INFORMATION

FOR VISITING

CHOIRS

2

Contents

Section Page

Welcome 3

A Schedule of Services and Services Information 4

B Rehearsals 5

C Music 6-7

D Psalms and Hymns 8-9

E Guidelines for Organists 10

F Orders of Service 11-13

G Additional Information 14-16

H Useful Contact Details 17

Appendix 1: Music List – Notes on house style 18

Appendix 2: Gospel Acclamations and Responses 19-20

Appendix 3: Additional Eucharistic Responses 21-23

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Welcome to Wells Cathedral

We are delighted that you have arranged to bring your choir to sing at Wells Cathedral!

Visiting choirs play a valuable part in the life of the Cathedral, enabling our choral tradition

and musical ministry to continue when Wells Cathedral Choir is on vacation.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Cathedral and hope that you enjoy singing

here, as well as finding time to enjoy what Wells and the surrounding area have to offer.

This booklet is intended to be a complete guide to singing at Wells Cathedral, so please

read it carefully and ensure that your director, organist, administrator, and anyone else

involved in your planning has a copy. If you have any further questions, please do not

hesitate to get in touch.

When you first arrive at the Cathedral please report to one of the duty Virgers, aiming

to arrive in plenty of time. The Virgers’ Vestry can be found on the North Nave aisle, just

before the North Transept. The Virgers will show you to the Song School, where you

can rehearse and store bags and robes. If you are able to let the Virgers know in advance

what time you expect to arrive, that would be very helpful.

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SECTION A

Schedule of Services and Service Information

Weekly schedule of sung services

Monday to Saturday 5.15pm Evensong (BCP)

Sunday 9.45am Cathedral Eucharist (CW)

11.30am Matins (BCP)

3.00pm Evensong (BCP)

All services take place in the Quire with the exception of the Sunday Cathedral Eucharist,

which is held in the Nave. Choirs should be robed and lined up in the South Transept no

less than five minutes before each service.

Size of your choir

Our choir stalls can comfortably accommodate up to 32 singers but can be stretched to

a maximum of 50 if necessary. If you will be bringing more than 32 singers, please let us

know in advance so arrangements can be made to extend the stalls.

Processions

Please see the information within the Rehearsals section for details of procession

rehearsals, and the information within the Orders of Service section as regards timings. The

choir processes in silence during Lent.

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SECTION B Rehearsals

Rehearsal times

These rehearsal times are automatically booked in the Cathedral for visiting choirs:

Monday to Saturday 4.00pm – 5.00pm (in the Quire)

Sunday 9.00am – 9.30am (in the Nave)

2.00pm – 2.30pm (in the Quire)

Unfortunately, we are not able to offer the opportunity for visiting choirs to rehearse in

the Cathedral in the evening.

Rehearsal space

Chorister Practice Room East in the Song School may be used for rehearsals during

Cathedral opening hours on the days on which you are singing services. When using the

Song School, please do not move the choir furniture or remove anything from the

cupboards.

Please do not eat or drink in either the Cathedral or Song School, except for water. In

the Song School, water can be taken from the fountain - please ask a Virger if there is a

shortage of paper cone cups. If members of your choir find it necessary, they may have a

bottle of water in the Cathedral stalls with them.

Processions

All visiting choirs are required to rehearse their processions with one of the duty Virgers

before their first service – this will usually be at 3.45pm. Please bear this in mind when

planning rehearsals and your arrival at the Cathedral. Sunday processions will be

rehearsed on Saturday after Evensong or, if there is a concert on the Saturday night, on

Sunday morning.

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SECTION C

Music

Repertoire

Please do not feel that singing in the Cathedral demands a challenging repertoire. It is

often more effective and fulfilling to perform relatively modest music which is well-known

to the singers. The workload can easily be reduced by performing only one or two sets

of responses. Some choirs choose to sing one or more services with only the front or

back row of the choir.

If you wish to perform a work not from the standard repertoire (for example a piece by

a member of your choir or its director), we ask that you submit a copy of the work for

approval, preferably before you send your completed music list.

