Sanctuary, St Peter’s Church, Gayhurst, Buckinghamshire, England. Image: Su Leslie 2013It’s December 1992; a Friday night and I’m killing time in the HMV shop at (near?) Birmingham New Street Station. Soon I’ll be on the southbound train that will take me home to Berkhamsted.
Perhaps because it’s almost Christmas, the music playing over the shop’s speakers isn’t the usual chart-pop. There’s no pumping beat, no synthesizers or over-produced voices shouting banal lyrics.
I am listening to a choir. I am actually listening, captivated, to a group of adult voices swoop and rise in complex patterns and textures and harmonies. It is beautiful, magical, visceral.
I go to the counter, ask the sales assistant what is playing, and buy two copies of Requiem, composed by John Rutter and sung by The Cambridge Singers (the second copy is my Mum’s Christmas present — result!)
And thus begins my love of choral music.
I could choose any of the tracks from Requiem, but Sanctus is particularly lovely.
Glorium tuam translates (I believe) as “glory” or “your glory.”
My friend Sarah at Art Expedition is hosting 30 Days, 30 Songs for the month of June. You can see her latest post here.
Why not join in — you don’t have to post every day.
That is really lovely, Su. Choral music is so beautiful. Quite transcendent at times.
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Before Rutter, I’d probably only really heard Handel’s Messiah, which is cool, but there are many pieces I like much better.
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Su, John Rutter is my ALTIME HERO….. on the modern side. Standing humbly right next to J.S. BACH….
We discovered Rutter when we lived in the UK and have been his groupies (if you can use this loose term on somebody like dear John) ever since. We own all his music, his song compilations of choral music, we met him in person, I’m subbed to his website – he is the most humble and wonderful musician ever. Thank You for this!
Now brushing the upstanding hairs on my arms down again….. 🙂
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I am so, so pleased to hear this, and am slightly envious that you’ve met him.
I can believe that he is a humble man — truly talented people so often are.
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Rutter is mah-velous!!! What a magical introduction . . . goose bump moments! Do you listen to the traditional Christmas Eve concert from Kings? They almost always include one of his carols, and the whole programme requires tissues—sooo beautiful. Let me know if you need a url. 😘
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You described so well how you got to love choral music. I can understand the emotional connection, Su.
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Thanks Peter 🙏
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I would have to agree with you Su, the human voice is one of the finest musical instruments.
Leslie
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And when voices combine like this, it is magical.
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It is indeed!
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An ornate alter!
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It is. The church is very small, and sits alongside an old manor house. We used to have a flat in the house, so the church felt like it was in our front yard.
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This is utterly beautiful, Su! Almost unearthly and definitely goosebumps raising! I love The Carmina Burana by Carl Orff – do you know it? And Gregorian chorals are wonderful too. 😊
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I recognise it now that I am listening to it, but I had no idea what it was called.
This wonderful exchange of music is such a cool part of the challenge. Thanks again for doing this. xxx
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The pleasure is all mine, Su! 😀 This is really such fun! xxxxxx
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I haven’t heard any Rutter for years – we seem to have gout out of the way of listening to classical music, choral or otherwise. My favourite Requiem is Mozart’s. I’d quite like it at my funeral with full orchestra and chorus. Probably won’t happen …
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The Mozart is lovely. I rather like Faure’s Requiem as well, but really want Dido’s Lament at my funeral — sung by Jessye Norman!
Think my chances are about the same as yours 🤨 Thank goodness for recordings.
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You should be aiming to outlive Jessye!
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Probably. But when I look at the mess we’re making of the planet, I do wonder.
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