From the post office in Cambridge, it was on to Great St. Mary's (aka University Church) for yet another rehearsal.and final concert.
"In addition to being a parish church in the Diocese of Ely, it is the university church for the University of Cambridge. As such it has a role in the university's legislation. For example, university officers must live within 20 miles of Great St Mary's and undergraduates within three. The church also hosts the 'University Sermons' and houses the University Organ and the University Clock. The latter chimes the 'Cambridge Quarters' which were later used by the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament ('Big Ben')." -- Wikipedia
Showing posts with label People. Show all posts
Showing posts with label People. Show all posts
Thursday, June 5, 2025
Great St. Mary's
Monday, June 2, 2025
Lady Chapel
We ended our rehearsal at Ely Cathedral by moving from the high altar to Lady Chapel to hear for ourselves the much praised acoustics.
Sunday, June 1, 2025
Saturday, May 24, 2025
Boots
Boots is essentially the Walgreens of England. I found this one in Cambridge. I was particularly curious about these automated checkout counters.
Friday, May 23, 2025
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Friday, May 16, 2025
Jesus College
One of the rarest, if not THE rarest, moment on our trip was the morning I had free to wander into Cambridge on my own and to explore Jesus College, founded in 1496. Things must have been slow, because as soon as I passed through this impressive entrance, a security guard, hearing that I was there to scope out the place before the choir's evening performance, very generously offered to to give me my own private tour!

Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Thursday, May 8, 2025
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Monday, May 5, 2025
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.
Thursday, May 1, 2025
Quiet
Had a few moments to explore Ripon Cathedral before heading down the hill to the cathedral's rehearsal hall. We served as the choir in residence for the weekend while the cathedral's regular choir was on break.
"Ripon Cathedral has a vibrant choral tradition that has spanned 14 centuries, since St Wilfrid introduced cantors from Canterbury Cathedral in AD680, and it remains at the heart of our worship. The uplifting sound of the cathedral’s outstanding choirs, as well as the dramatic notes of the mighty pipe organ, can be experienced at regular services such as Choral Evensong."
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Ripon
Another reason to eat lunch at the Royal Oak is that it is literally around the corner from the cathedral where I was headed next for rehearsal. We had so many rehearsals because the choir sang different music for each performance. In fact, most of us traveled with separate bags for the sole purpose of carrying our music and choir robes. Also, each cathedral or chapel had its own unique acoustics and physical space, requiring us to quickly settle in and adjust to the new circumstances.
Friday, April 25, 2025
The Crown
After rehearsing in Stamford, our choir traveled to the Crown Hotel in Harrogate (shown abpve) where we arrived just in time to take our bags to our rooms and head out to find something to eat for a late supper.
Here's how The Crown describes itself: "This glorious Victorian exercise of Italian Renaissance in sandstone has a long and distinguished history that reaches back to the early 1600s when visitors first began to drink the waters of the world's strongest known Sulphur Well The name Crown may have been adopted around the time of Charles II's restoration of the monarchy in 1660, when a much smaller inn overlooked the Sulphur Well to the west. Since then, the Crown thrived, reaching 'gigantic proportions,' by the time Lord Byron and his 'string of horses, dogs and mistresses' were guests in 1806 . . . . When Elgar stayed at the Crown, it was probably at the peak of its Edwardian perfection. After being sequestered by the government in 1939, the Crown reopened to visitors in 1958."
Thursday, April 24, 2025
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
St. Mary's
Arrived at St. Mary's just in time for rehearsal. By pre-arrangements months before, the church agreed to host our rehearsal while we were in Stamford on our way to Harrogate. According to Wikipedia, the church was built in the 12th century, the tower in the 13th century, and the spire in the 14th century. The tower is 78 feet high, topped by a spire of 90 feet, giving a total height of 168 feet.
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Monday, April 14, 2025
Tobie's
Friday, April 11, 2025
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Ethelbert Gate
Ah, but now back to Norwich where I happened to explore one of the main gates to the cathedral close after returning from visiting the Julian Shrine. Fascinating bit of history took place here. Seems as if tensions could sometimes run rather high between the townsfolk and the cathedral's monks. So much so that the Ethelbert Gate was ordered to be built by King Henry III and completed around and about 1325.
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