14/1/07 - Day 18
An(other) early start, today's duties included singing Mass and Evensong at St Mary the Virgin, Times Square (Smokey Mary's). We arrived for rehearsal in their dungeon choir room, and soon proceeded up to the organ gallery where we were to sing from. A stunning service - their Organist and Director of Music, Robert McCormick, is second to none - and gained the title at St Mary's when he was 22 years old (I think he is now 28). What an improviser!! During the Offertory, he played a stunning rhumba-toccata, building up to Full Organ, leaving us all agog. We were absolutely dumbstruck with this little (he's about 5'5" tall) dynamo!
He also played a awesome improvised Pastorale-Choral-Toccata-Final on 'Kingsfold' as the Voluntary - again, 10 minutes of the most amazing first-rate musicality! The organ there is amazing too -an Aeolian Skinner dating from the 1930's, and (if I remember correctly) one of G. Donald Harrison's masterworks. I visited the church shop afterwards, and came away with a cool Smokey Mary's t-shirt and mug. Very reasonably priced too! Also took some photos round the church.
Then it was back to check on Sean, as he was still in bed suffering the effects of his contagion. Spent some time with him, hoping that he was at least improving somewhat, and then ventured back to the church for Evensong rehearsal, followed by the service. More stunning playing from Robert!
Post-Evensong drinks followed, and then a group of us went out to a Splash, one of New York's many gay bars. An early night though, and I wanted to check on poor Sean again. I also had to pack up my suitcases, as we were bussing out to Philadelphia the next morning.
He also played a awesome improvised Pastorale-Choral-Toccata-Final on 'Kingsfold' as the Voluntary - again, 10 minutes of the most amazing first-rate musicality! The organ there is amazing too -an Aeolian Skinner dating from the 1930's, and (if I remember correctly) one of G. Donald Harrison's masterworks. I visited the church shop afterwards, and came away with a cool Smokey Mary's t-shirt and mug. Very reasonably priced too! Also took some photos round the church.
Then it was back to check on Sean, as he was still in bed suffering the effects of his contagion. Spent some time with him, hoping that he was at least improving somewhat, and then ventured back to the church for Evensong rehearsal, followed by the service. More stunning playing from Robert!
Post-Evensong drinks followed, and then a group of us went out to a Splash, one of New York's many gay bars. An early night though, and I wanted to check on poor Sean again. I also had to pack up my suitcases, as we were bussing out to Philadelphia the next morning.
posted by Daniel at 12:10 pm
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