Categories: uncategorized
Date: 20 December 2004 15:43:30
A quiet morning service - maybe everyone is saving their energy for this evening. The tallest young chorister was needed to light the Advent 4 candle, almost at the top of the pulpit. 'Mary, mother of our Lord' was sung, and the anthem was 'Ave Maria' by Arcadelt. And very lovely it sounded, too...... Advent 4 sees our church come closest to (what is seen as) veneration of Mary, something which gets the less liturgically-driven churches so upset.
The 'Lessons and Carols' service this year was a corker. Something about on-the-night nerves seems to make everyone ultra-conscious of phrasing and dynamics and heightens our concentration. A full church also helps and it was encouraging to get so many positive comments at the end. Maybe if the visitors decide they like the choir singing they might come back again on an ordinary Sunday and some of the more musically minded might want to join the choir. Time will tell.......
Choir items were: Adam lay ybounden (Ord), A virgin most pure (Eng. Trad.), In dulci jubilo (Old German), Gabriel's Message (Basque), A boy is born (Downing - a local composer), Torches (Joubert) and The Three Kings (Cornelius). Plus the usual traditional readings and a good old carol-sing by all.
After the concentration of the early evening, a wonderful party at the home of two sopranos - with mulled wine, crackers, wonderful food and a silly party game. All very relaxing.