I’ve got a bit behind with performances. Just before Advent began we had a come-and-sing Messiah in church, for which I joined the chorus. This was an informal performance so we could wrap up well and I dug out my Icelandic jumper (though like the Icelandic economy it seems to have shrunk a bit recently). The four vocal parts were more balanced than they usually are in such performances and general familiarity with the work was good! Our performance was conducted by Anthony Crosland.
The following day I was back for the Advent Carol service. This began with one of our regular pieces, the Richard Lloyd setting of the Advent prose. I heard this on an evensong broadcast from Lichfield, so now I know what it sounds like when someone else sings it. Another, Rejoice in the Lord alway by Purcell, was performed at our wedding but I have not sung it for considerably longer than that. (It’s actually not the most exciting of pieces if you’re a soprano). And I thought I know Byrd’s O magnum mysterium but I must have been muddling it up with Victoria’s setting because I realised I hadn’t come across it before.