THE GREAT CATHEDRALS: WINCHESTER relaxing, contemplative, peaceful, inspirational, consoling

Original orchestral music from MusicTreks.org (www.musictreks... You may not have visited Winchester, but most likely the cathedral will be familiar to you, having figured prominently in several films and television series. It appeared in the Da Vinci Code (as St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome), and The Crown (as Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.) But even without its celebrity status, Winchester’s magnificent cathedral would be well worth a visit.
Construction of the cathedral began in 1079, a year after William the Conqueror built the Tower of London. The new cathedral was sited beside the old Saxon cathedral, and the tombs of the Saxon kings buried there were transferred to the new Cathedral. The Saxon cathedral was subsequently demolished, leaving only the outline of its foundation, which can still be seen today.
When we visited, what impressed us first was the amazing length of the nave. Entering through the east doors, the high altar seemed tiny in the far distance. In fact, at 558’, Winchester’s nave is the longest of any Medieval church. Even today, the cathedral is ranked 6th longest among all churches in the world.
Among the notables buried in the Cathedral is Jane Austen, who died in Winchester in 1817. We, like many other tourists, sought out the wonderful sculpture of the author, seated at her table, intently writing. The piece was sculpted by Robert Truscott in 2017.
For the text sung by the choir, I chose Tuba mirum from the Mass, and I scored the piece for SATB chorus, strings (10 violas, 10 cellos, 9 double basses) and brass (6 French horns, 2 trumpets). Because this musical setting is somber and muted, violas, rather than violins, are the centerpiece of the orchestration. I chose violas because their lower register and mellow sound lends itself to the somber tone of the text.
Winchester Cathedral is also known as The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Swithun
About The Great Cathedrals collection: The great medieval cathedrals of Europe are among the world’s oldest and most magnificent buildings. Nowhere else can we experience the artistry and ethos of the Middle Ages so vividly. Nowhere else can we come face-to-face with the skill and imagination of ancient architects, stone masons, sculptors, and stained-glass artists and craftsmen.
Walking through these sacred places, we can almost hear the voices of the many thousands of worshippers and visitors who have trod these same stones in centuries past. The great cathedrals are, indeed, windows on an ancient world. They are inspiring monuments to the artistry of medieval Europe, and to the vision and skill of the people who built them.
Like all MusicTreks programs, this video features original “neoclassical” music that is relaxing, tranquil, contemplative, romantic, peaceful, consoling, soothing, inspirational, beautiful, and cinematic in tone.
No stock footage or photography, and no internet content of any kind, is used in any MusicTreks.org videos. This video, including all music and images, is original, and is © 2024 by D. Ellicott Ray