Categories: uncategorized
Date: 16 March 2011 17:36:15
Attwood's lovely anthem 'Turn thy face from my sins' was a fitting one for the First Sunday of Lent. We sang it alternating soprano solo with SATB. Fewer sopranos turned up to evening service, but Farrant's 'Hide not thou thy face' was not noticeably weakened due to singing it quietly and with contemplation. Quiet and Contemplation: Two words which were less in evidence in the post-service concert in aid of the New Zealand earthquake. The hotel opposite the church, where the concert was held, experienced its own earthquake as several enthusiastic youth bands gave their all (very well, I must say, although I discovered it was safer to listen from one room away rather than in booming distance from the loudspeakers). A quartet from our church choir provided contrast by singing two church anthems (Mozart's 'Ave Verum' and Farrant's 'Call to Remembrance') plus two rather jolly madrigals ('Now is the month of Maying' and 'Fair Phyllis'). Many sniggers could be heard during the second of these ('then they fell a-kissing, up and down, up and down, up and down') - the a capella singing was well-received. We even won a rather good bottle of champagne in the raffle, to take back as our reward; the concert also raised a very impressive sum for the appeal.