At St Helen Church last night there was a organ recital by Peter Foster who played six pieces from The Birth of the Saviour (Symphonic Meditations) by Olivier Messiaen.

The organist was helped by somebody turning the pages and by David Pope, who introduced each piece.

The recital was instead of the 5:30 Sunday Evening Service, and there was a good turnout. It began and ended with a prayer written by Olivier Messiaen. He believed in expressing his faith through music and words.

Even though the music was written way back in 1935, it sounded new and exciting. You didn’t need to know about the technicalities. There were repetitive themes, like the angels or the wise men or the shepherds. Sometimes it was sustained and hypnotic. Other times, the organ rang out like St Helen’s bells.

After the final prayer, when the formal service was finished, people applauded the music.

On the way out there was a collection towards new lights at St Helens. St Helens not only need replacement lights but also a replacement rector, now Rev. Dr. Charles Miller has retired.

Abingdon Town Council’s Music in the Park event was on Saturday. 1500 tickets had been sold online before the event, and the sunny afternoon increased the crowd, with people paying at the gates and enjoying some music in the late summer sun.

The event had a wide selection of caterers and a bar. There were inflatables and other activities for children. The early bands were Kaptain Kuppa, Zaia, and Superloose.

At 3 p.m., Hope and Glory performed songs from groups like Madness and the Specials, which got people dancing.

The Zoots kicked off their set at 5:30 pm, performing a selection of fun and upbeat songs from the 1960s.

The crowd was up on their feet, dancing and singing along. The Zoots then went off and came back in 1970’s gear for music from the 1970s.

The headline band, The Wurzels, have been performing since 1966, with a changing cast of musicians. Two of the current members were part of the band when they had their two-week run at the top of the charts with “Combine Harvester” in 1974.

The crowd around the stage included Wurzels fans, some of whom knew the words to every song. Among others, they played their hits: “I Am a Cider Drinker,” “The Combine Harvester,” and “Blackbird.”

I recorded three short snatches for anybody who missed the event and is curious.