Concert at Ely Cathedral in May 2018

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filiarheni
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Re: Concert at Ely Cathedral in May 2018

Post by filiarheni »

ForrestB wrote: <span title="Mon Sep 04, 2017 1:41 am">6 years ago</span> Looking to plan a 5 to 7 day trip.
You could also think about staying in Cambridge for the time around the Ely concert. Cambridge is a 20 minutes trip by train and a very beautiful town, absolutely worth spending some days there. When I see photos of Cambridge, I envy myself for having visited it.
I stayed in a hotel which was not very expensive (ok: tiny room, but clean = enough) and ideally situated next to the centre.
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Re: Concert at Ely Cathedral in May 2018

Post by Surpinto »

andmar wrote: <span title="Mon Sep 04, 2017 11:22 am">6 years ago</span>
Surpinto wrote: <span title="Sun Sep 03, 2017 11:41 pm">6 years ago</span> The rest are low to moderately priced, but to me the best value for your money seems to be The Nyton which has a variety of rooms on offer but has a room for about $100/night en suite.
Thank you for the detailed information. I stayed at The Castle Hotel in Ely last time. It was OK, but nothing special. This time I have just booked my stay at The Nyton. A little bit more expensive than the Castle, but looks way better and the booking still can be cancelled for free.

Wow, I would never think I will visit the UK on regular basis. It's Libera's magic. Isn't it?
It really is! :D Glad that you found my suggestion useful. Since I was ultimately unable to go myself, I figure that what I found out along the way might be useful to others.

My philosophy when travelling is to look for the best value: a balance of cost, location, and amenities on offer. Those who have the means need not have this concern as they can stay at the best hotels in a town, while those who have little means are compelled to stay at the lowest priced accommodations regardless of quality. But it has been my experience that even $25 per night more can add quite significantly to the quality of the location and accommodation; thus making the trip more enjoyable.
filiarheni wrote: <span title="Mon Sep 04, 2017 12:07 pm">6 years ago</span> You could also think about staying in Cambridge for the time around the Ely concert. Cambridge is a 20 minutes trip by train and a very beautiful town, absolutely worth spending some days there. When I see photos of Cambridge, I envy myself for having visited it.
I stayed in a hotel which was not very expensive (ok: tiny room, but clean = enough) and ideally situated next to the centre.
My personal suggestion, if one plans on spending significant time exploring Cambridge and wants to stay in a decent accommodation, would be Arundel House Hotel at $92 per night. It's centrally located in Cambridge, but has the distinct disadvantage of not being close to the train station (40+ min walk). However, Uber, Lyft, or a traditional taxi can make up the difference; as well as good old fashioned public buses. If I were planning on spending an entire day, and perhaps two nights, in Cambridge I would probably stay there. There are a myriad of choices in the town so others may see things differently, but this place seems like the best value. If plans for seeing Cambridge are limited to less than a full day then other accommodations are more advantageous.

Again, I disclaim my suggestions by repeating that I have never stayed at these hotels or traveled to these towns, and I only base my suggestions on the research I have done; though I pride myself on being rather meticulous. Of course research can be a poor substitute for advice from those who have actually traveled there.
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Re: Concert at Ely Cathedral in May 2018

Post by andmar »

Surpinto wrote: <span title="Mon Sep 04, 2017 5:07 pm">6 years ago</span>
andmar wrote: <span title="Mon Sep 04, 2017 11:22 am">6 years ago</span>
Surpinto wrote: <span title="Sun Sep 03, 2017 11:41 pm">6 years ago</span> The rest are low to moderately priced, but to me the best value for your money seems to be The Nyton which has a variety of rooms on offer but has a room for about $100/night en suite.
Thank you for the detailed information. I stayed at The Castle Hotel in Ely last time. It was OK, but nothing special. This time I have just booked my stay at The Nyton. A little bit more expensive than the Castle, but looks way better and the booking still can be cancelled for free.

