Categories: uncategorized
Date: 08 February 2010 20:37:57
An exciting change this weekend, taking a trip to Canterbury for the installation of the new Bishop of Dover. The very long procession included many senior clergy, canons, Deans and Bishops, but I was grimly fascinated to note that their ironing skills were, in most cases, no better than our own parish choir. The music was rather more ambitious, though, with the Rose Responses, Howells 'Coll. Reg.', and Bainton 'And I saw a new heaven'. Unfortunately the choir were standing a long way away (and I was in one of the front rows of the congregation, so those at the back must have felt very separated from the choral contribution) which made the sound rather weak. I guess filling the whole of Canterbury Cathedral with sound must be rather a challenging task for any choir. It is certainly an awe-inspiring space.
Sunday saw us in London at St. James, Paddington, a beautifully decorated church with a warm congregational welcome. The small professional choir sang a spectacular introit (music and composer not given) from the back of the nave, followed by a Mass setting I'd never heard of (Buhler's Mass in C), rather clunky in style, and Lobo's 'Ave Regina' during the administration. This choir of 5 had no trouble filling the large space of St. James. Unfortunately, we were unable to stay for evensong (Byrd's Third Service; In nomine Jesu, Handl) as we had a train to catch.