Most all of us are home

I believe most everyone is home safely from our wonderful trip, except Suzanne who is still tramping through Wales.  I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has supported the choir over the last year and a half leading up to this trip.  It was a trip for the ages, and I think we represented Nativity, Nativity music and the Episcopal church well.  Thanks to everyone who participated in our never ending fund raising (or at least put up with it).  Thanks to all the folks who came to listen to our concerts and services.  And thanks to all of those who just wished us well.  We could not have done it without the support and prayers of our great Nativity family.

Stairs to the Wells Cathedral Chapter house

Reflections

What a fabulous twelve days in England.  Between the history, the music, and the fellowship, my head is still spinning (and that is not a reference to the apple or pear cider!).  There are at least two habits I am going to have to break.  First, a small snack at mid-morning and afternoon tea (complete with scone and jam).  Second, that glass of cider with lunch.  I am sure I have developed others (oh, ice cream after dinner) that will have to go, as well.  I am still in awe at what we saw, and I am sure it will filter through.  Thanks to all who made this such a memorable trip!  S Moon

First Wave of Choristers Return Home

The bus departs Cheltenham for a 2-hour ride into Heathrow.

Suzanne sees us off before heading to Wales on her own.

Peter Baldwin entertains us on the bus with more stories.

 

Waiting for DL flight 9 from Heathrow to Atlanta

Our flight was delayed between Atlanta and Huntsville but...

We were treated to a spectacular sunset - a fitting end to a glorious adventure!

Cheryl Mc (cdm)

The Day Thou Gavest

We had a great day today touring Glastonbury and Wells.  The drive in (a little long due to an upcoming music festival) was made more bearable after a wonderful guided tour through the Abbey ruins.  Going on to Wells the sun came out, and the beauty of the countryside was enhanced only by the beauty of Wells Cathedral.  Each cathedral visit has been meaningful and educational.  Each place has special characteristics unique to its history and structure.  Our time in Wells was long enough to revel in the history, and all it stands for today.  From the "scissor arches" to the vast lady chapel, the chapter house, and vicars close, it could not have been a better place to finish our tour.  Some were able to tour the Bishops Palace and its beautiful gardens as well.  We concluded our visit by attending evensong at 5:15, this time provided by the Junior choristers, (magnificent) and finishing a traditional English Roast dinner in the Vicars Hall.  It was an excellent way to conclude our time together. 

More photos and posts will be coming!  Thanks to everyone for their support and love.   Suzanne

waiting for the bus after a wonderful day in Oxford (Christ Church gate)

End of the day dinner of singers and friends

Dan and Suzanne exiting the organ loft at Gloucester

Evensong in Bristol

Hello all,
Today we journeyed to the city of Bristol to sing Evensong at the Cathedral.  In the morning we visited the S.S. Great Britain, the world's first luxury steamship, which was designed and built by Bristol's famous engineer Brunel.  It was amazing to see the luxurious quarters for the first class passengers, the amount of supplies needed, the light filtering below decks through skylights into the lower compartments.  It really was an engineering marvel.  Over time, the engines were removed and masts raised so that the ship could make much longer journeys to Australia and San Francisco (too far to carry enough coal to power the engines).  The museum presented a pretty complete picture of life aboard the ship during the different time periods.

After lunch in Bristol, we assembled for rehearsal at the Cathedral.  We put on our choir robes and had a cup of tea in the "Chapter Room", a beautiful room reached byway of the cloisters. It's the only part of the cathedral that remains from the original Augustinian Abbey, and was built in 1165.  The acoustics were wonderful and we sang one of our recital pieces just for fun.  It was breathtaking!

Reflections

Dear All,

This trip of a lifetime has exceeded my expectations. Canterbury - words simply cannot describe the experience. Church at Gloucester yesterday was a thrill, and when the organist played my favorite Bach Prelude and Fugue, well, I was a little closer to Heaven. Their choir was exquisite and I met a British lady in the congregation who sings alto in her community. I invited her to our service this evening and hope to see her again. It's been fun to get to know the wonderful group from Nativity and other places too. Was lucky - thanks to Suzanne, to have attended a special organ recital on Sat night by Dame Gillian Weir, who played a 2 hour program on a newly restored organ. Amazing. Tonight, we get to hear our "own" organist, Dr. Dan Hardin, who will wow us all.

