Wells 2009

2009 trips are confirmed as:

• Wells 25-31 May (Mon-Weds and Fri-Sun)
• Truro August Bank Holiday weekend, Thurs 27 OR Fri 28-Sun 30 August)

Wells

All info below was pre-trip. For the post-trip mp3s, photos, videos and blog posts, follow the links above!

———

Cantores Literati is singing a full week at Wells, with Thursday off. About 8 of us so far are doing the whole week, with most others doing either Mon-Weds or Fri-Sun, and the odd straggler just turning up for a day. Please make every effort to be at all rehearsals for services you’re singing at – exceptions at my discretion, of course :-)

It is my 30th birthday just before the Wells week so I’ve decided to defer a celebration and — please forgive me — truly indulge myself on the Saturday choosing some of my favourite music for evensong, inviting lots of friends and family and having a big old knees-up in Vicars’ Hall after.

Accommodation

You will be assigned on arrival by Ian, but he should be in touch beforehand to give you some clue as to what to expect (sharing/not sharing/cost). Bring your cheque books! Each accommodation charge will include a small contribution of subs towards the cost of the trip (music hire and sundry expenses) which will be appropriate to the length of your stay (which if only 1 service/1 night will be waived).

• All week: space for 7 in No. 14 Vicars’ Close (“the oldest continuously inhabited street in Europe”)
• All week: space for 7 (but somewhat dependent on couples) at The Swan Mews
• Fri-Sun: space for 7 (3 couples plus 1) at a B&B just off the close (double rooms £68 a night)
• All week: space at Cheddar Youth hostel CHEAP, 8 miles out of Wells
• Mon-Weds: Liz Bagshaw’s camper van =)

Music list (APPROVED)

*** for the keeners who would like psalms, and one or two other items, in advance — click here ***

Monday (“Edgar” Day)
Reading Responses
Psalms: 119 vv73-80 (Day, Pye)
Canticles: Edgar Day in Bb
Anthem: God is Gone Up — Finzi

Tuesday (Purcell day)
Reading responses
Psalms: 119 vv145-160 (Goss)
Daniel Purcell in E minor
Hear my prayer — Purcell

Wednesday (fiddle day)
Reading responses
Psalms: 126,127 (Ware, Garrett)
Gibbons Second Service
Beatus Vir – Monteverdi (with strings) (watch this awesome performance from New Trinity Baroque)

Friday (a capella day)
Shephard responses
Psalms: 142 (Howells)
Gray in F minor
Faire is the Heaven — Harris

Saturday (party day) Eve of Pentecost
Rose
Psalms: 147,148 (Stanford, Walmisley)
Leighton Coll. Magdalenae Oxoniense
The Spirit of the Lord — Elgar

Sunday (hangover day)
Eucharist
Rheinberger Mass in Eb
Loquebantur variis linguis — Tallis
Psalm 104

Mattins
Rose responses
Psalm 145 (Phillip Marshall)
Te Deum in G — Vaughan Williams
Jubliate Deo – Walton
One Thing Have I Desired of the Lord — Sumsion

Evensong
Introit: If Ye Love Me — Carpenter
Rose responses
Psalm 139 vv1-11 (Murrill)
Murril in E
Cantique de Jean Racine — Faure

Music

All music, and folders, will be provided EXCEPT European Sacred Music (needed on Wednesday and Sunday afternoon) which I suggest you purchase or purloin. There will be a couple of spares but don’t count on it.

Robes and dress code

• The choir will robe for all services.
• You need to bring your own robes, but if you have no way of sourcing them, please try the following people for spares (find their e address in a previous email): Nigel, Eric, Richard J. Emily has a spare gown available.
• Suggest ladies bring all-black outfit as back-up; we’ve done this in the past and it’s a surprisingly successful cheat.

Arrival and directions

Anyone coming from Bristol, this route along the Old Bristol Road, via Chew Stoke is considerably quicker than the A37 in peak times.

Anyone coming not from Bristol will most likely approach it from the A37/39 anyway. Follow the A39 as far as it joins with this route, then just inside Wells, as the road becomes New Street fork left at the lights then left at mini-roundabout onto The Liberty and then weave round to the right and as the road dips, just before pedestrian lights, hang a left into the Close. You can park for a limited time here before 5pm, else back track onto the road and you should find roadside parking.
View Larger Map

Rehearsal and Service Schedule

Evensong 17.15 every day except Sunday 3pm.

Monday-Weds
12 noon start on Monday, with other timings to follow once we’re all gathered. Give me a call if you need them in advance.

Thurs
No singing, but nice walks in the country, pub lunches, a cider mission to Cheddar and strip Texas Hold ‘em in the evening

Friday
10.45 – arrive, say hi, pick up music
11am-12.45 Rehearsal for Sunday Eucharist (Rheinberger, Tallis, V-W, Euch psalm)
12.45 – soloists
1pm Lunch
2pm Friday evensong rehearsal
5.15pm Evensong
Saturday
10.45 – arrive, say hi, pick up music
11am-12.45 Rehearsal for Sunday Mattins (Sumsion, Walton, V-W, Mattins psalm)
2pm – Rehearsal for Saturday evensong
5.15 Evensong
6pm-6am Party

Sunday
8.45 – Song school – 9-9.30 Nave choir stalls
9.45 Eucharist – then coffee, 10 mins rehearsal and into
11.30 Mattins
12.15 Lunch
1.45 Evensong rehearsal
3pm Evensong
4pm those still alive, to the The Crown to congratulate ourselves

Who’s coming

This isn’t a complete list, but: me, Ian, Emily, Jayydubs, Claire Fletch, Ben Reid and Laura, Mike Snapes, Big Sis, Ros, Leo D-B, Dr Sue, Professor Christopher Gray, Wardle… And loads more!

Party

On the Saturday night, I’m throwing myself a little party (see above). I’ll have turned 30 the previous week and as most of my friends sing in this choir anyway, I’ve deferred celebrations by a few days. You should have all the info you need about this on an email invitation, but if unsure of the plan, please drop me a line – you are most welcome.

Stay up to date

I’ll try and keep email updates to a minimum – too many and I know they get ignored! – but if you want to keep abreast, then the following resources will all be updated weekly

• This page – www.cantoresliterati.com/wells – which you can bookmark for easy checking
• If you’re into RSS you can subscribe to the RSS feed which will send you regular updates without you needing to check back all the time.
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/canlit

. Twitter is like sending a text message to everybody. You’ll probably like it – most people do – so go check it out.