Categories: uncategorized
Date: 30 October 2006 20:10:34
A half-term break and a change of musical scene. Sunday morning saw us in the ancient university chapel of St. Salvator, St. Andrews. A rather loud organ (too large for the building, with a strident sound) was played expertly, and it was heavenly to sit back and listen to the choir of young student voices. Being Church of Scotland, there were also plenty of hymns for the congregation to join in as well, mostly with a distinct Iona emphasis.
Thursday's Compline was held in the not-quite-but-almost-as-old chapel of St. Leonard. An equally good student choir - a different one from the Sunday choir - sang an introit, the psalm and Panis Angelicus by Saint Saens. Most of the service of Compline was said rather than sung, with a chance for the congregation to join in 'Before the ending of the day'. A 10pm candlelit service will always have a special atmosphere, but nothing could beat the 5 minute silence at the end. It was easy to see how the monks would then depart in silence and hasten to bed. I fear the students had a more important appointment with the local hostelry.
The final Sunday of half-term was spent in Cardiff, at a rather different church: St. Teilos. A small congregation and an even smaller choir sang three traditional hymns and psalm together with a Eucharistic setting composed in-house, to the accompaniment of a fine organ played alternately by the resident organist and an organ scholar. Only a few (mostly musical) students had managed to find this warm-hearted congregation in a gem of a 19th century church, now partly reordered as a music and arts centre. I hope a few more do so soon.