Music List submission

Please submit your music list by the relevant deadline (see the table below) using the

provided forms, for approval by the Assistant Organist. Please refer carefully to the notes

in Appendix 1 when filling in the form and check the Lectionary for feast days so your

music is appropriate. It is important to submit your form by no later than the deadline

date noted, as visiting choir music is the start point in the drafting of the Cathedral’s

Services and Music List. Also, we may need to ask you to make changes to the list if there

is a clash, and if you submit in good time it will be less likely that we need to ask you for

alterations, particularly in the summer when we have many visiting choirs. The general

rule is that we do not have any anthem, mass setting, or canticle setting more than once

a month.

Music List deadlines

Date of Visit Deadline

January 1 November

February 1 December

March 1 January

April 1 February

May 1 March

June 1 April

July 1 May

August 1 May

September 1 June

October 1 July

November 1 September

December 1 October

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Anthems

On arrival, please hand a complete set of all anthems to the Virgers, for the Canon in

Residence. And please remember to collect them again before you leave!

Cantor and Collects

Please bring a Cantor (ordained or lay) to sing the responses.

Three collects are usually sung at Matins and Evensong, except in Advent and Lent when

the collect for Advent Sunday is sung as the second of four collects during Advent, and

the collect for Ash Wednesday is sung as the second of four collects during Lent.

On Lesser Festivals, as indicated on the Music and Services List, the Traditional Collect

for the Lesser Festival is sung as the first of just three collects.

The collect at Evensong on a Saturday is that which is set for the next day, Sunday, unless

the Saturday is a feast day.

The Virgers will provide a copy of the booklet containing the required collect, which can

also be supplied in advance by the Liturgy Assistant upon request. Please ask a Virger to

assist you in finding the Collect for the Day if you are unclear, and make sure that your

Cantor sings the Morning Prayer Collects at Matins.

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SECTION D

Psalms and Hymns

Psalms

Portions of the psalms for the day are sung at Matins and Evensong (including Sundays),

as in the following list. We will let you know any proper psalms at the same time as the

hymns. The Gloria Patri is sung after each psalm. Psalms are sung either to Plainsong or

Anglican Chant to the text in the Book of Common Prayer (1662). The usual cuts are

made as marked in most psalters.

Matins

Day Psalms Day Psalms Day Psalms

1 1 12 63 22 107. 1-15

2 11 13 68. 1-10 23 110

3 15 14 72 24 116, 117

4 20 15 75 25 119. 33-48

5 24 16 81 26 119. 105-128

6 30 17 87 27 121

7 36 18 92 28 133, 134

8 39 19 95 29 140

9 46 20 103 30 145

10 50. 1-15 21 105. 1-15 31 146

11 56

Evensong

Day Psalms Day Psalms Day Psalms

1 8 12 65 22 108

2 14 13 69. 1-12 23 114

3 18. 1-19 14 73. 1-14 24 119. 1-16

4 22. 1-18 15 78. 1-17 25 119. 73-88

5 29 16 82 26 119. 145-160

6 32 17 89. 1-19 27 126, 127

7 37. 1-20 18 93 28 137, 138

8 42, 43 19 98, 99 29 142

9 47 20 104. 1-23 30 147, 148

10 53, 54 21 106. 1-12 31 149, 150

11 60, 61

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Hymns

Hymn numbers will usually be sent to you around four weeks before your visit, including

instructions of which tune to use (where appropriate). These instructions must be

followed. If it is not clear, it is crucial that you ask us which tune to use. The Cathedral

uses the New English Hymnal. There may be a small number in the stalls in the Quire,

but it is best if you provide your own copies of the hymns. Amens are sung where printed

in the hymnal.

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SECTION E

Guidelines for Organists

Practice

On weekdays when your choir is singing, the Cathedral Organ is booked automatically

for you from 8.35am until 10.00am (until 9.20am on Wednesdays) and from 4.00pm.

Practice at other times must be near silent and booked in advance of your visit.

Before starting to play please read the instructions on the console carefully, especially

noting the piston allocation, hourly prayers, and volume. No food or drink may be

consumed in the organ loft.

Voluntaries

The Cathedral’s organists tend to play restrained voluntaries on ordinary weekdays,

reserving the loudest sounds for weekends and feast days.

