Categories: uncategorized
Date: 30 January 2006 22:05:35
A feast of my favourite anthems at Buckfast Abbey on Saturday night, this time from one of the local choral societies: Howells, Ireland, Wesley, etc. Plus a glorious Magnificat by Chapple (St. Paul's service) which I wish my own church choir had the resources to sing well.
We had to do instead with 'Teach me O Lord' - Attwood, trying not to sound like we were killing anyone (and die) or advertising our favourite Welshman (and Dai). I had a salutary reminder that it is a good idea to stand where I can see the conductor whilst singing: fortunately everyone else kept time, so disaster was averted. Nobody was set alight - for it was Candlemas - but the procession took an unusual turn with the crucifer and acolytes turning up last at the font, for some reason, and one of the tenors nearly ending up singing with the altos. I think we need our vicar back to keep us all in order.
It seemed strange singing a Festival Evensong to an almost empty church (congregation 20, choir 22) - most people having come to the united-benefice-service-with-Archdeacon-Candlemas in the morning. The whole choir nevertheless enjoyed themselves giving Stanford in C and 'O thou the central orb' (Wood) plenty of welly, before finishing off the box of Christmas chocolates (which had somehow been hidden away and forgotten) in the choir vestry.