Eton Choir Book - Huelgas - Sat 7th Feb 1pm

[Vox Humana]

One factor in the emergence of choristers sufficiently skilled to sing polyphony this was the simplifying of musical notation. Things like the fearsome proportions and the use of two or three different colours found in the Old Hall manuscript had all but disappeared by the time Eton was copied. Yes, there are a few passages in major prolation with half-coloured notes and some quite complex proportional notation, but these are only found in the pieces for men's voices or in the lower voices of full-choir works. The music boys are required to sing in pieces like Browne's Stabat mater may be difficult, but its notation is comparatively straightforward.

Very true.

I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Andrew Parrott recently and had an extremely interesting conversation with him about, amongst other things, music from the Eton Choirbook. Apparently he has a large article about this and other choir-related matters coming out in the next issue of the journal Early Music, which I'm looking forward to reading.

I gather that this article is about the historical countertenor. It will be interesting to compare this with Simon Ravens's recent book.

[Vox Humana]

Absolutely. They are still some of the finest recordings of this repertoire there are. And, what's more, they're at the right pitch. His version of Tallis's first set of Lamentations is still the benchmark recording for me.

Alas, I've not heard the Browne/Carver/Taverner disc, but I have the Tallis pair and the Gloria tibi Trinitas and I agree that they are wonderful. The Tallis responds in particular will be on my desert island. With the singers he chose it all sounds so convincing.

[Miles Coverdale]

I think the Taverner/Browne/Carver disc may be out of print, but you can hear Browne's Stabat mater on YouTube here.

[Vox Humana]

Superb! Thank you.

[Miles Coverdale]

And Andrew Parrott's recording of O Maria salvatoris mater is here.

[ardcarp]

Absolutely fabulous. It's made my morning. Isn't it fascinating to compare (especially) the T + B sound with that of the Huelgas?

Not surprised that it's quite good:

S: Tessa Bonner, Twig Hall A: Terry Anderson, Gillian Chedzoy, Mary Nichols, Caroline Trevor T: John Mark Ainsley, Charles Daniels, Leigh Nixon, Mark Padmore, Nicolas Robertson B: Stephen Charlesworth, Peter Harvey, Mark Peterson, Chris Purves, Bruce Russell, Richard Savage, Jeremy White, Richard Wistreich

What I like especially is the excellent contrast between solo and choral sections; and the acoustic environment/recording seemed sans pareil...IMVHO of course.

[DracoM]

Indeed, but with a team sheet like that plus AP at the helm, it is la crème de la etc.
How would that compare with the CCCO/Darlington on their CD?

[ardcarp]

I don't think variations in tempo or dynamics in themselves do anything to make this music more accessible (I'm not even sure what that word means in the context of this music). Imposing a later aesthetic on music from this period doen't necessarily do it any favours.

Harry Christophers summed up things rather well in his (slightly flustered...and I'm not surprised) live interval chat during Live in Concert yesterday evening. OK The Sixteen are not a specialist group, neither were they singing pre-Ref music, but he does understand how to make sacred music work in a 'concert' setting..

[jean]

As far as I'm concerned, what makes it work in a 'concert' setting is exactly what makes it work in a liturgical setting.

I don't really understand the distinction you're making.


Haven't heard his talk yet, though.

[Edit: And can't for the time being, as my speakers have suddenly stopped working.]

[jean]

...you can hear Browne's Stabat mater on YouTube here.

Yes, wonderful. I am not sure why I never bought that recording - I have several others entirely of Eton Choirbook music (I expect that's why) including the LP by the choir of All Saints Margaret Street under Grayston Burgess, which must be the first recording ever, but seems to have disappeared without trace.

Parrott's ficta is much more to my taste than Paul van Nevell's, though you must understand that I do not know what I am talking about.
Listening again to the Huelgas' Stabat Mater, I just don't feel they inhabit the music. This piece contains some of the most wonderful tunes in all -I was going to say Early music, but on second thoughts I'll omit the Early - and to make a mistake like the one I mentioned means you haven't heard that tune.

This stuff is supposed to be deficient in word-painting as wekll as tunes, but it isn't that either, and more could have been made of Crucifige! Crucifige!

I thought also (from the depths of my ignorance) that there were dissonances there more appropriate to Tallis. And a terrible muddle at O quam gravis...

And they didn't distinguish between solo and full sections, did they? Even if the distinction is conjectural, I'd have liked the sections with fewer voices to sound different. That gives all the variety you need if you crave accessibility!