Categories: uncategorized
Date: 17 February 2013 18:38:35
My wonderful time of listening continued: firstly, on Saturday, with the RSCM Voices West at Wells Cathedral (Walsh responses, Bairstow Canticles and Byrd 'Civitas Sancti Tui'). I particularly enjoyed the gentle, laid-back style with which the Byrd was sung - in which the choir sounded much more like cathedral choristers than a diverse collection of parish church choristers, such as they were. It was a good opportunity to meet up with friends for the evening - it is very interesting how many church musicians seem to end up at either Wells or Salisbury. Sunday saw a return to our own church - and a rare opportunity to hear my own parish choir sing. They had a tuneful, gentle, quiet style, in the responsorial psalm, the Mass setting (St. Thomas, Thorne) and the a capella anthem, 'Lord, for thy tender mercies' sake' (Farrant). I was very proud of them.
Such wonderful music was perfectly complemented by a simple, but delicious Lent Lunch in the Parish Centre - with curried parsnip soup, bread, cheese and coffee. To call it a Hunger Lunch would be a misnomer - and anyone still with empty boots had an opportunity to stock up with Fair Trade goods to take home.