*** DEBUG START ***
*** DEBUG END ***

Cinema and expectations of weddings

by
23 May 2014

iStock

From Mr Colin Baldy

Sir, - I blushed when I read the Revd Julian Hollywell's fulsome praise for my talents ( Letters, 16 May), though I feel that I cannot take responsibility for the liturgical excellence of St Mary's, Maldon, which is due entirely to the efforts of the Rector, the Revd Louis Darrant.

I fear, however, that Fr Hollywell has slightly missed the point of my article. I do not doubt that "Mr Cow, how do you say to the Lord, I love you" sung by children and adults alike at a wedding at which he officiated was entirely dignified and appropriate. Nor do I doubt that he has conducted similarly dignified and celebratory weddings either with no music or with modern, secular music. I know him to be a charismatic and inspiring priest.

I suspect that he may have jumped to conclusions as a result of the headline of the piece. My original title was "The Disneyfication of Weddings". An earlier version was "Love Actually Weddings". My point was that, since so many brides now have no experience of church, for very many their entire experience is what they have seen at the cinema. Indeed, just a couple of weeks ago, I met a couple who had never been to a church wedding and thought that it was exactly as in films.

Having spent most of my working life in opera, I would, you might think, approve of the theatrical. On the whole I do, but not when it becomes the central focus. This is what I was trying to get across.

Fr Hollywell will, I hope, be pleased to know that I only ever advise and will always agree to play whatever the bride desires. It is, after all, her day. Last year, we sang Westlife at one wedding, and, at another, despite my trying my best to dissuade the bride, I played the Toccata and Fugue in D minor for her to enter by. She entered just as I got to the long, spread diminished chord on C# over the pedal D. As I feared, it did appear that she was being led to her doom, but, hey ho! she loved it.

COLIN BALDY
Director of Music, St Mary's, Maldon
15 Wantz Road, Maldon
Essex CM9 5DB

Browse Church and Charity jobs on the Church Times jobsite

Letters to the editor

Letters for publication should be sent to letters@churchtimes.co.uk.

Letters should be exclusive to the Church Times, and include a full postal address. Your name and address will appear alongside your letter.

Forthcoming Events

Church Times/RSCM:

Festival of Faith and Music

26 - 28 April 2024

See the full programme on the festival website. 

Early bird tickets available

 

Church Times/Sarum College:

Traditions of Christian Spirituality

January - May 2024

This is a five-part series on major strands of the Christian spiritual tradition.

Book individual session tickets or sign up for the full programme

 

Green Church Awards

Closing date: 30 June 2024

Read more details about the awards

 

The Church Times Archive

Read reports from issues stretching back to 1863, search for your parish or see if any of the clergy you know get a mention.

FREE for Church Times subscribers.

Explore the archive

Welcome to the Church Times

​To explore the Church Times website fully, please sign in or subscribe.

Non-subscribers can read four articles for free each month. (You will need to register.)