Tuesday, May 4, 2010
"GRANDMÈRE MIMI GOES TO ENGLAND"
The video is nothing less than a masterwork by the sweetest, kindest clergyman in all England, Fr Jonathan Hagger, also known as MadPriest. Obviously, the photos are not all mine. Anyone who wishes to claim ownership, please speak up, because I've forgotten whose they are.
Watching the video brought tears to my eyes and made me long to visit England again. When Grandpère watched the chef-d'œuvre, he said, "Did you spend all your time in churches and abbeys?" Not all, but quite a lot. Seeing the pictures of the lovely people whom I met over there, made me quite nostalgic. Truly, I had a wonderful visit, and I will surely never forget the beautiful people and places.
And what about the music in the video? Roger Miller's "England Swings", "The Village Green Appreciation Society" by the wonderful Kate Rusby, and the nice surprise of "Rule Britannia!" by the Leeds Philharmonic Society, of which Doorman-Priest is a member. I attended the outstanding performance pictured in the video of Delius' "A Mass For Life". I'm guessing the music was chosen so that, as I grow even older, I won't forget that it was England I visited.
If you're a new reader of this blog, you can find links to my accounts of my time in England to the right, on my sidebar, under the heading (Surprise!) "England".
Jonathan, thank you for your time and effort in putting the wonderful video together. I won't forget your kindness.
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Lovely. That made me want to see England again, too. The first time I went I told our transport that I wanted to see castles and cathedrals and by golly I went to so many I lost count. I wanted to live there, it was so pleasant.
ReplyDeleteThe North of England Tourist Board thanks you.
ReplyDeleteOh, glorious and wonderful! Makes me homesick for the North. (Not that it is my original home, incorrigible Southerner that I am, but I spent five happy years in the 80s in Sunderland and Durham...)
ReplyDeleteFr. Jonathan, that's one awesome bit of cobbling, sir!
What the others said! BTW who was the soloist in Rule Britannia?
ReplyDeleteGets me going too...my Dad was from Yorkshire...gulp, I love it there.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, thanks all!
Lovely, isn't it? And Jonathan did it all for free, out of the abundant goodness of his great heart.
ReplyDeleteGöran, I'm sorry, but I don't know the name of the soloist. DP would have the information.
Fantastic! I know I will watch this multiple times. I have never been to England. Someday ... I hope!
ReplyDeleteJonathan, you did a most marvelous job of putting this all together. You are certainly a man of many talents!
Lovely, and makes me want to revisit the north of England too (in fact I have not seen nearly enough of it, though I have spent quite a few happy weeks in Scotland over the years). MadPriest has done such a good job with the pics too. I know you don't plan to come back per se Mimi, but that's a shame really. It looks like you had a fabulous holiday.
ReplyDeleteThe trip was fantastic and fabulous in many ways. I'd been to England several times before, 6 or 7 times, I've lost count, and I loved every one of my visits. However, this visit was special, because I knew folks virtually before I went, and it was lovely to meet them face to face.
ReplyDeleteCathy I have no plans to return to England at the moment, but I didn't say never.
Amazing gift -- what a guy.
ReplyDeleteWow --good on ya Madpriest. Grandmere --you are lucky and blessed --and a blessing to us all.
ReplyDeleteAnn, you've met Jonathan. You know what a guy he is!
ReplyDelete...you are lucky and blessed....
Indeed I am, Margaret.
Yes Mimi-- he and his wife and the dogs drove us all over Oban, Mull and took us to Iona. It was a grand time.
ReplyDeleteLovely. Lucky you!
ReplyDeleteMimi, Ed's choir is doing a residency at Ely in July.
ReplyDeleteWould like to come along and be the Choir G'mere?
Mike, yes! Tell Ed to sign me up.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely video and generous gift.
ReplyDeleteOf course, in my secret heart, I hoped there might be a photo of you and MadPriest at the end of the video. The wait goes on ....
Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed the pictures. I love England yet have not been there for 30 years but will remedy that this year.
ReplyDeleteLisa, I have a picture of Jonathan, but I gave my word never to share. I almost included it in the pictures I sent to him to put in the video to see if I could slip it by him, but I decided not to.
ReplyDeleteBrian, wonderful! I'm jealous. Will you be in a particular area of England or traveling widely around the country?