Evensong in England

While in the UK and Europe I attended several Evensong services at Cathedrals and Churches. Evensong is a church service traditionally held near twilight focused on singing psalms and other biblical canticles. It is loosely based on the canonical hours of vespers and compline. Old English speakers translated the Latin word vesperas as æfensang, which became 'evensong' in modern English. Typically used in reference to the Anglican daily office's evening liturgy, it can also refer to the pre-Reformation form of vespers or services of evening prayer from other denominations, particularly within the Anglican Use of the Catholic Church.

Hearing the choirs sing in spaces like Salisbury Cathedral and Westminster Abbey was an incredicle privilege. When you sit directly behind the vocalists, you can hear each part. It makes it so real and vicersal as to resonate. That the choir is situated so near the altar speaks to the importance of music in the services. The design and politics of where and why the Choir is places where it is over the centuries is too much for me to explain here. Follow this link to learn more.
https://adoremus.org/2014/08/clergy-s...

From the guilded seat backs to the pristine candle holders, I was impressed with the history here. The audio here is a live recording of Evensong at Salisbury Cathedral in December 2025. A memorable night for me.