A Sequence for Easter / Temple Church Wed, 8th April 2015

[DracoM]

A Sequence for Easter
The Temple Church, London



Introit: Since by Man came Death (Handel)
Lesson: Genesis 1: 26; 2:15-17, 19-22
Bidding Prayer
Hymn: Jesus Christ is risen today (Easter Hymn)
Lesson: John 20:1-10
Anthem: Easter (Vaughan Williams)
Lesson: John 20: 11-18
Anthem: I got me flowers (Vaughan Williams)
Hymn: Love's redeeming work is done (Savannah)
Anthem: Love bade me welcome (Vaughan Williams)
Lesson: Luke 24: 13-35
Anthem: The Call (Vaughan Williams)
Lesson: John 20: 19-31
Hymn: Ye choirs of new Jerusalem (St Fulbert)
Lesson: Matthew 28: 16-20
Anthem: Antiphon (Vaughan Williams)
Easter Collect
Te Deum (Collegium Regale - Howells)
Blessing


Organ Voluntary: Folk Song Suite - first movement (Vaughan Williams arr. Greg Morris)


Andrew Rupp (Baritone)
Greg Morris (Organist)

Roger Sayer (Director of Music)

[ardcarp]

Really looking forward to this. It was recorded a couple of weeks ago. Apparently the Howells Coll Reg Te Deum was added to the programme at quite short notice, making the whole thing quite a big sing.

[DracoM]

Indeed.
Do they record as if for a live service i.e. uninterrupted or piecemeal with re-takes?

[DracoM]

Reminder: today @ 3.30 p.m.

[DracoM]

I'm afraid I found this a difficult service to love. Indeed, was it a 'service'?

It felt like a recital for the baritone with sort of interpolated readings - or maybe the Easter story through the evangelists and then the RVW inserted Hmm. Not sure the Coll Reg Te Deum compensated. And the marked difference between the choir acoustic and everything else had a curiously unhinging effect as if two different events were being cut together after the session. Weird. Linking the Easter story I liked. The RVW I liked, but the two together...........?

[Simon Biazeck]

I'm afraid none of that worried me, Draco, although I see your points.

Perhaps the deviation from an accepted form of worship will be disconcerting for some, but an ordained minister was present, there were prayers... Perhaps one could call it an Easter musical oratory, but it hardly matters to me. Prayerful and meditative.

Andy Rupp's voice is very fine and I particularly liked his subtle characterization of the text - very effective. Choir on strong form too.

Happy Easter!

SBz.

[DracoM]

Yes, all the constituent elements were OK, no quarrel there, and I have no objection whatever to a 'deviation' from set services at all.
It was just....I don't know...this felt an uneasy mix somehow.
And the VERY obvious showcasing of the baritone tended to make the 'recital with prayers' tag stick in my mind.

Hey ho!

[Simon Biazeck]

Fair enough!

[Quintessentially]

What happened to CE this week, lovely recital of music and readings? But is CE the right slot for this type of broadcast and who determines the modified format? I’m sure certain DoMs would drool at the prospects to stray from the set CE format as showcase opportunities as, IMO, is the case here…

[Finzi4ever]

The sequence worked quite well for me and the standard was first class. The only thing that really jarred for me, despite it also being by RVW, was the voluntary: that really was a case of going from the sublime to the cor blimey!

[Simon Biazeck]

The sequence worked quite well for me and the standard was first class. The only thing that really jarred for me, despite it also being by RVW, was the voluntary: that really was a case of going from the sublime to the cor blimey!

Agreed.

Yes, rather odd, that, wasn't it!

I can understand they thought something folk/modal and jubilant would be ideal and perhaps off the beaten track too. What would you suggest? Whitlock's Toccata from the Plymouth Suite is smashing.

[Finzi4ever]

The Whitlock would have dovetailed far better - and at least it was written and so works for the instrument, which I'm not sure the VW did. I'm not at all against transcriptions, witness the recent Filsell Rach-renderings on Signum: stunning!

[Simon Biazeck]

Let's be 'avin' it! (I'll get us kicked off here for this organ talk!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-EVCf1795k

[ardcarp]

I enjoyed the readings and music very much. Fantastic baritone, and the choir is shaping up really well with Roger Sayer at the helm. No choir is going to broadcast a live CE in the school hols after a taxing round of Easter services. OK, the BBC could have dug something out of an archive, but I thought this was a great sequence and a good idea.