The St. Peter’s Residency at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, comes to its culmination on Sunday, August 13. We have had a wonderful week, and it’s hard to believe that it’s coming so rapidly to its close!
Thursday’s “day off” included a trip to Hampton Court, which dates to the time of King Henry VIII. We toured the gardens, where we learned about period flowers and kitchen plants. As soprano Emma Levitt explains, “The fountains and teatime really made it feel like a historic mansion and its beautiful grounds. The ability to just sit and relax in the gardens made it a perfect day. There were velvet cloaks you could wear around to feel like you were part of the history which was fun.” (The photograph shows Emma and altos Bryan DeSilva and Ben Liberatore modeling the robes.)
We returned to “regular duties” on Friday and Saturday. We also learned that composer Vernon Williams had listened to the recording of our performance of his setting of the canticles (Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis) from Wednesday’s Evensong, and he sent along word that we had performed them wonderfully. Our rector, the Rev. Claire Nevin-Field, read the second lesson at Saturday’s Evensong.
On Sunday we’ll sing two services: the principal Service of Eucharist at 11:30 AM and Evensong at 3:15 PM. Our morning music includes a setting of the Communion Service by Harold Darke and the anthem “Draw Us in the Spirit’s Tether” by Howard Friedell. The afternoon’s Psalm is 86 [https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=369573785]. Our Canticles are by T. Tertius Noble, and our anthem will be “Though I Speak with the Tongues of Men” by Edward Bairstow.
After Evensong we’ll head to a celebratory dinner, then back to our hotel and hostel to pack for the trip back home on Monday.