Take care my friends and we'll talk when I get home. Wish You Were Here!
Humbly,
Cheryl

Sunday in the U.K.

We have spent a beautiful Sunday here in England.  We started the day with a Sunday Eucharist at the Cathedral in Gloucester.  As we stepped into the narthex, an unbelievable sound emerged: the Boys and Men of the Cathedral Choir rehearsing before the service.  The sights and sounds of the Cathedral almost overwhelm the senses.  As I listened to the organ prelude (Bach Prelude in Eb), the Palestrina Gloria and the antiphons by Gabrieli, it struck me that I have never heard these pieces in the type physical settings for which they were written.  It's almost like looking at a famous painting for the first time in a museum after looking at pictures of it for years--entirely different.  Afterwards we strolled through the lovely Cloisters that are distinguished by their fan vaulted ceilings, the first ever constructed.

In the afternoon we journeyed to Tinturn Abbey in Wales, a ruin built in the twelfth century.  In its unfinished state, you can get see the architectural details.  Standing in the center of the nave, it feels like an Escher drawing, with the columns rising all around.

Oxford

Yesterday, Saturday -- we spent the whole day in Oxford.  What a wonderful experience!  We came as students were finishing their exams and the colleges were holding their commencement ceremonies, so colorful academic regalia and celebrating exam takers were all around,  The highlight (for us) was exploring the riches of Christ Church Cathedral.  Its present building dates from the last half of the 12th century, though the first church on its site was founded in the 8th century; and it became a cathedral in 1546.  Here's a little taste:

Window made in 1320.

Stunningly beautiful high altar.

Not too shabby!

Pane of 1320 window showing the slaying of Thomas a Becket.

An about-to-be graduate decked out for the occasion.

Choir stalls, just waiting for the Nativity Choir!

Next stop:  Gloucester!

Terry & Celia

 

Canterbury Concert

Here we are, at the Mother Church!  What a thrill it was to send our voices upward in this glorious setting.  We had a rapt audience, who no doubt are all going home to tell all their friends about that fine choir from Alabama!

Celia Lata, pick-up singer

Terry Lata, choir groupie

Entry to the Cathedral close.

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Approaching the Cathedral.

It's official -- we're on the program!

We prepare to sing!

Leaving London...

Our time in London ends tomorrow....after a trip to Canterbury today to sing at the Cathedral.  What an amazingly historic place!  Our guide told us that site has been the location of Christian churches for over 1400 years!  Before that, the Romans and who knows had religious buildings there....for over 2,000 years, that has been a sacred site.  We saw the place in the Cathedral where Thomas Beckett was murdered by representatives of King Henry II and the tombs of several Kings of England.  (We saw most of the other tombs in St. George's Chapel at Windsor or in Westminster Abbey.  These folks know how to mark a grave!)  Off to pack for our move to Cheltenham in the Cotswolds.  We stop by Oxford on the way....

Patrick Robbins

Return from Canterbury

A beautiful day of singing in Canterbury cathedral!  what a great experience for all of us. A very appreciative audience.  We followed up our concert with lunch and a guided tour of the cathedral.

Arriving at Canterbury

The Cathedral

Warming up in the Cloisters

We be Sangin'

Suzanne in charge!

British TV

Watching TV yesterday after walking everywhere, and learned an interesting fact. Apparently, during the Stuart period, people believed that an ill person could be revived by forcing tobacco smoke up the patient's rear end. Could that be the source of the saying blowing smoke up someone's rear?

Headed now to Canterbury! SMoon

Off to Canterbury

Had a great day of sightseeing yesterday. Westminster Abby, St Paul's, Tower of London, boat tour down the River Thames, and ended it with a London Symphony Orchestra concert at the Barbican (Bruckner 4 - Horn players' ecstasy).

St. Paul's Cathedral at 11:00PM- finally time to go to bed.  Off to Canterbury for a full day, including a concert at the Cathedral.  I'm sure the Archbishop will have some comments.  Jerry