2016 @ The Chapel Of The Transfiguration.
On the morning of 10th June, 2015, “there went out a decree” from The Rev’d Marc Billimoria, Warden. It carried an invitation to:
“ All Thomians, their families and friends in the wider Thomian Community, to attend a special choral celebration event on SUNDAY 6TH MARCH, 2016 at 6:00pm in THE CHAPEL OF THE TRANSFIGURATION S. THOMAS’ COLLEGE MOUNT LAVINIA, SRI LANKA.
The form of this special inaugural annual event will be A SERVICE OF MUSIC, LESSONS AND PRAYERS FOR PASSIONTIDE TO EASTER.
IN COMMEMORATION AND THANKSGIVING FOR THE LIFE AND WORK OF THE REVD. CANON ROY HENRY BOWYER-YIN, M.A. (Cantab.); (1910-2010) Former Chaplain and Choirmaster (1946-1962), S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka.”
The invitation, thus begun, went on to describe the context of this special celebration along with other relevant details. “The service will be the focus and highlight of a special reunion of former choristers and servers of the Yin era to mark and celebrate the 70th anniversary of Father Roy H.B. Yin’s appointment to the staff of S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, as Chaplain, Choirmaster and a teacher of Mathematics. It is hoped that as many of Fr Yin's students from around the world and from Sri Lanka as possible, will gather to make this act of worship a fitting tribute not just to Fr Yin but also to the Thomian choral tradition of the Chapel of the Transfiguration. A series of events will coincide with the service including a fellowship dinner for the present and past choristers and servers. While participation in the special Alumni choir will be restricted to choristers of the Yin era, the invitation to the event is extended to all Thomians and their families who may be making their annual pilgrimage to Sri Lanka for the Royal-Thomian Cricket match (a week later) and class group reunions.
In December 1947, Father Yin introduced the annual Christmas Festive Service of Nine Lessons and Carols to S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, aspiring to achieve the highest standard of choral music excellence in the Chapel of the Transfiguration. We will mark its 70th anniversary in 2017!
Father Yin had long envisaged and wished to introduce to S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, a similar annual Service of music and lessons appropriate to, and reflecting on, the most important seasons of Passiontide and Easter – the central focus of our Christian belief and faith. He hoped that such a service could become another important liturgical and choral tradition of S. Thomas’ College, as it had done at his beloved King’s College Chapel, Cambridge, U.K.” Father Yin’s hope was unrealized ‘in his time’ and for many years after. But it was kept alive in the long and cordial comradeship he enjoyed with his former student/chorister and friend, Roger Aldons. It must be noted that Roger trained and directed the choir “Transfiguration” (Melbourne, Australia) which held an annual Christmas Festive Service of Nine Lessons and Carols in the “King’s” / Thomian” tradition, for fifteen years between 1993 and 2007.
Roger had discussed Father Yin’s ‘dream’ with Warden Marc a few years ago. Warden Marc was encouraging and positive and in June 2015, “there went out a decree”.
Events of this magnitude do not just happen. Hours, days and months of hard work ensued. The principal components of the Service were drawn from:‘The Passion of our Lord according to St. Mark’ arranged as a Liturgical Devotion by The Rev. E. Milner-White, M.A., D.S.O., Dean of King’s College, Cambridge; and set to music for choir and organ by Charles Wood, 1866-1926.
Of particular significance is the fact that Rev. E. Milner-White was Father Yin’s mentor and friend, during the latter’s early years at King’s College, Cambridge.
Eddie Appathurai convened a Committee in Mount Lavinia. The myriad tasks leading up to the Service, were identified and delegated. A roll was drawn-up of potential participants – choristers of the Yin era, some of whom would now be in their 70s; spread across the globe. The Notice/Invitation, seen at the beginning of this report, was sent out to over twenty five Old Thomians both in Sri Lanka and abroad. There emerged a ‘short-list’ of fifteen. Thirteen of the fifteen attended. Ten gave voice.
Aldons; Sansoni; Mendis; Fernando; Appathurai; Goonewardene; Salgado; Stork; Edirisinha; Jayaratnam. In addition to the singers in the photograph, present from overseas were Lucian Nethsingha, Asoka Wickramanayake and Godfrey Senaratne. The alumni pictured above were featured in some of the choruses of the “Mark Passion”; but for the most past lent support to the massive and highly competent Thomian Choir!
