Categories: uncategorized
Date: 17 May 2012 21:39:39
We had a very interesting and enjoyable excursion to the old Princetown church on Sunday - now one of the redundant churches and only open at certain times through the year. It being a significant anniversary, the church was not only open, but had invited Exeter Cathedral choir to sing Evensong. It was wonderful to hear the strong, confident sound of the boys' voices in a building that hadn't heard sung canticles and anthems for a long time. Accompanied by David Davies on a tiny keyboard (the organ having been long out of action), the choir sang the Byrd responses, Psalm 147, Blow in G canticles and 'Exsultate Justi' (Viadana). Unusually, by contrast, the congregation were invited to join in two modern hymns ('Christ is the one who calls' and 'In Christ alone' - fortunately we had a good lead from the choir to help us out). A goodly spread was provided at the end of the service, to warm our chilly bodies before stepping out into the night air.
Tonight it was back to our own church for Ascension Day sung Eucharist. As we are usually a small choir for that service, there was no anthem but we enjoyed singing the Thorne Mass, three rousing hymns and the Gospel Acclamation, followed by sparkling wine and nibbles at the back of church. Our organist apologised in advance that he was Spring cleaning the organ tonight with a rendition of Messiaen's 'Transports de Joie' - I had my suspicions he wanted to clear the church of people so that he could have unlimited access to the wine.