Skip to main content

Doors and the Big Chichester Sing

Dear Reader

In my Father’s House there are many rooms, our Lord told us. In this Lord’s House on earth there were many doors we could enter in this holy place.



Yesterday we sang the three services traditionally sung in Cathedrals across England, Matins, Eucharist and Evensong. I thought I had best add the musical menu for you.

Matins
We sang Hunt responses, Howells Te Deum and Jubilate, the Trebles sang JV Peters’ arrangement of Away in a Manger, the Venite and the psalm appointed, along with a hymn.

Eucharist
This occurred after a 15 minute break from Matins. The mass setting was Dove and the motet was Gjielo’s Ubi Caritas. The psalm appointed was sung to two different chants. There were a bucket load of hymns, including Love came down at Christmas (hey, Mum, they had the tune for us!)

Evensong
The trebles had an evening off, while your intrepid Lay Clerks sang the service. We really enjoyed the intimacy of this service where we sang Rose responses, Ives Magdalen canticles and a Byrd anthem, Surge, illuminare Jerusalem.

I am advised Dame Patricia Routledge was at one of the morning services, as the Cathedral is her home church. Dear Hyacinth Bucket. While she likes to keep a low profile, and deserves to do so, I am counting that as a Clang.

Chichester Cathedral Song School is located up a spiral staircase.At one stage Leonie asked if anyone knew how many stairs there were. Of course I had already counted them. There were 41, and their depth was variable. And yesterday we ascended and descended 14 times. Much more challenging than our crypt stairs. Here is Archie at the bottom of the stairs to the Song School.


Dear Readers, I am enjoying your comments, and am particularly grateful to Stuart L who lets me know it is he who has commented. May I request others do likewise, if it is not too much trouble for you?

With our best thoughts to you all from 6 degree England to the heat of Australia. We are having a wonderful time but I know we miss our loved ones, and hold them in our hearts.

But to finish on a lighter note, here is James H escaping the music library. Yet another door.




I was also taken with the importance of the fire extinguishers in the Cathedral - this one was given its own Cross.



Cxx

Comments

  1. UnknownDecember 30, 2019 at 5:37 AM

    The cool change has arrived in Adelaide. Gloria in excelsis Deo, as they say. We all feel human again, and can put on another layer for warmth's sake tonight. Stuart L

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownDecember 30, 2019 at 12:43 PM

    Is there a Cathedral Cat?😹😸😻

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bruce & Judy MunroDecember 30, 2019 at 6:09 PM

    with so many doors, crypts, staircases, tunnels and secret places please do not lose my precious treble grandsons! Thanks for your great blog keeping us in the loop.Judy M

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Salisbury Number One

  Dear Reader After our stop at Stonehenge we headed off to Salisbury, with a couple of hours before checkin. Not much is open on New Year’s Day in Salisbury.  Some ventured into the main streets, but a number of us found our way to The New Inn, where we had a relaxed lunch.   Some of us then sat on old Chesterfield lounges in The Oak Room and watched a couple of young lads play pool. It was a small room requiring us to duck at times to avoid a pool cue to the head. Then we checked into the White Hart Inn, described as an elegant Georgian building. There are two main staircases to the rooms, all located on the first and second floors. And no lifts. Despite this we all settled in quickly before the Choristers headed off to the Cathedral with robes and music in tow. The weather had set in, and remained for the rest of the day.  We practised in the stalls which are beautiful.  The sound feels very different from the other cathedrals where we have sung this week. Yo...
3 comments
Read more

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...
10 comments
Read more

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....
6 comments
Read more