As with any worthwhile venture, there was a generous exchange of information and ideas hurtling to and fro, out of which the form and content of the Service evolved.
THE ORDER OF SERVICE
Texts from the Book of Common Prayer
The Bible readings today are taken from the King James’ Version, translations whose poetry and style were appreciated by Fr Yin.
Please remain silent as the following Organ Prelude is played.
ORGAN PRELUDE:
Elegy - George Thalben – Ball, 1896-1987
PROCESSIONAL HYMN
The procession of the Collegiate Body moves from the West End of the Chapel to the clergy & choir stalls.
“When, in our music God is glorified”
Words: Frederick Pratt Green, 1903-2000
WELCOME, PRAYERS & SENTENCE : Officiant
SECTION 1: THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY OF JESUS TO JERUSALEM
The Collect for the Sunday next before Easter (Palm Sunday)
THE EPISTLE READING: from St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Philippians, 2: 5-11
Reader: Former Organist
HYMN
LIFT HIGH THE CROSS
Words: J. Heermann, 1585-1647
Tune: Herzliebster Jesu
Melody by J. Crüger, 1598-1662
Harmonised by J.S. Bach, 1685-1750 in
The ‘Passion according to St. Matthew’
Attentive trebles and STC’s tenors
Collect: Officiant
HYMN
MY SONG IS LOVE UNKNOWN
Words: Samuel Crossman, 1624-1684
Tune: Love Unknown
Music: John Ireland, 1879-1962
Descant: David Ogden, b. 1966
Prayers; the “Kyrie” and the Lord’s Prayer: Officiant & Congregation
ANTHEM
THOU KNOWEST, LORD
Text: From the Burial Service,
Music: Henry Purcell, 1659-1695
HYMN
THERE IS A GREEN HILL FAR AWAY
Words: Mrs Cecil Frances Alexander, 1818-1895
Tune: Horsley
Music: W. Horsley, 1774-1858
POEM: GOOD FRIDAY
By Christina Georgina Rossetti, 1830-1894
Reader: The Former Precentor
Special mention must be made of the deeply moving recitation by Russel Bartholomeusz, of this marvellous poem.
Silence is kept
HYMN
SING, MY TONGUE, THE GLORIOUS BATTLE
Words: ‘The Passion of our Lord according to St. Mark’,
Arranged as a Liturgical Devotion by
The Rev. E. Milner-White, M.A., D.S.O.
Dean of King’s College, Cambridge, and
Set to music for choir and organ by
Charles Wood, 1866-1926
THE FIRST GOSPEL: Mark 14, 12-26 (excerpts)
(The Last Supper)
Reader: Former Senior Sacristan
The second candle is extinguished
Silence is kept
HYMN
THE HEAVENLY WORD PROCEEDING FORTH
Words: ‘The Passion of our Lord according to St. Mark’,
Music: Charles Wood, 1866-1926
THE SECOND GOSPEL: Mark 14, 32-50 (excerpts)
(The agony of Jesus in Gethsemane, where he is arrested)
Reader: A Present Senior Chorister
The third candle is extinguished
Silence
HYMN
TAKE UP THY CROSS, THE SAVIOUR SAID
Words: C.W. Everest 1814-1877,
Tune: Breslau; German traditional melody in
‘As hymnus sacer,’ Leipzig, 1625
Adapted and harmonized by F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
Descant by Sir David Willcocks
Third Gospel
THE THIRD GOSPEL: Mark 15, 22-27, 29-37 (excerpts)
(Jesus is crucified and dies on the cross)
Reader: The Bishop of Colombo
The fourth candle is extinguished
At the end of the reading, all please kneel and a deep silence is observed for the contemplation of the cross.
After the silence, please remain kneeling while the following confession is said by all:
Absolution: Officiant
Responses: All
HYMN
WHO IS THIS SO WEAK AND HELPLESS
Words: Bishop W. Walsham How, 1867
Tune: ‘Ebenezer’ (TON-Y-BOTEL);
Music: T. J. Williams, 1890
ANTHEM
CROSS MOST FAITHFUL!
