I went along to hear a choir drawn from an RSCM course sing at Bath Abbey (they are resident at Kingswood School every year). Looked out for the distinctive cassocks of St. Ann’s Manchester (no one else wears that shade of purple) but didn’t see any in the large choir. I was pleased that the canticles were Gibbons’ Second Service, my favourite setting. I think that developing singers should be given a shot at some of the greatest pieces in the repertoire, and not necessarily play safe in the way that I rather associate with the RSCM.
An unusual feature of this service was that the introit was longer than the anthem! At least, it seemed to take longer to perform. There was also an amusing moment in the hymn ‘Glory be to Jesus’ when the choir had the seven verses in a different order from the congregation! I wasn’t aware there was a different order from the one I’m familiar with. At least it wasn’t ‘The Day Thou Gavest’ which has been done to death at weekday evensongs at the Abbey. Well done to all.