Last Christmas we had my partner's mother staying with us and decided to go out one evening just before Christmas. We had intended to go to the ballet, but found that everyone (Royal Ballet, English National Ballet and Sadlers Wells) was doing The Nutcracker. This year, my partner and I are on our own so we decided to go to Evensong, only to find that there aren't any, everyone is doing carols.
So that tonight Westminster Abbey has said Evening Prayer and service of Lessons and Carols, with the same thing tomorrow. Over at St. Paul's Cathedral there are carol services on both afternoons, and at Southwark Cathedral said Evening Prayer this afternoon with a carol service in the evening then tomorrow there is building the crib followed by Evening Prayer.
Surely everyone doesn't want to sing carols! A few years ago we spent the Christmas holiday in Canterbury and the most magical events were attending sung Evensong on Christmas eve and sung Matins on Christmas morning. The choir was incredibly hard working as they were also singing a carol service on Christmas eve as well as Eucharist on Christmas morning.
There are alternatives, so this evening we will be at All Saints, Margaret Street where Paul Brough and his choir will be singing Byrd and plainchant. Then tomorrow we will go to Westminster Cathedral for sung Vespers (as the music list isn't up on their website I still don't know quite what they will be singing).
If we cared to drive, then we could go to Rochester (where they are doing sung Evensong both days with Ireland in F and Stanford in G) or Canterbury (where they are singing Evensong tomorrow afternoon). But it seems strange the way carols have completely taken over in London, as it that is all that tourists want.
Elsewhere on this blog:
Sunday, 23 December 2012
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Popular Posts this month
-
What about blowing the box to pieces: composer Eímear Noone on writing for video games, films and TVEímear Noone (Photo: Andy Paradise) Dublin and LA-based composer Eímear Noone is known for her scores for video games, films and TV. She re...
-
Lehár : The Merry Widow - Alex Otterburn, Henry Waddington - Scottish Opera (Photo: Mihaela Bodlovic) Lehár: The Merry Widow ; Paula Sides,...
-
Gimnazija Kranj Symphony Orchestra I get all sorts of mail, people sending my information on concerts and recordings. Everything gets gl...
-
Gilbert & Sullivan: Trial by Jury - Jamie MacDougall - Scottish Opera (Photo: Mihaela Bodlovic) Gilbert & Sullivan: Trial by Jury ,...
-
Purcell: Dido & Aeneas - Joshua Saunders as Aeneas with the Witches - Guildhall School (Photo: David Monteith-Hodge) Purcell: Dido and...
-
Rameau: Les Indes Galantes - Andreas Wolf, Cappella Mediterranea, Chœur de chambre de Namur, Structure Rualité, Leonardo García-Alarcón - T...
-
Edward Gardner & Royal Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra - Aldeburgh Festival (Photo: Britten Pears Arts) Daniel Kidane: Sirens , Mark...
-
Johann Strauss: Die Fledermaus - The Grange Festival (Photo: © Richard Hubert Smith) Johann Strauss: Die Fledermaus ; Sylvia Schwartz, And...
-
Handel: Saul - Soraya Mafi - Glyndebourne Opera (Photo: Glyndebourne/ASH) Soprano Soraya Mafi is currently singing the role of Michal in H...
-
Silhouette of the clarinettist Anton Stadler For whom Mozart wrote the Clarinet Quintet David Gow, Beethoven, Shostakovich, Mozart; Peter Ci...
No comments:
Post a Comment