So now you know from the title, Dear Reader, what occurred today. Perhaps I need not write more. Perhaps I should not write more. But, Dear Reader, I will.
Perhaps I will start with the end and end with the beginning...
The Young Ones have just left Room 112 (my room) where they very kindly offered to help Alice and me finish off the duty free vodka and gin we bought in KL some 9 days ago. Slack work, Team. There are remnants, so the Young Ones are cordially invited back to whatever room I am allocated in Chichester tomorrow to continue their assistance in Tidying Up the duty free. What was said in Tidy Up remains in Tidy Up, and you, Dear Reader, should be grateful for this. As well as those whose reputations might be sullied by Tidy Up.
Continuing our journey back in time, I will take you, Dear Reader, back to TGIF Guildford*. It stands for Thank God Its Friday. Except on their wall it says TGI FRiDAYS, with the plural marker. (Note to self: Turn off inner Grammar Pedant after this). Boss and Mr Boss (aka Leonie and Keith) went off to visit friends, while Jenny Wilson and Nick Iles entertained friends at the same restaurant (I think J&N were the braver). This chain is an EXCELLENT chain of cafes. Their best endeavour is something called the Ultimate, available on a number of cocktails. http://www.tgifridays.co.uk/cocktails/ One suspects, Dear Reader, that we have doubled their weekly profits through the bar tonight, but I personally lack the photographic evidence for this. Suffice it to say that the two Mojitos I carried back to the table when it was my round looked more like fishbowls than glasses. But these evaporated. Not my fault, I am sure. Seems Long Island Iced Tea was in order thereafter, at least for me. Food was very good, cocktails were excellent. The lovely lad behind the bar turned out to have been a Voice Student at the local Uni, and loved to sing. His ability to use his voice effectively was demonstrated when he introduced the Choir to a full restaurant for an excellent rendition of Waltzing Matilda (thanks Andrew). Our Chorister Breeding Program was well in evidence as the most serious singers of the chorus were Misses Sophie and Alice Crompton.
Prior to this we had sung The Evensong of the Mammoth Psalms. Tonight we sang three, which amounted to 55 verses over three psalm chants, some of which alternated. Dear Reader, do not tell my fellow choristers, but I LOVED singing all this psalmody.
Guildford Cathedral was welcoming, unlike the weather, which was horrid during the day. Nareen Nitchingham undertook her RSCM Gold Medal Exam today. While we do not know the results yet, what we heard from outside the Song School was beautiful and she reported that she was pleased with herself.
We sang Batten Fourth for the Canticles and did our first Jonathan Dove The Three Kings this evening. The service was well received. It was a very different experience singing in a Cathedral YOUNGER than ours. It was consecrated in May 1961, scarily after the birth of your writer, Dear Reader, although the architecture dates from the 1930s. The sound is different, the building very different, but I really loved it. I was just a *little* scared when the Data Projector was switched on above the hight altar, but this turned out only to be responsible for projecting a backdrop colour above the High Altar representing the day's season, today Gold for Epiphany. The Sub Dean and the Canon attending were lovely, and the chanting of the versicles and responses was excellent, despite the lack of practice with the choir.
Prior to the Service we rehearsed, but before this we had a Masterclass with the Suborganist (I think). If I remember correctly, his name was Paul Provost. This was great fun as he worked through the Psalms to teach us more about technique. He provided a different perspective from Leonie, one that was complementary and in keeping with my work, Dear Reader, as a Speech Pathologist.
Continuing our journey back in time, Anna Legge, Alice Gent and I went in search of lunch after alighting from the coach around the corner from the High Street in the pouring rain. For better or for worse we found ourselves in Jamie's Italian (Jamie Oliver's joint), with the Mercuris. http://www.jamieoliver.com/italian/food-&-wine Turned out to be for the better. A GRAND time was had by all eight of us, including Mary heading over to other tables to talk about their food and taking photos of the presentation. Thanks Mary. We are looking forward to coming to yours for a repeat performance.
Before this we had travelled to Guilford by coach**. But only after Alice, Josh, Anna and I had searched out half decent coffee (the best joint opened at 12 noon, and this was 9:20am). We found the half decent at the Pasty place. The roof was sooooooo low, Dear Reader, that we ALL had to duck several times to get to our table. This coffee was greeted with a parting of the ways as Josh headed off to Past Times, Anna to the Hotel and Alice and I left for the Cath Kidston shop. Alice and I damaged the plastic but are very happy. I did manage to get some photos of the facade of Winchester Cathedral today.
All of this followed what seemed to be a communal sleepin. I did not get to Breakfast until 8:40am today. I expected to be on my own but in fact had lots of friends at breakfast.
So in reverse order of events, I hope you enjoyed today's update.
PS: I note that one way to find out who is reading this is to pose a question. Thanks Kevin and Bruce for your replies to my my question about hymn 48 in NEH. "Bethlehem of noblest cities" and we too enjoyed singing the word "lambent" in the line "by its lambent beauty guided" and finding out what it meant.
Afternote: I really should get on with the task of composing a sonnet - there is a competition...
*Brooke Osborne has previously suggested that TGIF stands for Toes Go In First.
**BTW, today's Bus Quiz was won by Imogen.
Cxxx
Perhaps I will start with the end and end with the beginning...