Voluntaries should not be unreasonably long – in particular the voluntary after the Sunday

Eucharist must take no more than four minutes to allow for preparations for Matins to

take place.

We encourage visiting organists to play a pre-service voluntary before extemporising,

although the choir processes in silence during Lent.

If you are playing during Advent or Lent, please ensure that your voluntaries are

appropriate to these penitential times of the year. During Lent, there are no voluntaries

except on Saturdays, Sundays, and festivals and their eves.

The Chamber Organ

If you wish to use the chamber organ in the Quire, please request this in advance.

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SECTION F

Orders of Service

Order of Daily Evensong

• Responses

• Welcome

• Psalm(s) (announced)

• Old Testament reading

• Office Hymn (on Saturdays and at Festal Evensongs only)

• Magnificat

• New Testament reading

• Nunc Dimittis

• Apostles’ Creed

• Lesser Litany, Lord’s Prayer, Responses, and Collects

• Anthem (announced)

• Prayers

• Hymn (Saturdays only)

• Blessing (Saturdays only)

• Organ Voluntary

Order of Festal Eucharist

• Processional Hymn (unannounced; organ cover may be needed if the altar is still

being censed)

• The Greeting, Introduction, Confession, and Absolution

• Gloria in excelsis

• Collect for the day

• Old or New Testament Reading

• Alleluias and Gospel (immediately after the reading; see Appendix 2)

• Organ improvisation (this should stop when the Gospel procession has returned)

• There may be a Homily on certain Feast Days (check the Order of Service)

• Intercessions

• Peace

• Offertory Hymn (unannounced; organ cover may be needed if the altar is still being

censed)

• Eucharistic Prayer, including Sanctus and Benedictus (although if the Benedictus is

particularly long it may be cut - this must be checked at the time the Music List is

submitted), during which the choir and congregation sing the acclamation in the

middle of the Eucharistic Prayer and either Blessing and Glory… or the Great

Amen at the end depending on the Eucharistic Prayer used (check in order of

service): see Appendix 3

• Lord’s Prayer, the Breaking of the Bread, and the Invitation to Communion

• The organist improvises softly from after the Invitation to Communion until the

choir is ready to sing the Agnus Dei

• Communion (choir receives first – please follow the instructions of the Virgers)

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• Agnus Dei and Communion Motet (during the distribution). If the Administration

of Communion has finished by the time the choir finishes singing the Agnus Dei,

then the Communion Motet is omitted

• Prayer after Communion, Blessing, and Dismissal

• Organ Voluntary

Order of Sunday Eucharist

The Virgers will provide your choir and organist with copies of the weekly order of service, which

includes instructions on standing and sitting

• From 9.35am, organ music

• At approximately 9.42am there are notices – please use the pulpit camera to judge

when to stop playing

• Processional Hymn (organ cover is needed when the procession has not finished

at the end of the Hymn)

• The Greeting, Introduction, and Prayer of Preparation

• Confession and Absolution

• Gloria in excelsis

• Collect for the day

• Old or New Testament Reading

• Gradual Hymn (unannounced)

• Alleluias and Gospel (immediately after the end of the hymn; see Appendix 2)

• Organ improvisation (this should stop when the Gospel procession has returned)

• Sermon

• Statement of Faith

• Intercessions (the altar party will remain standing; the choir sit or kneel)

• Peace

• Offertory Hymn (unannounced; organ cover is often needed if the collection is not

complete)

• Eucharistic Prayer, including Sanctus and Benedictus (although if the Benedictus is

particularly long it may be cut - this must be checked at the time the Music List is

submitted), during which the choir and congregation sing the acclamation in the

middle of the Eucharistic Prayer and either Blessing and Glory… or the Great

Amen at the end depending on the Eucharistic Prayer used (check in order of

service): see Appendix 3

• Lord’s Prayer, the Breaking of the Bread and the Invitation to Communion

• The organist improvises softly from after the Invitation to Communion until the

choir is ready to sing the Agnus Dei

• Communion (choir receives first – please follow the instructions of the Virgers)

