Cathedrals in the United Kingdom are plentiful and each one is a special place for worship and for housing relics and people of renown. Having experienced several cathedrals throughout the United Kingdom, my favorite continues to be St. Paul's with its Classical beauty, large dome, spacious feeling, and flawless acoustics. Just as great art teaches us something new each time when we encounter it, so does St. Paul's have new and stunning revelations on each entry. Its power and majesty is matched with its personal sensitivity, intimate beauty, and careful detail. Of all the great places to visit in London, I put this Cathedral at the top of the list.
And so it was with abundant energy and excitement that I took the tube to St. Paul's and walked the short distance to the Cathedral. Up the stairs I went, two at a time in my anxiousness to get into the church, and entered. But my physical energy quickly evaporated and was replaced with great humility and awe as I walked through the nave toward the dome to experience Evensong, a choral service of evening prayer. Sitting below the dome, I prepared my heart for worship, and in prayer, released any anxieties of the day.
The prelude on the organ was subtle, musically complicated but quite sensitive just the same. The chromatic lines moving up and down with tasteful bass moments, allowed for careful organ stop alterations. Quite soft and yet with a strong musical presence, I was reminded of how the sound of an organ changes not just with the quality of the instrument or the player but also the space in which it resides. While my favorite organ experience remains that of the organ in the Minster of York, the organ in St. Paul's is a close second. The soft, gentle tones that connect to each other ring with a resonating presence from above and around due to the dome-like roundness of the hall. It is as though the sound is coming from a spirit that has engulfed the room but retained its transparency. Warm clouds of tender tones take on a life of their own as gentle but firm entities sharing their good fortune with all in the Cathedral.
The choir entered singing a rich anthem which I believe was by William Byrd due to its interchanging of polyphony and homophony. The choir was a guest choir from a university in Manchester, and it was amazing with an innocent, light almost imperceptible vibrato that added to the ambiance of the room. The sound of the choir was pure, angelic, almost mystical but at the same time courageous and expressive. What followed was a service of interplay between the choir, the leader, and the congregation. Meaningful with spiritual depth, the congregation was treated to prayers, scripture readings, and pulchritudinous music. The main anthem was a thrilling selection by Ralph Vaughan Williams called Let All the World in Every Corner Sing. Fast arpeggiated organ notes accompanied a chorale that moved forward with great energy. Almost fanfare-like, the piece was a bold expression of the powerful text. My normal hesitancy in embracing Vaughan Williams music changed with this piece as I realized his music rings with joy in a hall with a seven second reverberation.
I cannot overstate how music changes shape and feel with every space in which it is performed. This truth has altered literature, performance style, preferences, and composition over the years. A seven second reverberation results in a great elision of chords and sound, making the organ warm and resonating, and causing choirs to resound in seamless beauty. And there is no greater way to share in that experience than in an Evensong service at St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
A quick bite of fish and chips and I hopped on a bus to go to Royal Festival Hall. For the last two weeks, I have been hoping to get a ticket to the Berlin Staatskapelle concert under the direction of Daniel Barenboim. Unfortunately, the concert was sold out. But in a last second desperate attempt I arrived at the ticket queue to ask once again if there were any tickets. Much to my surprise, he said yes he had a couple of tickets that had been returned. I got out my wallet and he said it would be 85 BP! Struggling with this amount ($130 approximately), he saw the pain on my face and said he had another ticket for 45 BP. I jumped at it and with one minute to spare sat down for the musical experience of a lifetime.
Words are inadequate to describe the experience of the Berlin orchestra playing a Mozart Piano Concerto with Daniel Barenboim playing and conducting, followed by a performance of Bruckner's 7th Symphony. It was simply terrific and emotionally powerful, virtually perfect in all respects. The standing ovation (unusual in London) lasted several minutes as Daniel Barenboim returned to the stage several times for bows. The Bruckner was stunning and unforgettable and reminded me of the blessings of my time in London as I have heard the greatest orchestras in the world. '
My time is coming to close in London but I can honestly say I have experienced most of the greatness of this city. What a powerful time in my life.
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