Categories: uncategorized
Date: 23 May 2009 11:19:56
Visiting a friend's church in Surrey on Thursday gave me a chance to sit back and enjoy the singing of another choir. It was a small church but a very enthusiastic choir, not afraid to challenge themselves. A delightfully informative and friendly atmosphere pervaded, with laughs and understanding smiles accompanying the announcement that the service booklets were last year's and had to be hurriedly reprinted. It brought a direct relevance to the proceedings of the phrase 'Hot off the press', with the service starting 5 minutes late. The accoustic of the building was such that it gave the impression of a choir double the size. We were treated to a mixed medley of music, from Byrd's 'Alleluia' through Haydn's 'Little Organ Mass' (Gloria and Sanctus) to 'Above all praise and majesty' (Mendelssohn). When all the individual candles were lit, the choir sang the very atmospheric 'Veni Sancte Spiritus' (Taize chant) with the vicar as Cantor. We then all processed out in silence, leaving only those who wished to stay in church and pray.