Categories: uncategorized
Date: 30 June 2006 15:42:43
One of these days, I swear I'm going to sing, 'Copyright Kevin Mayhew Limited', as the Gospel Acclamation. That is what it says in the service sheet, after all. 'Be still my soul' (Sibelius), although a hymn, made a very effective anthem - sung full, quartet, solo with humming, full. We were encouraged to enunciate the words clearly and there was much scope with such a magnificent tune to add plenty of expression.
Festival Evensong was rather hard work. I don't think we should attempt a full Festival Evensong setting without a full choir, but the choirmaster enjoys giving us a challenge - and himself heart failure. Apart from a wobble at the end of the Walmsley in D minor Nunc, there was nothing actually wrong with any of the music, including the Sweeney responses and 'The King Shall Rejoice' (Handel). And the men-only parts sounded particularly strong. But we were too busy trying to sing the music correctly to rise above the basics. Perhaps the rest of the choir (mainly sopranos - the other parts were well-represented) will return from their various holidays in order to sing with us for a while before we have our August break?