Next England Vacation about to happen!

[jbird604]

Once again the missus and I will have the pleasure of a holiday in England, about two and a half weeks this time. We fly out of here Wednesday and will arrive at Gatwick on Thursday morning. As with previous trips to the UK, it's a combination of organ/cathedral spotting and general sightseeing. My wife remains a devout Anglophile and never gets enough of the Yorkshire Dales, so we'll be spending several days in that area, as we always have. On those days I'll be driving a rental car, and we'll be exploring the little villages, popping into village churches. Now and then we manage to catch the local organist practicing, and have a nice little visit.

We are planning to see a few cathedrals that will be new to us -- Southwark, Exeter, and Wells. At least those are the ones we've got on the intinerary. Should our travels take us into close proximity to another one or two we will likely take a detour and visit. We had hoped to visit St. George's Chapel at Windsor, but discovered yesterday that it will be closed to the public on the days we are to be in London this time. While in the Dales, we might get over to Ripon, or even to Durham this year, if time allows.

In previous years we've seen several -- St. Paul, Westminster Abbey, Yorkminster, Gloucester, Canterbury, Salisbury, Chester. After this trip, we will have seen between 10 and 12 of the 44. The rest are on my "bucket list" and I hope we'll be able to eventually see them all, if our health holds up and we are able to make a few more trips.

As always, we'll attend several worship services and perhaps an organ recital or two. I realize that going to church in one of these cathedrals is not "the real world," but it is infectious fun and brings me a lot of joy. I'm looking forward to hearing some grand organs in glorious acoustic settings, played by gifted and dedicated musicians. And fully expecting to have some transcendent worship experiences, as I had on a Sunday morning at St. Paul's last year.

Will report on my organ-related events here. Cheerio!

[voet]

John,

I hope you and your wife have a wonderful vacation. While you are there, you might also like to hear the Willis organ at Lincoln cathedral. It is one of my favorites and is considered by some to be the best organ for choral accompaniment. I would also encourage you to attend one or more Evensong services for a great experience.

Since it sounds like you and your wife make this pilgrimage regularly, you may want to consider attending at least some of the concerts of the Three Choirs Festival which will be held next in 2019. I had the great pleasure of attending a number of years ago and it is an unforgettable experience.

I hope you both have a splendid time.

[jbird604]

Thank you, Bill! I love the Willis sound and hope to eventually hear more of them. There is no sweeter organ tone in the world!

I agree about Evensong. We love it so much that we try to attend several times during a trip. There was a recent article somewhere about the popularity of Evensong -- as I recall, the article reported that many cathedrals experience overflow crowds for Evensong, and one should arrive early in order to be sure of getting a good seat. While church attendance in general is declining just about everywhere, Evensong is booming throughout England, an indication that folks are hungry for the simple but highly traditional format of that service.

[Larrytow]

John, I hope that you and your bride have a wonderful time in England ! It sounds like you have a good plan for what to see and when worked out already, and that makes a big trip nicer all the way around in my view. Those larger churches really DO church in a big way from all I have seen and heard. That has to be so moving to experience.

Don't they drive on the wrong side of the road over there ? If so, be safe in the rental car. Ya don't want to have to meet the tow truck guys, when you are there to see the organs !

[Organfella]

Don't they drive on the wrong side of the road over there ? If so, be safe in the rental car. Ya don't want to have to meet the tow truck guys, when you are there to see the organs !

From far away I also echo what others have said. I hope you will enjoy a full two weeks of beautiful organ stuff - and yes those guys do drive on the wrong side of the road just like us uneducated lot down here.... But this issue has me confused when considering this: If left is right and right is wrong... waddaya do? :-P

Nico

[Larrytow]

If left is right, and right is wrong, you just throw in a few Roundabouts at the intersections ! I think those were invented in England, and now we are getting them installed here in the states. Nobody here knows how to act when in one. Too bad I'm retired from the towing biz - they gotta be great for business.

[jbird604]

You hafta be on your toes for sure when driving on the left. But since the steering wheel is also on the wrong side it seems to make it easier. I also depend heavily on the navigation software in my phone over there to keep us from getting lost.

In the dales the roads can be so narrow you nearly have to pull over when you meet another car. It's a different world!

[andyg]

Hang on, we drive on the correct side of the road over here! At one point, everyone else did too. IIRC, it was Napoleon who decided otherwise! :)

It's the same for us Brits when we cross the channel or go to the States. In Japan, Oz and SA, we're OK. I'm told by some Indian friends that it often makes no difference there and having seen some of the youtube clips they pointed me to, I can believe it!

Roundabouts are the norm for us, though if you go up North they'll call them 'islands'. Just remember to give way to traffic coming from your right - unless you go to Jersey, where you just take it in turn.......

