Bach's Christmas Oratorio: Radio 3 in Concert: Wednesday 9 January

[doversoul1]

Recorded in December at St. Luke's Church in Chelsea, the BBC Singers and their Chief Conductor Sofi Jeannin are joined by the Academy of Ancient Music in a performance of the first three parts of Bach's Christmas Oratorio. Members of the BBC Singers perform step-out solos. Parts 4-6 are performed live on BBC Radio 3 on 11 January at 7:30 pm.

Academy of Ancient Music
BBC Singers
Sofi Jeannin, conductor

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001ykn

Wednesday part 1-3
Friday part 4-6

[oddoneout]

Members of the BBC Singers perform step-out solos

One hopes they are the ones written in the score, rather than just something they fancied singing at that point. Who was responsible for that bit of silliness I wonder; perhaps more used to writing blurb for TV shows?
But then again, what do I know, perhaps this is the HIPP happening modern way of saying that the solos will be sung by members of the choir.....

[Nevilevelis]

One hopes they are the ones written in the score, rather than just something they fancied singing at that point. Who was responsible for that bit of silliness I wonder; perhaps more used to writing blurb for TV shows?
But then again, what do I know, perhaps this is the HIPP happening modern way of saying that the solos will be sung by members of the choir.....

Standard terminology in professional choral work and was when I did so (way back) with the Monteverdi choir in the B-minor Mass.

[Nevilevelis]

... and no, it's not particuarly HIPP-related, although it does often happen in those performance styles. I prefer to call them poisoned chalice solos.

[oddoneout]

Standard terminology in professional choral work and was when I did so (way back) with the Monteverdi choir in the B-minor Mass.

Thanks for that, I'd just never come across it before, and since I don't have a very high opinion of the standard of such schedule blurb offerings anyway I went into negative mode on reading it.

[Nevilevelis]

Thanks for that, I'd just never come across it before, and since I don't have a very high opinion of the standard of such schedule blurb offerings anyway I went into negative mode on reading it.

You're welcome. I share you're scepticsim of these blurbs, though.

Cheers!

NVV

[doversoul1]

... and no, it's not particuarly HIPP-related, although it does often happen in those performance styles. I prefer to call them poisoned chalice solos.

Would you care to expand on this point? I’m all ears.

[Nevilevelis]

Would you care to expand on this point? I’m all ears.

An opportunity to shine with a great conductor and a great orchestra, but after singing choruses, one may not be entirely fresh. Some conductors simply don't undertand this, expecting the chorister/soloist to give all in the choruses when saving the voice and treading carefully would be the best option. One in particular was astonished and annoyed in equal measure when one of his colleagues (also a fine tenor) said he would expect his chorister/soloist to save the voice in the lead up to a taxing solo.

[ardcarp]

Yes, a tall order to sing the choruses AND step out, especially if you're doing that fiendish tenor aria Frohe Hirten in Part II !
On a wider point, step out or not, I'm sorry the BBC didn't credit the soloists by name (apart from the Evangelist, who sounded great IMO). Hope they rectify that in the forthcoming (live?) Parts IV - VI. My guess is that Jimmy Holliday was one of the basses...a fine soloist in his own right.

I enjoyed the performance on the whole, partly because I've not had a chance to sit and listen to the piece this Christmas...and I had an evening to spare. There was a bit of untidiness here and there from AAM, the tempi were a bit over-driven at times resulting in less than 100% synch. with solists. I thought the Baroque flute obbligati were excellent though.

[DonnyAusgang]

I’m told Jimmy left the Singers last year. A quick twitter search shows posts naming soloists but we still have to guess which aria each of them sang.

[doversoul1]

An opportunity to shine with a great conductor and a great orchestra, but after singing choruses, one may not be entirely fresh. Some conductors simply don't undertand this, expecting the chorister/soloist to give all in the choruses when saving the voice and treading carefully would be the best option. One in particular was astonished and annoyed in equal measure when one of his colleagues (also a fine tenor) said he would expect his chorister/soloist to save the voice in the lead up to a taxing solo.

Very interesting. Thank you.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... after singing choruses, one may not be entirely fresh. Some conductors simply don't undertand this, expecting the chorister/soloist to give all in the choruses when saving the voice and treading carefully would be the best option. One in particular was astonished and annoyed in equal measure when one of his colleagues (also a fine tenor) said he would expect his chorister/soloist to save the voice in the lead up to a taxing solo.

It doesn't help to perform the individual Cantatas in a block like this, of course. The Tenor in Cantata #2 would not have been expected to perform the Aria that ardy mentions in post #9 having also sung the whole of the first Cantata half-an-hour earlier.

A conductor who expects the commitment you mention here, Nevi, bit who performs more than one Cantata in a concert isn't HIPP-aware.

[vinteuil]

A conductor who expects the commitment you mention here, Nevi, bit who performs more than one Cantata in a concert isn't HIPP-aware.

... a seriously HIPP-aware conductor will ensure that a fairly high percentage of the choir (and congregation) will have advanced forms of consumption, dysentery, cholera, typhoid, and other agues.

.

[Nevilevelis]

... a seriously HIPP-aware conductor will ensure that a fairly high percentage of the choir (and congregation) will have advanced forms of consumption, dysentery, cholera, typhoid, and other agues.

.

Currently on a full schedule with the most popular present-day ague - authentic enough for La Traviata...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... a seriously HIPP-aware conductor will ensure that a fairly high percentage of the choir (and congregation) will have advanced forms of consumption, dysentery, cholera, typhoid, and other agues.

Oh, indeed - and under 23 years of age. Being aware of Historical Information doesn't necessarily require observation in performance - but to demand OVpP and total commitment to both ensemble and solo singing, whilst also programming more than one Cantata in the same concert, and with the same singers in them all, is ... well, "naive" at the very best.