After a visit to "
Caffé Nero", we
attended Evensong at King's College. The music was the
introit "Occuli Omnium" by Charles Wood, the Responses by
Matthew Martin (the current Director of Music at Gonville
& Cauis College), the "
Collegium Regale"
canticles by Herbert Howells (which were written for the
choir of King's) and the anthem "O Pray for the Peace of
Jerusalem", (also by Herbert Howells). Once again, the
singing was flawless. Unfortunately, for us, the Service was
attended by "pupils, parents, staff and governors" of King's
College School. The chaplain decided that he should explain
each step of the Service as it went along. This added ten
minutes to the length of the service and made us run late
for Evensong at St John's! Fortunately, the porter admitted
us and we were able to slip quietly into the chapel. This
was the first time we had heard the St John's choir. We were
very surprised to find that there are now girl and women
choristers (as well as boys and men). The music was the
responses by Radcliffe, the canticles from the "Fifth
Service" by Tomkins and the anthem "My Shepherd is the
Living Lord", also by Tomkins. The quality of the singing
was excellent. I did notice a difference in the timbre of
the female contralto voice in place of the male alto during
a solo. It can't be said that it was better or worse, just
different, in the same way that an apple is different from
an orange despite them both being fruit.