catsandflowers

Monday, June 05, 2006

A Dream Come True

It is possible to watch Duke Chapel webcasts to be a part of the services and wonderful music of the Chapel Choir. It is even better, of course, to actually be in the amazing Gothic edifice, and watch the Choir processional, to have the sounds envelope you to the point of having tears in your eyes and being hardly able to breathe because you are so choked up.

The best thing of all is to be in the choir section, where you are totally surrounded by the music; the huge sound of the massive pipe organs, the swelling voices of the choir members, the brass instruments and tympanies.

I was so lucky to be able to sit with the choir during Baccalaureate, along with Coral and Allie's Grandfather. Both the AEolian & the Flentrop Organs were used for the Anthem Kyrie eleison, sung in Greek. Allie had reported that in her years in the choir she had never performed when both organs were used.

We had entered the Chapel through a side door, just like members of the Choir, and worked our way through rooms and up stairways, where Allie opened the door to the Choir and Altar area, instructing us to take our seats in a specific section set aside for a few parents and some dignitaries.

The Procession of Candidates for Degrees was very impressive, even though it was one- third of the class. We stood while they were filing in to their seats, and had a great view of them doing so.

The Choir was in the areas near the front doors where they line up for the procession. A most beautiful piece was performed while they were in that area of the Chapel, behind the pillars, a Choral Adulation sung in Church Slavonic. It made me shiver.

After the Choir reached the Altar, we had a wonderful view of Allie in her Graduation Cap & Gown while she was singing. The Seniors in the Choir wore their Caps & Gowns.

I wish the service had been longer, because the time flew by, and I knew that I would never have another chance to be with the Choir, after several years of wishful thinking. It was absolutely wonderful.

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