CHOIR SINGS EVENSONG AT GLOUCESTER CATHEDRAL

1st to 5th August 2011

This summer the Cathedral Choir went on tour during the first week of August to Gloucester, one of our closer cathedrals across the border.

Our base for the week was a hostel in the Forest of Dean. The hostel was on the simple side of luxurious, but their pub fed and watered us well and the setting in the forest was a peaceful and beautiful one.

Gloucester Cathedral was a revelation. I don't think I had ever visited the cathedral, despite its closeness to Newport, and was quite taken aback by the place. The first impression one has on entering the nave, with all the pews removed and the space opened out, is breathtaking, with a fine Norman nave leading down to the famous medieval glass in the East Window. The quire itself is a gem, with one of the finest acoustics I have heard. When we sang the first of Sumsion's Responses in rehearsal on Monday afternoon and waited for the long, but clear echo to fade (5 seconds, more perhaps?), we knew that we were in for a treat.

Musically, the start of the week paid homage to Gloucester and its great church musicians. Monday's evensong included music by three past organists of the cathedral, Brewer's D Major service being a particular favourite of mine, somewhat surprisingly sung rarely in Gloucester these days. Tuesday's anthem was the wonderful Like as the hart by Herbert Howells, born just a few miles from where we were staying, in Lydney.

One of the joys of singing with Newport Cathedral Choir is its varied repertoire, ranging from well known standards to little known works and a good body of work commissioned for the choir. It was a thrill to take to Gloucester and sing for them Michael Barlow's St Woolos evening service on Tuesday; Wednesday's service was Paul Richie's setting in E minor and we were honoured that Mr Richie drove down from Newcastle to hear us in rehearsal and in the service. It was fascinating to work with him, adjusting tempi minutely, suggesting alternative registrations. I hope that he was pleased with the result! Both services were very well received.

Each morning we took the boys on a trip for some non-musical fun. We had a fine 5 mile walk in the Forest led by the intrepid Mr Barton. I was very surprised and pretty impressed to hear later that most of the boys want more of the same! Perhaps we'll throw in a few mountains next time! Another good morning out was spent at Clearwell Caves, a mixture of natural cave and iron mine, learning about the Forest of Dean way of life that continued until quite recently.

The heroes of the tour had to be the ladies who worked tirelessly on the matroning front. Unfortunately a sick bug swept through many of the boys, mostly short-lived suffering, but very unpleasant none the less. Caroline and Ros worked tirelessly to keep the boys well and help them when sick and we were all enormously grateful to them. Sadly the bug caught up with Head Chorister Harvey and several of the younger boys, leaving the front rows somewhat thinner as the week went on. The boys responded magnificently, making up for the absence of their older, more experienced colleagues with confidence and accomplishment. Alison was Head Chef, up at an unearthly hour every morning with Ros and Caroline to prepare cooked breakfasts and packed lunches for us all, and very good they were too, setting us up for the tasks of the day.

Back in Gloucester, if the nave was powerfully Norman, the rest of the cathedral contained outstanding work from the Decorated and Perpendicular periods, the result of the church's success as a pilgrim destination after the interment of Edward II, murdered so brutally just down the road. We were treated to an extra-special tour from the Cathedral guides, illuminating the history of the great building, including visits to the ancient crypt and finally the tower, with its magnificent bells and views out over city and county. The Dean and Chapter of Gloucester Cathedral were warm and welcoming and we really appreciated their interest in our work, especially in those nervous moments before processing into the quire.

Amongst many musical highlights, perhaps the anthems on Thursday and Friday used the cathedral's wonderful acoustic to its best. Rachmaninov's Bogoroditsye Dyevo was deeply moving, sounding very Russian! On Friday, Brahms' beautiful Geistliches Lied ended our singing for the week and was achingly poignant.

It has been a real privilege to sing with Newport Cathedral Choir, and now to tour. The welcome given to us irregulars by Christopher and the choir is remarkable, but it is a joy of the choir that these tours bring together old friends and singers who cannot sing regularly in Newport. Thanks to the regulars who put up with us ringers!

So much work goes into making these tours happen. The staff worked tirelessly to help things work. Jeremy Blasby was an inspiring organist, rushing off every morning to practise accomplished and exciting voluntaries, both from repertoire and improvised, and always a sensitive counterpart to our singing. However, our greatest thanks must go to Christopher for his tireless work in organising the trip and running the week itself, not to mention keeping us all at the top of our game in the services.

Peter Boyle

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