A Day out to Lincoln - 1st June 2019

(a personal summary)
​
Our choir trip to Lincoln on Saturday last feels to have been an unqualified success, a lovely day out. An early start in the sunshine set the scene and over 50 singers, plus supporters, were on very good form as we prepared to head eastwards to meet up with Andrew and Tom, together with his delightful family, further members of the choir and two YP First Tenors, Derek and Gary, who were assisting us.

I had started to make my way towards the back of our coach, where a disreputable element of the First Sopranos had gathered in force, but I was ushered by their Voice Rep, who was counting the choir in and checking lunch choices, into a front seat which did in the event afford me a clear insight into the considerable amount of organisational detail that our neighbours across the aisle, Ann and Chris, had gone into in preparing for this trip. Very well done both.

​We broke our journey at Ferrybridge when the coach company replaced our driver, having realised presumably that he was indeed, as appeared, only thirteen. The latter part of the journey, across panoramic Lincolnshire countryside, as the towers of the Cathedral appeared over the horizon, was particularly pleasant.

On arrival we toured Lincoln Castle in smaller groups. The group I found myself in was guided by a very entertaining Welshman who demonstrated his singing voice at our request. He sounded suspiciously like a Tenor. Plots were hatched to seize him and bring him back to Yorkshire in the boot of the coach. I should mention that he was particularly enthusiastic when describing botched public hangings in gruesome detail. There’s always something with Tenors isn’t there....
 
There followed lunch , at long tables in the lovely conservatory of The Bakery restaurant. Excellent food, beautifully served, very good value and accompanied by much convivial conversation. A perfect choice by Ann, who is possessed of impeccable taste in these matters.

I did make the unfortunate mistake of sitting next to Charles, who sipped his table water ostentatiously in a fit of self-righteousness as I ordered a large glass of wine. Things got worse. The very charming Alto seated opposite, being over-faced by the quantity of her main course, and conscious of the fact that Charles and myself were watching her struggle, not entirely without self-interest, offered us both a not-insubstantial slab of meat. Charles accepted the kind offer on our joint behalf and then refused to share it with me. Well, that’s the aristocracy for you. Revenge is now being served.
 
After our meal, and a suitable comfort break (Ann and Chris having even flagged up the locations of all local public conveniences, including one which was Grade 2 listed and the Gents section of which the First Soprano VR inspected rather hastily) we were sent out to go and play nicely together on our own for two or three hours.

​Some of us toured the cathedral. What a magnificent building it is. Shafts of afternoon sunlight were illuminating the glorious space via the upper windows. One former Chairman, last seen emerging from the Ladies toilet in the restaurant, had his sketch book out. Others marvelled at the Wren Library, which included some remarkable, elderly collections of plainsong and an odd little book that had the four harmonic parts, so far as I could see, printed in turn at the four edges of each page. One to ponder. We could make significant savings in music hire charges but we would have to perform our concerts in a double rugby scrum formation..
 
In the meantime, a group of the First Sopranos, under the experienced leadership of my Co-Chair, had opted for a less improving, but doubtless uplifting, afternoon and settled down in a local hostelry for the duration. Their subsequent performance of In Paradisum was particularly fine. Others simply wandered the quaint, steep, streets of the medieval quarter in the warm sunshine. The Huttons were discovered gazing romantically up at the window of the very room in the Cathedral Close where they had spent the first night of their honeymoon.
​

At teatime we reassembled and re-boarded the choir charabanc for the short trip to St. Giles, where we were to perform. It is a Georgian church, albeit demolished, moved and rebuilt in the 1930s, and the aesthetic is one of simple elegance. A very bright, lofty church.  (two pictures taken from a choir view point)

During a brief rehearsal the acoustics were deemed to be excellent, the organ likewise. Andrew and Tom brought their expertise to bear on the slightly tricky fact that the choir and the organ were a beat apart. I’m embarrassed to say that I hadn’t noticed. A scientific solution was found in ensuring the audience sat towards the front. All enquiries to Andrew please, I still haven’t worked it out. 