(CRUX FIDELIS)
Words: Attributed to Venantius Fortunatus,
Tr. John Rutter
Music: Attributed to
John IV, King of Portugal, 1604-1656
Edited by John Rutter
BEND THY BOUGHS, O TREE OF GLORY
Words: ‘The Passion of our Lord according to St. Mark’,
Music: Charles Wood, 1866-1926
At the conclusion of this hymn, the remaining lights and candles are put out.
The central candelabra candle is taken from the stand and hidden.
Silence is observed.
POEM: “MARY SPEAKS” (…for personl reflection)
By Madeleine L’Engle, 1918-2007
SECTION 3: THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD
The silence is broken when the organ begins playing:
VOLUNTARY
Toccata on ‘Placare servulis Christe’
(‘Be reconciled, O Christ, to your servants’)
From Le Tombeau de Titelouze Op. 38 No. 16 – Marcel Dupre, 1886-1971
PSALM 114:
Chant: Edward C. Bairstow, 1874 - 1946
Officiant:
Sentence:
Christ, our paschal Lamb, has been sacrificed; let us therefore celebrate the festival. (1 Corinthians 5. 7-8)
Prayers
Collect:
Please be seated.
A GOSPEL READING FOR EASTER DAY: Matthew 28: 1-10
(The Resurrection: Christ Triumphant)
Reader: The Warden
All please stand to sing the verses marked in bold with the Choir.
HYMN
O SONS AND DAUGHTERS, LET US SING!
Words: Jean Tisserand, d.1494
Tr. James Mason Neale, 1818-1866
Tune: O filii et filiae - French Carol Melody, c. 17th Cent.
Music: Verses 1-4, 8 & 9 arr. by H. Walford Davies, 1869-1941,
Edited by Lionel Dakers, b. 1924
Prayer: Officiant
Blessing: The Lord Bishop of Colombo:
Choir sings:
ANTHEM
A GAELIC BLESSING
Words adapted from an old Gaelic tune
Music: John Rutter, b. 1945
HYMN
THINE BE THE GLORY
Words: Edmond Louis Budry, 1854-1932
Tr. Richard Birch Hoyle, 1875-1939
Tune: ‘Maccabaeus’
Music: Adapted from George Frederick Handel, 1685-1759
Last Verse Organ Accompaniment by Raymond H. Haan, b. 1938
From the St. Francis Collection of Free Accompaniments to Hymn Tunes,
Compiled by The Reverend Canon Dirk van Dissel, Adelaide, SA, Australia
ORGAN POSTLUDE:
Chorale Improvisation on “Nun danket” (“Now thank we all our God”), Op. 65- Sigfrid Karg-Elert, 1877-1933
ORGAN POSTLUDE: Chorale Improvisation on “Nun danket” (“Now thank we all our God”), Op. 65- Sigfrid Karg-Elert, 1877-1933 The memory of Sunday 06 March 2016 and the preceding week remains sweet and constant, providing much gladness, in the midst of the unforgiving demands of the life we lead. What a blessèd model is this great gift; which will serve that corner of God's vineyard, Mt. Lavinia, so well ... for generations to come. How blessed are we that Roy Bowyer-Yin "came for six months and stayed sixteen years".
Denham Pereira at the STC Organ
Warden Marc’s total commitment, boundless energy and great leadership are to be highly commended.
The fifty young children and men – The STC Choristers are called and gifted, just like many current and future Thomians who are not yet choristers at STC. The spiritual gift of MUSIC empowers a Christian to be a channel of God’s creative goodness to others through singing, playing an instrument or writing, for the delight of others and the praise of God. The STC Choir in the beautiful Chapel of the Transfiguration – and indeed, your local parish church – is a wonderful place to exercise this gift, by joining others to lead us in prayer, praise and worship of God. “He who sings well, prays twice” - St. Augustine (354-430). Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Vinodh Senadeera, STC’s Director of Music, did a superb job of training and moulding. The rapport between the boys and the D.O.M. is inspiring. Their particular and quite unique skill of singing such a large repertoire from memory, is amazing!
