Entering the cathedral, it is impossible not to be in awe of the scenery. The setting is so beautiful and conducive to a little meditative respite with its flying buttresses and softly illuminating halogen lamps. There is a combination of synthetic and live candlelight gleaming gently from marble and gilded statuary. Each programme is individual, a night of music and contemplation, guided by little but our own thoughts.
A brief but effective introduction to the evening informed us that the candlelight would be extinguished and returned throughout the concert, symbolizing the crucifixion and resurrection; the returning of the light. We were plunged into a semi-darkness, illuminated only by a few candles, a few exit signs and the lights illuminating the altar and awe-inspiring marble depiction of the Passion. As the performance progressed with a vocal concert by renowned vocalists Susan Hamilton and Emma Versteeg, audience members were left to their thoughts and imaginations, with nothing to fill the void but the heavenly tones of these two beautifully blended angelic voices combined with violin and organ.
Frustratingly, the symbolic meaning of the liturgy was a bit lost as was the true joy of live performance as we were unable to see either the candelabra or the musicians having, been corralled into the choir loft and there was an awkward moment when one of the vocalists lost her place and started over. That said, though this wasn’t the most polished and slick of performances, it was far from disappointing. This programme was a stand-out event in its simplicity; a magnificent, awe-inspiring yet humbling setting, sublime, ethereal music and a little peaceful respite in the maelstrom of the Fringe.
It is truly a challenge to review a performance which is so clearly dictated by one’s personal filter. In such a setting, one person will find that they achieve a zen-like calm while others such as myself may find that in the darkness, left to their own devices, they begin ticking off the long list of to dos wanting to flee the scene at first light to make a dent. And yet, when the fireworks from the Tattoo began, strangely in rhythm with the music, I found myself drifting in time, seeing myself in the Blitz, hiding away in this magnificent fortress huddled together, a light against the darkness. Cathedral Meditations is a sweet, endearing event, perhaps not quite equal to the majesty of the setting but definitely a salve to the stress of our everyday lives.
