The Forty Part Motet

[Flosshilde]

It sounds fascinating & I wish I'd known about it when I was down South recently. I wonder if there's any chance of it being mounted at Glasgow Cathedral? & for those who don't know, & who believe that Glasgow is a 19th century city, the Cathedral is mainly 13th century (replacing an earlier one), with a wonderful multi-level east end including a crypt (which once housed the shrine of St Mungo) which would be a great location (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...oking.east.jpg).

I'm surprised by some of the responses here, which suggest closed minds. It might make a difference if the work is not thought of as a performance of the 40 part motet, but a sound sculpture using the 40 part motet as base material which is then manipulated.

[agingjb]

We were in Winchester today and went to the Great Hall and listened to Spem in Alium. We very much enjoyed it. I hope this does not place us in a minority of listeners to Radio 3.

[Flosshilde]

Probably, John

There was an interesting snippet on 'FRont row' (radio4) this evening about Striggio's (sp?) motet, including the possibility that when it was performed in Florence cathedral the performers might have been lowered from the dome on cloud machines. How about that for performance art?!

[agingjb]

I'll add that it is beyond my comprehension why anyone who enjoys the music of Tallis would object to its simple presentation using 40 loudspeakers.

[Dave2002]

Probably, John

There was an interesting snippet on 'FRont row' (radio4) this evening about Striggio's (sp?) motet, including the possibility that when it was performed in Florence cathedral the performers might have been lowered from the dome on cloud machines. How about that for performance art?!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00yzjc5

[Flosshilde]

Thanks Dave - I should have posted that. The MAss item comes about 10 minutes in.

(the review of the Wizard of Oz is fun - starts off something like "It's big & spectacular but fundamentally pointless". I bet that last bit doesn't make it onto the posters!)

[salymap]

S M-P played some of this work on Breakfast today. It's beautiful but doesn't mix well with tinnitus.A mistake to listen today.

[french frank]

Probably, John

There was an interesting snippet on 'FRont row' (radio4) this evening about Striggio's (sp?) motet, including the possibility that when it was performed in Florence cathedral the performers might have been lowered from the dome on cloud machines. How about that for performance art?!

This was also mentioned on The Early Music Show board (jean pointed out that Robert Hollingworth's group was referred to as I Fagioloni - a type of pasta).

Yes, didn't RH describe the cloud machines, doors opening, painted faces peering out (was I dreaming this? ) as being a bit like Hollywood?

[doversoul1]

RH talking about his singing beans/pasta with extra herbs and spices

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/mar/03/striggio-choir-i-fagiolini-lost-mass

[Flosshilde]

This was also mentioned on The Early Music Show board (jean pointed out that Robert Hollingworth's group was referred to as I Fagioloni - a type of pasta).

Fagiolini are also a type of bean. I thought it also was a small flute (making a connection between beans & wind instruments ) but that's a flageolet (which is, I would have thought, French for 'fagiloini' or 'fagiolino'), & flageolet are also beans.

[kernelbogey]

From I Fagiolini's website: '[....] Stuck for a name at short notice, countertenor Richard Wyn Roberts proposed ‘the beans’; Robert Hollingworth suggested translating this into Italian as the first concert involved Monteverdi and it sounded nicer like that. This worked well until I Fagiolini first went to Italy and discovered the various slang connotations it has there. We don’t go to Italy much.'