Roger Aldons must receive a "well done, good and faithful servant". Warden Marc, at the conclusion of the Service, standing at the west door of the Chapel, introduced Roger to the Bishop. “I’d like you to meet the architect of today’s Service of Worship.” Our mentor and Master, Father Yin, would have been proud of you and your zeal. (I have no doubt he is, as we speak, leading a small delegation to Peter, proposing that the Milner- White/ Woods "Passion" be sung every Lent. And in this, he will certainly enjoy the active support of the disciple Mark!)
Denham Pereira Organist – was outstanding He played with great maturity, power, empathy and control.
Eddie Appathurai did a marvelous job of "global liaison"; for which, much thanks.
Andrew Ang (right), Father Yin’s adopted grandson - a Lawyer, and his adopted Godson, Dr Liau Kui-Hin (a leading Singapore transplant surgeon), attended the service at Warden Marc’s invitation. They both thought the service was wonderful and said that Roy would have been delighted, grateful and very proud of all involved in making the event such a memorable occasion. This was repeated to me often while I enjoyed dinner with Andrew, as his guest, in Singapore on my way home. He was literally “over the moon” about the service, firstly, as a very relevant, well presented and moving act of worship and secondly as he thought it was such an appropriate commemoration of, and fitting expression of thanksgiving for, his much-loved and highly respected grandfather.
We take this opportunity to record our appreciation of and admiration for Russel Bartholomeusz and Lucian Nethsingha, whose services to STC and to Church Music cannot be over-estimated!
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The succeeding pages contain ‘letters’ and comments received from people who attended the service and from others who heard of it and were privy to its content.
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From: Herschel Gunawardena
Thursday, 10 March 2016 03:43 PM
Dear Eddie,
I wish to thank Roger for his kind invitation. It was a pleasure and a rare privilege to have been associated him and all of you at Fr. Bowyer Yin's Memorial Services and the fellowship which I enjoyed very much.
Tonight we have an event with our Group of 56 old Thomians which will go on till late. Unfortunately I will not be free on Friday too, due to a prior commitment.
I sincerely regret my inability to enjoy the evening with Roger and all of you. I take this opportunity to wish Roger, Lynwood and David who travelled all the way to give of their best and also all of you, good health and long life.
God Bless you all,
Herschel
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Dear Eddie,
This is to thank you and Roger for a very devotional Passiontide Service in the best Anglican Cathedral music tradition. Fr. Yin would have been thrilled except for the archaic 16th C. English. As you know Cheena was an agent of change-he introduced the Kings College Carol service (- very different from what existed at STC) which had then become popular in UK, the liturgical three hours on Good Friday, the S. for St. before a name beginning with T, joyous proclamations at funerals, singing with no visible conductor, the choir in front to lead the singing rather than at the loft etc.
The service was splendid with the drama of Tenebrae but necessarily shortened for today's needs- could have been a little shorter. The 13 candles were splendidly reduced. I wish the Bishop and Clergy wore cope as in the Carol Service and STC tradition. The organ voluntary and fugue reminded me of LGB.A super devotional experience for me. Formulating this service and searching for this music would have taken much time and effort not to speak of practices. Congratulations.
God bless you all
Narme (N F Wickremasinghe)
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From: Tony Mallett
Monday, 11 April 2016 01:45 AM
Congratulations Roger.
The good Lord did not bless me with good vocal cords, but I was a Server.
I remember both Fr Yin and Fr Baldwin with great respect and admiration for laying the foundation for my Christian faith.
Kind regards
Tony.
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Treasured memories...
Dear David,
The evenings leading up to and the SERVICE, as a totality, was a most beautiful and soul-uplifting experience and I will carry its memory, undiminished, in the depth of my heart, to my grave!
My grateful thanks.
God bless you.
Lynwood Stork
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From: Peter Schoorman [mailto:pschoorman@gmail.com]
Monday, 11 April 2016 07:11 AM
Thanks Roger.
I watched the service on a link someone sent and was very glad I did. It was a super service and my congratulations to you all.
Kind Regards,
Peter.
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From: Roger Brown [mailto:robrown@rogerbrown.info]
Monday, 11 April 2016 07:36 AM
Congratulations on your involvement in this wonderful event. It is so very fitting that your lifelong involvement in, and experience and talent in church music could be brought to a culmination in this way.
