Categories: uncategorized
Date: 13 November 2011 21:53:15
We looked very smart bedecked in our red poppies (to match the red cassocks) for both the indoor and outdoor service today. Some rather gloomy scripture readings (the Lord's wrath, displeasure, thief in the night, weeping and gnashing of teeth) set a sombre and brooding tone, fortunately offset by more hopeful hymns (For the healing of the nations, O God our help in ages past). The atmospheric hymn 'Be still my soul' (Finlandia - Sibelius) was sung as an anthem, a capella, and we processed out to the 'St Anne Fugue' (Bach), one of my personal favourites. Unfortunately, I was unable to return and listen as we needed to proceed straight to the war memorial for the town remembrance service. Fortunately, this year, we did not need umbrellas.
A wonderful, quiet evensong ended the day, with ferial responses and Anglican chant. We tried to give expression to 'Kontakion of the Dead' (trad. Kiev) in the same way the Russians would sing it (with decrescendo, then crescendo on each phrase) - it half worked, but we'd need to practise that style more often to sound confident.