Our annual Patrons’ Evensong took place at Royal Hospital Chelsea in the Wren Chapel on Tuesday 18 November. The Trust’s Royal Patron, HRH The Duchess of Gloucester, Trustees, Ambassadors, guests and friends came together for a celebration of cathedral music at its very best. Guests were treated to a special service of Evensong followed by an insightful Q & A, led by Alexander Armstrong, between Anna Lapwood MBE and Director of Music at Royal Hospital Chelsea, William Vann. Following this insightful discussion, supporters made their way to the State Apartments for a drinks reception where, CEO Jonathan Mayes, gave a short speech thanking Patrons and Ambassadors for their continued support.
The music for Evensong was chosen for its connection to the Cathedral Music Trust and the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Beginning with Joanna Marsh’s beautiful Evening Prayer, a setting of prayer by Lancelot Andrewes ( 1555-1626) from his Preces Private translated by John Henry Newman. About the piece for the evening Joanna commented:
‘My piece was inspired by Rheinberger’s Abendlied, a work with strong harmonic propulsion and luminosity that is very well-loved by choirs. I have reflected this harmonic world in the opening of my piece where chordal lecture shifts between high and low registers. This gives the feeling that it is part of the same family as earlier work, as well as using a similar 6 part line-up.’
Roderick Williams was also a member of the Chapel Choir at Royal Hospital Chelsea (before he was famous!) and recently his setting of the Responses has been added to the Choirs repertoire. He says of the work:
“While still a university student, I discovered a disc of Russian Orthodox Music as recorded by The Tallis Scholars. It made a great impression on me and I was especially struck by a beautiful double choir Lord’s Prayer by Rachmaninov from his Liturgy of St John Chrysostom. I wondered what it might have been like to create something in its images that would be suitable for use in Anglican Choral Evensong. So I wrote a set of verses and responses for double choir in the spirit of this Russian tradition.”
To find out more about how you can enable cathedral music to continue to thrive across the UK and beyond, and support the Trust as a charity visit our Friends and Patrons pages.
