This evening I attended a delightful Carol Concert cum Carol Service at St. Matthew's Church, Kensington Olympia, with music provided by the Oxford Spezzati & Orchestra under its conductor Nicholas Mumby.
The church looked wonderful, with candles everywhere, and an elaborate crib between two huge Christmas trees decorated with hundreds of small red and white lights.
The choir and orchestra, rather than being in the sanctuary, were in a side aisle, largely hidden by the pulpit, but that did not detract from the sound they made.
Nearly all trained singers and musicians, they provided a wide variety of music, from the well known carols with congregational participation to lesser known works such as Bethlehem Down.
The concert started in darkness, with the lights being switched on as the congregation joined in their first carol, but the lighting was kept just bright enough to see the words, without destroying the atmospher which goes with semi-darkness lit by candlelight in a church.
The reading were both religious and secular, but only formed a small part of the evening - the music predominated.
The evening finished with the refreshments, as all good concerts should.
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