Now, for those of you newbie Excelsians who don't know [or those of you Excelsians who've been reading this Blog for a while but don't know either] what Evensong is, here's the page from Wikipedia [Evening Prayer (Anglican)].
My best definition, Evening Prayer set to music. And it's usually a beautiful late-afternoon service.
At Saint Barnabas in DeLand, our Evensong is usually at 4 in the afternoon, but this one, a very special one, took place at 6 earlier this evening. According to fellow Chorister [Choir member] Henry, who's a bass, it was "the best Evensong in 10 years." And considering I've been with this Choir for two years so far, it's definitely the best Evensong I'd ever been at.
Big treat of the night: A choral performance by the Stetson University Concert Choir.
Oh. Mah. Gawd. They were just phenominal!!
Don't worry, our beloved Choir rocked the house too. Altogether we must've raised the Church roof about 3 feet or so.
Yeah, it was that good!!
The back three pews of both sides were reserved for the Concert Choir, who all in all looked just splendid!!
Jesse, who's in both Choirs, played Cello for Choirmaster Peter's piece "Last Song of Summer" which, really, is just one of those very pretty pieces. Just... gorgeous. We performed that piece during Communion this morning, and as our Prelude to tonight's Evensong. Jesse's an ace at this Cello thing. Oh, and he was our soloist during the Nunc Dimittis choral piece.
Our Processional was a bit unique in that the Choral Procession stopped at the Concert Choir first pew, which meant we sorta fanned out along the sides of the Church. Surreal!! The hymn, "For All the Saints, From Whom Their Labors Rest," had 8 verses, and two of them [verses 5 and 6] were in parts [soprano, alto, tenor, bass]. We took over those two verses. It was just GLORIOUS!!
I tried to catch a shot of my Choir line [as I'm one of the two Choral Processional leaders], but it all happened too quick and all I got was Terry! Ah well. That and it was almost Verse 5 of the hymn at that point.
The Concert Choir switched places with us so they could perform the anthem and four pieces from a Requiem Mass. Trust me, I was just amazed at what I heard--in a good way.
After the Requiem and final prayers, we [both Choirs] led the Congregation in a very rousing hymn-sing of "Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones." Add Dr. Rickman, our brilliant Organist [and Organ Teacher at Stetson!!], at the Organ, and the thrill of the Congregation, and you're talkin' one helluva finale to our finest Evensong ever.
This Evensong is definitely going down for the Records!! Best evidence is, I'm still reeling joyously from it!!
~ 'Sunshine'
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