The big day in York

 Dear Reader

We are currently on the road to London via Windsor Castle. So I have time for an update about our big day yesterday. It was such a big day that I had my best night’s sleep last night, so was not awake to do my usual 5am blog post.

This, Dear Reader, explains the concept of a Big Day for us. We are accustomed to singing two services on a Sunday, starting at 9:15am and finishing at 7:15pm. But we get a break for over 4 hours in between. Yesterday we started with a warm up and rehearsal at around 8:45am, then two services essentially back to back. We don’t sing Matins, apart from one attempt after a previous tour. Perhaps we could do a quarterly Matins, Ant?? Once a term?

The choristers and Lay Clerks then get a two hour break before the next rehearsal at 2:30 for the 4pm Evensong. Matins has no sermon but both the Eucharists and Evensong in York had sermons, which were excellent. The observation for Epiphany that we, the Choir, were travellers from the East was notable. 

On that note, the welcome we received in York was much warmer than the weather. Or the Minster itself. This was the first Cathedral where I felt the need to have a jumper under my robes. 

But back to the lunch break. The Four Fossils, now expanded to Five with Martin, made out way to The Minster Inn where they have a Sunday pizza special, two for one. We just managed to knock off four between us. Bella remarked she felt this gave us the experience of English Lay Clerks, where you have lunch together between services. 

Then it was back to Evensong. A beautiful service. We had such fun singing The Magi’s Dream by James Whitbourn with the awesome sounds of the York organ. We also sang the St Paul’s Buffalo canticles and the Nixon Responses, with Ps 46 to a John Bertalot chant. 

I realise I haven’t given details of the morning music. Matins also had the Nixon responses, with Stanford in C Te Deum and Jubilate, I wonder as I wander by Rutti, the Venite with a chant by Humphrey Clucas and Ps 89, v 20-30 with a chant by our own, much beloved David Swale. It is my favourite Swale chant and in fact probably my favourite chant. It has an awesome alto line. 

Here I wish to pause and give my own thanks to God for David Swale. Without him I would not be here with the Choir, as he invited me to continue on with the Choir in 1993 after I was one of a small group of women who helped out for a few months in 1992. David was a Chorister at York Minster, under Edward Bairstow. And his heritage is alive and well in our Choir, with Anthony and David.

The Eucharist celebrated the Feast of the Baptism of Christ. Gold vestments again. We sang the Dienes-Williams St Paul’s Wellingtonmass and Matthew Orlovich’s Lo, There is Light.  Four hymns included O, worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness, When Jesus came to be baptised, Hail to the Lord’s anointed and We turn to Christ anew (to the tune Leoni). 

David Heah was at his finest when he played Vierne’s Carillon de Westminster. His playing on this tour has been remarkable - I say this because so many have remarked on how excellent it has been. If you watch the livestream you can see locals came up to the floating console on the floor of the Minster to watch him play. We are blessed indeed. 

The following photos, taken at Evensong, are of him playing the main console. He was enjoying himself so much he threatened to stay in York. 

David has sent me the following information about his other Yorkian postludes. Saturday Eucharist was Johan Pachelbel’s Chorale Prelude Wie schon leuchtet derr Morgenstern. At Matins was Marcel Dupré’s Prelude Sur l’introit de l’Epiphanie, Op 13. At Evensong he played Henri Mulet’s Carillon-Sortie. 

The organ at York is big. Please note young Clara Cutri for reference. Speaking of Clara, it is so lovely to have three generations of her family on this tour, with her mother Antonia and grandmother Teresa. I’ve known her and her family since before she became a Chorister (I recruited her). To see her and all the Trebles make so much of this opportunity is heartwarming. They are adaptable and resilient, following instructions, learning so much and making their parents and St Peter’s Cathedral proud.

Yoyo asked for assistance to put on her surplice, but it wasn’t hers. It was Nicholas’ surplice. He is the tallest in the Choir

After some emergency Uber transport back to the Premier Inn with the cases of robes, music and folders, due to taxi delays, the Five Fossils headed off to The Golden Fleece, the most haunted pub in York. Please note, the photo of the pub was taken the previous day. It was cold and dark when we arrived there.

The funniest thing was watching a man wheel in a full sized piano for the nightly live music, down a step or two and around the tables. Bella was all for staying to listen but we headed back to our Inn as sleep seems a priority for we Fossils. 

Now some random photos. York Chorister reading material and one of the Bars at York (gates are Bars and streets are Gates) 

And a lovely picture of David and Jasmin, our intrepid leaders, with a small token of gratitude purchased at our coach break for relief and snacks.

More later, Dear Reader.

Cxx