Wow, I would never think I will visit the UK on regular basis. It's Libera's magic. Isn't it?
It really is! :D Glad that you found my suggestion useful. Since I was ultimately unable to go myself, I figure that what I found out along the way might be useful to others.

My philosophy when travelling is to look for the best value: a balance of cost, location, and amenities on offer. Those who have the means need not have this concern as they can stay at the best hotels in a town, while those who have little means are compelled to stay at the lowest priced accommodations regardless of quality. But it has been my experience that even $25 per night more can add quite significantly to the quality of the location and accommodation; thus making the trip more enjoyable.
You did a great job a couple of weeks ago in order to plan a travel to the UK in the best possible way. Now we are lucky to have a real expert here and can take advantage of your efforts. Thanks a lot again. I hope very much, that you will be able to try out your findings personally when you travel to the UK to see Libera in concert, moreover I hope that this will happen rather sooner than later. :D
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Re: Concert at Ely Cathedral in May 2018

Post by Surpinto »

andmar wrote: <span title="Mon Sep 04, 2017 5:31 pm">6 years ago</span>
You did a great job a couple of weeks ago in order to plan a travel to the UK in the best possible way. Now we are lucky to have a real expert here and can take advantage of your efforts. Thanks a lot again. I hope very much, that you will be able to try out your findings personally when you travel to the UK to see Libera in concert, moreover I hope that this will happen rather sooner than later. :D
How kind of you to say so! Thank you. :D I do hope that it can happen one day, but for now I want to try and make it a fun and easy experience for others. So here is some more: My other plan, if my trip had gone ahead, would have been to see Evensong in Cambridge (perhaps King's College Choir). They sing Evensong at 3:30 pm Sunday's (details here). Proper decorum must be observed of course as this is not a concert, but a religious service, so things like applauding are not allowed.
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Re: Concert at Ely Cathedral in May 2018

Post by Yorkie »

Surpinto wrote: <span title="Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:06 pm">6 years ago</span> My other plan, if my trip had gone ahead, would have been to see Evensong in Cambridge (perhaps King's College Choir). They sing Evensong at 3:30 pm Sunday's (details here). Proper decorum must be observed of course as this is not a concert, but a religious service, so things like applauding are not allowed.
Which is fine if you want to hear the second best choir in Cambridge. Can't deny the beauty of the chapel of course, but why settle for second best after attending a Libera concert?
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andmar
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Re: Concert at Ely Cathedral in May 2018

Post by andmar »

Yorkie wrote: <span title="Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:53 pm">6 years ago</span>
Surpinto wrote: <span title="Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:06 pm">6 years ago</span> My other plan, if my trip had gone ahead, would have been to see Evensong in Cambridge (perhaps King's College Choir). They sing Evensong at 3:30 pm Sunday's (details here). Proper decorum must be observed of course as this is not a concert, but a religious service, so things like applauding are not allowed.
Which is fine if you want to hear the second best choir in Cambridge. Can't deny the beauty of the chapel of course, but why settle for second best after attending a Libera concert?
But why not to listen to the second best choir in Cambrigde (King's) AND the very best one in Cambridge (St.John's - isn't it the best one, Yorkie ? :wink: ). This is very possible because the Evensong at King's is a 3.30 p.m. and at St.John's at 6 p.m.
I almost did it this spring - I heard the St.John's College Choir during the morning service and the King's College Choir during the Evensong. Both of them are outstanding and worth a trip to Cambridge, not mentioning the city itself.
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Re: Concert at Ely Cathedral in May 2018

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Yorkie wrote: <span title="Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:53 pm">6 years ago</span>
Surpinto wrote: <span title="Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:06 pm">6 years ago</span> My other plan, if my trip had gone ahead, would have been to see Evensong in Cambridge (perhaps King's College Choir). They sing Evensong at 3:30 pm Sunday's (details here). Proper decorum must be observed of course as this is not a concert, but a religious service, so things like applauding are not allowed.
Which is fine if you want to hear the second best choir in Cambridge. Can't deny the beauty of the chapel of course, but why settle for second best after attending a Libera concert?
:lol: I would love to hear both based on your recommendation which carries a great deal of weight with me, but if I were ever in Cambridge I think that hearing both on the same day would be too much for me. That is to say that I would be unable to appreciate both because it would be too many musical impressions to absorb in essentially one go. However, that is not to say that others ought not do as andmar suggests and attend both! And, yes, I have heard that the chapel is very beautiful.
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Re: Concert at Ely Cathedral in May 2018

