English Cathedral Choirs: Norwich Cathedral Choir


Figure 1.--Norwich Cathedral also have distinctive neckwear for the senior boy choristers--a ruff worn with clerical bands. .

The construction of Norwich Cathedral began over a few years after the great Norman triumph at Hastings (1066). Herbert de Losinga bought the bishopric of East Anglia from the Crown (1091). He endevored to build a great cathedral. Construction began only a few years later (1096). The Cathedral was begun as part of an already existing Benedictine monastery. The Cathedral was built in about 50 years, which in terms of medieval cathedral construction was relatively rapid. We do not know a great deal about the Cathedral School, but we have some basic information. The school is a private school, commonly referred to as an independent scgool. In the British system there is both a prep school referred to as the Lower School and a public school referred to as the Upper School. The Lower School is attached to the Cathedral grounds. All the Choristers excepth rhe older ones attend the Lower School. Most boys enter the Choir at 8-10 years of age. They must pass the Cathedral School’s entrance examination and then do well in a voice test conducted by the Cathedral Organist. The new boys rarely have any serious musical training. The goal is to find bright boys with a clear voice and a ear for music. Most boys continue in the Choir until about age 14 when their voives break. Participation in the Choir is a demanding undertaking for the boys. The Cathedral Choir Endowment Fund provides a bursary for each chorister and probationer while he is in the Choir. These amount to approximately half of Cathedral School day-boy fees and are paid direct to the School.

Norwich Cathedral

The construction of Norwich Cathedral began over a few years after the great Norman triumph at Hastings (1066). Herbert de Losinga bought the bishopric of East Anglia from the Crown (1091). He endevored to build a great cathedral. Construction began only a few years later (1096). The Cathedral was begun as part of an already existing Benedictine monastery. The Cathedral was built in about 50 years, which in terms of medieval cathedral construction was relatively rapid. The Cathedral today preserves the entire original floor plan that Bishop Herbert de Losinga created. There are fourteen bays along the length of the aisle. The east end of the Cathedral is an innovative arrangement of ambulatory and radiating chapels. The Ambulatory contains stained glass dating from the 14th and 15th centuries. One of the highlights of the Cathedral is the 1,106 highly-coloured, carved timber bosses which graphically depict Christian history--important in an era when most people could not read. There are remarkable fragment of medieval wall painting in the south naive. Most of the early decoration was destroyed in the fire resulting from the 1272 riots. Repairs and subsequent construction destroyed most of what survived. Cathedral authorities see the reredos in St Luke's Chapel dating from the 1380s as the Cathedral's greatest treasure. It is a painted oak screen depicting the life of Christ.

Norwich School

We do not know a great deal about the Norwich School, but we have some basic information. The school is a private school, commonly referred to as an independent school. The Upper School would be considered a public (private secondary) school In the British system. It has a Lower School for boys up to age 11. The Lower School is adjacent to the Cathedral and the choristers are most drawn from these boys. The Norwich school has its own chapel in the Cathedral close and its own choir and the choristers also attend the school. The Lower School is attached to the Cathedral grounds. All the Choristers excepth trhe older ones attend the Lower School. Some are old enough to enter the Upper School. The Upper School is situated apart from the Cathedral and Lower School. A former student in the 1950s tells us that Norwich was a rugby school. The students were not allowed to play football (soccer) and could get into trouble for even kicking a ball. He particularly remembers a huge snowball fight and the head's response to make sure that never happened again. The school has a detachment of Sea Scouts--the 8th Norwich (Norwich School) Sea Scouts. It is an active detachment with 10 boats.

Cathedral Choir

Most boys enter the Choir at 8-10 years of age. They must pass the Cathedral School’s entrance examination and then do well in a voice test conducted by the Cathedral Organist. The voice test consists of aural tests in which the boy has to identify notes out of basic chords and repeat short melodic and rhythmic patterns. There is also a reading test in which the candidate reads a prose passage out loud. The new boys rarely have any serious musical training. The goal is to find bright boys with a clear voice and a ear for music. The boys at the Cathedral School are incouraged to play an instrument even id they are not involved in the Choir. This is especially true for the Choristers at in is a benefit to their choral training. It also privides a vehicle for enjoying music after they leave the Choir. Most boys continue in the Choir until about age 14 when their voives break. Participation in the Choir is a demanding undertaking for the boys. The Cathedral Choir sings Evensong daily Monday to Friday at 5.15 (finishing at about 6pm). They also perform two services on Sundays, the Eucharist at 10.30am and Evensong at 3.30pm. The boys reherse every morning Monday to Friday 8.20 - 9am, afternoons 4.25 until Evensong begins. There is a rehearsal on Fridays after Evensong until 6.50pm. The boys have most Saturdays free. On Sundays there is a full rehearsal at 9.30 and a choristers’ rehearsal at 2.45pm. The Cathedral Choir Endowment Fund provides a bursary for each chorister and probationer while he is in the Choir. These amount to approximately half of Cathedral School day-boy fees and are paid direct to the School.






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Created: October 30, 2003
Last updated: 5:39 AM 7/15/2005