Sunday, 7th May, 2023
Today we got up early in order to drive to Cambridge. We left London
about 8:30am. Fortunately, the streets were very quiet.
Chelsea Guest House (actually in Clapham)
Our route took us over Tower Bridge.
Canola is a common sight as we drive
along country roads.
We stopped for breakfast at a "Services" on the motorway before our
first major stop which was Saffron Weldon. You may be familiar with
that name as it is the name of a hymn tune usually sung to the words
"Just as I am, without one plea". We attended the Service at 10:30am
at St Mary's Church. It
was lovely to hear the bells as we approached the church. The music
included the anthem "I Was Glad" by Parry which was included in the
coronation Service yesterday. Also sung were parts of the "Festive
Eucharist" by Noel Rawsthorne and "I Give to you a New Commandment"
by Nardone. The large choir of children and adults did a creditable
job. You can watch the whole service here (I'm not sure how long the link
will last).
Although this is a wooden lectern, it was
still a wonderful work of art. Sadly, it seems that the church
is not using it during services.
The Annunciation
Jesus at the well with the Samaritan woman.
From
Saffron Walden we drove to Cambridge. We settled in to our
accommodation (a really lovely two-storey house in
Teversham, just out of Cambrdge). We were planning to attend
Evensong at King's College at 3:30pm so drove off towards
the city. As it turned out to be a lovely sunny day, there
were people everywhere. The carpark we had researched was
full so we had to find another one. This was far away from
King's so we called an Uber. It got us there just as people
were being admitted. The music included the Responses by
Ayleward, the canticles from William Byrd's "Great Service"
and "The King Shall Rejoice" which is one of Handel's
Coronation Anthems. At the end of the Service, "God Save the
King" as arranged by Gordon Jacob was sung. The introduction
to this version is often played on actual trumpets. At this
event it was all done on the organ but using, I think, a
"tuba" stop which was very loud and spine tingling! As
expected at King's the music was of an exceptionally high
standard.
After the service, we met out friends James and Caroline. We
went to their favourite ice cream shop and found a long line
of people waiting. We eventually got to the front of the
queue and, yes, the icecream was delicious. We then went to
hear Evensong at Gonville and Caius College (where both
James and Caroline were students, James as the Organ
Scholar). The music here was the Responses by Radcliffe, the
"Collegium Regale" canticles by Herbert Howells and the
anthem "Thou Wilt Keep Him in Perfect Peace" by SS Wesley.
The "Te Deum" by Ralph Vaughan Williams was also sung as
well as the hymn known as "Jerusalem" which begins "And Did
Those Feet in Ancient Times". Again the music was of a high
standard.
Following Evensong, we went to "The Eagle" to share dinner
with James and Caroline.
