King's College, Cambridge [L[ Radio 4 @ 4 p.m. 25.xii.23

[Nick Armstrong]

On both the TV and radio broadcasts, "Once in Royal" was, I think, sung a semitone lower than the standard G major. Any suggestions why this was the case?

Nico Muhly observed the same thing in his amusing real-time Twitter commentary on the service:



Anna Lapwood suggested the reason, listen from 0:38:00 onwards here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001th6s?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

It sounds like King’s follow the G flat major route, doubtless for the reason she states.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Nico Muhly observed the same thing in his amusing real-time Twitter commentary on the service:



Anna Lapwood suggested the reason, listen from 0:38:00 onwards here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001th6s?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

It sounds like King’s follow the G flat major route, doubtless for the reason she states.

Interesting but I don’t understand why it’s easier for a choir to stay in tune when singing in GFlat rather than a semitone higher in G major. What difference can it make? Piano sight reading is harder in Gflat - Particularly
if things start needing double flats when modulating . It is as Anna says quite a nice to key to play in for example the Schubert G Flat Impromptu which conversely I’ve seen transcribed into G major for the benefit of black key phobes.

[jonfan]

Interesting but I don’t understand why it’s easier for a choir to stay in tune when singing in GFlat rather than a semitone higher in G major. What difference can it make? Piano sight reading is harder in Gflat - Particularly
if things start needing double flats when modulating . It is as Anna says quite a nice to key to play in for example the Schubert G Flat Impromptu which conversely I’ve seen transcribed into G major for the benefit of black key phobes.

It’s dead easy to sight read in Gb, just play all the black notes. For the same reason it's easy to transpose to Gb from G, just read the flats instead of the sharp.

[justanorganist]

I'd be interested in learning more about this.

I have first-hand experience of working with choirs that remain at the starting pitch throughout a piece more often when singing unaccompanied in G flat, compared with a more common and wholesale pitch shift when beginning the same piece in F or G, for example, where A above middle C is~440 Hz.

This is just my (relatively limited) experience. However, it has been replicated on enough occasions to make me think there may be something of significance. Perhaps others can explain with science or at least corroborate with other anecdotal evidence?

To my ear, the key of G flat major sounds warmer (though less bright) than G major. F major sounds less warm than G flat major but warmer than G major, and far less bright than G major yet brighter than G flat major.

There's clearly a whole world of discussion for any choice of keys, including that for "Hark, the Herald"..... but I don't think a conversation touching on my borderline chromesthesia and synesthesia is necessarily going to be really helpful here!

I assume any choice of pitch/key is probably relatively straightforward for a DoM to explain, and may involve varied reference points, e.g. keys of adjacent repertoire performed, required tessitura with respect to the vocal ranges of the singers, and their own personal preference.

As for the physics of the sound, and the auditory experience for singers and listeners, I don't know if acoustics, temperature, confidence, rehearsal time, energy levels, age, vocal technique might all play a part? I'd love to know more!

[Choral Enthusiast]

I thought it was a deeply moving service. The colours and the passion that came out of the choir was quite something. Their performance of James MacMillan's O Radiant Dawn was breathtaking and really stirring.I enjoy the service every year but this one particularly moved me. Thank you to everyone involved.