In Sacred Spaces
Choral Evensong (Gloucester Cathedral)
Monday 24 October 2011 at 5:30pm
 
 
  Date:  Monday 24 October 2011
  Time: 5.30pm
  Venue:  Gloucester Cathedral, GL1 2LX
 
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Our first visit couldn’t have been more dramatic! We had planned to sing Choral Evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral on the eve of St Crispin’s Day (Northampton’s Patron Saint) - 25 October - in 2011. Unfortunately the Cathedral was closed just 48 hours before our visit, because of the “Occupy London” protest taking place around the Cathedral. Last minute ‘phone calls were made to all Cathedrals within commuting distance of Northampton, and we were delighted that Gloucester Cathedral had a vacancy that date, and we were most grateful to the Canon Chancellor, Celia Thomson for hosting us at such short notice.

The change of venue also made it impossible for our répétiteur to be with us for the allotted times, due to his other London commitments, so we were delighted to welcome the organist and composer David Bednall to accompany us.

Just over seventy members of the choir took part in the visit, and we sang a set of Responses by the Organist of Cartmel Priory, Adrian Self, the Evening Service (Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis) in B flat by Henry Smart, and the glorious eighteenth-century anthem, O Lord, look down from heaven by Jonathan Battishill. The service was such a success that we immediately contacted St Paul’s to get a new date for a visit, and the rest, as they say, is history!

Programme:

Northampton Bach Choir

Organist - David Bednall
Conductor - Lee Dunleavy
 
Self - Preces and Responses
Smart - Evening Service in Bb
Battishill - O Lord, look down from heaven