It seems this is my 200th blog entry here! So this is a post about a weekend at home in Liverpool, and I promise I will return to Port Eliot Festival again soon... It will be good to re-visit some of the best weather we saw this summer as well as returning in memory to a magical place.
Our friend David came to stay last Friday with his partner Nell and her mum Jenny. Nell had organised a weekend singing workshop at various venues round Liverpool, the workshop was led by Stephen Taberner. Saturday morning David was able to visit the Cast Iron Church of St Michaels in the Hamlet once he'd helped deliver Nell and Jenny to the morning's workshop (In the Crypt of the Catholic Cathedral), then it was off to Elmswood so he could help John record some of his songs.
Come evening saw a wonderful sundog, so knew that we were in for dirty weather... Well, I do watch the weather forecast too!
On Sunday David and John went to visit the Unitarian Church on Ullet Road. Both Churches were open as part of the Liverpool Heritage Open Days, which this year are extended from a weekend to a month as part of the Liverpool Biennial. Then back to Elmswood again to finish recording, and so David could bring his equipment back here ready for the journey home to Cambridge.
I would have loved to join John and David on their visit to the Unitarian Church, as when I first became ill with ME the Liverpool Central Group of the ME Association used to meet in the Library there. A delightful pensioner called Alf (I'm sure he was in his 90s) used to open up the room for us, build a coal fire if it was cold, and brew us some tea. But we'd been invited to attend the final session of the workshops, where the choir would perform in the Anglican Cathedral, so I knew that I could only do one or t'other.
We arrived at the Cathedral towards the end of Evensong, which was running a little later than usual as it had been an investiture service. I was in the wheelchair, so was very glad there was a lift up into the Cathedral! It was nice to sit and take a look at the Cathedral during the end of the service, it must be around 30 years since I was in it last! I was surprised that the stone it is built of is less dark and forbidding than I remembered it as being.
There was some debate as to whether the choir would sing facing towards the back of the Cathedral (which would have been a nightmare for me as there was a flight of steps down towards the window you can see in the video below) or facing towards the main body of the cathedral. Fortunately for me the latter was decided on. While this was going on I was trundling around, and a lady looked at me and said "I have serious coat envy"! I thanked her, and she went on to tell me "I like all your yellow"! Hat, scarf, handbag and shoes... Well, I couldn't resist the chance of getting dressed up a bit! LOL!
Despite going prepared with my camera which shoots in HD and also has image stabilisation I only have two fragments of the choir singing to share with you. Battery ran out. And then back up battery ran out. When I come to think of it, it was probably before Port Eliot Fest that I last charged the batteries! So not surprising, but because they last so long I never remember to charge up before an Event. (slaps wrist) Will try to in future. I'm particularly sad I only have a short time of the very beautiful Georgian love song that is in the second half of Part One.
Two day old choir singing in Liverpool Anglican Cathedral - Part One
Two day old choir singing in Liverpool Anglican Cathedral - Part Two
1 comment:
Looks like you had a fab time and a boquet of flowers to finish it off, lovely
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