Margaret was excited: "We're holding a Remembrance Service here at St Andrews, and the Minister would like the Choir to sing." So, as the day drew near, we had to rehearse, and rehearse, and refine.
Steve, our choirmaster proposed a vote on including some World War I favourites, and Keep the Home Fires Burning won. The remainder of the morning's offering was drawn from our current repertoire: Tebe Poem by Dmitry Bortniansky, Locus Iste by Anton Bruckner, Mozart's Ave Verum (K618), and God So Loved the World from John Stainer's Crucifixion. Perhaps the biggest challenge was that first two items would be unaccompanied.
We gathered an hour early to finalise seating and warm up our bronchials. Everyone was remarkably friendly. St Andrews lost their full-time minister last year. Sarah was quite a catalyst in the local scene, and I hadn't met Robert, her successor. For this Armistice Day event, there was a screen set up at the front, and Robert stood to one side to lead the proceedings.
The music went well. Barrie stayed on afterwards to listen to the recording, and was impressed. As the two-minute silence approached, Robert, wearing a white poppy, read a long poem while suitable historical pictures played out on the screen. The message seemed to be: we decline to mention that WWI was deemed to be "to God's glory", but don't mind commending sacrifice as a principle; and, things haven't travelled too well for Christian religious sentiment (universally amongst the young) in the century that's followed - un-British Islam's ascendancy is driving us to greater humility. Hmmm. (I wish I could find the original, but URC's website hasn't helped.)
Steve didn't stay for refreshments, so I sent him a text congratulating him on where he's got the Choir to in 12 months. I guess it'll be carols at the Sheffield University's main Firth Hall before the year is out, too.
Steve, our choirmaster proposed a vote on including some World War I favourites, and Keep the Home Fires Burning won. The remainder of the morning's offering was drawn from our current repertoire: Tebe Poem by Dmitry Bortniansky, Locus Iste by Anton Bruckner, Mozart's Ave Verum (K618), and God So Loved the World from John Stainer's Crucifixion. Perhaps the biggest challenge was that first two items would be unaccompanied.
We gathered an hour early to finalise seating and warm up our bronchials. Everyone was remarkably friendly. St Andrews lost their full-time minister last year. Sarah was quite a catalyst in the local scene, and I hadn't met Robert, her successor. For this Armistice Day event, there was a screen set up at the front, and Robert stood to one side to lead the proceedings.
The music went well. Barrie stayed on afterwards to listen to the recording, and was impressed. As the two-minute silence approached, Robert, wearing a white poppy, read a long poem while suitable historical pictures played out on the screen. The message seemed to be: we decline to mention that WWI was deemed to be "to God's glory", but don't mind commending sacrifice as a principle; and, things haven't travelled too well for Christian religious sentiment (universally amongst the young) in the century that's followed - un-British Islam's ascendancy is driving us to greater humility. Hmmm. (I wish I could find the original, but URC's website hasn't helped.)
Steve didn't stay for refreshments, so I sent him a text congratulating him on where he's got the Choir to in 12 months. I guess it'll be carols at the Sheffield University's main Firth Hall before the year is out, too.
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