CE Winchester College Wed, 1st October 2014

[DracoM]

Even if we had no explanation as to why the cancellation took place?

Yes, I'm glad we heard NCO, but in Dyson week, it still resonates oddly that they had no fall back.

[weston752]

Given the historic connection between Winchester College and NCO, I would have thought the latter might be a reasonably obvious substitute!

[DracoM]

Thank you for the information. I think the connection is well known. How that explains the substitution is a little harder to follow. .

[ardcarp]

Good ole William of Wykeham......

[ardcarp]

As for the cancellation of the live broadcast, this from someone in the know:

I believe a fuse blew, just a few minutes before the off.....

Seems a bit primitive. Was this a BBC fuse, a Winchester College fuse....maybe somebody's personal ditto?

[underthecountertenor]

As for the cancellation of the live broadcast, this from someone in the know:



Seems a bit primitive. Was this a BBC fuse, a Winchester College fuse....maybe somebody's personal ditto?

Given the rubbish jokes about Hoovers etc flying around elsewhere on this site, I'm surprised that no one has made the observation that it's quite neat that an evensong featuring the writer of a pamphlet on grenades fell victim to a fuse. Ah well.

[ardcarp]

....and we can hear the 'live recording' from Winchester College at 3pm today.

[mercia]

very mature sounding ATBs - are these all boys under 18 years ? excellent Mag (IMO)

[DracoM]

Dyson thinks orchestrally, and is a big sing: there may be soaring tunes and big finishes, but there are complex harmonies and interactions too, and to base an Evensong pretty well exclusively round his music -even canticles as familiar as these - is to test a choir, and a young choir even more so. And, yes, good 16-18 altos, tenors and basses CAN sound as mature as this, altho' I suspect brave tenors this good harder to find.

For me, one of the trickiest areas, and one I did not know at all, were Archer's arrangements of some Dyson Responses, and they certainly do not sing themselves. So the choir did not just essay big sings in Dyson canticles and anthem, but in those less than well-known responses for both precentor and choir, when a lesser and less ambitious DOM might have programmed something a trifle more run of the mill to give everyone a comfort zone. No chance!

It was, as one might have predicted, meticulously prepared by Malcolm Archer. The unshirking Quiristers in good voice too, occasionally unbalanced against the organ on air, but still highly commendable.

I wish that such a relay might encourage the BBC to visit more 'school' services. e.g. Ampleforth, Eton, King's Cantebury, Felsted

[mercia]

I'm probably being impatient but the listen again for this afternoon is still New College - meanwhile last Wednesday's "will be available soon"

[DracoM]

Have to agree that this is immensely vexing.
First, BBC / BT between them screw up the original, BUT the recording was made on Wednesday, so in fact, the BBC have had it in their grasp for DAYS, but have not bothered to put it on iPlayer yet.

Shabby treatment.

[Nick Armstrong]

very mature sounding ATBs - are these all boys under 18 years ? excellent Mag (IMO)

Agreed, sounded good. I'm told there were 4 over-18 gents on the back rows. My godson (16y 9m) was among the more youthful basses

[Op. XXXIX]

Couldn't get it to play, always went back to the sub from Wednesday.

I really wanted to hear Winchester. Thanks, BBC.

[Thomas Kelway]

Any idea when we may be able to hear the Winchester broadcast?

[DracoM]

I have made representations to the BBC. Ahem.