Chartres Cathedral
June 19, 2024
After the cathedral tour we had a break for lunch and some time to explore the environs of the cathedral.
Fulbert was bishop of Chartres from 1008 to 1028 and led one of the reconstructions of the cathedral.
The Musée des Beaux-Arts and its rose garden are just beside and behind the cathedral.
We had a half-hour rehearsal at 4:00, and sang our program at 4:45. We had a piano for accompaniment. I was surprised at the size of the audience, especially for a Wednesday afternoon. They seemed very appreciative and didn’t laugh at our efforts to sing in French. This is a list of what we sang. We followed the same program in Paris on Thursday.
| Cantique de Jean Racine | by Gabriel Fauré | Sung in French |
| O Love | by Elaine Hagenberg | George Matheson text |
| Wayfaring Stranger | Sung by the women | |
| Seigneur, je vous en prie | Francis Poulenc | From four small prayers of St. Francis 4-part men, sung in French, a cappella |
| Dies Irae | Michael John Trotta | From his Requiem |
| Lux Aeterna | Michael John Trotta | From his Requiem |
| I am the Rose of Sharon | William Billings | A cappella |
| O God Beyond All Praising | Gustave Holst, arr. Dan Forrest | Tune from The Planets, text by Michael Perry |