Monday, July 23rd

Monday, 23 July 2007

Our first service today! I'm going to post the notes about the services separately from the travel and pictures stuff. Thanks for checking in -



Tonight's service:
Preces/Responses: Lehman
Psalm 4
Service: Stanford in C Major
Anthem: David Hurd Love bade me welcome

Here's some info about's tonight's music:

Robert W. Lehman (b.1960) holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in organ performance with honors from Carnegie-Mellon University and a Master of Music degree in church music from Westminster Choir College. He has served on the staff of several distinguished churches, including the Washington National Cathedral, the Princeton University Chapel, and St. Bartholomew's Church, New York City. Presently, Mr. Lehman serves as Organist and Choirmaster of Christ Church (Episcopal) in New Haven, Connecticut where he is also a fellow of Davenport College (Yale University) and teaches at the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale.

Mr. Lehman's acapella setting of the Prayers and Responses for the Office of Evensong displays a wide range of contemporary romantic harmonies and a wide emotional palette, from the richly textured Gloria Patri to the somber unison of the Lord's Prayer.

Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)(click here for Wikipedia biography) composed 10 different settings of the Anglican services, this one in 1909. He also published works for symphonic orchestra, opera, art song, organ and piano solo, chamber music, part-songs, madrigals, incidental music for the theatre, concerti, and several books - including an autobiography. Although known for his temper, his music is beloved for its lush textures, attention to detail of the text, and the ease with which he moves through a wide range of tonal centers.

David Hurd (born 1950) is a composer, concert organist, choral director and educator. He is a Professor of Sacred Music and Director of Chapel Music at the General Theological Seminary, Chelsea, New York City. He is also the Music Director at the Church of the Holy Apostles, also in Chelsea. His setting of George Herbert's poem dates from 1991 and features 6-part close-knit acapella writing. It has become one of the St. Mark's Parish Choir's signature anthems.

Across the Wide Blue Sea

Sunday, 22 July 2007

We’ve all arrived safely in Bristol! After a short flight to Houston, we flew across the pond and landed Sunday morning at Gatwick. And, the biggest blessing – all the luggage arrived with us!




After boarding the bus, we spent the afternoon touring Windsor Castle and enjoying the beautiful COOL weather. The Queen’s Doll’s House was fascinating – a complete castle in miniature. And here's our first trip through a beautifully manicured English garden.


Then off to Bristol to settle into the hotel and get over jet lag. Here we are enjoying our evening meal in the hotel.


And then connecting with home at the internet cafe.


And now off to bed - first service to sing is tomorrow!

Getting Packed!

Dear Friends and Fellow Lovers of Song -

We of the St. Mark's Episcopal Church Parish Choir thank you in advance for your thoughts and prayers as we depart for England tomorrow. We'll gather at the airport for a 4:20 departure on Continental Airlines and arrive in Gatwick Sunday morning.

For a fabulous virtual tour of where we'll be singing, check out:

www.bbc.co.uk/bristol/in_pictures/360_panoramas/cathedral/

And don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to this blog just beneath the photo at the top -

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