Categories: uncategorized
Date: 19 December 2005 17:44:29
Most of the music matched the theme of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to go with the Gospel reading and the Sermon. It seems strange to sing the Magnificat at morning service, I'm so used to singing it at Evensong every week. The anthem was one of my favourites, 'Ave Maria' by Arcadelt, sung this time with quiet organ accompaniment.
The service of Lessons and Carols went well after a scary start when the candlelight was so dim we couldn't read the words. Fortunately, even the newest chorister was able to sing 'Once in Royal David's City' off by heart, and by verse three the candles were supplemented by some of the church electric lighting. The youngest choristers sang the first verse on their own, and blended together rather well.
After the unison 'Adam lay ybounden' (Warlock) got us off to a rather disappointing start, the rest of the programme only improved. We were on 'Choir Lite' this year, with our choirmaster having been so ill, so concentrated on doing simple harmonies well and using techniques such as alternating high and low voices on the verses. Thus, 'Hail Blessed Virgin Mary' (arr. Wood), 'Sussex Carol' (arr. Willcocks), 'Myn Lyking' (Terry), 'Infant Holy' (arr. Willcocks), 'The Shepherd's Pipe Carol' (Rutter) and 'In the bleak Midwinter' (Darke) completed the programme, along with all the old favourite carols, with some carefully-chosen descants. 'The Shepherd's Pipe carol' always seems to come alive on the night - it is my least favourite during rehearsal. The soprano solo verse of 'In the bleak midwinter' positively soared. All in all, it was a good service, with a choir of 30 including university returnees.