Easter in Perth
“He wants to speak to me at 7 o’clock on the morning. What is he a giant lark?”
That was Toby’s Easter morning greeting, rousing me from my slumber — not unrepresentative of our exchanges of the past two weeks which have been almost exclusively in Blackadder or Fry and Laurie quotations.
The early rise was in aid of singing Eucharist at the cathedral, and regular readers may recall this being my chance to redeem myself after a shameful vocal display on Friday.
More good music and another big sing (which I wasn’t really up to still, but…): Langlais Messe Sollenelle and Worthy is the Lamb/Amen, otherwise known as the finale from Handel’s Messiah.
I really enjoyed it, and was more satisfied with my own contribution, but it wasn’t until Sunday afternoon when I opted to listen instead of sing (Toby’s paternal and holy commitments kept us from comfortably making the evensong rehearsal) that I realised what a first-rate cathedral choir this is, and what potential they have under the new leadership of Joseph Nolan. They sang Noble in B minor (apparently one of his favourites – hmm…) and all five of VW’s Five Mystical songs.
I cycled to and from Perth to here this; about 25k round trip and good preparation for my visit to Rottnest Island on Thursday — and my intended cycle round the perimeter of the whole island.
In the meantime, a few tactical stretches ahead of tomorrow’s Surf Camp might be wise…
Categories: Australia, Travel, singing
