happy St. George's Day

[gwyn]

Let's hope it doesn't drag on!

[musicus]

Gwyn, you're fired!

[presbyter]

Somewhere in the midlands there's a big "medieval" banquet being put on, advertised as "an experience of the times of St George". Not only are the hosts several centuries out but one also wonders if a spectacular martyrdom is being provided as entertainment.

When in Rome, I always thought that the saint's head should have been carried in procession to the seminary today for veneration, all along the Via Ostiense. It never happened

It takes more than a terrorist bomb to destroy George's (and Newman's titular) church.

[presbyter]

Is that a Welsh

drag on

we see George defeating Gwyn?

[gwyn]

I'll get me coat.

[Dot]

Resolution of this sensitivity may be obtained by listening to Sunday Worship, braodcast yesterday listen again here. All four UK patron saints are celebrated and the programme explores the spiritual roots and identities that make up Britishness - at least, that's what the programme précis says.

Dot

[dunstan]

Resolution of this sensitivity ...Dot

Funny, I don't notice any similar discussions happening on St David's or St Andrew's or St Patrick's days.

Anyways, did anyone hear "The Choir" yesterday evening, where they were specifically discussing the English (CofE) anthem tradition? I'd never realised that, in addition to wanting to sing in English there was a backlash against the melismatic nature of Catholic music at the time, with anthems being invariably written one note per syllable.

[Merseysider]

And what a backlash! Merbeck (one time organist at St George's Chapel, Windsor) set the whole of the Book of Common Prayer in this style – incredibly. The only bit which has survived in usage is the Communion Service and... well, during my couple of years as an Anglican organist I could sleep quite deeply while playing it. Merbeck was at one time condemned to the stake for heresy but was reprieved. Had he been tried for his music it would have been a case of guilty as charged.