Yesterday morning found us wishing not to leave the wonderful beds of the University Arms Hotel. Whether it was the anticipation of the day’s events, or the fact that we didn’t want to miss breakfast, we got ourselves up and ready. One last ride down the ancient lift, and it was on the bus with all of our luggage – and ourselves.
 
About an hour later, we arrived at Coventry.  The town itself was not much of a sight – unattractive buildings lined the streets, and nothing really seemed to draw one’s attention. We were dropped off by a bus stop, and when we departed from the coach, it was beginning to snow. We walked a few blocks and encountered a massive, and rather well-built structure. There was a large sculpture of Michael the Angel defeating Lucifer mounted on the side. A tall spire reached into the sky, which we realized was that of the old and broken cathedral, which had been destroyed by hundreds of fire-bombs dropped by the German Luftwaffe more than half a century earlier. We climbed the steps and stood in a small walkway that separated the ruins of  the medieval Coventry Cathedral and the “new” building. Unfortunately, the snow had made the ground quite “slippy” (as our tour guide would say) and we were unable to actually enter the skeleton of the old cathedral. Nevertheless, we peered beyond the bars keeping us out and were able to take some photographs of the once majestic edifice.
 
It was then that we turned toward the rebuilt Coventry Cathedral. Upon our entrance, a smooth voice was echoing through the nave. A chaplain was presenting one of the brief messages addressing peace and reconciliation that could be heard intermittently throughout the day. The space was huge, with a smaller chapel on the left, a massive wall filled with panes of stained glass on the right, an immense tapestry of Christ ahead, and a window with etchings of saints and religious figures behind. We were told that the tapestry was the largest in the world, and it took the better part of 3 years to complete. It was 10 meters by 30 meters, weighed around a metric ton, and was created by ten women working side by side. It was filled with hundreds of colors, with Jesus Christ sitting in the middle, arms opened wide to welcome anyone who would come. His eyes were such that they would follow you wherever you went in the hall. We poked around the place for a short period of time, and followed a confusing route to find the restrooms. Then we met before the rows of chairs and stood in our singing circle.  We proceeded to sing “The Three Kings,” which has become a favorite, and “Coventry Carol.”  All around the circle, eyes were closing with the rush of feeling that filled the large room. People in the audience bowed their heads. It was a very unique experience – to be here, singing this carol in the place in which it was written. After we had finished, the circle remained – it seemed that no one wanted to be the first to break it. Many turned to gaze upon the tapestry, in awe of the emotions that were pressing in upon us.  The feeling was mutual and powerful – it didn’t matter if we claimed a faith, it didn’t matter that we were foreign, it didn’t matter how different we were from one another. We were somehow given the slight understanding of what had been felt here so many years before. We stood where there had been so much brokenness, and so much forgiveness. No one spoke much after that.

Afterward, we wandered into the market to forage for food, and returned to the cathedrals before going to the coach. After a two-hour journey, we reached Salisbury and the Red Lion Hotel. We passed through a large doorway and into quaint courtyard, rather overgrown, but handsome nonetheless. We walked inside the hotel and were led to our rooms, which was fortunate because the layout of the building is quite confusing. We were allowed to get dinner either before or after the performance we were to give that evening, so people did as they wished for a couple of hours. Then it was on the with the concert attire and off we went to Salisbury Methodist Church. Apparently it had a very rich history. In fact, John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, had his name on the deeds for the original building. There were many other interesting facts concerning its origin and people associated with it, which simply added to the immensity of the tour. The hall in which we sang was large with a beautiful acoustic. We had a feeling the crowd wouldn’t be very large because of the impending weather (more snow, which is rare for this part of the country), but were pleased with the number of people who came. The concert turned out beautifully, with an enjoyable interval in the middle during which we mingled with members of the audience. It was so wonderful to look out upon them while we were singing – many would close their eyes, some would sing along, and one man enthusiastically bobbed his head to many of the pieces. They were a very grateful bunch, and we were showered with praise and compliments.  Tony, the fellow who organized the program, gave Dr. ABC very high praise, calling her abilities rare among conductors. One audience member even went so far as to say that we had defied physics in “O verbum Patris,” perhaps our most unusual piece. Afterward, we traipsed back to the hotel with warm hearts and complete satisfaction. We are very spoiled, and boy do we know it!

Then it was either off to eat or off to bed, which was slightly difficult, as we had been informed that the place is haunted.  So far, though, no signs of any paranormal activity.  Unfortunately, the beds aren’t nearly as comfortable as in Cambridge.

Before I conclude, I want to reflect on one more thing. During the concert, I was being very pensive (which may or may not have benefited the quality of my singing). I came to two conclusions: One, that people seemed so much more radiant and handsome/beautiful when I looked across the choir and saw their faces as they sang. There is something about immersion in the music that makes people glow in a way that nothing else can. Two, I realized how very grateful I am for these pieces. There is such a large range of emotion that is depicted in our program. Often times I find singing in concerts a relief, because I can find a way to express that day’s feelings through a particular piece, or I can relate specifically to certain ones because of the content. When people think about touring in England, they tend to focus on how wonderful the place is, which is absolutely true. But I believe the moments that really make this tour unforgettable are the ones we are able to enjoy during our performances.