Choral Evensong
The celebrations began on Saturday 14th March, when the Choir of Chichester Cathedral sang Choral Evensong at Harting Church at 4pm. The Dean of Chichester, the Very Revd Dr Edward Dowler preached. Over 180 people attended.
It was a great honour for us to welcome the Cathedral Choir. It has a high reputation and is normally fully committed at the Cathedral. Its presence with us was particularly fitting because this year also marks the 450th anniversary of the birth, at Elsted, of Thomas Weelkes*, the distinguished Elizabethan composer, who was the Cathedral Organist at Chichester. Both the setting of the service and the introit and anthem were by Weelkes.
A SHORT VIDEO OF THE SERVICE SET TO THE ANTHEM CAN BE VIEWED BELOW. USE SCREEN CONTROLS TO ENLARGE
(click the link above for an interesting article about this extraordinary Elizabethan)