We could not have been more warmly received by the Vicar, Curate and the rest of the church team. Tea and coffee were provided with a smile.
​
After a short break the concert began and what a lovely concert it was. Delightfully presented by Marilynne, elegantly attired as ever in one of her Chinese jackets (as to which more below) and expertly directed by Andrew, who opted as will be seen for an understated shirt. His chosen colour scheme matched the ambient palette of the stained glass windows and decorative metal fretwork. It’s all in the planning.

Our audience numbered somewhere up to fifty, I rather lost count but then I was singing the Hallelujah chorus at the time. This might explain a momentary silence on the part of the Basses when silence there should not have been. No, I flatter myself. It was somebody else’s fault.

We were warmly applauded throughout, as was Tom for his excellent organ pieces, and the audience sang the final part of When The Saints most enthusiastically. There was a particularly good rapport between audience and choir, evidenced by the additional round of applause by the latter for the former at the end of the concert.

An uneventful but happy journey home was remarkable only for a particular incident on the motorway when we were overtaken at speed by a Porsche bearing personalised number plates, sounding its horn and flashing its lights at us. Typical. No idea who it was. One assumes that the driver was subsequently apprehended and spent the night in Scunthorpe nick, assisting the local Constabulary with their enquiries.  One of our number did, as we were retrieving our gear from the boot, attempt to swap her matching black suit bag for Marilynne’s. Perhaps a stylish Chinese jacket in return for a T-shirt emblazoned with a representation of twinkly Doc Marten boots seemed like a good idea to her. The attempt was foiled, thankfully.
 
Thanks are due to Andrew for his concert leadership, to Marilynne and Tom. To Anna for delivering and collecting the clavinova, whilst looking as fresh as a daisy at 8.00am and at 10.45pm, having worked in between, how does she do it?  Enormous thanks of course to Ann and Chris, a tour de force on their part.
 
Thanks finally to all of you who came on the trip. To misquote Lou Reed, it was such a perfect day, I’m glad I spent it with you. All. Some of the photos included were kindly provided by David C, others taken by me. The comments that follow were received from choir members and from our friends at St. Giles.
 
Paul  
 
A wonderful day yesterday.......... the restaurant was fantastic!
 
I really feel today that I’ve been away on holiday! The tour of the castle was very interesting, the restaurant and food were great....... And what can I say about the concert?! It was so enjoyable, engaging and moving.
 
I spoke to a few of the audience. Everybody was genuinely enjoying the concert – one lady went into raptures over the Rutter. I know that three came from the Lincoln Choral Society and a couple saw something in the paper.
 
It was a wonderful day & had a special significance for us as we spent our wedding night there, en route to our honeymoon destination.
 
I so enjoyed singing in the concert and it was great to have such an appreciative audience.
 
From Reverend Rachel
Many people were talking about the concert yesterday and were so impressed with the music and the quality of the singing. The range of music was fantastic and the sound amazing! The organ pieces were also superb. Lewis was very pleased to hear the organ played so well.
 
From Jenny Yearwood verger
The concert was enjoyed by all those who attended, even the ones who were not keen on Choral music. It was a wonderful concert and was heard by the people living in the streets nearby. Thank you all for such a fantastic evening.

Christmas at Harewood House - December 2017

We sing at many local community events throughout the year, alongside our more formal concert season performances. In December we were delighted to support the "Victorian Christmas" event at Harewood House, and on this occasion a small choir, comprising Beati, the Halcyon Singers, plus two Tenors and two Basses, sang together as HCS, and did the Society very proud indeed. The setting of the Long Gallery, in all its decorated Christmas glory, for the first of the two sessions, was beautiful, and the wonderful sound of the carols drifting through the grounds during the later Courtyard performance was truly moving.  We were very well received by both staff and visitors, and I hope that this lovely occasion will be the start of a lasting relationship between Harewood and the HCS.