Today started like any other Sunday for me and I had no expectation that it would be any different to last week or the week before. I went about my usual Sunday routine taking the opportunity to review and practice my repertoire and go over what I had learnt in the week. However all that was about to change when one of my friends approached me in the early afternoon and asked if I would help her out by singing in the choir at Glasgow Cathedral.
Well you know me and how I love a new challenge so of course I said yes 🙂
I have never sung as part of the Cathedral choir at the Glasgow Cathedral before so I asked my friend Tim Edmundson if I could walk over with him as he is a regular member.
We arrived in good time for the choral evensong service which I was told was to be filmed and broadcast on the internet for those people who could not attend in person. Which I though was a great idea for anyone who does not live close enough to the cathedral or is housebound.
The cathedral has a long and interesting history, it’s lower crypt is the final resting place of the patron saint of Glasgow, St Mungo. I first remember coming across St Mungo when I visited the Trades House of Glasgow and read about the coat of arms of the city.
Glasgow cathedral dates back to the late 12th Century and luckily survived the Reformation of the Church in Scotland in 1560.
Adjacent to the cathedral is Glasgow’s necropolis, which sounds a little creepy but in fact is a rather beautifully laid out cemetery and park which dates back to Victorian times.
I had a great afternoon with the help of my friends and the other choir members and though the experience was a first for me it was one that I will remember fondly. Over the last two years I have been a part of a female chamber choir, Les Sirenes under the direction of Andrew Nunn and this has helped me immensely when it comes to sight reading in situations like this.
If anybody reading this wants to have a go at singing then joining a local choir can be an excellent way to start.
Congratulations Charlotte, articlet beautiful and good action, people had to be delighted to hear from you!
All the best for you !!
Merci Pascal. I enjoyed looking at and reading your new book.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Thanks Charlotte, I’m happy to know you like it !
All the best fot You
Pascal
Your family must be so proud of you xx
l
Hi Barbara lovely to hear from you. They love catching up with what I’m doing on my blog too.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Like your blog. Nice of you to do this with short notice. Go Charlotte….
Thanks Mary, you could say it didn’t give me chance to think about what exactly I was doing 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
As always, interior/exterior architecture is “thumbs up.” Interesting back-story as well. Thanks.
Thanks Eric, I’m going to go back for more of an explore in daylight.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Jolly good show. I do most of my singing in the shower. No respectable choir will have me as a member. They keep telling me I can’t carry a tune. I keep saying, “What about the shower?” They give me the weirdest look.
Ha Ha Don I am sure that you can sing better than you think :).
Best wishes
Charlotte
That was indeed a nice unexpected event for a Sunday afternoon. I am wondering that they give everyone the gown to wear.
Yes they provided the red gowns, tartan scarves and ties for the men. It was a very lovely service.
Best wishes
Charlotte
What a great experience. I’m very happy for you.
Thanks Terry, it was a fabulous opportunity and you know me I just could not refuse 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
How fun. I did when I was younger join the church choir. However, when the ladies heard me sing — they suggested God would be happier if I went and played with my friends. 😀
That is so funny Colleen! I often get told to sing quieter in a choir 🙁
Best wishes
Charlotte
What is a Cathedral Choir without a Flame as Charlotte ?? A wonderful sound missing ! 😀
You’re not supposed to be a flame Ron 🙂 The most professional choristers, like most of my friends in this choir, spend years perfecting the choral thinking, blending, relationships between members and the Choirmaster singing every week. I know that my friend Beth Taylor trained at Oxford University in the summer on a specialist course so it’s a massive commitment for them, it is very specialist.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Good morning charlo I wish you have a nice day
Thank you Amritpal I’ve had a lovely day today, I hope you did too.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Good for you. I’m sure they were impressed. I am always in awe of those who can sight read. I no longer sing but in the 1930s my father was good enough to sing on the Third Programme (Radio 3). My late brother was a cathedral chorister. I was the black sheep. Is the tartan obligatory?
I sometimes wish I’d started in a regular choir much younger Andrew it certainly helps your sight reading skills, amongst lots of other necessities. I hope the tartan is obligatory, it is the Church of Scotland.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Another great post (and I’m really loving your album)!
Thanks Marcus what a lovely message 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
What a wonderful experience! Thank-you for another interesting post.
It was a great experience Clare and I had a great time with my friends and the other choir members 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
Awesome! Sounds like fun.
It was an opportunity that was just too good to pass up and I had so much fun 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
Interesting how an ordinary day turns into a very special one. Thanks for sharing.
There is nothing quite like trying something new 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
Just wonderful. I love the acoustics in these old cathedrals.
Hi Diane, there are some truly wonderful venues to perform in around Glasgow. The Cathedral was stunning 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
What a great day!
Hi Marie, it was a wonderful afternoon and was completely unexpected, but so much fun 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
A lovely post – and what sounds like a lovely experience. I wish I had been there to hear you sing.
Hi Mary, I have so much fun singing and performing in the Cathedral was fantastic.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Well, if you enjoyed it, I am sure it was worthwhile. As a soloist though, I would be surprised if your vocal coach didn’t caution you against doing too much choral singing. The best choirs of course probably don’t pose a problem but choral singing is usually not for the Cecelia Bartolis or Kiri Te kanawas of the world, if you know what I mean. Some people with fine voices can put an edge on their voice if they were to do it with the wrong choir or habitually. That said, it looked like a lovely and rewarding experience. Good for you!
Thanks Beth, being in the Les Sirenes female chamber choir did help my sight reading, that makes it easier when I’ve new scores to learn, and it’s practise is once per week. I couldn’t commit to the cathedral choir every week at the moment anyway so much to learn.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Thanks for introducing me to Glasgow. The church looks amazing and it’s great to hear a choir fill up a space like that. I saw Montiverdi’s Vespers at Washington National Cathedral a number of years back and it was sublime.
I enjoyed my cathedral experience, it was the first time I’d done a full Sunday service. I must see Montiverdi’s Vespers I’ll look out for it now you’ve bought it to my attention. Thank you.
Best wishes
Charlotte
What a beautiful cathedral, must have been magical to sing there ~ another great experience for you 🙂
Thanks Randall it was a great experience 😊.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I am a big fan of Glasgow Cathedral Charlotte, thank you for this historic and modern perspective. The Necropolis is fascinating with the huge variety of tomb stones. The Choir looks uplifting.
You’re welcome, thank you for visiting 😊
Best wishes
Charlotte
Very interesting photos. Looks like a nice place to visit. One day. I visited all your sites. I’m just making changes to an older site, and building on the photos and words site. Just practicing at the moment.
Enchanting blog! Thanks for the follow that led me here.
Great opportunity! The sound is so different in a cathedral with high ceilings:) I happen to like singing. In classical music I actually like instrumental music more – except for Bach, like the Matthew Passion, and Passion of John … curious as to how you found my blog?
Thank you for following my blog, Charlotte. I love finding yours so I can follow it too.