In front of the choir stalls in Lincoln Cathedral there is a very fine candelabrum which attracted my attention (not least when two of the vergers were getting it lit before Sunday evensong). I think only Southwark has a better one. I was in Lincoln for a weekend of services with Priory Voices.
Most of the music was very familiar to me, and I commemorated the Elgar anniversary by singing The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. Actually, I don’t think I’ll be singing any other major work by Elgar this year. The piece new to me was O Salutaris Hostia by Rossini, who is becoming composer of the year for me after I learnt some of his songs and sang in his Stabat Mater. Like some of the other pieces we sang during the weekend, this was in a lower key than it is in some editions, but as I’d just got over a cold this was quite welcome.
This was a rare chance to celebrate a major festival (Pentecost) in a cathedral and so there were various extra bits of liturgy, and plainchant featured strongly. I did something which I’ve heard other choirs do but had never done myself: sang a plainchant antiphon before and after the Magnificat at the two evensongs.
I fitted in my usual visit to Imperial Teas (which has very recently moved across the road from where it used to be). My journey back home was, as often, wrecked by railway engineering work. Rather than having to face a roundabout route south via Nottingham I was very kindly offered a lift back to the rest of the family by another choir member who lived nearby.
I’d have liked to write at greater length about this, but I have a b[ack]log to get through. More posts soon.
‘b[ack]log’
Ouch!