Roger Brown
From: Godfrey Senaratne [mailto:g.sena@optusnet.com.au]
Monday, 11 April 2016 10:06 AM
Thank you Roger. Once again, Hearty Congratulations to you and all those who wonderfully prepared and executed the marvellous and fitting Service of Praise, and Worship to Almighty God and Beneficial Contemplation to all those who attended.
Fr Yin would certainly have approved, and he would have been very happy .
Cheers
Godfrey
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From: Jennifer Pugsley [mailto:tjpugsley@optusnet.com.au]
Monday, 11 April 2016 09:18 PM
Dear Roger,
Congratulations on being asked to conduct the choir for such a beloved man from your old school. Sheila would have been proud. I seem to remember seeing a photo of Canon Yin with Fr. Baldwin.
Thank you so much for allowing us to share in the service by seeing your daughter's great photos.
With warm regards,
Jennifer and Tony
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From: Mevan Pieris [mailto:mevanpieris@gmail.com]
Tuesday, 12 April 2016 01:05 AM
Thanks Roger. You have done honour by the College and all who contributed towards the success of this event. I am sorry I had to miss it due to a back pain which keeps re-surfacing on and off for the slightest reason. Having to sit on a baby chair in the chapel would have been disastrous. Nicole is quite a photographer. Please convey my warm regards to her, Julia and Laura.
Kind regards
Mevan
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From: Soertsz [mailto:sooty@alphalink.com.au]
Wednesday, 13 April 2016 11:35 AM
Hi Roger
Thanks for the photos and good to see you ‘in action’ at the chapel. The choir sounded really good and it certainly seemed a very memorable service. Would have liked to have been there.
Best wishes
Heather
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From: William ADAMS [mailto:williamadams31@bigpond.com]
Thursday, 7 April 2016 09:01 AM
Dear Roger,
Thank you for the Order of Service, etc. You must have been very excited to experience it after all the slog preparing it. A most commendable effort which I expect your heart was much poured into. The STC website might have reference to it. I seem to remember seeing Lucian Nethsingha at Exeter some years ago.
Do you intend restoring the lovely Nine Lessons at Keysborough (or elsewhere) at any stage? I so enjoyed a couple I attended there.
I see you are now in Warragul (temporarily) but will resist the temptation to intrude while you are in transit. We must catch up after your next move to more permanency down south.
Thank you again for such letting me imagine an interesting event.
Regards, Bill.
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From: Chrys Mendis [mailto:chrys.mendis@gmail.com]
Saturday, 16 April 2016 08:38 PM
Thanks Roger. The photo of Denham Pereira at the organ reminded me that around 1960-61 I sought and was granted permission to practise playing the college organ during lunch time, which I did on days that we didn't play cricket or football on the small club grounds. Occasionally Rev Yin used to come into the chapel at lunch time. He sometimes glanced up but did not interfere. That old organ had to be switched on in a prescribed manner to prevent a fuse being blown.
Kind regards.
Chrys
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From: Jeanette Arndt [mailto:georjean@aapt.net.au]
Thursday, 5 May 2016 06:35 PM
Dear Roger
Thank you very much indeed for all the photos as well as the DVD from Allan and the two copies of the order of the service which were very much appreciated. We were very sorry that we could not join you all but the service appears to have been well attended.
It was a great privilege being able to visit the maestro himself with two other generations of our family one week prior to his hundredth birthday, and amazing to hear him talking to our two grandsons when Andrew and Valerie told us they hadn’t heard him talk since the previous Christmas.
Canon Yin has certainly left behind a legacy of exceptional high quality choral music and I for one feel truly blest to be one of that throng. Christ Church Claremont which we attend and I was a chorister for over thirty years now have a professional choir as our numbers were dwindling rapidly and we had an unfortunate dearth of the younger generation able to provide replacements.
It was extremely thoughtful of you and your family to include us amongst those to receive the photos.
Kindest regards and God Bless you All
George and Jeanne.
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From: Basil Rebera [mailto:barebera@bigpond.com]
Monday, 9 May 2016 11:25 PM
Dear Roger,
Many thanks for copies of the Order of Service and Supplementary Information booklet for the Service of Music … at our College Chapel, which I received a week ago. Thank you also for the photographs which I had received earlier. Please include me among those who wish to purchase a copy of the DVD when it becomes available.
