The Abbey Choirs are greatly looking forward to their forthcoming tours, with the Boys, Girls and Lay-clerks visiting Gloucester and St Pauls Cathedrals.
The Boys will be singing at Gloucester Cathedral on the weekend of 17 and 18 July. They'll be singing Evensong on both days and the Cathedral Eucharist on the 18th additionally. Our very own Rector Canon Guy Bridgewater, formerly Canon at Gloucester Cathedral, will be preaching on the Sunday morning and joining in the services with the Abbey choir.
At Gloucester the choirs will be singing music by William Mathias, the joyful setting of Psalm 67 ‘Let the people praise thee’, Mozart’s charming setting of the Mass in F major and Philip Moore’s exciting setting ‘All wisdom cometh from the Lord’ – one of the boys’ favourite anthems!
Huw Williams, Director of Music at Bath Abbey, said, ‘After many months when we haven’t been able to spend much time together, it is a wonderful opportunity for us to be together for 3 days as this improves musical quality as well as the social cohesion of the choir. Gloucester Cathedral is one of my favourites – a fabulous acoustic and a stunning organ. They filmed part of the Harry Potter movies in the cloisters here too so I’m sure the choir will enjoy getting to know this glorious and inspiring building.’
As well as visiting Gloucester Cathedral and the city, the boys will be enjoying 10 pin bowling, trampolining and a picnic with games in the park!
The Abbey Girls Choir will be singing Evensong in St Paul’s Cathedral on Wednesday 21 July.
Having worked at St Paul’s Cathedral for 12 years, Huw Williams says, ‘It is an inspirational building – one of the most famous sights in the UK and I know the girls and Lay-clerks will enjoy the challenge of making music and being part of the liturgy here later this month’.
The girls will be joined by the Abbey Lay-clerks on Thursday 22 July as the feast of St Mary Magdalene will be celebrated with a Choral Eucharist. The music for the Eucharist will be Jonathan Dove’s uplifting setting of the Missa Brevis, and the anthem will be a setting of ‘Dic nobis Maria’ by Venetian composer Giovanni Bassano. The Evensong will feature music by former Director of Music at St Paul’s Malcolm Archer and Mendelssohn’s elegant anthem Laudate pueri. The psalm setting contains several solo voices.
Apart from singing, the girls will be visiting the Victoria and Albert Museum, The London Museum, a walking tour of the City, a shopping trip into Harrods and a picnic in St James’ Park where they’ll be able to see Buckingham Palace and other famous sights.
