BBC Concert Orchestra and Thomas Trotter - Widor, Berlioz, Saint-Saens 11/11/15

[Flosshilde]

The choir (King's College & CUMS Chorus) sounded rather odd during the Widor.

[Tony Halstead]

CUMS Chorus

Aha!
That's why I heard a few matronly contraltos...

[DracoM]

I think the whole Widor thing sounded utterly bizarre.
Much rather hear Trotter on his own.

[Tony Halstead]

Absolutely agreed!

[AjAjAjH]

O dear! O dear! O dear! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The wonderful Widor's toccata WITH WORDS ADDED. It doesn't need words and when the choir and organist are not performing at the same speed, it is even more weird, bizarre, outrageous. I was even more amazed to hear that the words had been added by the late Sir David Wilcocks a musician for whom I have the greatest respect and admiration. O dear!

[Alison]

Something of a lugubrious Organ Symphony thus far, no doubt the finale will blaze and we will forget.

[Flosshilde]

O dear! O dear! O dear! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The wonderful Widor's toccata WITH WORDS ADDED. It doesn't need words and when the choir and organist are not performing at the same speed, it is even more weird, bizarre, outrageous. I was even more amazed to hear that the words had been added by the late Sir David Wilcocks a musician for whom I have the greatest respect and admiration. O dear!

Agreed, especially as all they seemed to be singing was 'Sing'

[DracoM]

I just kept asking myself who on earth had thought this was a good idea.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Can anyone speak up for Samuel Barber's "Agnus Dei" (vocalisation of the Adagio for strings). The only reason I can think of, is purely promotional/commercial - to capitalise on the success of the string piece by selling the music and bringing his music to an even wider audience. (I think you can tell, I haven't enjoyed singing the piece....).

[ardcarp]

No, I can't. I've sung the bloody thing so many times...along with the choral version of Nimrod (lux aeterna)...that I never want to hear it again. Mind you, audiences like it. As far as the Widor is concerned, that's a bit of fun on Willcocks' part, surely? I remember choristers humming the pedal tune under their breath at weddings...so it seems quite a natural thing to do.

[DracoM]

Humming along with the organist under the breath is one thing - making an item on a concert programme out of it, is.....well.....a bit of another, IMO of course.

[Lento]

A dare, perhaps?

[ardcarp]

Maybe. After the happy couple reach the door, there's generally such a din going on (cong trying to out shout M. Widor) that the choir could be playing volley ball for all anyone would notice. I guess they just liked it.