This afternoon Evensong was held at 3:30 pm instead of the usual 5:30 pm because it was being broadcast live on the BBC. They actually have a regular program called Choral Evensong and every week it is broadcast from a different location. This week they are broadcasting from the Three Choirs Festival at Worcester Cathedral.… Read More Evensong on the BBC
I was already looking forward to tonight’s performance of the Saint-Saëns ‘Organ Symphony’ because it was one of my husband Carl’s and my ‘songs’ when we were dating. Years later I was fortunate enough to play this piece with the Honolulu Symphony, and my usual preparation included playing a recording of it at least a… Read More Not another Saint-Saëns!
I was intrigued by the listing of the organ prelude at Worcester Cathedral’s Sung Eucharist today: Prelude and Fugue on BACH —J.S. Bach (1685-1750). As far as I know, Bach never wrote a prelude and Fugue on these four pitches: B-flat, A, C, B-natural. As the organist began, however, I immediately recognized the Franz Liszt… Read More Sunday at Worcester Cathedral
Evensong is offered every day at the Three Choirs Festival and today’s service was sung by the (mixed) Worcester Cathedral Chamber Choir with director Stephen Shellard and organist Richard Cook. For this service, everyone sits in the chancel area, and I got a good view of the very energetic conductor. Two men who must have been… Read More Evensong; A Child of Our Time
Today I received this news release from Karen Sender of St. Andrew’s Cathedral, announcing the last Choral Evensong this coming Sunday, October 9 at 5:30 pm. As you read it, you will realize that you are reading the obituary for a music program. Choral Evensong will be sung at the Cathedral of St. Andrew on Sunday, October… Read More Obituary for a music program
I’ve been subbing for organist John Renke for Wednesday Evensong services which are held at 5:30 pm every week, and after last night’s service I must have looked like a drowned rat, because it is so incredibly hot in St. Andrew’s Cathedral at that time of day. Those of you who have experienced summer in Hawaii… Read More Sweaty musicians
I just discovered a fascinating book, called Sacred Space, Sacred Sound: The acoustic mysteries of holy places by Susan Elizabeth Hale, with a foreward by Don Campbell, author of The Mozart Effect. It is available on Amazon. She described her experience at Salisbury Cathedral: “When the organ reached its crescendo, it seemed it was going to erupt through… Read More Sound in sacred spaces
This week I have been spending lots of time practicing on the Aeolian-Skinner organ in anticipation of being the organ substitute for four services at St. Andrew’s Cathedral this Sunday. In so doing, I have coordinated my practice schedule with Karol Nowicki, the Music Program Manager, who according to the St. Andrew’s website: “Working directly with… Read More Karol Nowicki and the EMH Choir
Last weekʻs Evensong at St. Andrewʻs Cathedral in memory of Carl Crosier was very well-attended and the Cathedral Choir seemed to outdo itself in the tribute to its former chorister. The Cathedral tower bells were rung continuously before the service. The following paragraph was in the program leaflet: Carl was Cantor at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu for… Read More Carlʻs evensong and epitaph
This is just a reminder that this coming Sunday, October 5th at 5:30 pm, Carl Crosier will be remembered at Evensong at St. Andrew’s Cathedral. He specifically requested that the Herbert Howells Gloucester service be sung. I am also posting John Renke’s remembrance of Carl here (written shortly after he died): Much has been and… Read More Evensong to remember Carl Crosier