CE St. Davids Cathedral Wed, 27th May 2015

[DracoM]

CE St. Davids Cathedral



Order of Service:



Introit: O Lord, give thy Holy Spirit (Tallis)
Responses: Robert Walker (first broadcast)
Office Hymn: O thou who camest from above (Hereford)
Psalm 145 (Marsh)
First Lesson: Joshua 3
Canticles: Gloucester Service (Howells)
Second Lesson: Luke 9: 37-50
Anthem: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me (Elgar)
Final Hymn: God is here! As we his people meet (Blaenwern)



Organ Voluntary: Toccata sur Veni Creator (Gaston Litaize)



Assistant Director of Music: Simon Pearce
Organist & Master of the Choristers: Oliver Waterer

[DracoM]

Reminder: today @ 3.30 p.m.

[light_calibre_baritone]

Incidentally, this is part of the 2015 St. David's Cathedral Festival - programme looks nice and rounded... Lots of liturgical singing, too.

[Keraulophone]

Full marks to St David's for avoiding the John's Button In the Howells! Lovely Elgar too.

[ChoirCat88]

An excellent broadcast - Howells hit the mark, and the Walker responses look a welcome addition. Elgar nicely handled!
Keep up the good work!

[DracoM]

Purity of tone, avoidance of over-boisterous ensemble work, good discipline. Agree about the Howells. Nothing pushy, just focused attention to basics.

[ChoirCat88]

Agreed - and out of such a small community from which to draw on. St Davids is often overlooked, and deserves greater attention.

[ardcarp]

Yes. These far flung places (like Truro ... ) punch above their weight.

Elgar nicely handled!

Indeed. It needs that almost husky tone in places (eg the start) to create a sense of wonder. They achieved it perfectly, IMO, along with carefully planned dynamics. The soprano line is surely worthy of a good college choir?

[jonfan]

Yes. These far flung places (like Truro ... ) punch above their weight.



Indeed. It needs that almost husky tone in places (eg the start) to create a sense of wonder. They achieved it perfectly, IMO, along with carefully planned dynamics. The soprano line is surely worthy of a good college choir?

Having attended the morning rehearsal, as well as the service, the DOM worked especially on magical pianissimos in the Elgar. Superb organ from Simon throughout. A privilege to be here!

[edashtav]

What carefully planned and judged singing! The Introit was a setting of a prayer and the choir and its director respected that: it was beautifully shaped and rapt. I enjoyed both the economy and subtlety of Robert Walker's new Responses. The long, elegant lines of Howells' Gloucester Canticles were launched with care, control and beauty of line by the upper voices before the men provided a nice, rhythmic contrast. Throughout these canticles, I felt the choir was on top form, singing the music with unforced confidence and great balance. The performance of the Elgar had real magic, it was imbued with awe & wonder. Jonfan is right to draw attention to quality of the pianissimos in the anthem, hushed but lustrous.

Altogether, a delightful Choral Evensong and one of the better ones that I've heard during the past year.