrs. Margaret (stand by Summer ’76…)

1978 Newkirk, Ross (Fall only)

1979 Smith, Richard Birney (Winter)

1979-80 Hardwick, Peter

1980-82 Sinclair, Angus

1983-88 McArton, William S.J.

1988-1994 Cabena, Barrie

1994-2018 Phillips, Dr. Edward

2018 -current Enns, Jeffery

UPDATE – 1988-91

1991: Dr. Edward Phillip’s predecessor, composer Barry Cabena debuted his anthem “Epiphany”, at the11 a.m. service on January 20, 1991.

In September he took up his post at Holy Saviour, and began an era of rich choral work that is still underway at the time of writing. Our mature, well experienced choir was now associated with a highly gifted creative musician in offering both the rich resources of classical church music and also breaking trail on the frontier of devotional music of our own day. Barrie Cabena’s communion setting Mass In The Dorian Mode had been introduced by Canon Jack Peck in 1974 and was practiced by choir and people in that year. Regularly sung in the parish thereafter, it was an old friend as we welcomed its composer to our midst.