Music at Trinity

Trinity Church has a long-standing tradition of excellent music. The church has been home to some historically important musicians, most notably the "American Pachelbel," Charles Theodore Pachelbel (1690-1750), son of Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706), and William Selby (1738-1798). Today, Trinity's music program presents great music in the Anglican tradition while exploring works of contemporary composers such as Arvo Pärt, John Tavener and John Rutter.

On Sunday, February 3 at 4 PM, Dr. Neal Campbell will present an organ recital at Trinity Church, Newport. Dr. Campbell is the Director of Music and Organist at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Darien, CT. A reception for all guests will follow the concert in Honyman Hall. Admission to the recital is by donation.

Trinity's choirs play an important role in weekly and special liturgies. In addition to leading the congregation in hymnody, the choirs praise God through the singing of excellent choral music.

The Senior Choir is open to experienced adult singers of any age. In addition to singing two anthems every Sunday, the choir sings occasional Evensongs, concerts, weddings and funerals. Rehearsals are on Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 and Sunday mornings at 9:00, in preparation for the 10:00 service.

The Youth Choir is open to all children from age eight. The choir is an integral part of Sunday worship, vesting, processing and singing every week, except during the summer. Rehearsals are on Thursday afternoons from 4:30 to 5:30 and Sunday mornings from 8:30 to 9:00, before Sunday school. Many members of this ensemble "graduate" to the Senior Choir after their freshman year of high school. This choral program is affiliated with the Royal School of Church Music and follows RSCM’s Voice for Life curriculum.

The Cantus Choir is open to pre-reading children until they feel ready to join the Youth Choir (music is learned by rote). The Cantus Choir rehearses for fifteen minutes following each Sunday 10:00 service and sings once a month at the 10:00 service.

It has long been said that Handel played Trinity’s organ in England before it arrived in Newport. Presented to Trinity by the Rev. George Berkeley, D.D. through the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, the organ was completed by renowned builder, Richard Bridge, in London in July 1733. Shipping arrangements were made by mid-October, and the instrument arrived in Newport in February 1734 on ship owned by Godfrey Malbone, a Trinity parishioner.¹

George Frideric Handel once wrote of Bridge in 1749, “I very well approve of Mr. Bridge who without any Objection is a very good Organ Builder.”² Handel’s knowledge of Bridge’s work leads us to believe that, when Henry Newman, secretary of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, wrote, “[The organ] has been touched and approved by some of the most eminent Masters in London...,” he might have been referring, in part, to Handel.

Aside from a brief visit to Oxford in June and July of 1733, Handel would have been in London to try the organ after its completion. And it is very likely that he did. Even today, organ and harpsichord builders will contact prominent local musicians to try out new instruments before they are passed on to their purchasers.

Today, a few relics of the original instrument are in tact. The center facade of the current instrument is original. (The wings were added by Providence architect Norman Isham around 1926.) Some of the central facade pipes, part of the original Bridge organ, will sound if blown through. They are not, however, part of the current working instrument by Wicks (1973). We are very fortunate that the original console (i.e., keyboard and stops, pictured left) is preserved and currently on display at the Newport Historical Society’s Museum of Newport History.³

Trinity Church’s first organist was Charles Theodore Pachelbel (1690-1750), son of Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706). It is not known when Theodore, baptized as Carl Theodorus, came to the New World. We do know that he was working in Boston when he was called by the wardens of this church in 1733 to oversee the installation and tuning of the organ. He liked it so much he stayed for two years. From

there, he moved to New York where he gave a public performance off his Magnificat for double choir. That concert, at 6:00 pm on January 21, 1736, is notable in that it is the first public record of a concert given in the New World. Theodore eventually settled in Charleston, South Carolina, where he worked at St. Philip’s Church. His death year, incidentally, is the same as that of Johann Sebastian Bach.⁴

Performance Opportunities
for recitalists and visiting choirs
Recitals

If you are interested in giving a recital at Trinity, please send a biographical sketch, a live recording and program from a recent recital, a proposed recital program, three proposed recital dates in order of preference and cover letter to Trinity Church, Music Department, One Queen Anne Square, Newport, RI 02840.

Performers will be selected on the musical merit of the performers, program proposal and availability of dates. All decisions rest with the Music Director, and all decisions are final. Because we receive more requests than we have openings, your understanding is appreciated.

A small honorarium is paid for each program. Trinity Church will not provide housing arrangements, and it is expected that musicians, if necessary, have housing arrangements in mind before proposing a concert at Trinity.

TRINITY CHURCH
One Queen Anne Square
Newport, RI 02840
Phone (401) 846-0660
Fax (401) 846-8440