Lancing College Choir Perform at Hampton Court Palace
On 12 October, the Lancing College Choir swanned up to London to perform at Hampton Court
Palace. Chorister and Upper Sixth Former, Hannah C (Manor House), recounts her experience in the
article below.
'In October, the Choir had the delight of singing Evensong at the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court. This, for most of the Upper Sixth choir members, as well as most of the staff members, was a return visit. I remember arriving at the Palace in February 2020, when I was in the Third Form, to sing what would be the first of many evensongs at locations across London and the South of England. I was as amazed then by the Chapel Royal’s impressive balance of intimacy and visual power as I was on this second visit.
We reached Hampton Court with plenty of time to guide ourselves around the grounds. Maps were provided but not adhered to entirely—as singers, our musical geography is far superior to our spatial geography. My group and I ran round and round the famous maze, finding the exit without finding the true middle! At one point during the maze, our choral roots came through, and we broke into snippets of several hymns. After the maze, we wandered, ate lunch, and wandered some more before getting into rehearsal mode.
The service itself was an Evensong, albeit earlier in the afternoon than those that we perform atLancing; being in a Chapel Royal meant we ended the service with one verse of the National Anthem. We sang responses by Sanders, canticles by Noble in A minor, and our anthem was John Ireland’s ‘Greater Love Hath No Man’. The Chapel Royal had an excellent acoustic, one that was unique to its proportions and bewitched our visitors, who surrounded us in almost every dimension.
I will never forget how privileged we are as a Choir to be able to lead such mesmerising services in places that are so steeped in history and grandeur. Our job as choir members may be tiring—something especially felt when we finally reach the end of a 24-verse psalm—but it is certainly rewarding for all who are involved.'
October '23