Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Yes, getting on for two centuries after Darwin and then Dawkins in recent times, how does faith religion hang on in there for the modern age? We've covered some of this on other threads about school chaplains. I used to enjoy bellowing out the old hymns with their wonderful chord changes but I didn't always grasp what the lyrics were about. A bit like electric period Bob Dylan really.

Avon wrote: ↑Sun Aug 15, 2021 8:03 pm Yes, how come these key life skills are being so readily squandered?

Now now, our Avon.

I wasn't suggesting that the tunes of hymns, psalms and responses were of earth-shattering importance. I was merely wondering how much of a shambles the rare compulsory chapel services are from a musical point of view if most Houseyboys and Houseygirls are unable to sing along convincingly, due to their having been allowed to remain ignorant of such things. Or are chapel services merely recitals these days, with the choir singing and everyone else sitting in silence and/or playing on their Gameboys?

Chrissie Boy wrote: ↑Mon Aug 16, 2021 10:02 am

Avon wrote: ↑Sun Aug 15, 2021 8:03 pm Yes, how come these key life skills are being so readily squandered?

Now now, our Avon.

I wasn't suggesting that the tunes of hymns, psalms and responses were of earth-shattering importance. I was merely wondering how much of a shambles the rare compulsory chapel services are from a musical point of view if most Houseyboys and Houseygirls are unable to sing along convincingly, due to their having been allowed to remain ignorant of such things. Or are chapel services merely recitals these days, with the choir singing and everyone else sitting in silence and/or playing on their Gameboys?

I guess if the chaplaincy is wise enough to pick time-honoured belters that people can enjoy singing then they will get enough of a response. ISTR ‘Oh Jesus I have Promised’ was a particular fave but there were others. If however some bl**dy awful dirge from Taize made it onto the charge sheet then all that could be expected was puzzlement from the serried ranks.

Personally I lip-synced anything Wesleyan or penned post 1930, whilst wondering how someone managed to get through a whole life called Tancred Kesley Mortimer Booth and whether Allwood’s jaw was real.

Avon wrote: ↑Mon Aug 16, 2021 7:16 pm

Chrissie Boy wrote: ↑Mon Aug 16, 2021 10:02 am

Avon wrote: ↑Sun Aug 15, 2021 8:03 pm Yes, how come these key life skills are being so readily squandered?

Now now, our Avon.

I wasn't suggesting that the tunes of hymns, psalms and responses were of earth-shattering importance. I was merely wondering how much of a shambles the rare compulsory chapel services are from a musical point of view if most Houseyboys and Houseygirls are unable to sing along convincingly, due to their having been allowed to remain ignorant of such things. Or are chapel services merely recitals these days, with the choir singing and everyone else sitting in silence and/or playing on their Gameboys?

and whether Allwood’s jaw was real.

Chrissie Boy wrote: ↑Mon Aug 16, 2021 10:02 amI was merely wondering how much of a shambles the rare compulsory chapel services are from a musical point of view if most Houseyboys and Houseygirls are unable to sing along convincingly,

From memory, besides a couple of popular hymns, this is a pretty accurate description of services. A lot of mumbling in (almost) tune and time to the choir and the handful of kids who were churchy types.
Just like most other church services I've attended really.

Avon wrote: ↑Mon Aug 16, 2021 7:16 pm
I guess if the chaplaincy is wise enough to pick time-honoured belters that people can enjoy singing then they will get enough of a response. ISTR ‘Oh Jesus I have Promised’ was a particular fave but there were others. If however some bl**dy awful dirge from Taize made it onto the charge sheet then all that could be expected was puzzlement from the serried ranks.

Just remember that Sydney Carter, responsible for what is probably the worst hymn ever, was an Old Blue.

loringa wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 9:49 pm

Avon wrote: ↑Mon Aug 16, 2021 7:16 pm
I guess if the chaplaincy is wise enough to pick time-honoured belters that people can enjoy singing then they will get enough of a response. ISTR ‘Oh Jesus I have Promised’ was a particular fave but there were others. If however some bl**dy awful dirge from Taize made it onto the charge sheet then all that could be expected was puzzlement from the serried ranks.

Just remember that Sydney Carter, responsible for what is probably the worst hymn ever, was an Old Blue.

It’s dire. By the late 80’s the school had developed a better but more scurrilous form of words:

‘Run, then, wherever you may be, we are the drunk and disorderly, and we don’t give a fcuk whoever you may be, ‘cos we are the boys from housey!’