• Agnus Dei and Communion Motet (during the distribution). If the Administration

of Communion has finished by the time the choir finishes singing the Agnus Dei,

then the Communion Motet is omitted

• Prayer after Communion

• Final Hymn (unannounced) during which the choir process behind the Cross and

Lights about half-way down the Nave; when the Cross and Lights turn to face the

altar the choir do likewise

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• Blessing and Dismissal, at the end of which the choir face west and the procession

moves back to the South Transept during the

• Organ Voluntary

Differences in Advent and Lent

• Kyrie eleison rather than Gloria in excelsis

• A different Gospel Response is sung in Lent – you will be sent this separately

Order of Sunday Matins

• There is no pre-service voluntary; the organist should just improvise for the procession

• Responses

• Welcome

• Hymn (announced)

• Psalm(s) (announced) (Proper Psalms on Feast Days)

• Old Testament reading

• Te Deum (Benedicite in Advent and Lent)

• New Testament reading

• Jubilate (Benedictus in Advent and Lent; occasionally at other times)

• Apostles’ Creed

• Lesser Litany, Lord’s Prayer, Responses and Collects

• Anthem (announced)

• Prayers

• Hymn (announced)

• Blessing

• Voluntary

Order of Sunday Evensong

• Responses

• Psalm(s) (announced) (Proper Psalms at Festal Evensongs)

• Old Testament reading

• Magnificat

• New Testament reading

• Nunc Dimittis

• Apostles’ Creed

• Lesser Litany, Lord’s Prayer, Responses and Collects

• Anthem (announced)

• Prayers

• Hymn

• Sermon

• Hymn

• Blessing

• Voluntary

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SECTION G

Additional Information

Accommodation

In summer weeks, accommodation is usually available at Wells Cathedral School. The

boarding houses are a range of beautiful medieval and 18th century houses. mostly set

within their own gardens. They are adjacent to the main school campus and very

convenient for Wells Cathedral. Bedrooms are a combination of twin rooms and small

dormitories. There is a lounge area and a kitchen which guests are free to use. Toilets

and showers are mainly shared, although there are a small number of en-suites. Bed linen

and towels are provided during your stay. The dining hall is on the main campus and is

where breakfast and all other meals are served. Please contact Kay Pennycott on 01749

834298 or via k.pennycott@wells-cathedral-school.com for further details.

There is a list of further accommodation in Wells available on the Tourist Information

website – wellssomerset.com, or contact Melanie Lawlor for a list of suggestions.

Cathedral Café

The Cathedral’s café is at the West End of the Cathedral, above the shop, and is open

Monday to Saturday from 11.00am-3.00pm, and from 11.45am-3.00pm on Sundays and

Bank Holidays. Please get in touch with the Deputy Catering Manager if you wish to

arrange a meal or other event.

All members of visiting choirs are entitled to 10% discount in the café whilst singing with

us. Discount vouchers are needed for this offer, so please contact the Deputy Catering

Manager in advance of your visit to let them know how many people there are in your

choir, and vouchers will be printed ready for collection from the café on the first day of

your visit.

Day-off

If your choir is singing for a full week and you would like a day-off, we would suggest the

Thursday. Please speak with Melanie Lawlor to arrange this.

Lunchtime concerts

Occasionally a visiting choir will wish to perform an informal lunchtime concert. We

would be delighted to accommodate your request – please contact Matthew Minter via

events@wellscathedral.uk.net for more details.

Parking

Unfortunately, the Cathedral is unable to offer any parking although unloading directly

outside the West Front of the Cathedral is possible by prior arrangement, via St Andrew

Street. There are several well-signposted public car parks in Wells.

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Recording

Discreet audio recording is permitted only with the advance written permission of the

Chapter, for which you need to apply at least four weeks in advance. Please e-mail your

request to Melanie Lawlor, who will liaise with the relevant Chapter member(s). If granted

permission, arrangements should be made with the duty Virger when you arrive. Audio

recordings made must be for non-commercial use only. Photography and video recording

are not permitted during services.

Risk Assessments

We will send to you copies of our visiting choir and organ loft risk assessments. Please

share these with the relevant members of your choir.

Robing

Visiting choirs robe in Chorister Practice Room East. There are hooks on the wall but

you will need to bring your own hangers. Please do not disturb the Cathedral Choir’s

robes or music. Robed choirs should wear their cassocks (not surplices) for all rehearsals

in the stalls. Unrobed choirs are expected to wear formal clothes for rehearsals as well

as services. Shoes should be flat and quiet.