The Young Ones have just left Room 112 (my room) where they very kindly offered to help Alice and me finish off the duty free vodka and gin we bought in KL some 9 days ago. Slack work, Team. There are remnants, so the Young Ones are cordially invited back to whatever room I am allocated in Chichester tomorrow to continue their assistance in Tidying Up the duty free. What was said in Tidy Up remains in Tidy Up, and you, Dear Reader, should be grateful for this. As well as those whose reputations might be sullied by Tidy Up.
Continuing our journey back in time, I will take you, Dear Reader, back to TGIF Guildford*. It stands for Thank God Its Friday. Except on their wall it says TGI FRiDAYS, with the plural marker. (Note to self: Turn off inner Grammar Pedant after this). Boss and Mr Boss (aka Leonie and Keith) went off to visit friends, while Jenny Wilson and Nick Iles entertained friends at the same restaurant (I think J&N were the braver). This chain is an EXCELLENT chain of cafes. Their best endeavour is something called the Ultimate, available on a number of cocktails. http://www.tgifridays.co.uk/cocktails/ One suspects, Dear Reader, that we have doubled their weekly profits through the bar tonight, but I personally lack the photographic evidence for this. Suffice it to say that the two Mojitos I carried back to the table when it was my round looked more like fishbowls than glasses. But these evaporated. Not my fault, I am sure. Seems Long Island Iced Tea was in order thereafter, at least for me. Food was very good, cocktails were excellent. The lovely lad behind the bar turned out to have been a Voice Student at the local Uni, and loved to sing. His ability to use his voice effectively was demonstrated when he introduced the Choir to a full restaurant for an excellent rendition of Waltzing Matilda (thanks Andrew). Our Chorister Breeding Program was well in evidence as the most serious singers of the chorus were Misses Sophie and Alice Crompton.
Prior to this we had sung The Evensong of the Mammoth Psalms. Tonight we sang three, which amounted to 55 verses over three psalm chants, some of which alternated. Dear Reader, do not tell my fellow choristers, but I LOVED singing all this psalmody.
Guildford Cathedral was welcoming, unlike the weather, which was horrid during the day. Nareen Nitchingham undertook her RSCM Gold Medal Exam today. While we do not know the results yet, what we heard from outside the Song School was beautiful and she reported that she was pleased with herself.
We sang Batten Fourth for the Canticles and did our first Jonathan Dove The Three Kings this evening. The service was well received. It was a very different experience singing in a Cathedral YOUNGER than ours. It was consecrated in May 1961, scarily after the birth of your writer, Dear Reader, although the architecture dates from the 1930s. The sound is different, the building very different, but I really loved it. I was just a *little* scared when the Data Projector was switched on above the hight altar, but this turned out only to be responsible for projecting a backdrop colour above the High Altar representing the day's season, today Gold for Epiphany. The Sub Dean and the Canon attending were lovely, and the chanting of the versicles and responses was excellent, despite the lack of practice with the choir.
 |
| The patient, knowledgeable and delightful Kevin Kent, our Bus Driver. |
Continuing our journey back in time, Anna Legge, Alice Gent and I went in search of lunch after alighting from the coach around the corner from the High Street in the pouring rain. For better or for worse we found ourselves in Jamie's Italian (Jamie Oliver's joint), with the Mercuris. http://www.jamieoliver.com/italian/food-&-wine Turned out to be for the better. A GRAND time was had by all eight of us, including Mary heading over to other tables to talk about their food and taking photos of the presentation. Thanks Mary. We are looking forward to coming to yours for a repeat performance.
Before this we had travelled to Guilford by coach**. But only after Alice, Josh, Anna and I had searched out half decent coffee (the best joint opened at 12 noon, and this was 9:20am). We found the half decent at the Pasty place. The roof was sooooooo low, Dear Reader, that we ALL had to duck several times to get to our table. This coffee was greeted with a parting of the ways as Josh headed off to Past Times, Anna to the Hotel and Alice and I left for the Cath Kidston shop. Alice and I damaged the plastic but are very happy. I did manage to get some photos of the facade of Winchester Cathedral today.
 |
| Alice provides perspective |
All of this followed what seemed to be a communal sleepin. I did not get to Breakfast until 8:40am today. I expected to be on my own but in fact had lots of friends at breakfast.
So in reverse order of events, I hope you enjoyed today's update.
PS: I note that one way to find out who is reading this is to pose a question. Thanks Kevin and Bruce for your replies to my my question about hymn 48 in NEH. "Bethlehem of noblest cities" and we too enjoyed singing the word "lambent" in the line "by its lambent beauty guided" and finding out what it meant.
Afternote: I really should get on with the task of composing a sonnet - there is a competition...
*Brooke Osborne has previously suggested that TGIF stands for Toes Go In First.
**BTW, today's Bus Quiz was won by Imogen.
Cxxx
Chrissie, I'm a little surprised that you YOUNG people didn't know "Bethlehem, of Noblest Cities".
ReplyDeleteIt was No 40 in the EH of 1933, to Stuttgart (in G not F). The words are attributed to Prudentius (B. 348), and translated by that tractarian priest E. Caswall (before you say it, both after my time)
Your stories and pictures continue to delight us - you are covering cathedrals that we visited on our "cathedral crawl" in 1968!
1 down in this morning's Hard Crossword was "softly bright" - lambent again.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear that you are not fading away for lack of sustenance. I wonder whether My Hawkes is becoming jealous at the amount of attention being given to his publishing partner…?
ReplyDeleteI'm still a little curious about the Aylesbury gig, and look forward to being able to answer the quiz question about it.