A few weeks ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to see
England through the eyes of my youngest daughter as we took our long awaited
post college (for her) Mother/Daughter trip. Both of us are musicians and
hearing Evensong services at Westminster Abbey in London and at the York
Minster further north were high on our priority list.
Evensong is a service that is often sung from the Book of
Common Prayer. It has been part of three principal liturgies of the Anglican
and Episcopal tradition since the year 1549 when the Book of Common Prayer was
first authorized for the Church of England.
The Westminster Abbey choir is composed of men and boys,
while the York Minster Choir includes girls as well. All of the children who
sang at the York Minster were members of the Minster Preparatory School which
was established in 627 AD.
At both Westminster Abbey and the York Minster, we
arrived early to wait in line so we could be seated in the quire (choir stalls)
directly behind the choir. Deep voices of the men harmonized with the high
sopranos of the children while the great pipe organ played and filled the
church. The music was heavenly.
As an added treat, before the Evensong service at the York
Minster, a wedding took place, and we got to clap and cheer for the happy
couple as they exited the building.
So much has happened at these cathedrals for almost a
thousand years. Babies have been christened, couples have married, monarchs have
been buried, and people have sung and worshipped God.And they still do today.
