CE York Minster Wed 18th March 2015

[DracoM]

CE York Minster




Order of Service:



Introit: Hear my prayer (Purcell)
Responses: Tomkins
Psalms 93, 94 (Luther, Deffel, Bairstow)
First Lesson: Jeremiah 13: 20-27
Canticles: Cesar's Service (Amner)
Second Lesson: 1 Peter 1:17 – 2: 3
Anthem: Hear my prayer (Mendelssohn)
Hymn: Faith overcomes! The light of Christ is shining (Highwood)



Organ Voluntary: Kyrie, Gott heiliger Geist BWV 671 (Bach)



David Pipe (Assistant Director of Music)
Robert Sharpe (Director of Music)

[DracoM]

Reminder: today @ 3.30 p.m.

[Magnificat]

Reminder: today @ 3.30 p.m.

I thought the boy soloist did very well in the anthem. Rather steely tone and perhaps tired a bit towards the end but very brave of him to take it on and for the DoM to risk such an exacting solo live. The kid must have nerves of steel as well as a very good voice.

Shame they did not credit him at the end. No doubt a sign of these poisonous and paranoid times we live in although King's did name the soloist two or three years ago when it was last done live on CE.

Well done York. Not an easy programme of music all round. Perhaps could have been a bit smoother at times but excellent nevertheless.

VCC.

[ardcarp]

Well, I'd like to say an unreserved well done to York and ditto to the soloist who certainly didn't let grass grow under his feet.

[DracoM]

What was so good to hear was a choir giving every muscular thing they had to a mix of both fine filigree and big drama.

As above said, to entrust the very long and VERY well-known centre piece to a very young soloist is a terrific statement to the choir by the DoM of how much you trust them, and how much it rallies the troops to support and give of THEIR best as well as the lad is out there soaring to heights and depths. This was not a soulful reading, but full of drama and quest, and because the backing group were singing so forthrightly [too much so at times??], our soloist was really having to give it stick, AND over organ. and in a huge acoustic - so no pressure!! One special moment was the stratospheric hit that he made to fade and kept in tune - magical moment worth listening just for that. Talented lad giving it his all.

I liked the Amner canticles - a favourite of St Thomas Fifth Avenue. Gives opportunities for solo groups and tutti, and interaction between them. Bit of a nightmare for a recording engineer in such a place and with the service going out live, but on the whole more than respectable.

So good to hear York back in it and bang on form.

[LTFC1990]

Just for info, there were actually two separate treble soloists. Well done to all at York!

[Magnificat]

Just for info, there were actually two separate treble soloists. Well done to all at York!

I can understand why the DoM might do this but find it a little disappointing really.

VCC

[Give unto the Lad]

Hi, the above poster obviously made a mistake, I can 100% confirm that it was in fact only one soloist!

[LTFC1990]

I was mistaken, it was in fact only one soloist, please ignore my above comment!

[Caussade]

I can understand why the DoM might do this but find it a little disappointing really.

VCC

If it had been the case, which it seems after all not to have been, why should you, or anyone else, have been 'disappointed' by that? Given that you couldn't apparently hear for yourself whether it was one boy singing the solo or two before you posted, I really can't see the problem.

[light_calibre_baritone]

I can understand why the DoM might do this but find it a little disappointing really.

VCC

What a preposterous comment. Sharing out a solo is nothing new...

[Nick Armstrong]

I do love venturing into the Choir section occasionally for some sweetness and light!

[DracoM]

Maybe we could focus on the excellence of the singing whoever was operating?

To have programmed such a piece means that Robert Sharpe has very clear and very public confidence in whoever to take on one of the true Mt Everest's of the treble repertoire. I'm delighted for the lad, for Mr Sharpe, for York Mister, and particularly US who heard it, and not only that but heard it LIVE.

The courage and panache of all parties to go for that I think should be recorded.

Less vinegar and more champagne, please!!

[Finzi4ever]

some very fine word painting in the psalms from both choir and organ - thanks for the Sackbut on last verse 'destroy them'.

[Magnificat]

If it had been the case, which it seems after all not to have been, why should you, or anyone else, have been 'disappointed' by that? Given that you couldn't apparently hear for yourself whether it was one boy singing the solo or two before you posted, I really can't see the problem.

Caussade,

I certainly thought it was the same boy singing all the solo parts but two boys with similar voices could combine to sound like one and it would be very difficult to tell

This piece, however, is such an iconic solo for a solo boy with an exceptional voice i.e. technically proficient, very musical and with no nerves and putting two good voices together to do it would really be second best in my opinion.

I'm glad that it turns out that it was done by one boy because Robert Sharpe is a first rate choir trainer and, frankly, I would have expected him to only list this piece for CE if he had such a chorister.

VCC