Chapel Choir at Gloucester Cathedral

Chapel Choir travelled to Gloucester yesterday, and sang Evensong in the beautiful Cathedral.  The 80 strong choir responded to the amazing building, mostly built in the 13th and 14th centuries.  They performed the traditional form of evening prayer, which continues to this day at Gloucester, and in the UK’s major cathedrals.  Music by Noble and Bainton, together with a psalm and responses formed the body of the service.   The choir sounded magnificent in the acoustic of the ancient quire.  Joseph Jankinson (L) took the singing role of Precentor, and he, together with Kaan Harwood (N) and Kyoko Canaway (Foremarke) played the organ before and after the service.  This was an amazing opportunity for them to play a famous instrument in a wonderful setting.

The Clergy were surprised by the size and enthusiasm of the choir.  The choir couldn’t fit into the stalls, and took over much of the space meant for the congregation!  The cathedral staff were very impressed with our singing, and hope that we will return soon.  Surely there can be few places so beautiful to sing in the whole land, and if Gloucester thought themselves fortunate that we had visited, we knew that we had all had a special experience, which is certainly one for the memory banks.

AJRB