The Wedding.
I, along with seemingly half my Facebook friends, dragged myself out of bed at a very early hour today to watch the Royal Wedding of Will & Kate. I didn't follow any coverage beforehand and haven't since, but I really wanted to watch it live. This was, afterall, the first royal wedding since I was only a couple of months old, and I've been in love with England since the moment I could read on my own and stuck my nose into Lewis and Dickens and Tolkien and Sayers and Christie...only to eventually be pushed out the door to play in the sunshine like a normal child. :)
I had no idea what to expect and, of course, I was interested in the music. There was an enormous amount of music in and around the service, all beautifully performed. I'm not generally a fan of John Rutter, but I thought the Anthem he wrote for the occasion, ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made,’ was quite lovely and without too much flourish. (Click here for the whole list of music.) Plus, it's just neat to see a place where you've walked - Westminster Abbey was my first stop on my first trip to London! - and realize the history that has been but also would be in that very spot. So cool.
My favorite moment, though, was when they sang 'Jerusalem,' a rather nationalistic hymn (with a great tune!), which was sung with gusto by not only the congregation but many of the thousands gathered outside the door of the church as well. The shared experience I think had the most impact on me as an outsider viewing this country, for which I have a great deal of affection, celebrate a moment together and all the pomp and circumstance that goes along with it.
I had no idea what to expect and, of course, I was interested in the music. There was an enormous amount of music in and around the service, all beautifully performed. I'm not generally a fan of John Rutter, but I thought the Anthem he wrote for the occasion, ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made,’ was quite lovely and without too much flourish. (Click here for the whole list of music.) Plus, it's just neat to see a place where you've walked - Westminster Abbey was my first stop on my first trip to London! - and realize the history that has been but also would be in that very spot. So cool.
My favorite moment, though, was when they sang 'Jerusalem,' a rather nationalistic hymn (with a great tune!), which was sung with gusto by not only the congregation but many of the thousands gathered outside the door of the church as well. The shared experience I think had the most impact on me as an outsider viewing this country, for which I have a great deal of affection, celebrate a moment together and all the pomp and circumstance that goes along with it.