The Gentlemen of the Choir are a superb ensemble on their own especially with Renaissance repertoire, even though they are the Men of the stellar Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys. They are one of the finest Choir of Men and Boys anywhere, including the worldwide Anglican Communion. They sing with perfect intonation and the way they perfectly taper their phrases in chants of Renaissance music sounds like what one might hear in a monastery. These are amongst the finest/best choristers in New York City and that you’ll find anywhere, and I hope they are well-salaried for their immense talent and artistry.
Their countertenors are extremely impressive in their upper range. For the Summer 2023, they have one or two new countertenors, depending upon the Sunday. I think one of them sang countertenor one Sunday and another part (tenor or bass) the next Sunday. It was hard to tell what he was singing on the second Sunday because the frustrating camera work wouldn’t stay on them long enough for me to analyse and watch as to who was singing what part. As usual with their insipid camera crew, the camera felt that stained glass windows were more important for the umpteenth time of seeing the windows. Their production crew is obsessed with the stained glass windows in the building along with every crevice of the High Altar, the statuary in the parish, the banks of flaming candles and flower bouquets. All of that is shown when the Liturgy itself should be shown. But production finds the Liturgy boring. Are they sure they’re in the right job? They even take the camera off the priest when she’s reading The Prayers of the People — which production apparently also finds boring — to show, can you guess,? more stained glass windows. These people in production are relentless.
I wonder if anyone in the congregation here in 2023 appreciates the Choir of Men and Boys or the Gentlemen of the Choir? Or are they considered “They’re just the Choir?” If I had to take a guess, I suspect most do not appreciate them, in part, because most in the congregation do not have an ear trained in choral excellence or a musically-trained ear. The resident congregation pre-COVID — I sensed — did indeed appreciate the Choir of Men and Boys, but today’s congregation is quite different than before. I had read comments online from people who had been to Saint Thomas for Mass and they described the parish as, “the devout of the devout.” Well, it’s the opposite of that now from observing today’s congregation. It’s as if the former congregation left or most of them did and have not returned. Did they leave NYC at the height of the COVID pandemic? From what I’ve seen, today’s congregation is mostly consists of Low Church people — in a High Church, don’t try to figure that out! — and from my experience as a church musician, Low Church people couldn’t care less about the music, the Choir of Men and Boys or the service music or the Organ Voluntary. In part, because they’re not there for that. They’re only concerned about “the spoken word” just like Roman Catholics. Most have no training in music and have no ear training in choral excellence. They would yawn. Most people leave during the Organ Voluntary. Everyone should be staying to hear the Organ Voluntary because it part of the Liturgy and the organist spent time learning, preparing or repreparing the piece for that occasion only to have inconsiderate Low Church people get up and leave, and in some cases talk over it! How rude. Sigh. Groan. I think the few High Church people stay. I have been Organist in both Southern Baptist and Anglican parishes. I remember giving up on playing anything at all “special” — such as Mulet’s Tu es Petra or the Widor Toccata — for the “Organ Postlude” as Southern Baptists call it because no one would hear it. They’d be yapping/talking loudly over it. They were terribly rude people with no respect for (classical) music. It was really a waste of time for me to play anything as they all left. I don’t remember what I did out of frustration with them. Today I’d probably run through the last hymn again as they were leaving and ask “Why bother?!” But they’d probably like that as opposed to a piece from the French organ repertoire.
Again, I look at the congregation of 2023 at Saint Thomas and I see many Low Church people who have come to a High Church/Anglo-Catholic parish. That makes no sense to me. Do these Low Church people — who more closely resemble Southern Baptists not following any Anglican protocol — not know that Saint Thomas is an Anglo-Catholic parish? Or do they even know what that means? I suspect not. Take for example, the poor thurifer guy has most people in the congregation not even bowing to him when he censes the congregation, that is, after these lazy people in the pews eventually stand for him to address them. In addition, before The Gospel reading, many do not make the three signs of the cross, something that basic. Why are these people even there when they would fit in nicely in some Protestant church?
My point is: People like this are not likely to appreciate the choral excellence heard from the superb Gentlemen of the Choir. And if the boys were there, it would be the same way. And when the priests talk about the renowned Saint Thomas Choir School, most couldn’t care less about that either, if again, they even know what it is.
If someone in the congregation is from The Juilliard School or Manhattan School of Music as two examples, of course they will likely appreciate the Gentlemen of the Choir even if the person is not a based in a vocal music concentration in their training.
But I see the people who show up at Saint Thomas and they act like and look like tourists who know nothing about and have no interest in an Anglican Liturgy, some standing with their arms folded and acting as if they don’t even know where they are and taking no part in the Liturgy. They seem to think they’re at a wedding the way they turn to watch the procession, as if expecting a bride to come down the aisle or something! From my experience, this thing about turning to watch the procession is new. I’ve never seen that before from my experience in Anglican Cathedrals and parish churches. And with people like that — and there are many in the congregation like that now — the Gentlemen of the Choir would merely been seen by such people as “they’re just the Choir.” And the Choir of Men and Boys would receive the same treatment from such people when the trebles come back in the Fall.
And it’s because of: 1) the frustrating camera work, 2) the “dry as dust” hymn playing (not much imagination there compared to the superb, legato, rich and full-organ hymn playing of former Organist Jeremy Bruns), 3) Jeremy’s “doddling”*** after The Gospel reading, 4) the Low Church congregation that I’m considering no longer watching their Liturgies and 5) I’m sick of seeing stained glass windows when I should be seeing the Liturgy taking place. It’s all become too frustrating for me. Watching an Anglican Liturgy should be a very enjoyable experience. But for me it’s becoming too annoying and frustrating for the reasons mentioned.
*** Up above, I referred to Jeremy’s “doddling” after the Gospel reading. They at Saint Thomas Church have this relatively new pipe organ which can sound very grand and glorious for High Church elaborate improvisations. The full resources of the organ are rarely used for some crazy reason, excluding some Organ Voluntaries. What does Jeremy play after The Gospel reading? He plays what I call “doddling.” If you didn’t know any better, one might think he was playing a Casio keyboard the way he plays the pipe organ and “doodles.” Did you hear his “doddling” after the Gospel reading on 4 July 2023 where he played part of the melody line of the Stars Spangled Banner? Tacky. I take it the guy is not all that hot on High Church. One does not get that from his playing at least. With few exceptions, his hymn playing is as “dry as dust.” “Grand and glorious” High Church it is not. Sigh. If only former Organist Jeremy “High Church” Bruns were still there.