Glenbrook

Good Friday at St. Finbar's

On Good Friday I was singing in the choir with the Blue Mountains Chorale at St. Finbar's Catholic Church at Glenbrook.  I felt it was a great honour to be invited to join this choir to sing at the 7.30 pm service of Sacred readings and music by Bach especially chosen for Good Friday.  The choir entered the darkened church singing, whilst holding candles, proceeding then to our seats near the organ.  We sang some Bach chorales  and Robert Ampt played some wonderful Bach music on the organ, including "Triple Fugue in Eb - O God, Our Help in Ages Past (BWV 552)"  The choir's main item was Bach's Sacred Cantata No. 4 "Christ Lay in Death's Dark Prison".  The sopranos and altos sang a duet in this Cantata "O Death, None Could Lay Thee Low" then the basses and tenors joined us for "Christ Lay by Death Enshrouded".  It was a truly uplifting experience.  The Cantata had a challenging alto part with many rhythmic and melodic elaborations culminating in a wonderful "Hallelujah" chorus in a fugue for the four voice parts.

The organ at St. Finbar's originally came from St. Peter's Anglican Church, East Sydney.  It was built by Hele & Co. (Plymouth, UK) and opened at St. Peter's in 1881.  It was moved to Glenbrook in 1990.  The organ now enjoys an excellent acoustic and is often used for concerts.

Designs featured on the pipes are the national floral emblems of the UK, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.  The fleur-de-lis of France is also depicted on the pipes because large areas of France were once ruled by the English Kings as descendants of William the Conqueror.

Inside St. Finbar's before the service.  The  Cross is draped in purple indicating that this is the day of Christ's suffering on the Cross.

Outside St. Finbar's.  I arrived for a rehearsal at 5.30 pm prior to the service at 7.30 pm. 

The Blessed Sacrament housed in a little enclosed alcove inside the Church.  I am not a Catholic and I thought it might have been a lady chapel (as found in Anglican Cathedrals) but I am inclined to think this is where the Catholics keep the Sacrament.