Thursday, 24 September 2009

My Soul there is a country....

Driving home on Wednesday evening (23rd September) with Radio 3 on the car radio I thought "I know that" - it was Parry My soul there is a country, being sung as the introit to choral evensong from Chelmsford Cathedral. So if you want to practice or sing-a-long it will be available on the BBC iplayer for the next 7 days at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00mrxzn/Choral_Evensong_23_09_2009/. It's also repeated on Sunday at 4pm on Radio 3. I have since learnt that two members of the Writtle Singers were singing in the service.

The concluding organ voluntary was also a piece by Parry - the March from The Birds of Aristophanes, Parry wrote this bridal march in 1883 as part of his incidental music to Aristophanes' play The Birds for a performance in Cambridge. It was scored for saxophone octet. This organ version was arranged by Sir Walter Alcock (1861 - 1947) who was organist at Chichester Cathedral from 1916 until his death, and had the unique distinction of playing the organ at Westminster Abbery for three coronations - Edward VII, George V and George VI.

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