Music - The Port Elizabeth Oratory

Sacred Music

Explanation on why music is important to the Oratory: The Fathers of the Oratory, since the time of St Philip, have always valued music as a tool for drawing people into the worship and love of God. (from Oxford Oratory)

The pipe organ has always been highly regarded by the Church. The original plans of the church drawn up by our architect in the 1940s envisaged a pipe organ being built in our choir loft. In the wake of the development of electronic organs around that time, our architect’s vision was not fulfilled. We, as a parish, have placed a great deal of emphasis on our sacred music over the years, and these digital organs have formed an integral part in accompanying our liturgies.

In 2025, we were very blessed to be donated an acoustic pipe organ from the Dutch Reformed community of Oudtshoorn-Suid. It is a 20 rank, two manual Laukhuff German design that was originally installed in Oudtshoorn by the Cooper, Gill and Tomkins Organ Company. The organ is well suited to our space and in good condition. This week, the Pekelharing Organ Company began the delicate work required to install the organ in the choir loft. Once the organ is installed, a date will be set for its blessing and an inaugural concert.

Link to part 2 of explanation for Organ music: https://stbernadette.pe-oratory.org.za/magno-in-honore-the-pipe-organ-in-the-churchs-magisterium-part-2/

https://stbernadette.pe-oratory.org.za/magno-in-honore-the-pipe-organ-in-the-churchs-magisterium/Link to part 1 of explanation for Organ music:

On Thursday 30 April, we were privileged to bless and inaugurate our new pipe organ in a concert of organ, instrumental and choral music. The organ was blessed with a resounding prayer by the Church asking God that He bless “this instrument of the organ, dedicated to Thy worship; and grant that Thy faithful, rejoicing in spiritual canticles upon this earth, may merit to come to eternal joys in heaven.”

The music we experienced on Thursday evening was described by one parishioner as “heavenly”. We are grateful to the parish and guest musicians who took part in the concert by sharing their beautiful talents with us and making music worthy of and to the glory of God.

The concert was recorded and the recordings should be available to listen to in due course. One of the favourite pieces of the evening had to be the penultimate piece on the programme, the Te lucis ante terminum by Henry Balfour Gardiner, sung by our parish choir, asking God to be our “guard and keeper” until “the ending of the day” (audio below).

To paraphrase Pope Benedict XVI: may all who enter our church come to experience “the magnificence of its architecture and its liturgy, enriched by solemn song and the harmony of this new organ, be brought to the joy of faith”.

The idea of a Musical Oratory is a continuation of the Renaissance tradition founded by St Philip Neri. These “Oratories” were often a sermon given by a priest outside of the Mass coupled with the music of Roman composers of the day such as Palestrina and Victoria. It is from these “Oratories” that the style of the “Oratorio” was formed.

The pipe organ, being “The principal musical instrument for solemn liturgical ceremonies of the Latin Church”, is blessed when it is installed in a new location, allowing it to be dedicated to the worship of God. Our blessing of our pipe organ will be followed by an inaugural concert featuring a programme performed by our choir as well as soloists from Port Elizabeth and beyond, comprising of pieces both old and new (including some specially composed for the occasion!). You can expect to hear works from Bach, Handel , Elgar and others, as well as have the opportunity to sing along with a few hymns. The concert will be followed by refreshments in the parish hall.