CE York Minster [L] 12.vi.24 @ 3 p.m.

[DracoM]

CE York Minster [L] 12.vi.24

Order of Service:

Introit: Oculi omnium (Lucy Walker)
Responses: Philip Moore
Psalms 65, 66, 67 (Turle, Garrett, Ashfield, Talbot)
First Lesson: Job 22: 21-30
Canticles: Oriel Service (Judith Bingham)
Second Lesson: Matthew 5: 13-24
Anthem: Round me falls the night (Annabel Rooney)
Te Deum laudamus in D (Bairstow)

Voluntary: Heather Hill (Warren, transcribed Benjamin Morris)

Benjamin Morris (Assistant Director of Music)
Robert Sharpe (Director of Music)

[Pulcinella]

Thanks, Draco.
This had passed me by, as the online music list from the minster only got updated at the weekend and I hadn't looked since.
I'll try to get there (though it means ducking out of some volunteer work I said I'd help out with; I can do a stint a bit later instead!).

[Pulcinella]

Did anyone listen?
I've refrained from commenting, since I was there, so don't know how it came across as a broadcast.

[smittims]

I was impressed. I had not heard Te Deum Laudamus sung at Evensong; perhaps this is allowed on certain days, or it may be a York Rite .

I thought the voluntary very beautiful: influence of Vaughan Wiliams, but none the worse for that.

[jonfan]

Did anyone listen?
I've refrained from commenting, since I was there, so don't know how it came across as a broadcast.

I’ve yet to hear the service complete but what I did hear was very impressive indeed. Challenging music attacked with gusto and confidence.
Will comment further when I’ve listened to the whole.

[Pulcinella]

I was impressed. I had not heard Te Deum Laudamus sung at Evensong; perhaps this is allowed on certain days, or it may be a York Rite .

I thought the voluntary very beautiful: influence of Vaughan Wiliams, but none the worse for that.

Not that infrequent at Evensong, especially now that Matins is so seldom a regular choral service, but not a York rite as such, though of course it was by Bairstow, so has a special connection!

This was by no means a concert, but different from usual Minster evensong, in that, amongst other things, the service did not start (and end) with the traditional plainsong sentences in the south ambulatory and the choir then processing in; everyone was in their place well before 3 pm. Nor did the congregation stand at any point during the service (final Gloria in the psalms, Mag and Nunc, said Creed).
We got only the briefest welcome to York after the introit (so has the long rambling welcome stopped?), and the service then ran very smoothly indeed, though during the first few minutes it was very apparent that there was a fighter jet or two flying around overhead. I was particularly impressed with the psalm singing and choice of chants (a couple of interesting triple ones), that for Psalm 67 beginning unaccompanied. The range of dynamics of both the singing of the verses and the organ accompaniment was terrific, I thought. The Bingham canticles (the first time I'd heard them) were very impressive indeed and quite moving.
I was surprised though that the service seemed very short, and I thought we were in for a 15-minute voluntary. When I joked with one of the clergy after the service, saying he could have offered additional prayers, he too was surprised, and said that every word had had to be submitted and approved, so I'm not quite sure what went awry with the timing. Was there a long period of filling in until 4 pm? In commenting about the jet noise he said that that was part of life, and something to be taken in its stride, as would the siren of an ambulance be: more evidence that they treated the service as a regular act of worship, and not something they had made particular demands on others for (I doubt such flights could readily be stopped anyway, though I think that the Tallis Scholars when recording in Salle in Norfolk were able to alert RAF Lakenheath to try to avoid flying exercises during their recording sessions).

I consider myself very lucky to have the minster on my doorstep, though it's one of the reasons I moved to York, of course.

[DracoM]

[jonfan]

The Psalms were beautifully done, the highlight for me among riches was the Bairstow. Excellent engineering I thought, a sense of the space but with clarity. The top line sounds to be in great shape, their enthusiasm was palpable.

[Finzi4ever]

The Psalms were beautifully done, the highlight for me among riches was the Bairstow. Excellent engineering I thought, a sense of the space but with clarity. The top line sounds to be in great shape, their enthusiasm was palpable.

The Psalms were tremendous. I'm a great Bairstow fan but for me this Te Deum is a little rambling, though that goes with the nature or the text; that said, beautifully performed however..

[chitreb]

Beautiful singing throughout. Accessible contemporary pieces. Loved the Te Deum.