Choral Evensong - 14th August 2009 - York Minster

Finally the day we'd all been dreading- the day we sang the Mendelssohn canticles, a mammoth effort, with the Magnificat alone lasting approximately 10 minutes. What more can I saw? After a heavy day rehearsing, we got there in the end.



During the lunch break we were given a tour of the Minster, focusing on the architectural styles (early English, decorated and perpendicular) and events in the Minster's history (primarily fires). The story of Jonathan Martin, who, not content with writing nasty letters to the organ (really truly, he called it a foul beast, or some such), set fire to the place in 1829, was particularly interesting.

In the evening we had a choir dinner at the Italian restaurant Ask, which is situated in a very impressive, large hall, perfect for a group of our size.

• Responses: Tomkins
  
• Psalm:73
• Canticles: Mendelssohn
• Anthem: Save us O Lord, Bairstow

Sir Edward Bairstow, by the way, is another famous face to be found in the camera cantorum. He succeeded our friend, T. Tertius Noble as organist there in 1913 and remained until his death.