What’s been happening post tour

Dear Reader

You could be forgiven for thinking I had gone AWOL after I left tour rather abruptly. I sort of did.

I went to Henley-on-Thames where I was able to spend a fortnight recuperating in the loving care of my cousin Sarah and her husband Mark. I also got to spend time with my brother Rick, his wife Vicki and girls Jacqui and Tash who were having a short England break after their Sweden adventures.

I spent time reading, walking, watching Netflix and chilling, as well as heading to London to catch up with my friend Patrick Craig, who I missed when I was unable to join the activities in London.

Sarah and I went to London to catch up with Veronica, who we first (and I last) met in 1981 when she and I travelled together.

I then headed off to Dublin, as I have never been to Ireland before. I did more walking, attended Evensong at Christ Church Cathedral and Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral, The Book of Kells, The Guinness Storehouse, as well as a day trip to Cashel Rock, Blarney Castle and Cork.

I am currently sitting at Heathrow waiting for my flight home, using the airport wifi. For this reason I will upload the post before adding more photos, as I doubt they will load here. It might have to wait until I get home. The one here is the best meal I ate in Ireland, which was six natural oysters at The Bank on College Green in Dublin.

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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...

Worcester - that’s a wrap

Dear Reader Well, that’s a wrap. After a free morning to shop, skate, scoff scones or the like, we boarded the coach to Worcester. Annabel Crompton continued the proud tradition set by her late father, the beloved Prof David Thomas, and shared history and interesting information about the Cathedral, always including the South Australian connections. We had a very warm welcome from the Interim Dean, Canon Stephen, and Anita the Virger. On the musical menu was Hunt Versicles and Responses, Howells in G Canticles and Be Present O Merciful God by Australian composer, Owen Elsley. I thought the Anthem went particularly well. We sang two psalms, 131 to a Willcocks chant and 132 to a chant by a random (will update later). Turns out the second chant was by Richard Massey. David played a beautiful postlude, Rhapsody by Daniel Cook (b1979). When we arrived in Worcester it lived up to the reputation England has for wet and rather miserable weather, so we headed straight into the build...

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...

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