Outside Inside
L’Eglise Paroissial de Beynac et Cazenac was constructed on the side of a limestone cliff in the thirteenth century to serve as a castle’s chapel.
Parishioners entered through a wooden door in the transect. Turning left – east – they approached the altar. Turning right, they faced a floor-to-ceiling stained glass window … and the Dordogne River valley beyond.
I have two recordings from visits to this grand building. One was taken from the outside as the church bells tolled at noon. The other was taken from the inside, as a string quartet played at twilight.
Somehow, these simple recordings convey MORE than just a stunning outer facade … and a moving inner sanctuary. Taken together, they seem to provide a glimpse of six hundred years of history.
Beautiful and fantastic quality
By an unusual coincidence, Grandfathers Wildman and Kindinger were church custodians. One of the responsibilities of that position was ringing the church bell on Sunday morning to announce the morning worship service. As a young boy I was permitted to assist and remember hanging on for dear life to the bell rope as the bell swung through its arc. As they were members of the Methodist and Dutch Reformed churches and of modest temperment, the bell-ringing was short and to the point, not as effusive as you are experiencing in France but for me every bit as joyful.