Choral Evensong BBC 3

lancecornea · Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:17 am Post subject:

Has anyone caught up with BBC4 Sunday Morning Service which this week came from St.Thomas' Fifth Avenue, NY.
Well worth a listen!!! Very Happy

On a lesser note, hasn't anyone anything to say about last week's CE from St.Michael's Tenbury Crying or Very sad

Handfield · Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 10:06 pm Post subject:

Two great broadcasts. The choir of St. Thomas' was excellent. Very weird hearing Elizabethan English with an American accent though!

I agree with your comments about St. Michael's. Everything went well and the treble solo was fantastic. What was going on with the sound? The trebles definitely sounded much more 'present' than the men.

Did you hear that the BBC CE broadcast is being moved to Sunday afternoons? See:
http://www.rscm.com/info_resources/news/choralEvensong_20061103.php
How do people feel about this?

Jason Evans · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 535

Handfield · Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 2:27 am Post subject:

The move has generated quite a bit of discussion over on the Ship of Fools (which is why I asked):
http://forum.ship-of-fools.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=003648;p=1

lancecornea · Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 5:20 am Post subject:

Thanks for the interesting site, Handfield...a new one for me. There is also mega-discussion on the BBC Messageboards as well which makes for good reading.
I really don't care whether CE moves to Sunday or not. as in Australia it is easier to enjoy the delayed broadcast. It's often Thurs. or Fri. before I have the time to listen so if it's Sunday, what the heck!
However, from a chorister's point of view, as everyone makes the point, it is a big workload for the choir on the Sunday to do the broadcast as well as their normal service.

Jason Evans · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 535

Thanks, Handfield, that's a really interesting website. Hadn't heard of it before. (I hate to get involved on another DB.)

I agree with Lance's point. I'm still at work (or about to leave) when the broadcast starts, so often it can be three or four days before I find the time to properly listen to the delayed broadcast.

lancecornea · Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2006 2:39 am Post subject:

Interesting to read the BBC Messageboard this week regarding CE from Salisbury, and thanks to stocky for fielding a large number of questions. For my part I certainly couldn't tell whether it was the boys or the girls on the top line (According to stocky they were girls), but l did find their tone a little on the shrill side.
BTW this BBC messageboard on Salisbury makes good reading with some very clever misheard lines. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbradio3/F2620064?thread=3693277
Perhaps we should open a thread in this Forum for such witticisms. Laughing

Lance

stocky · Joined: 10 Mar 2006 Posts: 317 Location: Truro

Hi everyone!

I thought they were quite good! certainly one of the best girls choirs in the country. the harshness was apparent but it is better than a soppy pathetic breathy sound! the boys are better obviously! but never the less, a good service! and the voluntary!! wow! he sure knows how to play! keep writing!!

Cheers, Tom

lancecornea · Posted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:16 am Post subject:

Nice performance from Wells this week. Interesting touch to throw in some of the Rach. Vespers (Mag. and Nunc.) and as only 3 weeks ago I went to a performance of the whole of the Vespers, I felt the Wells choir did a great job, especially the bottom Bb at the end of the Nunc. I find I can only take this work in small doses, otherwise I get bored as one movement seems to blend into the next.
According to those "in the know" the choir was composed of the senior trebles (boys and girls) rather than the usual mix of very young choristers. I thought their performance was exemplary! Very Happy

Lance

Andrew Butler · Resigned Joined: 09 May 2006 Posts: 145

Not strictly CE, but having listened to the Advent carols from St John's Cambridge yesterday afternoon, I am sorry DH is stepping down. I thought it was the best for a long time, particularly in choice of repertoire; liked the Cymbelstern at the end of the Mag too!

lancecornea · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 4:23 am Post subject:

What with the links that came through this week re the St.John's Advent Carols and the services from St.Thomas' Church, New York, it took a while to get round to listening to Newcastle Cathedral CE.
It wasn't a bad performance though, but not quite in the same league as the other two choirs.
Anyone else hear the broadcast?

Jason Evans · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 535

What a terrific CE from Peterborough! Always nice to encounter Howells in B minor , written originally for Westminster Abbey I believe. I just bought a cool new set of computer speakers so the listening experience is certainly enhanced.

Also the board is enhanced by the presence of Martyn Vann. Welcome. I have admired Stanley Vann for much of my short life and have tried to collect as much of his music as possible, the most recent acquisition a Priory CD of the organ works. I would prefer more choral works, however. Is there an updated discography?

I last visited Peterborough Cathedral in 2004. Are the repairs finished?

David_Underdown · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 48 Location: South West London

lancecornea · Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 1:54 am Post subject:

Rather a good performance from Stanley Vann's choir, especially the Howells in B minor which was new to me. I was also interested in the way they pointed the Gloria in the psalms. (See that thread elsewhere in the Forum)
Pity this choir didn't make a lot more recordings from that era Sad

Lance

Jason Evans · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 535

Anyone catch the CE from Southwell? I have not so far visited that cathedral (nor do I have any recordings) and would be interested in any input.

Gray in F minor was wonderful- I have a recording from Llandaff! Naylor's anthem may be well known, but it's always fun -and the closing voluntary is a particular favourite. Yes, I have a soft spot for St. Paul .

Cheers.