Post by theforestdweller »

When looking for accommodation, don't forget "airbnb". I stayed in a delightful artists house for this years concert, and have just booked it for May 2018. There are quite a few places within easy walking distance of the Cathedral, so might be worth taking a look for anyone stuck for ideas :) .
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Re: Concert at Ely Cathedral in May 2018

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I live very close to Cambridge and am excited about this as I wasn't able to attend the last concert in Ely. Hopefully I will know if I am free that evening in May before tickets go on sale. This would be my first Libera concert. :)

If anyone wants any advice about attending evensong in Cambridge let me know. The service schedules for King's, John's, Jesus etc will not be published until after Easter, although Fridays (the day before the concert) are usually a good bet at King's, where they are likely to sing a capella without organ accompaniment. Apart from King's you can just turn up 15 minutes before, but King's needs a bit of strategic queuing to get the best seats.
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Re: Concert at Ely Cathedral in May 2018

Post by j8000 »

Yorkie wrote: <span title="Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:53 pm">6 years ago</span>
Surpinto wrote: <span title="Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:06 pm">6 years ago</span> My other plan, if my trip had gone ahead, would have been to see Evensong in Cambridge (perhaps King's College Choir). They sing Evensong at 3:30 pm Sunday's (details here). Proper decorum must be observed of course as this is not a concert, but a religious service, so things like applauding are not allowed.
Which is fine if you want to hear the second best choir in Cambridge. Can't deny the beauty of the chapel of course, but why settle for second best after attending a Libera concert?
King's and John's are both very good. I would say John's can sing more passionately and almost literally raise the roof sometimes, whereas King's need to be a bit more careful as their acoustic (a five second echo) can really muddy things up if they aren't precise. I prefer to hear earlier music in King's, especially when they use their chamber organ instead of the big beast.
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Re: Concert at Ely Cathedral in May 2018

Post by Surpinto »

j8000 wrote: <span title="Wed Nov 08, 2017 10:35 am">6 years ago</span> I live very close to Cambridge and am excited about this as I wasn't able to attend the last concert in Ely. Hopefully I will know if I am free that evening in May before tickets go on sale. This would be my first Libera concert. :)
Although it is still some time from now, certainly your anticipation will increase as the date approaches for your first concert. :D I am jealous that you live so near to Cambridge as this means that you are able to hear several of the world's best choirs whenever the mood strikes you, not to mention the ability of relatively easy travel to London and elsewhere in the UK to hear Libera. Something that you will hopefully be able to do more frequently from this moment forth. :wink:
j8000 wrote: <span title="Wed Nov 08, 2017 10:35 am">6 years ago</span> If anyone wants any advice about attending evensong in Cambridge let me know. The service schedules for King's, John's, Jesus etc will not be published until after Easter, although Fridays (the day before the concert) are usually a good bet at King's, where they are likely to sing a capella without organ accompaniment. Apart from King's you can just turn up 15 minutes before, but King's needs a bit of strategic queuing to get the best seats.
j8000 wrote: <span title="Wed Nov 08, 2017 10:40 am">6 years ago</span> King's and John's are both very good. I would say John's can sing more passionately and almost literally raise the roof sometimes, whereas King's need to be a bit more careful as their acoustic (a five second echo) can really muddy things up if they aren't precise. I prefer to hear earlier music in King's, especially when they use their chamber organ instead of the big beast.
It is my wish to one day attend a service in one or both of these chapels. My own wish to see King's College mostly stems from my greater familiarity with them through the "Carols From King's" service and their many other recordings that I have heard over the years; although I have heard many wonderful things from St John's as well. I hope to one day take advantage of the assistance you and others have offered in terms of hearing these wonderful choirs. Thank you. :D

