Songs - the old and the new

A LITTLE of the new will be mixed with the traditional at Hereford Cathedral this Christmas.

It will be the first Christmas for Mr Geraint Bowen in his new position as cathedral organist and director of music and he is currently busy working on the details for Hereford's famous and popular events taking place throughout the festive season.

But those fearing a new broom sweeping clean all the traditional carol services they know and love need not fear. Mr Bowen said: "I'm not really changing anything this year. I think this year it's important to see how it all functions and go from there."

Practice times have to jostle for space

He said any changes would certainly need plenty of notice because rehearsal schedules for the choir are so tight at this time of year. Practice times have to jostle for space with eight regular services a week as well as concert performances.

But it's a busy time all round for cathedral folk at Christmas time. The choir, Mr Bowen, and everyone else involved will be out in force for three services on Christmas Day itself. It starts with Eucharist at 10am, then there's Matins at 11.30am and finally, they can go and enjoy their Christmas at home after Evensong at 3pm. And that's after Evensong on Christmas Eve and the main Hereford Cathedral Carol Service - The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on December 23.

This means a somewhat postponed family Christmas for the Bowens themselves, who have grown used to "split site" Christmases over the last three years. Mr Bowen has been busy with his cathedral work while his two sons, Gwilym and Ruairi, who were both born in Hereford, are choristers at St Paul's Cathedral so have to be in London until the middle of the afternoon. In a very musical family, Mrs Lucy Bowen is also a singer and is taking part in pre-Christmas performances too.

Mr Bowen, who was born in London, was organist and master of choristers at St David's Cathedral in Pembrokeshire before he came to Hereford in the autumn to take over from Dr Roy Massey. He has a good knowledge of the cathedral and its ways, however, and is a familiar face to regulars as he was assistant organist at Hereford from 1989-1994. He played a prominent part in the Three Choirs Festivals of 1991 and 1994 and was founder and director of the Hereford Bach Choir.

He said he is looking forward to his first Christmas in charge, with all the special events and school carol services to come, and said he is expecting another "capacity crowd" for the main carol service event, always on December 23, in which he is keen to keep the main traditional elements which people enjoy.

Although the programme details were not finalised at the time of going to press, Mr Bowen said: "It will be a mixture - there will be the traditional congregational carols but there is always some new music sung by the choir."

He said at St David's, brand new compositions were often performed at the main carol service, which has also been done in the past at Hereford, so he is keen to see that continue as a firmer tradition. He said it may be too early to organise brand new music this year but congregations can look forward to enjoying some interesting and different music between the carols.

Other main events he is looking forward to on the musical programme include the Tree of Light Service, on December 1, which is a joint event between the Cathedral Perpetual Trust and St Michael's Hospice. There is also the traditional Advent Carol Service and procession on December 2 and then the Cathedral Choir goes on a trip to More Church in Bishop's Castle for a concert on December 5.

The popular tradition, dating back to Medieval times, of choosing the Boy Bishop - when a former chorister is made Bishop for the day - is another popular event he looks forward to taking part in on December 7, and on December 15, weary present-hunters can enjoy some respite at the Carols for Shoppers concert from noon-2pm.

After this Christmas, Mr Bowen will be thinking about any alterations to the programme he would like to see in future years.

In the meantime, his main plans include tours with the choir, which should begin next year, and he is already working on schedules for the Three Choirs Festival 2003.

"It is a busy time," he said. "But it's all about planning. If you plan it all out carefully, hopefully, it will all work.

"Of course you can't legislate for things like the weather or a bout of 'flu sweeping through the choir....but I'm enjoying it all very much indeed!"

Weary present hunters can enjoy a cathedral respite

Hereford Cathedral's programme of Advent and Christmas events for December 2001

1 (Saturday): Tree of Light Service, 5.30pm.

2 (Sunday): Advent Carol Service, 3.30pm.

5 (Wednesday): Schools Singalong Carol Service, 10.30am/ Carols in the Cloister (for Save the Children) 8pm.

7 (Friday): Boy Bishop Ceremony, 5.30pm. A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas (music and poetry inc. mulled wine and mince pies), 7pm.

8 (Saturday): Handel's Messiah, Hereford Choral Society, 7.30pm.

11 (Tuesday): Hereford Cathedral Junior School Christmas Concert, 7.30pm.

12 (Wednesday): Haywood School Carol Service, 7.30pm.

13 (Thursday): Hereford Cathedral School Carol Service, 7pm.

14 (Friday): Hereford Cathedral Junior School Carol Service, 11am/ Countryside Alliance Carol Service 2.30pm/ A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas (music and poetry inc. mulled wine and mince pies).

15 (Saturday): Carols for Shoppers, noon.

17 (Monday): Aylestone School Carol Service, 7.30pm.

18 (Tuesday): Bishop's School Carol Service, 7.30pm.

23 (Sunday): Cathedral Carol Service - Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, 7.30pm.

The cathedral will be open as usual during the Yuletide run-up and the Mappa Mundi and Chained Library Exhibition will be on show before its annual cleaning and conservation period through January. "Festive Fayre" will be available from the cathedral's Cloisters Caf and the gift shop is stocking up with Christmas cards and gifts, nativity sets and its own Hereford Cathedral products