Singing in Llantwit again

A rather quick everyday breakfast this morning, as we had to collect Mother Frances at nine fifteen and drive to Llantwit Major for a choir rehearsal. It was meant to be a recording session for the music we sang in Advent, but the sound technician was unwell. Instead much time was spent organising rehearsals for the next concert on Palm Sunday. Neither Clare nor I will be able to sing in it as we're in Spain, but we went along for the pleasure of a singing with others and learning some new Early Music, from the Holy Week repertoire. 

The skies were overcast and it threatened to rain, but didn't fortunately. Frances needed to get back for an afternoon of work, so we didn't stay for a pub lunch of fish and chips, as we did previously. We resolved to but some when we reached Canton, but found both our local chippies were closed. Instead, we bought cod and oven chips to cook at home, with peas from the freezer. The fish was actually much nicer pan fried without the heaviness of batter.

Afterwards, I went out for a walk in the park and down the the River, which was up again by half a metre and was probably higher and just overflowing earlier in the day, judging by the presence of riverside pools of water. It rained in the night, and I suspect may have rained much more, nearer the Taff source in the Brecon Beacons. Even more rain is promised tonight, although it held off during the day, giving way to a strong cold wind. I was in the last quarter of a mile on the way home when there was a sudden short burst of heavy rain, though not enough the soak me through fortunately.

By chance, when I was going my daily DuoLingo Spanish exercises I came across a link to the DuoLingo podcast series, which I first discovered a couple of years ago but lost track of or didn't have time to pursue after listening to a dozen or so episodes. This prompted me to download the Google podcast app so that I could subscribe to the series of over 120 episodes and have them listed conveniently to take up on while I am travelling or waiting for something to happen. They are very interesting, varied in content and also in tSpanish stories from different countries, told in the accent of the place. I should have done this ages ago.  

Tomorrow is the Sunday in the month with an 8.00am Communion at St Catherine's, and it's a busy day for Mother Frances, with a Ministry Area conference in the afternoon, so I offered to take the service instead of her. Just as well there's nothing compelling to watch on telly tonight, so I can get to bed early. 

Unexpected indoor slip

The alarm got me out of bed at seven fifteen and walking to St Catherine's by half past seven. I expected the ground to be icy, but not wet and slushy. It seems there was a heavy downpour in the night flooding the drains, with a spell of drizzle as it tailed off, turning to sleet and then a light flurry of snow, coating gardens and parked cars. Quite a surprise. There were only five of us for the service, half the usual early Communion congregation. 

Back home for breakfast, then a drive across town to St German's for the eleven o'clock Solemn Mass. Twenty of us instead of the usual thirty. I will miss being here for Christmas. Bless them, they gave me a lovely bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape for a Christmas present.

The road home across town skirting the city centre was far less congested than last Sunday so I was home by one. My lunch was waiting for me, but Clare had gone for a siesta, bearing in mind the demands of the afternoon. We left at two for the drive to Llantwit Major, collecting Mother Frances from the Rectory on the way. I was grateful the air temperature was 3C and the roads ice free. They stayed that way when we drove home in the dark later.

By ten to three all the Fountain Choir singers were in place, attending to lighting and taking a quick run through of some of the pieces, in a warm up session. Then at half past three an audience began to gather. Around a hundred people altogether. Filling the nave. Anna talked them through each of the pieces before we sang, and then we gave it our best effort. It was a spirited performance, flawed by minor errors which Anna and singers may have spotted, but hopefully few of the audience.

Welcoming us at the end of the concert was Philip Morris, retired Archdeacon of Margam, attending with his wife Sheila, a couple we've known for more than fifty years, since I was in St Mike's, when we got to know his parents. Clare taught him English in Whitchurch High, during her first teaching job. They live now in Llantwit and he helps out as I do, most Sundays. He was standing in for Edwin Counsell, Rector, but as a choral music fan would have come anyway. He said it was the first concert of fourteenth century in Llanilltud Fawr anyone could recall. Music from the same century in which the church in its present form was re-built. Our audience was most appreciative which pleased us all. Next Sunday we're singing in St Catherine's, but will there be quite such a good audience I wonder?

We got home at twenty to seven. Before we ate, I had a belated bereavement phone call to make, which I did upstairs. Clare called me down and as I neared the bottom, slipped on the last but one step and my back leg caught on the third step twisting my leg and ankle up behind me. Agony overnight but pain slow to recede. Luckily nothing is broken or torn,  dislocation avoided, and it can bear weight but free movement hurts, so I'm laid up with an aching ankle. I think I'll be limping for a while once I get moving.

While laid up after supper with a foot bandage, an ice pack and a glass of wine, I watch a full length performance of Schubert's 24 song 'Winterreise' cycle on BBC Four. Two youngish musicians Baritone Benjamin Appl and pianist James Baillieu  perform in a pop-up theatre on top of the 2,250 m Julier Pass in the Swiss Engadine, built as a temporary structure for a series of summer festivals. It cannot be used in winter for public performances due to snow, but the recital was filmed in and around the place, with the singer role playing Schubert walking in the snowy wastes in between indoor shots. An unusual arty music video lasting 90 mins, with a few clips of musicians talking with shining eyes. A lovely distraction from the unpleasant discomfort of my twisted ankle. 

Singing in Llanilltud Fawr

A pancake breakfast this morning, then a drive to Llantwit Major for a choir rehearsal in St Illtud's Parish Church, the fifth century cradle of Christian mission in South Wales. It must be twenty years since I last visited, and much has changed. The delapidated Galilee Chapel at the west end of the building has been splendidly renovated and developed as a modern visitor centre. It still houses its collection of ancient Celtic crosses, but in an enhanced well lit setting. My photos are here,

We practiced some pretty challenging music for three hours, then went for a pub lunch at the nearby Old Swan pub, then drove home. I had a few things to obtain for my sister and went into town after returning. After supper, I printed tomorrow's two sermons and then we watched a double episode 'KaDeWe' on BBC Four, a serialised story with German subtitles about Germany after the World War One, and the rise of the Nazis and anti-semitism. 

The episodes were, to my mind overloaded with fairly explicit sex scenes which added little to the advancement of the story. I didn't much see the point of this, except to delight voyeurs in the audience. Curiously background street scenes, slightly out of focus, were of modern Berlin, with the actors in the foreground. I wasn't sure what the point of this was, apart from huge savings in period piece vehicle and film extra costume hire. It other respects it wasn't a low budget movie.