BBC Choral Evensong: Durham Cathedral 2002 (James Lancelot)

[@Mark_Dyer1]

Between 1971 - 1974 I spent three wonderful years in this city, and was privileged to attend Sung Evensong in this, most magnificent of the great European Romanesque cathedrals. Bill Bryson, himself (Tales from a Small Island) claimed Durham has "the finest cathedral on Planet Earth": after which comment, they made him Chancellor of the University of Durham. The wonderful, diminutive HEW Turner ('Jesus, Master and Lord') was Sub-Dean, and Van Mildert Professor of Theology, I believe. I remember graduates wearing their gowns and hoods when attending Sunday services: and, indeed, undergraduates wore short gowns, over dinner-suits, for formal dinners, and for attendance at debates in the Union Society. Great days!

[@smileybeardyman7776]

I sang in this recording. Absolutely fantastic occasion.

[@stnicholas54]

Well done.

[@jwsuicides8095]

I was there yesterday for evensong. It must have been quite an experience.

[@georgealderson4424]

@@jwsuicides8095 Blessings and peace from North Yorkshire

[@FrBorrom]

I was there for four years: they made a recording just before I arrived, and just after I left. I leave you to draw your own conclusions. (nb, I remain very fond of R Lloyd, so this is not a complaint).

[@SB-ej1sc]

This is amazing. I live a mile away and never realised such beauty existed. I feel my life has changed. An energy moves through my body with every note sang. I will keep listening to try and kick move the darkness out of my mind.

[@georgealderson4424]

I hope some light has come into your life now. Like you Durham is not far from me and is much appreciated

[@proverbs31woman14]

If I lived a mile away, I would be attending this service. You are so fortunate! There is nothing like this near me. Every church has a worship band with guitars, drums. No one sings hymns or the Psalms, and no choirs. Enjoy it while you have it.

[@georgealderson4424]

I do not live too far from Durham and yet I have not (yet) worshipped there but having watched and listened to this video I intend to make amends. Thank you for bringing it to us. Blessings and peace. YSIC

[@FrBorrom]

Please remember, everyone, that it is the tradition for graduates of any university to wear their gowns (and hoods, on Sundays, in University Term) in the Cathedral for services. A fine tradition, and one kept, I think, more in Durham than in most places. It certainly was when I was in the Choir. xxx

[@johnparker4538]

Thank you for this wonderful recording from a place that is very, very special to me.

[@timauger]

What an amazing service. Why there aren’t hundreds of ‘likes’ I can’t imagine. And as someone else pointed out, that treble is/was exceptional.

[@constancebrown1826]

Glad for the reminder to click like. too busy listening.

[@davidbrookes9430]

Wonderful choir, with the added pleasure of not only the organ but an orchestra. The arrangements of the verses of 'Ye servants of God' were amazing, and the Elgar Postlude 'the icing on the cake'!

[@josephgodfrey2230]

Perfection, this is so beautiful, moving, heartwarming, deep, meaningful, it creates within me an overwhelming feeling of something I cant put my finger on, I love this so much I cannot express in words what this song does to me. Thank you with all my heart. X

[@stevenwebb3634]

Evensong is an amazing service

[@georgev9170]

This is the loveliest recording of Stanford's Te Deum I've heard so far

[@tompw3141]

It was even better in-person :-)

[@LewisHamsterHammond]

What an incredible treble soloist for the Stanford!

[@ArchiveofRecordedChurchMusic]

Yes, a superb performance

[@smileybeardyman7776]

Yes, although not a treble, but a soprano: Jessica Holmes, a member of the Cathedral Consort, with whom she still sings.

[@tompw3141]

@TheSauce Group Read the description. It says "Cathedral Consort of Voices".

[@simonlawford4589]

A fine effort in do many ways,, but one which proves once again that a cathedral choir and a symphony orchestra make unequal bedfellows

[@davidseifert4495]

Oh bleib bei uns, denn es will Abend werden, und der Tag hat sich geneiget (Lk 24,29)

[@andrewrevans8496]

Rheinberger isn't English; he was born in Liechtenstein! H K Andrews was born in Ireland. This is his only chant as far as I'm aware.

[@ArchiveofRecordedChurchMusic]

Not quite an accurate description of service!

[@petersumner7367]

or the hymn tune

[@petersumner7367]

and Stanford was Irish lol

[@mw11stuff]

Stanford is a bit on the slow side for me!

[@ArchiveofRecordedChurchMusic]

Bernard Rose remembers Sir Walter Alcock, a friend of the Stanford's, telling him of Stanford's puzzlement at the speed at which most organists took his canticles, especially the Magnificat in C.

[@simonlawford4589]

@@ArchiveofRecordedChurchMusic yes, but that is due to the metronome marking

[@simongleaden2864]

I'd prefer it without the orchestra - it's better with just the organ. The orchestra reminds me of background music to a film. And I strongly dislike the inaccurate modern Bible translation used for the Lessons, with its politically correct gender-neutral "inclusive" language.