CE St John's Cambridge 9.3.11

[mercia]

a quick chat

what was said (in English please)? (he asked being nosy)

[Finzi4ever]

Finzi4ever, in case you were worried, the website was down on Friday for a scheduled update and was back up and running on Saturday. This week's webcast will go live, as usual, at midday today - Vierne Messe Solenelle and Duruflé Ubi caritas.

No need to worry about the website's future. Indeed you may expect a substantial improvement around September time....keep an eye on the website and Facebook page for more up-to-date info. If there are any problems in future, there will be information on there as well. Hope this helps. Any other questions, do email to choir@joh.cam.ac.uk

Thanks so much for such a full, helpful and positive reply: much appreciated, as indeed is your fantastic, felicitous facility (shurely enufffffffffffff - ed.)

[Nick Armstrong]

what was said (in English please)? (he asked being nosy)

I have absolutely no recollection!

I was with friends who were local residents hence getting invited to 'parish drinks' after the service... I think it was just small talk - oh, and I talked about a friend who at that stage was at school and had just won a competition playing Transports de Joie on the organ, and he very sweetly and with lots of laughter signed an autograph for him saying "To [friend], congratulations on your Transports de Joie, and best wishes, Olivier Messiaen" which made that particular 16 year old's day/month/year when I presented it to him on returning to the UK...

[Contre Bombarde]

Thank you FF and Caliban. I guess that very few of today's "30 somethings" (just!) can attribute so much personal joy directly to two past organists of Notre Dame de Paris....

Parisien organists are appreciated very differently to most in the UK and it is often much easier for a visitor to gain access to them and to their instruments. For example, there is a weekly audition or recital in St Sulpice after Solemn Mass and a prior request to Daniel Roth will always elicit a warm invitation to meet at the steps of the Tribune in order to be taken to the organ where a demonstration of its colours will be given by this most engaging and charming gentleman. His enthusiasm for the organ and his willingness to help others to appreciate its unique nature are legendary and no-one could possibly leave St Sulpice afterwards without feeling as if floating on several clouds! St Sulpice is not alone in being visiting-organist-friendly and as Caliban told us, even legendary titulaires are invariably approachable and delighted to talk to enthusiasts.

That's it from me for a day or two; a busy period approacheth.

[DracoM]

Sorry to bang on, but the college's own webcast of the Ash Wednesday service [ not the BBC iPlayer version] really does repay a visit.

Not for the Allegri, which is indeed a bit of a wobble here and there, but for the stunning MacMillan commission. Listened to it several times now, and it improves on acquaintance.

Alos a promo YouTube clip for thier forthcoming US tour with a smashing piece of Rachmaninov.

[sjcchoir]

St John's Lent Meditation Service - Holy Tuesday Webcast

In case people are interested, we will be webcasting our Meditation on the Passion of Christ on the Tuesday in Holy Week. The service takes place at the end of the Lent term but charts the passion story from Palm Sunday to Easter morning. The service includes music by Lotti, Byrd, Humfrey and Bruckner, as well as readings and sung sections of the Gospel.

You can find it, as always on our website - in the meantime you can read about the Choir's USA tour and listen to Moore and Cavalli for this week's service.