Safeguarding

Wells Cathedral is committed to the safeguarding of all its visitors, volunteers, and staff.

Please carefully read and complete the Safeguarding Form provided and return it no fewer

than two weeks before your visit. If this form is not completed, then your choir will not

be allowed to sing at Wells Cathedral. All choirs are required to submit the form

regardless of whether they have under-18s singing with them.

The Bishop’s Palace

The Palace Trust have very kindly agreed that visiting choirs singing at Wells Cathedral

can visit The Bishop’s Palace at half-price. If you wish to take advantage of this offer, please

contact Moira Anderson in advance via moira.anderson@bishopspalace.org.uk so she can

ensure the staff at the gate know to give the discount.

Tours of the Cathedral

We are pleased to offer your choir their own ground level tour of the Cathedral. Please

contact the Visitor Services Team at least two weeks in advance. Members of your choir

are also welcome to join the regular daily tours of the Cathedral floor, which are open

to any visiting members of the public.

Additionally, tours of the Cathedral Library, with its collection of rare and ancient books

can be arranged. Again, a minimum of two weeks’ notice is required.

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It is vital that tours are booked ahead of your visit as volunteer guides need to be arranged

in advance, and the tours ned to be scheduled in with other activities in the Cathedral’s

diary.

Donations are welcome, but there will be no charge for visiting choirs for tours of the

ground level of the Cathedral or the Library.

If members of your choir would like to take part in a High Parts tour, for which there

would be a charge, please visit wellscathedral.org.uk/your-visit/tours/high-parts-tours.

Bookings for these are taken on-line.

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SECTION H

Useful Contact Details

PA to the Director of Music

Melanie Lawlor 01749 832204

musicoffice@wellscathedral.uk.net

Melanie is the first port of call for all enquiries related to visiting choirs

Liturgy Assistant

Jim Moretti 01749 832216

jim.moretti@wellscathedral.uk.net

Head Virger

Simon Rose 01749 832206

virgers@wellscathedral.uk.net

The Virgers’ Vestry is located off the North Nave Aisle, near the North Transept

Wells Cathedral Catering

Marianne Carter, Deputy Catering Manager 01749 676543

marianne.carter@wellscathedral.uk.net

Visitor Services Team 01749 671663

visits@wellscathedral.uk.net

The Music Foundation

The Revd Canon Nicholas Jepson-Biddle, Precentor

Jeremy Cole, Director of Music

Alexander Hamilton, Assistant Director of Music

Wells Cathedral Music Office

Chain Gate

Cathedral Green

Wells

BA5 2UE

wellscathedral.org.uk

Wells Tourist Information Centre 01749 671770

wellssomerset.com

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Appendix 1 Music List – Notes on house style

Please read the following instructions carefully and follow them closely when filling in your

music list form. This will save you and us time! Please ensure that the capitalisation is

accurate when completing the forms.

Introits

Note that the majority of services do not have introits at Wells Cathedral. If you are in

any doubt, please check with us.

Responses

Please give only the composer’s name, not the title.

Canticles and mass settings

Unlike many other places, Wells Cathedral prints the title of the canticle setting on the

music list as it is printed on the title page of the score, for example:

Stanford Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in C

Leighton Second Service

Elgar Te Deum and Benedictus

Darke Communion Service in E

Byrd Mass for four voices

Palestrina Missa Aeterna Christi munera

Anthems and motets

The same instructions apply as for canticles. Please take care with pieces which are known

colloquially by other things, such as Greater Love, which on the music list should read (also

noting the capitalisation, for which you need to refer to the relevant place in the score):

Ireland Greater Love hath no man

Composers’ names

For clarity, please provide the full names of all composers along with their dates of birth

and death (if applicable).

Gospel Acclamations and Responses

If it will result in a stronger performance, please note that it is perfectly acceptable to sing

just the ‘Congregation’ line (in unison) in the Gospel Acclamations and Responses, and in

the Additional Eucharist Responses.

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Appendix 2

20

Please note that if you are singing during Lent there are different Gospel Responses.

We will send these separately.

21

Appendix 3

22

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