The band's line up on this occasion included a cello, a very large viol, that is to say a violone, and a keyboard. We were somewhat amused to have this juxtaposition of old and new offered by musicians who are keen on the old, sometimes offering antique oboes and trumpets. The newness of the keyboard was masked by the use of a tasteful, folding wooden screen, a screen which I now recall we have seen before. I had always assumed, without checking, that the keyboard was some sort of miniature organ!
The two altars in the church were hooded for Lent, a practise which I had forgotten about - assuming that I had ever known about it.
Excellent concert, not altogether sure why. They have, for example, done Handel before now, not that far removed in time or space from Schutz and Bach. Maybe I would find out if I were to read the programme more carefully.
Audience generally respectful, although a lady near me found it hard to be without her mobile phone and another spent the interval engrossed in her puzzle book.
We spent the short journey home pondering about which countries did choirs, in the way that we do in the west. Back home Cortana was not terribly helpful: the east was clearly into choirs now, but it looked as if they were mainly doing our music rather than theirs. So a subject to be gone into properly.
Reference 1: http://ripienochoir.org.uk/.
Reference 2: http://www.brookstreetband.co.uk/.
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