CE from St Paul's Cathedral, SATURDAY 10 April 2021, 5 p.m. [L]

[ardcarp]

It was a much more satisfactory experience than CE at Westminster Abbey.

Yes, the last time I went to Wabbey for CE, we were shoved on some chairs East of the Choir, and the organ more or less drowned everything. Perhaps it was an unlucky visit....but 'welcomed' I didn't feel.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Yes, the last time I went to Wabbey for CE, we were shoved on some chairs East of the Choir, and the organ more or less drowned everything. Perhaps it was an unlucky visit....but 'welcomed' I didn't feel.

Exactly - I think they are just overwhelmed with visitors...

[Ein Heldenleben]

At CEs I love to sit as close to the choir as possible, though my partner hates it, as I like to see how these great choral conductors operate. My two favourites were in Cambridge, the first at St John’s where there was a joint service with Clare. I was able to see Andrew Nethsingha and Graham Ross at close quarters, though almost became members of the university as we couldn’t find the exit after the service!
The best was at Trinity where I could see how Stephen Layton’s stubby pencil creates the fifth best choir in the world, but also the Dean invited the congregation for drinks afterwards.

Would it be in order to do a good CE guide complete with drink emoji ? (Can’t get them working )

[BasilHarwood]

Yes, the last time I went to Wabbey for CE, we were shoved on some chairs East of the Choir, and the organ more or less drowned everything. Perhaps it was an unlucky visit....but 'welcomed' I didn't feel.

You need to get a contact to reserve you a seat in the Quire, then you won’t get sat that far away.

[ardcarp]

Would it be in order to do a good CE guide complete with drink emoji ?

Did you mean a sort of emoji guide on here., Helden? Well I'm the last person to ask about anything techie, but if you click on 'Go Advanced' and at the bottom click on 'More' you should find a goblet or two. Good luck!

[Ein Heldenleben]

Did you mean a sort of emoji guide on here., Helden? Well I'm the last person to ask about anything techie, but if you click on 'Go Advanced' and at the bottom click on 'More' you should find a goblet or two. Good luck!

Yes I can get onto the emoji selection and found a good selection of post Evensong drinks ranging from a pint for the singers to a glass of champagne for the Director of Music but when I selected nothing happened . Ah I think I see the problem it turns the emoji into text didn’t spot that

[Pulcinella]

Yes I can get onto the emoji selection and found a good selection of post Evensong drinks ranging from a pint for the singers to a glass of champagne for the Director of Music but when I selected nothing happened . Ah I think I see the problem it turns the emoji into text didn’t spot that

I thought that you were seeking a list of venues that offered refreshment after the service.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I thought that you were seeking a list of venues that offered refreshment after the service.

Yes that would be ideal but unreliable. The post service drink at Oriel (though it could have been Durham Uni - it’s all a bit of a blur ) was a one-off linked to the College’s founders day (I think) .Jonfan’s post above hinted at the enticing prospect of drinks at Trinity Coll Cambridge as a permanent feature ...

[Finzi4ever]

It has been said that ‘a few eyebrows were raised on its premier’.

From a note by Martin Ennis for the Wabbey recording on Hyperion:

Though the music’s tone is generally buoyant, some of the word-setting is reminiscent of Stravinsky’s ‘alienating’ practices, found most notably in the Symphony of Psalms. ‘Be thankful unto him’, for example, is set not as a hymn of praise, but in a whisper over a long organ chord. History doesn’t record the Duke’s reaction.

Not so, history doth record: after one Sunday morning Matins performance in 80s/90s at St. George's, Her Maj. is reported to have said, "Ah, Britten in C, we like that one: it's short!"

[ardcarp]

...even better if it had won the 2.30 at Chepstow.

[Keraulophone]

"Ah, Britten in C, we like that one: it's short!"

Yes, I’ve heard that one - though it wasn’t actually the Duke’s reaction!

Re post-service drinks: at St Thomas, Fifth Avenue, NYC after we (visitors) had sung Mozart’s Coronation Mass, the whole congregation were offered Champagne - riches there, just as at Trinity, Cambridge where choir ‘volunteers’ (i.e. from other colleges) enjoy unlimited free booze in the bar.