Today was our last Three Choirs Festival concert before we head back to London Heathrow and on to the next part of our journey. We heard a huge contingent from the Sydney Philharmonic Choirs, about 150 people out of an organization of 2,000 singers! There were many familiar pieces, such as the opener, Hubert Parry’s… Read More Cathedral classics… plus!
This afternoon we heard an entire concert of sad songs by John Dowland, whose motto was apparently “Semper Dowland, semper dolens.” Always Dowland, always sad. I learned from the program that these songs were written at a time when Dowland was unsuccessful in obtaining a court position in England—and was very unhappy although he did… Read More ‘Semper Dowland, semper dolens’
That was my reaction to last night’s concert with organist Katelyn Emerson, who played a brilliant performance of Francis Poulenc’s Concerto in G minor. This was perhaps only the second or third live performance of the work that I’ve heard but by far the most electrifying and exciting. As I watched and listened, one word… Read More Absolutely brilliant!
Yesterday we were reminded that the Three Choirs Festival has an essential worship component, and I wanted to describe in more detail the worship services we have attended so far. The opening service was called “Festal Mattins,” which of course is a different spelling from that used in the United States. During the grand procession… Read More Worship at Three Choirs
I said goodbye to my family at London Heathrow Airport and met up with Joan Ishibashi, and together we waited for Bill Potter to arrive from Honolulu. It took us about four hours to drive to Gloucester owing to the bad traffic—ordinarily it would take only 2-1/2 hours to drive the 100 miles, but we… Read More Setting the bar high
Today is the last day of the Three Choirs Festival and we have only scratched the surface on the number of events that are presented. I didn’t want to give you the impression that the only events I wrote about are the only ones that happened — quite to the contrary! I just counted up… Read More Last days in Gloucester
I’ve just come from one of the most remarkable and incredible choral concerts ever … here at the Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester! Tonight we heard the impossibly difficult, 40-part a cappella motet by Thomas Tallis, Spem in alium, for eight choirs of 5 voices each, considered the greatest piece of English early music. I… Read More Spem in alium … and more!
As is typical at the Three Choirs Festival, the second day is spent going to a Festival Eucharist, Evensong and a concert. Yesterday’s Eucharist featured the Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Mass in G Minor, and I couldn’t help but think that I am so so sorry that my husband, Carl, didn’t live long enough to revel… Read More Hog heaven in Gloucester
Last night I stayed up late, to take advantage of Priority Booking for reserving tickets for the Three Choirs Festival, billed as “the world’s finest choral music.” The booking office opened at 10:00 am in Gloucester, UK, which is 11:00 pm in Hawaii. I logged onto my computer at 10:55 pm and didn’t finish booking… Read More Three Choirs, here we come!
I have just come from a performance of Hector Berlioz’ Grande Messe des morts, and I was being helped to my seat in row F, and the usher said to me, “it is going to be very loud. Are you going to be okay here? Let me know if you want to change your seat!”… Read More Hair-raising and earsplitting