R3 Live in Concert 19.12.12: Dies Natalis

[LeMartinPecheur]

Smashing concert, enjoyed it hugely but...

...what was Finzi's Dies Natalis doing in a 'feast of English music for Christmas', as RT describes it?

While Traherne's infant is imagined to have an extraordinary insight into the divine, surely he is - in theory at least - any newborn human child, not at all the infant Jesus?

[secondfiddle]

Smashing concert, enjoyed it hugely but...

...what was Finzi's Dies Natalis doing in a 'feast of English music for Christmas', as RT describes it?

While Traherne's infant is imagined to have an extraordinary insight into the divine, surely he is - in theory at least - any newborn human child, not at all the infant Jesus?

Marvellous to hear Bax's Mater Ora Filium which must be a very difficult work to sing, but black marks to the announcer who referred to Bax as an Irish-born composer!

[gradus]

Yes I think you're right about the infant child being any child but someone on here pointed out the Christmas connection to me a while back and i can see how there could be a link. Irrespective of which Dies Natalis is a wonderful piece worth listening to at any time of the year and I'm sorry I missed the concert. The Wilfred Brown recording conducted by Finzi's son is remarkable for the clarity of the words and lovely they are. But I have a weakness for the female voice in this piece and I like the Susan Gritton version although the words are less clear.

[rauschwerk]

Marvellous to hear Bax's Mater Ora Filium...

Not for me, I fear. It was my first hearing (admittedly in the car) and I thought it a bl***y row with all that stratospheric yelling. But then the only Bax I like is Tintagel!

[Colonel Danby]

Arnold Bax may have been many things Irish, but his place of birth was certainly not one of them: according to Lewis Foreman's excellent biography, Bax was born in Streatham, and brought up on Hampstead Heath. Bad show Mr Cook: normally we can rely on your pre concert chat, but obviously not on this occasion.

[Tony Halstead]

a bl***y row with all that stratospheric yelling.

Then it must have been a terrible performance ( I didn't hear it).
As sung by e.g. King's/ Cleobury or Rodolfus/ Allwood it is sublime.
NB Avoid Spicer/ Finzi Singers as they end about a semitone flat..!

[rauschwerk]

As sung by e.g. King's/ Cleobury or Rodolfus/ Allwood it is sublime.

Thanks for the tip. I generally love the singing of the Rodolfus Choir so perhaps I'll seek out their version.

[Suffolkcoastal]

Then it must have been a terrible performance ( I didn't hear it).
As sung by e.g. King's/ Cleobury or Rodolfus/ Allwood it is sublime.
NB Avoid Spicer/ Finzi Singers as they end about a semitone flat..!

I'm glad I'm not the only one to have noticed that about the Finzi Singers recording. The Cleobury performance is pretty good, but the Bax really is a taxing work for any choir and difficult to bring off.