CE St Pancras Church [L] Wed, 19th May 2021

[Keraulophone]

I often wondered why "Now let your servant depart in peace" was stated at the beginning of the service, rather than at the end.

(Introit) - Prayers (eg general Confession) - Preces - Psalm(s) - OT Lesson - Office hymn - Magnificat - NT Lesson - Nunc dimittis - Creed - Responses & Lord’s Prayer - Collects - Anthem - Prayers & Grace - (Hymn)

Simeon doesn’t depart until about halfway through. The old chap never gets to hear the anthem, but he seems quite content with what he’s seen.
.

[ardcarp]

[Vox Humana]

Is the primary purpose of a Churchgoer to participate in a Religious Ritual, or to listen to the music?

Different people worship in different ways. Some feel excluded if they are not allowed to sing themselves. (When I was young my parents had a family friend who said she always insisted on singing the psalms in cathedrals and anything else she recognised and just ignored the dirty looks.) Others prefer, or are content, to worship passively through listening to the singing of others. For some, music can provide something akin to a window onto the eternal. In my book, if a choral service has nothing spiritual to offer it is not fulfilling its function. I have heard some broadcast evensongs that have felt like staring into a goldfish bowl rather than participating in an act of worship. OTOH, some choirs can be relied on to get the atmosphere right every time.

[Constantbee]

It was an unfortunate PA malfunction.

That's a relief. Frightened the living daylights out of me. Sounded for all the world like an insurrection in the Euston Road. Kept checking news feeds for any information

[ardcarp]

That's a relief. Frightened the living daylights out of me.

Me too. I'm surprised the BBC gave no calming information about this on the 'Sounds' replay.

[Quarky]

Different people worship in different ways. Some feel excluded if they are not allowed to sing themselves. (When I was young my parents had a family friend who said she always insisted on singing the psalms in cathedrals and anything else she recognised and just ignored the dirty looks.) Others prefer, or are content, to worship passively through listening to the singing of others. For some, music can provide something akin to a window onto the eternal. In my book, if a choral service has nothing spiritual to offer it is not fulfilling its function. I have heard some broadcast evensongs that have felt like staring into a goldfish bowl rather than participating in an act of worship. OTOH, some choirs can be relied on to get the atmosphere right every time.

Many thanks for that.

[Andrew]

.....Substance, not Form.....

Is the primary purpose of a Churchgoer to participate in a Religious Ritual, or to listen to the music?

I ought to express an interest here, as a Christian believer, who attends church regularly, although thanks to the Lockdown my attendance has been nigh-on zero for over a year now! The music and singing on Choral Evensong (once listed as "Choral Evensnog" at a local Abbey.....) lifts me, both spiritually and emotionally. Put another way, it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I hope it has the same effect on other listeners, whether they be believers or not! It is also an oasis of calm in a maelstrom of a busy day, when one can just stop......

[Quarky]

I ought to express an interest here, as a Christian believer, who attends church regularly, although thanks to the Lockdown my attendance has been nigh-on zero for over a year now! The music and singing on Choral Evensong (once listed as "Choral Evensnog" at a local Abbey.....) lifts me, both spiritually and emotionally. Put another way, it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I hope it has the same effect on other listeners, whether they be believers or not! It is also an oasis of calm in a maelstrom of a busy day, when one can just stop......

I really feel I ought not to comment, since although I have followed the route of Christianity in the past, these days I guess I would be classified as "alternative spiritual". But my underlying thought in making that post was that if the churchgoer is interested most importantly in engaging in the spiritual gathering, then the actual music played may be not so important. Indeed, modern music, which might be found harsh and discordant, might move the churchgoer out of his comfort zone, which might be beneficial? But perhaps I'm just out of kilter.

[ardcarp]

But perhaps I'm just out of kilter.

Not at all. An interesting 'take' on the subject!

[Andrew]

Not at all. An interesting 'take' on the subject!

Agreed! We all worship (or not!) in different ways!

[jonfan]

At #33 VH brilliantly described those special glimpses of the Divine, reminding me of the RS Thomas poem Bright Field. Choirs that ‘have it every time’ also end a piece with at least 10 seconds of stillness and silence, just cementing what has been experienced. BIS also end their CDs with at least 20 seconds of silence recorded in the place where the preceding music was performed.

[mopsus]

Me too. I'm surprised the BBC gave no calming information about this on the 'Sounds' replay.

The Sunday repeat described this as 'edited'. I don't know whether they made a cut or did some digital magic to obliterate the offending noise.

[Simon Biazeck]

The Sunday repeat described this as 'edited'. I don't know whether they made a cut or did some digital magic to obliterate the offending noise.

There was probably a reh. take for balance...