Since I sang in Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral last year, they have installed a passenger lift, discreetly tucked away at the east end. I can’t think of any other English Cathedrals with a lift inside the main part of the building (as opposed to giving access to a tower or gallery). [summer 2015: York Minster now has one]
Singing the Eucharist on the first Sunday of Lent in Liverpool gets you Tallis’ setting of the Litany in procession – and what a long procession it is in that huge building. I was back at Liverpool for a weekend with Priory Voices.
The Tallis Litany was new to me, as was the introit on Saturday, ‘Hide me under the shadow of thy wings’ by John E West. Saturday’s evensong, as last year, was in the Lady Chapel and included Wood’s Hail, gladdening Light and Naylor’s unaccompanied Mag and Nunc in A.
On Sunday we were accompanied by Liverpool’s organ scholar, Martyn Noble. It was also good to be joined by some local singers from the RLPO chorus who were able to tell us about choral life in the city and direct us to interesting Chinese food on Sunday. Good also to sing introits – of the Cathedral outfits I sing with, only the Erleigh Cantors routinely do these.
The Mass setting was Rheinberger’s Mass for double choir, which I’ve sung a couple of times before, although the Kyrie was a first for me. It really soared into the huge space, though it required all our concentration and watching because the two sides of the choir are so far apart. Our final evensong included Stanford in C and the Balfour Gardiner Evening Hymn before a quick dash for my train.