And those narrow roads get even narrower if you go to places like Cornwall. My Dad, a proud Cornishman, used to call them 'backing up roads' as when you met someone else (usually a tractor!) you often had to back up the road to the next passing place or a farm gate where you could pull in.

John, if you're in Sussex at some point, come down to the coast at Newhaven and I'll buy you a pint of proper beer! :) Have a great trip and take in all those superb organs and cathedrals.

[jbird604]

Thanks for the invite, Andy! I won't be in Sussex this time, but maybe on the next trip we can have a meet up. Would love to do that. I recently saw some video of Canterbury Cathedral and realized that when I was there (20 years ago!) I didn't see very much of it. We do want to come back to southeast England when we have a chance.

Roundabouts have become quite popular here in our state of Arkansas. One growing city of about 60,000 (Conway) has become known as "the city of roundabouts" and has made the roundabout the default configuration when new roads are built. Numerous advantages over the traffic signal intersections that have been the norm for decades here in the US. I enjoy using them, though a lot of people still ridicule the idea and act like there's something dangerous or evil about them ;-) One friend claims roundabouts are a liberal Communist plot!

I guess what I really love about your country is just the novelty it represents to us. Sure, the US is huge and sprawling and has scores of unique regions, each with its own geology, culture, climate, lifestyle. But there's just something about those rural regions of the UK where sheep roam freely among the stone walls... It's SO different from anything around here. And I love the "ancient-ness" of it all. And Anglican worship. As well as the wonderful railway system and the London Tube. So easy to get from place to place.

At times I get to wishing we could just move over there and stay, but I think I'm too old to relocate. Anyway, love your country, and maybe we'll have a chance to meet one day.

[myorgan]

If left is right, and right is wrong, you just throw in a few Roundabouts at the intersections ! I think those were invented in England, and now we are getting them installed here in the states. Nobody here knows how to act when in one.

I agree wholeheartedly, Larry. Just over 30 years ago, I was goaded in one here. I didn't think I should go, and the lady behind me thought I should! I can't imagine traveling around the them wrong way (OK, Andy, the left way:embarrassed:). And that was just a week after I had the rods removed from back after it was broken. So much for healing! I've hated them ever since.

On the other hand, I think I'd risk it again to see all those wonderful organs in the UK. My wife keeps asking me (she was born there), but so far, we've been visiting the older relatives we have left and feel that's more important right now.

Someday (sigh). Until then, I experience them vicariously through John's vivid descriptions and tears;-).

Michael

P.S. Sorry, John. Couldn't resist!:embarrassed:

[jbird604]

First organ heard! We went to see Southwark Cathedral yesterday morning, just paid a pound for a map and did our own touring. Interesting old church, with more history than I knew about. Not as famous as St. Paul's or Westminster Abbey, but lots of cool connections with famous Londoners. A beautiful place, not astoundingly beautiful like St. Paul's or Yorkminster, but a sweet place in its own right. And there is a church cat!

The organ was being played while we were there. Staff were setting up for a musical event scheduled for the evening, so perhaps this was a visiting organist there to check out the instrument and get ready to play for the program, or might have been the resident organist just practicing. At any rate, he was running through brief passages of this and that, trying out all manner of stops and combinations, putting it through the paces.

Here's a link to the organ history:
https://cathedral.southwark.anglican...-of-the-organ/

Not knowing any of the history or specs while listening to it, I was very much impressed with the simple beauty of the tone. Just gorgeous, sweet as honey and smooth as silk. And remarkably in tune. Not even "loud" as organs go, but robust and full. According to the story on the above site, it was built by Lewis in 1897, then later altered somewhat before being restored more or less to the original sound, as the church realized the significance of what they had.

Anyway, it's hard to describe the sound of an organ, but suffice it to say that it was one of the most pleasant sounds I've heard anywhere, if nor as exciting and chest-thumping as the big boys.

The acoustic setting was probably just right. Not nearly as cavernous a church as St Paul's or Westminster or York, so the organ was far more "intimate" and the sound was not drowned in a sea of sustain and reverb, even when listening from the center of the nave. But the hard stone surfaces and soaring ceiling gave the organ plenty of room in which to bloom.

[myorgan]

Michael is jealous! Just beside himself with envy.:emotion-38::emotion-41: Your description almost made my wife cry too.

[jbird604]

Second organ heard -- the big one at Westminster Abbey, as we attended Evensong there this evening. We were seated in the Quire, of course, though I was surprised to see that there was a very large crowd in the nave as well. We were in the queue outside the front gate about an hour ahead of time, so we were among the first 20 or so in the door, thus getting great seats. Not that all the seats aren't just fine.

The quire seating filled, and the quire overflow area in the transepts, and perhaps a couple hundred out in the nave too. Testimony to the popularity of Evensong services in the cathedrals!

