Tag Archives: Purcell

My 13

The new Op13 music shop in Bristol has some posters inside, each showing 13 composers chosen by local musicians, some known personally to me. I couldn’t see them without thinking of what my own list would be and have used … Continue reading

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Health and safety at Canterbury

The Cathedral Chamber Choir was at Canterbury for their summer week this year. We rehearsed in All Saints’ Chapel because the song room was unavailable for ‘health and safety reasons’. As one of our singers fell on the steps leading … Continue reading

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Note clusters in Ely

I made a swift return to Ely Cathedral, this time for a weekend of services with the Erleigh Cantors. We weren’t able to do introits and we weren’t at full strength, because it wasn’t half-term for some people, so our … Continue reading

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Ambrosian rites

I spent much of Holy Week in Milan, and was able to get to Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday services in the Cathedral. There is a tradition of elaborately choreographed liturgy there which I’ve experienced before – does it go … Continue reading

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Purcell’s monument

While on a shopping trip to London, I found time to go to evensong at Westminster Abbey, which I’d never done before (I’ve been at evensongs there, but singing them!) The attraction was Byrd’s Great Service, a setting I’ve never … Continue reading

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Bath Mozartfest 2011 (1): The Sixteen

My first Mozartfest concert was The Sixteen in Bath Abbey. Having missed their ‘choral pilgrimage’ when it came to Wells a few weeks ago I wanted to catch them especially as they were doing Purcell. Purcell is in fact a … Continue reading

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LPs batch 26: more sticking points

I actually recorded these LPs some months ago, but am behind with writing them up. This batch began with a Hungaroton transfer of Beethoven violin sonatas performed by Dénes Kovacs and Mihaly Bächer. Some of the other discs in the … Continue reading

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Flesh coloured tights

These were requested as part of the dress code for my weekend of services with the Erleigh Cantors in St. Alban’s Cathedral. We had a busy weekend which began with a wedding on the Saturday morning as well as the … Continue reading

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the Howells jinx

I am beginning to feel that at the moment something happens to drastically cut rehearsal time every time I have to sing some Howells. At Birmingham Cathedral it was a loss of power, at Canterbury Cathedral with Priory Voices it … Continue reading

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Don’t mention the anniversaries!

It’s impossible to listen to Radio 3 so far this year and not notice that anniversaries of Purcell, Handel, Haydn and Mendelssohn are being commemorated in 2009. I normally remark on occasions when I perform anniversary composers, but I think … Continue reading

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