Per the encouragement of a certain Libera fan from Yorkshire who shall remain nameless :wink: I have on two occasions attended services at Saint Thomas which has a fantastic, world-class choir of men and boys in New York City. For any travelers to the United States and New York particularly with an interest in choral music I highly recommend making a visit. Unfortunately, I am not close enough that this could become a regular thing as travel there requires an entire days commitment. However, I am attending their Nine Lessons and Carols Service in December. :D If anyone is ever planning to be in the New York area and wants assistance to attend services I am more than happy to help.
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Re: Concert at Ely Cathedral in May 2018

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Surpinto wrote: <span title="Thu Nov 09, 2017 10:34 am">6 years ago</span>



I have on two occasions attended services at Saint Thomas which has a fantastic, world-class choir of men and boys in New York City. For any travelers to the United States and New York particularly with an interest in choral music I highly recommend making a visit.

Agree. I have been lucky enough to hear them live on several occasions. For those unable to visit in person there are regular webcasts of choral services. http://www.saintthomaschurch.org/webcasts
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Re: Concert at Ely Cathedral in May 2018

Post by andmar »

Surpinto wrote: <span title="Thu Nov 09, 2017 10:34 am">6 years ago</span> It is my wish to one day attend a service in one or both of these chapels. My own wish to see King's College mostly stems from my greater familiarity with them through the "Carols From King's" service and their many other recordings that I have heard over the years; although I have heard many wonderful things from St John's as well. I hope to one day take advantage of the assistance you and others have offered in terms of hearing these wonderful choirs. Thank you. :D
Yes, it's definitely worth visiting the chapels and hearing the outstanding choirs there. However, I'm afraid, you will have to plan your visit during the school term time, as in summer the choirs are on vacation.

Actually, a perfect opportunity would be the upcoming Libera concert in Ely in May 2018 :wink: . Maybe you could consider this? :D
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Re: Concert at Ely Cathedral in May 2018

Post by Surpinto »

andmar wrote: <span title="Fri Nov 10, 2017 9:39 am">6 years ago</span> Actually, a perfect opportunity would be the upcoming Libera concert in Ely in May 2018 :wink: . Maybe you could consider this? :D
I agree and that is why I will now attend the Ely concert. I booked my flight and hotels just today. :D This may be one of the craziest things I have ever done when it comes to major travel, but I am now fully committed.

I have previously posted that I was unable to attend this concert but a major deterring factor was ground travel. The trip was going to be short no matter what, adding extra days was just not an option due to work factors outside of my control. Flying into Gatwick or Heathrow is great and all, but would require a lot of ground travel to Ely (2 hours by train). While that does not seem like much, it certainly would be as I would have to make the trip to the airport in rush hour traffic (2-3 hours), be on a plane for 8 hours, and then be on a train for a few more. This would happen in both directions. There was just too much time and money being spent on transportation. Given the brevity of the trip to start with I had dismissed the whole affair as too hectic and annoying to be enjoyable! How can I enjoy myself and see things in the UK when I would be stuck sitting on a train and plane for more hours than not? I know that for some here this would be a laughable barrier but I do not particularly enjoy hectic, whirlwind trips especially not ones I take for leisure.

But now there is a brand new route that was not available when I first did my research a few months back that is flying to Stansted; an airport that I had never heard of as American flights do not land there normally. Stansted Airport is significantly closer to Cambridge (30 min by train) and the flight is cheaper. This is a game changer for me.

So I have now overcome my trepidation and have booked all of the primary arrangements for this event. I did not really think I would go through with it until I had finished booking everything and loudly exclaimed "What have I done?!" :lol: :wink: But it'll be worth it.

Now we will just have to see about getting tickets.....
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Re: Concert at Ely Cathedral in May 2018

Post by filiarheni »

What have you done?! :lol: :lol:
Answer: You have done the craziest and wisest thing ever in your life. :D

And what do we do now that we don't have to convince you anymore? We have so much spare time now! :mrgreen:
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