Groundhogmas

At least, that is what today would be called if we mixed the Christian feast day of Candlemas with Groundhog Day.

I came across a few Youtube videos recently called "The Boast of Kings" - and thought I'd share the last of the videos - which features Herbert Howells' setting of the Nunc Dimittis from the Collegium Regale service, book-ended by interesting interviews, which includes a very young Canadian Gerald Finley.

Just so you're clear on the connection - Candlemas (February 2nd) is sometimes also known as the Feast of the Presentation - where Jesus is presented to Simeon in the Temple. Simeon then utters these words (at least, King James translated them this way):

Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace
According to thy word,
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation
Which thou hast prepared before the face
Of thy people Israel,
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles
And to be the glory of thy people Israel.



The rest of the video is also quite interesting, I think. For a long period of time, I dreamed that I would one day be a chorister at Kings. Not that I'm unhappy at all with where I am now, but there is still a part of me that wished I had the opportunity to be a choral scholar somewhere over there.

Here's praying for a cloudy day today, and a short end to this winter!