Sunday, 11 September 2005
The Choir, Idolatry & The Inability To Pay Attention
Someone I've never seen before just held the door open for me as I arrived back at the flat. For those who don't know, there are three flats to which you gain access via that door, so in theory I should have some idea about who lives where, but I'm beginning to get begrudgingly used to not recognising anyone. That's one thing I won't miss when we're in Devon.
One thing I will miss, however, is the Minster. I've just been to Evensong, which was lovely. When we move, I'll have to go through all that finding-a-church-I-feel-at-home-in business again - I'm hoping it will be easier than it has been in the past.
This evening (if you can call 4pm evening), the girl choir sang. That made me happy. I have never heard a 'bad' choir at the Minster (nor anywhere else, to my recollection), but girls do hit the high notes more melodiously than boys. A boy's voice usually has a (somewhat) harsh resonance during the upper frequencies, whereas girls don't, as the notes fit better in their natural range. Or, at least, that's my explanation for this.
I had a lecture in my first year of university with Prof. David Howard, where we were given a test. A tape had twenty samples of choir singing. We had to say if the sample was of boys singing or girls singing. I did quite well on that test, and I remember it was because I preferred the quality of the girls' voices. It is something I have paid particular attention to in the Minster ever since.
The choir sang the anthem "Ascribe Unto The Lord" by Travers. It was quite long, and a pleasure to listen to. :)
The sermon was "Finding the true God" by The Very Revd Keith Jones. It was about idolatry. He said that when we expect God to do us a favour (or when we hope a lucky charm will help, or pray to a saint to intercede on our behalf), we are trying to fit Him to our mould for our own purposes, and that is idolatry. It was very interesting to listen to. I like sermons that give me something to think about afterwards.
The organ voluntary was, as usual, fabulous to listen to, although, once again, rudely talked over by people standing close to me. People also proceeded to walk in and take photos, although no flash this time (at the end of a previous service, I was once momentarily blinded by someone taking a photo very close to where I was sat listening to the organ).
And on the way back, I watched a cyclist shoot out of the wrong end of a one-way street without looking, straight in front of a car whose driver was, luckily for the cyclist, driving slowly and paying attention. I cannot understand why anyone would do that!
Why are people so inobservant these days? I am sure a lot of inconsiderate things people do nowadays are largely due to their inability to comprehend the situation around them. And it's a great shame. I think if people just paid a little more attention to the world in which they live, there would be vast improvements for everyone.
Oh well. No point getting ranty. I suppose I'd better stop writing this and start thinking about dinner. I'm hungry.
