Dr Allan Wicks

[Hare]

Although he was not directly involved in Catholic music, I hope that it will not be considered inappropriate to record here the death in the last few days at the age of 86 of Dr Allan Wicks, former organist of Canterbury Cathedral? He did, after all, direct the music at Canterbury for Pope JP II's visit there.

He was a tremendous inspiration to many, directly and indirectly, myself included. A great musician, and wit, and a kind and generous person.

May he rest in peace.

[musicus]

As an ex-Dovorian, I am especially sorry to hear this. He was an extremely fine player. I have happy memories of a long-lost LP he made, which included Alan Ridout's Seven Last Words and Malcolm Williamson's Epitaphs for Edith Sitwell. Challenging fare, beautifully realised on the organ at Canterbury.

Oh, and he said some nice things about my Easter Dances too.

[Southern Comfort]

Allan Wicks was a dynamic personality, and something of an enfant terrible in Anglican circles. In the 1970s he was certainly much closer in spirit to Roman Catholic musicians than many of his contemporaries. To say that he had a love of liturgical drama would be a gross understatement!

[Hare]

Allan's memorial service was this afternoon at Canterbury. Circumstances conspired to keep me away. I wonder whether someone (our Indo-Iranian Sun-god perhaps ) who is also signed up to the Mander forum might correct the erroneous information given there?

[Mithras]

Done; by the way it's the Roman (Mithras), not the Indian (Mitra) or Iranian (Mithra)!

M

[Hare]

Done; by the way it's the Roman (Mithras), not the Indian (Mitra) or Iranian (Mithra)!

M

Thank you. My info is indeed reliable and is born out by the cathedral music list:- http://canterbury-cathedral.org/assets/ ... h-31st.pdf

My apologies as to your origin. I have just done some belated research and find that Roman Mithraism was not (as i had always erroneously imagined) descended from the Indo-Iranian.

Hangs head in shame

Then runs to hide having gone totally off topic

[Mithras]

Actually Hare there may be a tentative connnection. Mithra in Zoroastrianism may, but just may, have been the inspiration for the Roman mystery cult of Mithras but this argument initialy advanced by Cumont has been challenged in the last 40 or so years. What is more likely in my view is that this was a Roman military initiative inspired by initially (a) the Roman contact with Persia but (b) a radical reinterpretation of the nature of the universe in terms of the movement of the stars. In other words we have here an astrological/astronomical movement.

But I'm working on it. Having said that, I confess myself a Mithras fan in that I recognise a genuine ethic and even spirituality having been observed in the cult which certainly demanded of its adherents a strict moral observance. No, nothing to do with liturgy but as I was once told when doing theology at university, in the end "all things connnect".

May you have sunshine!

M

[Hare]

May you have sunshine!

M

Thanks - it is indeed shining. BUT see reply in 1st Communion topic

[musicus]

Back to the topic now, please.

[Hare]

Back to the topic now, please.

I do apologize - my fault.