FIFTY pilgrims undertook a six-mile “Constable Country Pilgrimage of Song” on Saturday, starting with bacon sandwiches and a music workshop in Stratford St Mary Church, and walking between the churches of East Bergholt, Dedham, Flatford, and Lawford, to hold a service in each one.
In a collaboration between St Edmundsbury Cathedral’s InHarmony project and the inter-church choir Cantus Firmus, the music for each service had been specially composed by Emma Steadman. The first three were based on the trio of religious works that Constable painted for East Anglian churches: Christ Blessing the Children, Christ Blessing the Bread and Wine, and The Ascension; the fourth took the theme of creativity and God the Creator.
ST EDMONDSBURY CATHEDRALHappy band of pilgrims
“The highlight for me was the the way that everyone engaged with such a wide range of musical styles,” said the cathedral’s music development director, Richard Hubbard, who is the artistic director of Cantus Firmus. Musical accompaniment during the pilgrimage was a mixture of organ, piano, and violin; the singers learned 13 pieces at the workshop.
Mr Hubbard had sought out music to match the various aspects of the services and finely balance the abilities of the pilgrims. “We had traditional hymns, some worship songs and some anthems, and everyone threw themselves into a wider range than most would have experienced on a regular Sunday in their own church. Different styles of music can help you engage deeper with God, in a way you might not otherwise have expected.”
This is the 14th pilgrimage by Cantus Firmus across Suffolk and north Essex, and the straddling of the county border drew both regulars and singers from further afield.
The weather was kind — only one thunderstorm, which “mercifully” happened during one of the services — and the day ended with a hot meal at St Mary’s, Lawford. Another Pilgrimage of Song is planned for next year in the Southwold area.
For details of the Summer 2026 Pilgrimage of Song, see: www.cantusfirmus.org.uk