The sound of the organ was of course glorious, and seated in the quire it was very clear and immediate. The bloom and ambiance of the nave could be heard as well, but the organ was crisp and clean from our vantage point. it was very easy to sing with it, and everyone seemed to stay on beat with the organist as we sang the hymn.

I'm beginning to think that English organs are just pretty darn good wherever you find them! I may not have swooned over this one the way I did over the Southwark organ yesterday, but that was only because they were both so totally competent and capable, and I never heard a sound from either one that didn't please my ears. The voluntary at the end was some Vierne thing, quite a quick and agile piece, and the organ was fully up to it, as was the organist.

We're going to Southwark in the morning for Choral Eucharist, so we should hear plenty of fine organ and choir music. I'd love to go to St. Paul's, but we'll have to miss it this trip, as we're leaving London on Monday morning for Exeter. It's a little disconcerting going to St. Paul's or Westminster for church, as everyone has to pass through security and bags get inspected, and staff seem a little brusque. So I think we'll feel a bit more comfortable at Southwark, where they don't seem to even worry about the possibility of mayhem. (They are also much more tourist-friendly than the big cathedrals -- no charge for admission, and they even let you take pictures if you pay a pound up front.)

I hope the hymn is a familiar one, though the chances of that are not great, given that I'm not terribly fluent in Anglican hymnody, beyond the standard hymns we share with the Brits. But I hope to hear that organ perform as beautifully when leading hymns as it seemed to do yesterday just noodling around.

Will have a report afterward...

[jbird604]

Attended the Choral Eucharist at Southwark Cathedral, and THIS is the church I would probably attend if I lived in London. And if I ever come back, this is probably where I'll want to worship on Sunday.

To begin with, it was so nice to just walk right in and sit down. I do understand the concerns at the big churches like St. Paul's and Westminster, with all the possibilities of a terrorist attack or other violent act. My defense will be to stay away from places where the fear is so great they have to frisk everybody that comes in the door. So, it was just so lovely and so inviting to have the doors open all around the church where you could come right in and make yourself at home!

The choir was wonderful. I'm not totally sold on the English choir sound -- the typical ensemble made up of boys and young men, with those little boys voices trained to sing pitches that most female sopranos would find challenging. The sound of a choir like that is just a bit harsh and plain for my ears. Maybe the lack of any vibrato adds to the plainness of it. But the choir at Southwark seemed somewhat less shrill and plain than the Abbey choir we heard last night. Not discounting the Abbey choir, because it's astounding, but I just found the Southwark choir very pleasantly different.

And the organ was all I'd hoped it would be, and more. It can really roar when it needs to, but it was never overbearing or harsh. Led the hymns very well, and the room ambiance is just right. So the hymns were well sung. I even knew the first one by heart -- "When Morning Gilds the Skies" -- and sang along with gusto. The other hymns were less familiar, and there was no printed tune, so we did our best to pick it out.

The service was BIG on incense. They censed everything, it seems. And we were seated on the center aisle, so we got a head full of incense when the Gospel was read, and it happened to be right beside our seats. The place got positively smoky by the time communion came around, but it was not oppressive. In fact, I rather enjoyed the subtle scent.

For the first time in this Baptist boy's life he took communion kneeling at a rail. I held out my cupped hands, as I saw others doing, and the wafer was given to me in my hand. I took it, and then the common cup was presented, and I drank from it. Never did that before. But it was fine, and now I'll not be afraid of doing that, should I take communion elsewhere and see it being done that way. (Real wine too.)

The processional and recessional were both quite grand and majestic. And the worshipers joined in heartily on the singing, the responses, the prayers, the Creed, and so on.

So altogether a great worship experience.

[myorgan]

John,

So good to hear your review. I was pronouncing it wrong, and my wife corrected me, saying it is pronounced Suthark. Then she told me she might be wrong. Oh, well.

Anyway, it's no surprise you liked the service so much. My wife tells me it used to be the "dicey part of town" years ago, but has probably cleaned up since. I'm not so sure what she actually remembers because she was so young when she lived there.

It is unfortunate there was no bulletin, of sorts, to guide you though the service--the hymn tunes, words, etc. That said, it is nice to have a service where the congregation knows all the tunes and words. This AM the kid in the back forgot to advance the projector slide, and everyone hummed the 2^nd phrase to Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee. It was actually quite amusing; I saw some hurriedly looking it up in their hymnbooks.:->

I think the quality of the boys' choir depends on the director. No vibrato is the order of the day, and for the younger boys to sing those notes and have it sound good, they need to be absolutely on pitch at a time when they're often just developing their sense of pitch. It's a tricky proposition.

As always, please keep us posted on your travels. Maybe you should start a travel show for PBS on the organs of England!

Michael