Concert 2: Huysberg

The day started with a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Quedlinburg, a beautiful medieval place well worth a visit. 

Then it was on to the Benedictine Monastery at Huysberg. We were welcomed by Brother Jacob, and John allowed us one of the shortest rehearsals on record! The acoustic is almost perfect, plenty of resonance without being too "boomy", and Stephen was happy with the organ, and the sightlines - once we'd worked out where to stand.

Our beautiful venue
The afternoon concert was very well attended by over 170 people. Brother Jacob asked them to save their applause until the end. Even so, our opening Hallelujah Chorus provoked much applause, as did Stephen's solo. The rest of the programme went very well, and the applause, when it came at last was deafening! John had almost to shout in order to announce our Rutter encore.

The monks gave us tea, and then, at their invitation, we attended their Vespers and sang Ola Gjelo's Ubi Caritas, a moving and memorable experience. Brother Jacob then told us some of thousand-year history of the monastery, and we ended by singing a Kyrie which we had just learned during Vespers.

Tea after the concert
After a good dinner on the terrace at the Wasserschloss in Westerburg we piled on the coach for a weary but happy journey back to the hotel in Leipzig.

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