Bah, humbug!
Dec. 1st, 2003 11:38 amNew in the snack-machine today: Walkers turkey and stuffing flavoured crisps, with "Merry Crispmas" emblazoned across the front of the packet.
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In a probably-doomed attempt to swim against the tide of tinselled tat, I'd really like to get to a decent Nine Lessons and Carols service this year. However, I haven't really had much to do with churches in Cambridge, for obvious reasons, so any recommendations welcomed. Not sure yet whether I feel like going the whole way and queueing for the famous one, though.
It's particularly at Christmas that I realise how much I miss chapel choir, actually. Does anybody know of any Cambridge college chapels who let non-students (not even ex-students of Cambridge) sing with their choir? I sing alto/tenor, can read pointed psalms, and can sight-sing reasonably confidently (though less so in auditions, natch).
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In a probably-doomed attempt to swim against the tide of tinselled tat, I'd really like to get to a decent Nine Lessons and Carols service this year. However, I haven't really had much to do with churches in Cambridge, for obvious reasons, so any recommendations welcomed. Not sure yet whether I feel like going the whole way and queueing for the famous one, though.
It's particularly at Christmas that I realise how much I miss chapel choir, actually. Does anybody know of any Cambridge college chapels who let non-students (not even ex-students of Cambridge) sing with their choir? I sing alto/tenor, can read pointed psalms, and can sight-sing reasonably confidently (though less so in auditions, natch).
no subject
Date: 2003-12-01 04:18 am (UTC)<grin>
Unfortunately I can't find an explanation of "pointing" on the web, otherwise I'd, er, point you at it; it might appeal to you. It's a system of notation where instead of writing out the words beneath the music for each verse of the psalm, you just get the music written out as chords, and then the words written out with dots and dashes and slashes and so on (http://www.mikesmith.clara.net/Saint_Andrews_Church/Choir/PointingOfPsalms.htm) indicating where you change chord.
Amazingly, and irritatingly, I can't find a single example on the web!
Do choirs in churches not have some kind of Christianity requirement?
College chapels don't, IME. Pembroke Chapel choir only had a drinking requirement as far as I could tell -- certainly none of the choir were Christians, but then to the best of my knowledge the Chaplain wasn't either!
How would they tell, anyway? And what counts as a 'Christian'?
no subject
Date: 2003-12-01 05:27 am (UTC)Unfortunately the ebony and ivory seems to have defeated me. I think I should stick to the sinewave.
And what counts as a 'Christian'?
Good point. Dunno. Someone self-identifying as a Christian, or willing to lie about that to sing in a choir?
no subject
Date: 2003-12-01 11:52 am (UTC)You mean something like thou shalt drink Ribena instead of Wine kind of thing?
no subject
Date: 2003-12-02 04:27 am (UTC)Er. No. (Anglican chapel, not Methodist chapel.) More like "thou shalt drink plentifully of the sherry before Evensong, for that it maketh thine voice sweet, at least that passeth as a good enough excuse, and besides, college provideth free sherry".