Category Archives: singing at services

the cherubim with ꙮ

The Bishop of Taunton came along to church to dedicate our new chapel to St Michael at the appropriate season. We laid on a service with three anthems, including Bairstow’s Let all mortal flesh, which I recorded many years ago … Continue reading

Posted in singing at services | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A busy morning at the Abbey

Although I have sung a number of morning services at Bath Abbey with its Chamber Choir, I don’t think I’ve sung two back to back. It makes for a long morning! We met at 8.30 to rehearse, and sang an … Continue reading

Posted in singing at services | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Requiem preparation and a funeral

My second overseas choir tour of the year approaches and in preparation for it the director of the German choir we’ll be joining forces with came over to take a day-long rehearsal. We’ll be singing Brahms’ German Requiem (twice!), which … Continue reading

Posted in singing at services | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

you’ve transcribed the music lists, now sing in the Cathedral

I have a soft spot for Lichfield Cathedral – it is your proper large mediæval cathedral, but doesn’t double as a major tourist attraction, and is situated in a pleasant place of walkable size.  The rail strike obliged me to … Continue reading

Posted in singing at services | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

a launch and an ordination

The last weekend of June began with the launch of Gloucester Choral Society’s 2022-23 season at a reception in the Chapter House. A chance to reminisce about the Veneto tour, enjoy the bring & share food and sing a few … Continue reading

Posted in singing - other, singing at services | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

scholarly fiddling

My musical activities for a mid-June weekend began with a solo recital of folk fiddle given by Sam Sweeney (sometime of Bellowhead) in church.  This is repertoire that I don’t know at all and Sam’s introductions revealed that it can … Continue reading

Posted in going to concerts, singing at services | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

the patron saint of my choir tours (2)

There was one final performance day on our Veneto choir tour: the Duomo at Asola, a small Cathedral city.  Here we had a (vetted) organ at our disposal which increased our repertoire.  We sang for a Mass (preceded by a … Continue reading

Posted in singing at services, singing in concerts | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

the patron saint of my choir tours (1)

On the previous foreign choir tour I went on, to Lisbon, we were proudly informed that St Antony of Padua had come from the city and shown a site associated with him. And the one I have just returned from … Continue reading

Posted in singing at services | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Vaughan Williams’ greatest hits – and Britten

The concert programme for the final Gloucester Choral Society concert of the season marked the Vaughan Williams anniversary with a selection including some of his best-known shorter works. We sang in all of them apart from The Lark Ascending, played … Continue reading

Posted in singing at services, singing in concerts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Requiem (3): a new one

The third Requiem of the spring was a premiere performance of a work by Richard Gabe, a member of the choir at church and connected by marriage to a late friend of mine. Like the Rutter it mixed some words … Continue reading

Posted in singing at services, singing in concerts | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment