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Evensong in Westminster Abbey
30 July 2019
A group of approx. 40 singers from the Northampton
Bach Choir sang Evensong in Westminster Abbey on a wet Tuesday
afternoon at the end of July, as the regular Abbey choir took a
break over the summer.
The Abbey is steeped in history and holds a unique place in our
national life. Since 1066 it has hosted coronations and royal
burials, along with many other nationally important services. Edward
the Confessor’s shrine is at the heart of the Abbey and over 3,000
famous and notable national figures are buried there.
The Abbey is a designated World Heritage site and a ‘Royal
Peculiar’, an institution where the Dean is personally responsible
to the monarch. The visit was arranged by our conductor Lee
Dunleavy; concert manager Mark Gibson liaised the service details
with the Abbey and arranged a coach for those who preferred to
travel together. The vergers and canons of the Abbey were very
welcoming amidst the many tourists.
The choir singing from their stalls in
the quire
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It was a joy to sing for the service in such a beautiful and
majestic building filled with so much history, to be part of an
ancient tradition of praising God on a daily basis. There is
something very moving to know you are part of something which has
been done regularly for so long; to realise that you are hearing the
same biblical readings and singing the same psalms as so many have
done for centuries. I was struck by a sense of wonder at taking part
in this ancient tradition, listening to readings from scripture,
reciting or singing the psalms and canticles, alongside praying for
the needs of the world and local community. This regular worship is
part of the worldwide practice of daily prayer, underpinning the
work of the Abbey which employs 350 staff.
Northampton Bach Choir outside Westminster Abbey
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We sang a mixture of music including Ayleward Responses,
Henry Smart’s Evening Service in Bb major and the
anthem Sing Praise to God by Francis Jackson. We learnt the
music in three rehearsals, those who were in the congregation said
they thought it had gone very well, and we certainly enjoyed the
opportunity to lead worship in such a prestigious and ancient
building.
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