Category Archives: singing at services

roundup of 2023

So we get to the end of 2023, and if it wasn’t one of the most vintage years it had some remarkable and unexpected highlights. And it included the 20th anniversary of this blog, which I’m afraid passed without comment … Continue reading

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a Te Deum for 225 years

I’m not sure what the official name for a 225th anniversary is, if any, but my church reached that landmark this year. Probably not many churches are observing this particular anniversary as the 1790s weren’t I think a very active … Continue reading

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the first time on the road

Bath Abbey Chamber Choir has not sung outside the Abbey until now. An early promise of a visit to Southwark Cathedral when the choir was a few months old had to be withdrawn, and more recently a planned evensong at … Continue reading

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I’m Canterbury Cathedral, who are you?

(Title adapted from Last Orders by Graham Swift.) October’s weekend with the Erleigh Cantors was my first visit to Canterbury for a while. I have mixed memories of the previous one – with an under-prepared choir on what turned out … Continue reading

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the Abbey season begins

Bath Abbey Chamber Choir was quick to restart for the new season, with a conductor newly appointed to the Abbey’s music staff, and a midweek evensong livened up a September which was otherwise musically blank. And it wasn’t standard pieces … Continue reading

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Abbey round-up

I’ve sung a few services with Bath Abbey Chamber Choir in the last few months though not all (missed the ordination, for example). For the Coronation weekend in May we had appropriately themed music: Purcell’s I was glad, and another … Continue reading

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Three Choirs 2023: the opening

As already remarked the opening of the Festival was different this year, with a shorter service in the Cathedral after processions through the city centre had converged on it. Dr Foster would have recognised the weather, and after gathering at … Continue reading

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a big sing in Cambridge

The day after my excursion to Ross-on-Wye I made a day trip to Cambridge for a choir reunion at my old College, Corpus. This happen occasionally, and I last went to one five years ago. I thought hard about the … Continue reading

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the Great Round Byrd in Ross

I believe I visited Ross-on-Wye many years ago but since then it’s been just a placename on road signs in Gloucester. I seized an opportunity to commemorate William Byrd’s anniversary by performing the Mag and Nunc from the Great Service … Continue reading

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Holy Week/Easter 2023

I was able to sing in all the choral services at church for Holy Week and Easter this year. We put together our service of music and readings for Good Friday rather quickly and I found I had to learn … Continue reading

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