Skip to main content

Royal Peculiars and other Odd Things

Dear Reader

Sorry for the delay in posting, pics in particular. I am currently about a Pat Cash serve away from Windsor Castle and think it just might be interfering with the Internet. So I will post text now and pics as soon as I can.

Today belonged to our Sovereign Lady, Elizabeth Our Queen. We visited Hampton Court Palace this afternoon after being at Mattins at Chichester this morning, as spectators rather than singers. At Hampton Court we were present for Evensong, making up more than 75% of the congo, I think. Mens Voices only this evening, which was interesting. More vibrato than I am used to, although the Cantor at Chichester sounded more crooner than RSCM. Both services today gave us more insight into our tradition, which is what it is about, really.

Our own "royal" Marie McCreadie, Alison Campbell's Mum, was at Evilsnog last night. While she is much more frail than last time I saw her, she was delighted to see us, and we her. Thanks to Isabel (Alison's sister) for getting her there.

In response to Stuart Langshaw's question, Nareen will not hear for about a fortnight about her RSCM exam. But both Nareen and Alana as accompanist felt very positive about it and she sounded great as we went past. Timing turned out to be of the essence, as Nareen and Maddie both have colds, as do a few others on the tour, especially girls. As nominated Health Officer I have found myself dispensing paracetamol etc; I'm so glad we sought parent permission for all of this before we left Australia, as I do feel concerned that I am practising medicine without a license, and with doctors' kids!

So tomorrow morning we are in Windsor and thence to Aylesbury where we will sing a concert with 12 items, two from memory. I know, because the Music Team got all 37 folders together with the 10 pieces we needed and the 3 for Rome, so we have officially FINISHED with music sorting for this tour. That is a Royal Blessing!

TOO tired. More tomorrow...

Cxxx

Comments

  1. Sorry about the first comment! As you come towards the end of the England part of the tour and to the concert, it's no wonder that a few health issues have arisen. You are all constantly thought of by us all at SPC - Dean Sarah encourages us to log onto the 2 blogs. Keep up the good work. I was Cantor at Evensong (aka Evilsnog) last night, with 31 people in the Choir Stalls and Joan C-B with a good sermon about John the Baptist. See you all soon.'

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Big One, St Paul’s

  Dear Reader Today was the Big Event of tour. St Paul’s Cathedral, London. If you are observant, you will notice my absence from the photo above, along with several of my colleagues. Sadly, this happened.  After nearly four years and six vaccinations I finally succumbed to the dreaded Covid. At the worst possible time. My multiple vax status has meant I only feel a bit rotten, like a cold, but I do feel sad to have missed the day. And to miss Windsor tomorrow. I was grateful for the considered medical advice provided by Dr Ritesh, father of one of the trebles, who also updated my supply of paracetamol and ibuprofen.  So I am relying on others for the report about this special day.  The good bits started with four of the young Lay Clerks heading to St Paul’s for singing lessons with my friend Patrick Craig, who is an Alto Lay Vicar at St Paul. In have yet to hear from Nicholas, Marco, Charlie or James, but Patrick was very complimentary about their singing. This is w...

Hereford, where the sound rings for four seconds

  Dear Reader I remember I loved Hereford Cathedral when we visited on the first tour in 2006. Today I remember why. The Cathedral is beautiful. The welcome is warm, both spiritually and physically - they have amazing heaters.   Singing there is amazing. The acoustic is kind and supportive. Actually, it is exciting. The organ is stunning. Tonight we sang Evensong, with their Precentor canting. The Versicles and Responses were by June Nixon. We sang Roland Martin’s Buffalo Canticles, which we refer to as Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo. The anthem was Bob Chilcott’s Still, Still, Still. But the most significant sing was probably the psalms. Plural.  We sang four of them 147-150.  Ps 147 and Ps 148 were sung to different chants by Charles V Stanford. Ps 149 had an Edward Hopkins chant and Ps 150 was by Philip Marshall. Anthony Hunt is fond of saying the only thing better than a short psalm is a long psalm, and while some of the trebles may disagree, there are many of u...

Trees

Dear Reader There is something beautiful about trees in the snow. My initial feeling was that every photograph looked the same. Tall, straight trees with snow on them. Was there any point in taking more than one? But when I took the time to look more closely I noticed the differences. The beautiful and important differences.  Most of them are straight and tall, but some are not.  Some are bent, some are incomplete, as they have been cut down or damaged by the weather in some way. Yet they remain as a reminder of what has been. I wish I had thought to take more photographs of these. Some are evergreen, which means their strong, ever present branches and leaves bear a heavy weight of snow. I think they are probably pine trees, and they remain constant throughout the year. Some are deciduous, so their branches hold a lighter weight of snow and their twigs are more apparent. They change with the seasons, but return again each year.  And...