Holiday post 1 - not the day I intended

Sunday 24th July

I drove to Wakefield and found my hotel.

Walked into the town (had a snack) then visited the cathedral and looked round. I returned later for Evensong sung by the choir of St. Giles, Pontefract. I was pleased to see they were using genuine copies of the canticles and anthem. Wood in D is not very familiar even though I have played it; I would not list it amongst the best settings. The anthem “Through the day” by Phillip Moore was new to me and a perfectly decent bit of writing although not entirely to my taste.

I came to Wakefield to hear the organ and I was not disappointed. The service was accompanied by Thomas Moore who knew the instrument intimately. He showed off most of it during the service and it has a huge dynamic range as well as plenty of interesting sounds. I was surprised (not having researched it beforehand) that it was a five manual console. I sat on the South side of the choir stalls from where one looks directly at the organist; there are few places where the console is in such an ideal position to accompany the choir. Tom’s improvisations were superb; he has a secure harmonic vocabulary and knows how to invent a piece in consistent style. At the end of the service he played the choir out with a fanfare-style piece which contained some really juicy chords and harmony I wish I could find when I improvise. His voluntary, “Sunshine Song” by Hollins, was entertaining without being excessive – a massive piece using full organ would not have been quite right on the occasion (we had heard nearly full organ in Cwm Rhondda).

The psalm singing was very passable although the sopranos did not always find their top E. There was a little flat singing here and there but the choir did a good job even though the sound was not inspiring.

The worst aspect of the visit was the fact that some guy was attempting to repair the lights on the choir stalls only minutes before the service; this was poor, especially when I had to move to allow him to carry on. He failed to repair them and I suspect that they will need to employ an electrician to trace the fault.

I did not go up to the tower to ring before the service. They rang 8, including a touch of Stedman before the service (at least the treble was dodging at the back for a long time, so I assume that’s what it was). They also rang some rounds on all 12.

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Today (Monday) I have been to Selby (mainly to look at the Abbey), Tadcaster, Pontefract (home of Haribo but otherwise a dreadfully boring place) and Sandal Castle (a pile of ruins).

I then came back to the hotel to have a sleep as I had been woken by traffic at 6.30am. I am going ringing at Emley later on.  (I now know what the huge mast is I saw from Sandal Castle)

As it happens I had planned to go to various places near Leeds (and indeed Leeds Parish Church itself).  However, I found out this morning that most of the places I wanted to visit are closed on Mondays!

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/armleyMills/

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/abbeyHouse/

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/cityMuseum/

It's all a bit poor.