Eb in England--Historical Trust Sites #1

[blpurdom at yahoo.com]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., hamster8 at h... wrote:
> We *do* adore your posts anyway, Eb.  Keep em coming.
> 
> Stonehenge;
> 
> It is overrated, as far as I'm concerned.  The experience of so 
many 
> tourist hotspots in the UK is completely ruined by crass 
> commercialism, and I'm afraid to say I feel the same way about 
> Salisbury Cathedral.     

Well, having spent the last year in History of Architecture (which is 
largely NOT about the US) I wish I could see even a few of the places 
you've mentioned, because I've had to write extensive papers on all 
of them sight (or site) unseen!  Did you know that Stonehenge is 
constructed with mortise and tenon joints?  (Since you're not 
studying architecture, do you care?)

> "And then one of my Indian friends who was walking alongside me 
drew 
> back, horrified.
> 
> 'We're stepping on people's graves!'

I had the same reaction the first time I was in Christ Church here in 
Philadelphia, which is an Episcopal parish (American version of 
Anglican) where all of the big muckety-mucks of the Continental 
Congress attended mass.  So when you enter the sanctuary of CC, 
you're walking on folks who signed the Declaration of Independence 
and the original draft of the US Constitution! 

> What I can't remember is whether Salisbury Cathedral has a maze 
built 
> into the floor or not.  The maze pops up in a lot of cathedrals 
here, 
> and represents a pilgrimage to Jerusalem (with Jerusalem being in 
the 
> centre) ... there's one in Amiens (northern France that takes about 
> twenty five minutes to walk if you follow the paths scrupulously)  
> Worth checking out if you happen across one.

Wrote an extensive paper on Amiens Cathedral, wishing I was there the 
entire time.  The EPITOME of high Gothic!
 
> Classical music.  I have to agree with you ... there are times when 
> it's just more fitting.  If you can, try to get hold of a copy of 
> Rutter's Requiem (I *know* it's funeral music, but it's heart-
> rendingly beautiful stuff, and I, shameless freeloader that I am, 
> use it to write HP fanfiction to ... tch).  Of course, it's ten to 
> one you'll read this before tomorrow, so I'll tell you again then. 

The first time I was ever paid to sing was when I did Monteverdi's 
1610 Vespers at Christ Church; even for one having to concentrate on 
performing, it was an ethereal experience, and has been every time I 
perform there. Rutter's Requiem is fabulous, but if you're looking 
for other British music, there's also anything by Ralph Vaughn 
Williams (pronounced "Rafe" like Ralph Fiennes' name) and Benjamin 
Britten (especially his St. Cecilia!).

Keep the posts coming, Eb!  The only way I could be greener is for 
you to tell me next that you're going on a month-long tour of the 
wondrous architecture of Italy. (Can you tell what my dream vacation 
would be?)

--Barb