The symbiosis of College and Cathedral was in full play, the latter being the only space where the full College can assemble. Seats for parents are therefore scarce and your reviewer found himself sandwiched between the memorials to Jane Austen and the 10th Princess Mary’s Own Gurkha Rifles in the North Aisle, from where the action had to be viewed on a large screen. Following the recently-established College tradition of coughing-in the Second Master, only started last year but surely now a fixture, first to welcome us appeared Canon Roly. He was standing in for Dean Catherine but adopted an on-screen pose that instantly brought-to-mind (at least in your aged Reviewer’s mind) John Barron’s rather more malevolent Dean in those far off days of ‘All Gas and Gaiters’ (ask your Grandparents, boys) – the likeness was uncanny!

We were a carol and a reading in before the Choir launched into their first solo. Who could fail to be imbued with Christmas spirit by their joyful rendition of ‘I Saw Three Ships’? Even Mr Cunningham in the loft got to show off his organ’s newly-restored 32’ contra bombarde in the last verse!

The choir reprised their rendition of Joubert’s ‘There Is No Rose’ from the previous evening but this proved all the more atmospheric in the Cathedral as the sound floated around as if in ethereal echo. For their next offering Seb B led a sequence from that Christmas favourite, ‘The Messiah’, a taster of the full performance to follow in January. His entrancing solo performance filled the Cathedral. And what excellent marketing - book your tickets here for the main event!

The Address at the Carol Service is eagerly anticipated - no, really! The high-water mark was set by the previous Dean of Chapel’s sermon, in 2021, when he memorably raised eyebrows by his use of “bestial” to describe the scene in the Stable. The Rev James McKinnel, however, gave a strong new entry to the genre, citing his seasonal experience at the Basingstoke John Lewis store, through a child’s threat to kidnap Mary to a near-menacing rendering of ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ – there was even a friendly heckle from one of his Div group that I sadly missed but was taken in his stride and with some panache. We look forward to even greater things, Mr McKinnel!

The seasonal spirit was then refreshed in a joyous modern re-working of the traditional ‘Ding Dong Merrily on High’ before the assembled College raised their game (and volume) in the closing rendition of ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’. As the procession left, Mr Cunningham’s time had arrived for everybody’s favourite Voluntary, Widor’s Toccata from his Organ Symphony No 5. And with the wonders of modern Cathedral technology the world-wide YouTube audience, as well as those of us on site, were treated to a close-up of Mr C’s feet as they tripped lightly across the pedals – clothed in reindeer-decorated green hosiery, gamely meeting the expectation of his House. I felt sure that the old Master Organist of St Sulpice would have approved.

Jerry Pett
Q Parent