Categories: uncategorized
Date: 31 July 2011 21:45:04
The busy week of music continued into Sunday, as our visiting choir took part in their final service, 9.45am Eucharist. We arrived early as the choir were rehearsing, with the composer of the Banffshire Mass in attendance. He seemed pleased with the conductor's interpretation and only stepped forward twice to make a comment. Most of the emphasis was on this new mass, as the anthem (Panis Angelicus, Franck) was well-known. The service was a fitting celebratory end to a wonderful musical week.
After a week of sitting back and listening, it was our turn to sing again in the evening. We had been asked to lead a special service to celebrate the installation of a new organ at one of our neighbouring parishes. It is only a little church and therefore only a little organ, but it certainly packed some power! As well as three celebratory hymns and the psalm to Anglican chant, we sang Stanford in C canticles, Sweeney responses and the Hallelujah Chorus (Handel). Having got rid of their choir stalls under a previous vicar, we had to sit on chairs, which proved rather awkward. Other churches please note - the choir need somewhere to keep their music, rather than on the floor or behind us on the chairs. Choir stalls can be made temporarily removable, if necessary, without having to cart them off completely. Our Director of Music finished the service with a flourish, playing Widor's 'Toccata' in his usual loud and frenzied style. If the new organ can manage that without blowing up then it should give many years of robust service.
Predictably, the evening ended with a party in the pub next door - apparently we had the 'cheap' menu, which proved to be piles of very filling and delicious food - I dread to think what the more expensive menu would have provided! We said a sad goodbye to one of our younger choristers, who is moving to Oxford, to further her studies.
Now we are on holiday, apart from two weddings, for the whole of August.