Categories: uncategorized
Date: 17 April 2006 20:16:12
A fairly relaxing Triduum this year, not least because I didn't get involved in any additional Lent and Holy Week services and devotions - obviously a good move. It was rather surprising to be asked to sing the Gloria on Maundy Thursday; otherwise it was business as usual with 'A new commandment' (Shephard), the foot washing and the Watch until midnight. Good Friday saw a prostrated Bishop (probably due to exhaustion from helping out at the children's Easter workshop earlier that morning ;) ), 'We glory in thy cross O Lord' (Shephard), kneeling to sing 'O sacred head sore wounded' as the cross was slowly processed up the aisle, communion in one kind and departing chaotically at the end.
And so on to my favourite service of the Easter period - the first Eucharist and lighting of the Fire. The procession through a darkened church with only the new paschal candle for company ('The Light of Christ, Thanks be to God') never fails to move, leading to the Exsultet - sung beautifully by one of our readers - and culminating in the joyful sound of the Gloria as the lights gradually increase to full power. The only disappointment was that, as we had sung the Gloria on Maundy Thursday, there was no 'wow' factor of singing it for the first time for six whole weeks. But it was good enough. Which was more than could be said for the asperging (of the choir only) with a tiny sprig - so that the droplets were hardly noticeable. Oh for a good slosh up and down the aisles with half a tree....
Easter Day saw a full church with people of all ages (although the children were quite overawed by the whole occasion and made hardly a sound). There were several random stray 'Alleluias' as well as the ones in the liturgy (the excitement of too many easter eggs must have got to a few people) and of course the choir had to top this by singing Handel's 'Hallelujah Chorus' with gusto. Apparently everyone under 99 was offered a Creme Egg as they left - either I tarried over my coffee for too long or I looked incredibly ancient as there appeared to be none forthcoming.
Festival Evensong was much less well attended, by both choir members and congregation. However, we gave the Stanford in C mag. and nunc. and Balfour Gardiner's 'Evening Hymn' a good airing, to the satisfaction of a former choir member who was in the front pew.