I was a member of the choir at the time of Fr Yin’s arrival at the College as Chaplain and Choir Master. Till then the organist and Choir Master was a Mr Budd-Janze. I had no knowledge that we had a new Chaplain and Choir Master and my first encounter with the man, at the loft where choir practice was held, after school, is vividly and indelibly etched into my memory. It was surreal: I was the first into the Chapel that day and as I climbed up the spiral staircase to the loft I heard the organ being played as I had never heard it played before. And I had never heard that enchanting piece of music before. I arrived at the loft and was nonplussed at the sight of this strange Chinese man at the organ. He completely ignored me, never raising his eyes from the keys. A little eleven year old boy was engulfed in confusion—was I in the right place; had I turned up for choir practice on the right day? After what seemed to be an eternity he stopped playing, fixed me with his inscrutable gaze and then raised his eyebrows and screwed up his face to what resembled a shadow of a smile. Ohers then arrived and that’s all I recall. We must have got on with choir practice. That piece of music though, that I had heard being played, remained with me. And it was after I had left College that I heard it again. And this time, I heard it announced. It was JSB’s Jesu Joy of Man’s desiring—and it has remained my favourite piece of Classical music.
I was a member of the choir at Fr Yin’s inaugural Nine Lessons and Carols. I think that on that occasion the organist was Lucien Fernando (LGB Fernando). Lucien Nethsingha became organist sometime later. I first got to know Lucien Nethsingha through our connection with Christ Church Dehiwela, where his family and my family were members. Lucien’s sister Clodah was an organist too and became the regular organist at Christ Church. In parenthesis I should say that in my time at College there were students from the Deaf and Blind School in Ratmalana who used to play the organ in the Chapel, on weekday mornings.
In all my years at College, Fr Yin remained an enigma, as he was to others too, though I was in his Divinity classes and he prepared me for Confirmation. It was decades later that we connected again. And this time in Singapore—his domicile and my base. And in the years I was there my wife Ranjini and I forged a deep friendship with Fr Yin. He was a frequent visitor in our home and Ranjini used to type up his correspondence. There were a few other Old Thomians based in Singapore at that time, Homer Titus, Thiru Kandaiah, Chrisantha Mendis and Bala Gunasegaram. We would meet at Fr Yin’s home from time to time for discussions on aspects of the Christian faith. When we left Singapore Fr Yin was no longer an enigma. Ranjini and I knew him as a complex man, who we held in high esteem and with whom we had formed a bond of deep affection. We have warm memories of him to cherish.
Kind regards
Basil
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From: Trikilis Christopher [mailto:stpatrickmusic@bigpond.com]
Thursday, 5 May 2016 05:09 PM
Hi Roger
A short note to say thank you for the photos and programs (which arrived late last week, or early this week - God bless the reliability of Australia Post) which have arrived in the post from the Service in Sri Lanka in March!
What a musical treat on offer that evening, and in the photos what appears a beautiful chapel. You have done great things to make this happen, and I have no doubt all went extremely well. Fr Yin would have been thrilled that his musical legacy has touched so many lives and is continued today!
Very grateful of your thinking of including me in the circulation, I have enjoyed reading about it immensely.
Hope you and Julia are keeping well and enjoyed your time overseas, and look forward to catching up again very soon.
Best wishes as always
Chris
From: James Corea [mailto: corea.j.a.e@gmail.com]
Monday, April 25, 2016 9:58 PM
Thank you so much for these e-mails. I appreciate very much your effort thank you so much.
I was a Chorister under Rev. Boyer Yin throughout my College career at STC,
Thanks again.
James
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Dr John Blazé, who lives in Cornwall, UK, knows Lucian and Andrew Nethsingha (from their days at
Exeter) and flew out from England for just four days, for the sole purpose of attending this service!
Later, he wrote: “The usual Easter service from Kings was broadcast on Saturday. Whoever selected
the music had an obvious affinity for Elgar, who featured extensively. I think I preferred your service
at S. Thomas’s! Best wishes to all, John Blazé ”
Photo-memories of the “Yin” era: 1947 - 1962
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The First Carol Service – 1947
1958
The Final Carol Service – 1962