Which you could occasionally hear, particularly from the rowdy types in the gallery.

rockfreak wrote: ↑Sun Aug 15, 2021 8:52 pm Yes, getting on for two centuries after Darwin and then Dawkins in recent times, how does faith religion hang on in there for the modern age? We've covered some of this on other threads about school chaplains. I used to enjoy bellowing out the old hymns with their wonderful chord changes but I didn't always grasp what the lyrics were about. A bit like electric period Bob Dylan really.

I stopped going to church when I started paying attention to the sermon.
At CH I daydreamed in chapel most of the time during the sermon.

jhopgood wrote: ↑Tue Aug 24, 2021 10:28 am

rockfreak wrote: ↑Sun Aug 15, 2021 8:52 pm Yes, getting on for two centuries after Darwin and then Dawkins in recent times, how does faith religion hang on in there for the modern age? We've covered some of this on other threads about school chaplains. I used to enjoy bellowing out the old hymns with their wonderful chord changes but I didn't always grasp what the lyrics were about. A bit like electric period Bob Dylan really.

I stopped going to church when I started paying attention to the sermon.
At CH I daydreamed in chapel most of the time during the sermon.

I found the Brangwyn paintings distracting...

Pe.A wrote: ↑Thu Aug 26, 2021 2:03 am I found the Brangwyn paintings distracting...

I found Chapel distracting. We were lucky enough to be in the gallery and I used to read Tolkien during services. But I still had to stand up occasionally and mime hymns.

From the gallery you’re spared most of the awfulness of the murals.

Avon wrote: ↑Thu Aug 26, 2021 8:01 pm

Pe.A wrote: ↑Thu Aug 26, 2021 2:03 am I found the Brangwyn paintings distracting...

I found Chapel distracting. We were lucky enough to be in the gallery and I used to read Tolkien during services. But I still had to stand up occasionally and mime hymns.

From the gallery you’re spared most of the awfulness of the murals.

The worst fright ever. The Prep used to be there and I suspect it was the end of term service. The Trumpet Voluntary was being played at a reasonable volume and very suddenly they multiplied the volume by many times and without any warning blew the gallery pipes to destroy our ear drums. That bit of music still gives me nightmares

Avon wrote: ↑Thu Aug 26, 2021 8:01 pm

Pe.A wrote: ↑Thu Aug 26, 2021 2:03 am I found the Brangwyn paintings distracting...

I found Chapel distracting. We were lucky enough to be in the gallery and I used to read Tolkien during services. But I still had to stand up occasionally and mime hymns.

From the gallery you’re spared most of the awfulness of the murals.

What was awful about the Brangwyns...?

I was checking out Brangwyn on You Tube and he appears to be painting around the time of German Expressionism (Fauves, Blue Rider group, etc) in the early part of the last century. His colours are often bright and vibrant and his compositions bold, but I wonder if, when he got the CH commission, he toned it all down a bit in deference to the religious subject matter. A pity because otherwise CH would have become a magnet for arts connoisseurs from all over the place trecking along to see the school's contribution to this particular style.

In other words, I don't think he was really expressing himself. And of course, this being a Protestant school, the murals are all of stern disciples and the noble army of martyrs (being stoned to death or somesuch). No women to be seen. As the Grateful Dead sang: "St Stephen with a rose/In and out of the garden he goes". Although in the end St Stephen went down to a volley of rocks about the head, so the Dead got it wrong. But no Virgins, Annunciations, Pietas, Depositions, etc. The Catholics have us beat artistically here. The Protestant schools (particularly CH when I was there) teach sin, guilt and being screwed up psychologically. But the Catholics do it with better art.

With my last post I'd hoped to flush out any Deadheads that might be lurking in the undergrowth (particularly from America) but no response. In 1960 I stood there, after eight years, on my last night in chapel being presented by Clarence with my bible and about to be given that load of patronising and grandiose cobblers that constitutes the Leavers Charge. Many years later it occurred to me that Messrs Garcia, Lesh, Weir and Hunter might have had it down more succinctly. "What a long strange trip it's been!"

Rockfreak does it again! Trying to wind people up. Well I'll bite.

I disliked my time at CH I was not suited to the school and perhaps the school was not suited to me ( bit pompous but still...). The day Newsome suggested that I should leave felt that now my life is starting.
However I am proud of CH, proud of the charge, I like the thought that the little amount I pay every year is helping someone.