Verger

So on Sunday morning at Ripon, the verger lined us up in the south transept of the cathedral, then led us in procession to the west end and up the nave to our places behind the low altar. No mean feat considering what a rabble we are normally on Sunday mornings! Maybe that's why he's smiling. :-)

Evensong

The renowned British composer Andrew Carter on the right with the scarf congratulating members of the choir for our performance of his Californian Canticles at evensong.

After evensong in Ripon, it was a quick bus trip back to Harrogate for a bite to eat at The Crown's bar and grill and a night's rest before returning to sing for Sunday morning Eucharist.

Choir & Pulpit

Ripon Cathedral choir and pulpit. According to my sources, the choir stalls are "studded with a series of thirty-four small ledges that protrude from the underside of the hinged seating [VERY uncomfortable!]. These are referred to as misericords, or the modern English translation ‘mercy seats’, and are perches that were designed for clergy to respectfully rest against during the back-to-back services of pre-Reformation Britain."

The pulpit was designed by Henry Wilson and dates from 1913. It stands on marble pillars and has silver and bronze decoration.

Ripon

First look at Ripon Cathedral, where we sang evensong and the next morning's Eucharist.

"The Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Wilfrid, commonly known as Ripon Cathedral, and until 1836 known as Ripon Minster, is a cathedral in Ripon, North Yorkshire, England. Founded as a monastery by monks of the Irish tradition in the 660s, it was refounded as a Benedictine monastery by St Wilfrid in 672. The church became collegiate in the tenth century, and acted as a mother church within the large Diocese of York for the remainder of the Middle Ages. The present church is the fourth, and was built between the 13th and 16th centuries. In 1836 the church became the cathedral for the Diocese of Ripon." -- Wikipedia

Rehearsal

Rehearsal in St. Mary's chancel, Stamford.

Pipe Organ

 

 

 St. John the Baptist's Church late 19th century pipe organ

 

Harrison & Harrison Organ

"Norwich Cathedral has one of the largest pipe organs in the country, with the organ featuring an incredible 5,767 pipes that range from 32 feet to just an inch long.

 

In November 2023, the organ was reinaugurated after a complete rebuild by Harrison and Harrison of Durham and is now considered one of the finest instruments of its kind in the country." -- Norwich Cathedral

Raleigh Ringers

 

The Raleigh Ringers concert at the Second Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia last Sunday. 

Gaita

"The Galician gaita is the traditional instrument of Galicia and northern Portugal.

The word gaita is used across northern Spain as a generic term for "bagpipe", although in the south of Spain and Portugal it denotes a variety of horn, flute or oboe like instruments according to region." -- Wikipedia

Severikirche Pipe Organ

Severikirche, Erfurt