Belmont Abbey retreat
Sat a.m. long chat to David Briggs and he signed my Franck. He was hilarious about Langlais and falling in love with a beautiful girl and being rejected! If you have experienced this you can play Franck! I was up early for 6.30 a.m. Vigils. At Mass we sang Alan Rees Mass of Peace and visited his grave. Excellent sessions from Dom Brendan on "Nothing more beautiful" ending with a meditation on the Our Father.
Sunday up early and conventual mass of Christ the King - Orbis factor, Rejoice the Lord is King, Hail redeemer, The king of love and Christus vincit. Vierne No. 1 from Brother Stanislaus at the end. Final session before lunch. Taxis to cathedral and attended service for road victims. Lovely music - Faure, Goodall, The organ did not help in A touching place. Franck Prelude fugue and variation at the end. Got food for supper in M & S and wine left from Sat night. Exposition with lots of candles and vespers. After compline played the organ - old keyboards and loud! Bach, Moore, Lloyd Webber and ended with Angels farewell for Alan. He is thrilled!
Monday up early. St Cecilia. At mass the monks sang chant and a hymn but we were not given copies! Very odd. And why was the keyboard used and not the organ? The higher range seems to make the monks sound as though in pain! There had been confusion about us staying in Hedley Lodge on our own but all was well and Dom Brendan came for a chat at breakfast. I again sat quietly in the oratory and rereading Oliver Twist. Smooth journey home and back by 4 p.m. Dennis and AnnMarie out shopping and going to see Ciarán at 4! There were 2 organists turned up at Coulsdon yesterday but clearly Martin did not read the email properly. Chat to Paul and Ross on facebook.
Sunday up early and conventual mass of Christ the King - Orbis factor, Rejoice the Lord is King, Hail redeemer, The king of love and Christus vincit. Vierne No. 1 from Brother Stanislaus at the end. Final session before lunch. Taxis to cathedral and attended service for road victims. Lovely music - Faure, Goodall, The organ did not help in A touching place. Franck Prelude fugue and variation at the end. Got food for supper in M & S and wine left from Sat night. Exposition with lots of candles and vespers. After compline played the organ - old keyboards and loud! Bach, Moore, Lloyd Webber and ended with Angels farewell for Alan. He is thrilled!
Monday up early. St Cecilia. At mass the monks sang chant and a hymn but we were not given copies! Very odd. And why was the keyboard used and not the organ? The higher range seems to make the monks sound as though in pain! There had been confusion about us staying in Hedley Lodge on our own but all was well and Dom Brendan came for a chat at breakfast. I again sat quietly in the oratory and rereading Oliver Twist. Smooth journey home and back by 4 p.m. Dennis and AnnMarie out shopping and going to see Ciarán at 4! There were 2 organists turned up at Coulsdon yesterday but clearly Martin did not read the email properly. Chat to Paul and Ross on facebook.
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