Grande messe des morts

[PJPJ]

Listening to it now on iPlayer and find the opening tempo so soporific as to be unlistenable by these ears. Will persevere but somehow think I will be giving it a miss.

I did think the same, and thought there was a struggling for tuning, too. However, it does perk up after two or three minutes, and the performance as a whole is a successful one, I think. Not sure about the tenor. I guess the recording will include some of the rehearsal to cover the less than perfect bits.

[BBMmk2]

Ah it may be different sounding on iplayewr but live, it was really a sonic spectacular!

[Vile Consort]

Ivan Hewitt, writing in the Telegraph, thought the tempi were impeccable. But he was there, of course, which makes a difference. In that acoustic, you need slow tempi.

[PJPJ]

Ivan Hewitt, writing in the Telegraph, thought the tempi were impeccable. But he was there, of course, which makes a difference. In that acoustic, you need slow tempi.

Indeed, VC and BBM, and listening at home can be only an approximation of the event. I am more than somewhat envious of those who were able to be there. The last enormous acoustic experience I had was a performance of Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers in Westminster Cathedral and that was unforgettable.

I wonder whether I am imagining the struggling with pitch during the opening few minutes?

[Vile Consort]

Indeed, VC and BBM, and listening at home can be only an approximation of the event. I am more than somewhat envious of those who were able to be there. The last enormous acoustic experience I had was a performance of Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers in Westminster Cathedral and that was unforgettable.

I wonder whether I am imagining the struggling with pitch during the opening few minutes?

No, I thought there was some dodgy intonation from time to time. Perhaps they had difficulty hearing each other in that acoustic.

[Flosshilde]

Well, the crescendo just past (28 minutes in) was pretty spectacular. I think a piece like this needs a fairly reverberant acoustic - it's not subtle! The note on the Radio3 website suggests that the cavernous acoustics of St Paul's are not unlike those of Les Invalides in Paris, where the piece was first heard in 1837.

I wondered when I posted this if the floor of the nave had been opened up for Napoleon's tomb in the crypt at that point, but that didn't happen until 1861. Pity - imagine the effect of positioning one of the brass bands round the tomb, so that their sound would come up from underground!

For anyone in London, Prom 39 on the 11th August will provide another chance to hear the Mass in an appropriate venue, with the brass bands distributed round the RAH. I wonder if I can manage to go?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

For anyone in London, Prom 39 on the 11th August will provide another chance to hear the Mass in an appropriate venue, with the brass bands distributed round the RAH. I wonder if I can manage to go?

If you can, Flossie, the afternoon Prom on that day is pretty good, too!

[Flosshilde]

It's awfully tempting but I will have been 'down south' only three weeks before so I don't think I can justify another visit - not at £50 - £90 for the trip!

[Resurrection Man]

I did think the same, and thought there was a struggling for tuning, too. However, it does perk up after two or three minutes, and the performance as a whole is a successful one, I think. Not sure about the tenor. I guess the recording will include some of the rehearsal to cover the less than perfect bits.

So I gave it another go....or at least as much as I could stand. I am sure that it sounded much better in St Paul's but to be honest I thought it really dragged...possibly this was done deliberately because of the long duration echo? Certainly as far as home listening went, the echo did not do this performance any favours.

I have a Weekend Pass for this at the proms and really looking forward to it. Just remembered that when I was on BBC TelOB's that we covered this from the RFH as I recall (back in the early 70's). I managed to persuade my boss that I could sit inside during the rehearsal as the 'engineer on call', and then again in the evening for the performance ! I seem to remember listening to it the same day at home when it was broadcast but thinking about it I can't quite work out the logistics for that to have happened and so maybe it is mis-remembered. Anyway, twice in one day was bliss.

[BBMmk2]

It's strange that you found it that way, RM. I found the live relay very acceptable indeed!