CE St Alban Wed, 24th June 2015

[Magnificat]

[QUOTE=DracoM;493740]Vox Dicentis and the Briggs vol were highlights for me.

Anthem was disciplined, focused, nicely paced, had a thrill factor as well, and very decent top line soloists, some excellent tenor work in there too/QUOTE]

Draco,

I understand that one of their best treble soloists was away on a week's school trip but came back to sing in this service a four hour round journey in all. He didn't have to. The other boys could have coped quite adequately.

Just a small example of the tremendous dedication of the boys and their parents and the co-operation of the local schools that they are privileged to enjoy at St Albans.

Add the inspired direction of Andrew Lucas and its no wonder they have such a fine choir.

VCC

[DracoM]

Well, yes, VCC, but frankly any kid would surely want to do a LOT to get a solo live on R3!!!! I don't feel that unhappy for him!
Delighted he came back, of course. Soloists did the biz pretty effectively.

[underthecountertenor]

Odd, isn't it, that a broadcast from St Albans seems to stir up such high levels of discord, not to say passive aggression. Perhaps if Magnificat/VCC were to tone down the volume of his/her cheerleading and the extent of his/her 'inside information' disclosure, this thread might be a little less contentious.
As it is, we have an unedifying argument about how quickly or slowly a psalm should be delivered, and whether Naylor in A is easy or difficult to sing, whether well or at all (wherein lay the passive aggression).
This may surprise him, but on this occasion I was relieved to read DracoM's comments on the broadcast. They struck me as balanced, fair and giving praise where praise was due.
One other point: I'm a little surprised that no one has remarked on the 5-10 second drop-out in the introit. I hope that it was a technical hitch in the relay, and that it can therefore be rectified for the Sunday repeat and indeed on the iPlayer.

[ardcarp]

I understand that one of their best treble soloists was away on a week's school trip but came back to sing in this service a four hour round journey in all. He didn't have to.

I guess there's a sub-text there. If I were a DoM and one of my choristers was going to be away for a broadcast I'd be raising merry Hell!

I agree with underthecountertenor that things get a bit fraught on The Choir sometimes! (BTW, I did experience the 'drop out' but supposed it was my radio.)

[underthecountertenor]

I guess there's a sub-text there. If I were a DoM and one of my choristers was going to be away for a broadcast I'd be raising merry Hell!

Just as a matter of interest, how do you suppose a DoM of a non-choir school cathedral choir would be able to go about 'raising merry Hell' when a school organises a trip for a group including one of the choristers which happens to coincide with a broadcast?

Actually, that was a rhetorical question.

[DracoM]

I happen to know: usually suck trips are not ad hoc, You plan, the school plan. The school has your music programme [ or darned well should!], you have the school programme. You can talk to chorister / parents of chorister.

BUT if the trip IS out of left field and coincides with such a tx as St A have just had, you get on the phone and protest. BUT at the same time, rehearse another soloist, or make private arrangements for said soloist to be got back tootsweet at end of trip if that is feasible.

If there are more choristers from same school on same trip, and the trip comes from left field, then you surely have a right to 'express your opinion'!

Does that seem reasonable as a course of action?

[underthecountertenor]

My question was rhetorical because, whilst all DracoM's suggestions are no doubt theoretically possible in one situation or another, and I'm sure work admirably in his case, in the end everything depends on the particular circumstances and the particular relationship.

I suppose I should have made clearer the point behind my question, and it harks back to my earlier post. The problem here is that VCC has posted a bit of gossip, which may or may not be more or less accurate, I suspect partly with a view to 'bigging up' St Albans and partly with a view to trying to show that he/she has an 'in' at the Abbey (well, if everyone else is going to speculate wildly, I don't see why I shouldn't take a stab in the dark!) This then gives rise to comments aimed at taking the wind out of VCC's sails (and by extension, St Albans's, although of course it must be pretty obvious that VCC is not an authorised spokesperson for the place), which themselves inevitably involve varying degrees of speculation (e.g. ardcarp's 'I guess there's a sub-text here') and assumptions being made.

Draco: you say that you 'happen to know.' But, with the greatest of respect, you do not. You know how things work or have worked in the places with which you have been involved. But you don't know how things might work in St Albans, as between the music department of the Cathedral and the no doubt various levels of authority in the (unknown) school in question. Of course it is perfectly possible that (assuming that what VCC has said is anything like correct - and that in itself is a BIG assumption) everything was arranged amicably with full co-operation between school, cathedral and parents.

The issue I had with ardcarp's remark was the suggestion (coupled with that of a 'sub-text') that it would have been possible or appropriate for the DoM to 'raise merry hell,' and even that that is what he did or might well have done in the present case. Draco has suggested various ways in which the need to raise merry hell might be avoided, whilst suggesting that on a particular set of facts (not, according to VCC's supposed inside information, applying here), the DoM would have a right to 'express his opinion' (the implication presumably being in a forceful, if not merrily hellish, sort of way). But the fact is that no one apart from the people directly involved knows exactly how the matter was dealt with. And that is why it is in my view mischievous for VCC to put this sort of stuff out.

PS: I'm not sure what a 'suck trip' is, but it doesn't sound terribly wholesome.

[ardcarp]

Oh do lighten up everybody!

[Magnificat]

Of course it is perfectly possible that (assuming that what VCC has said is anything like correct - and that in itself is a BIG assumption) everything was arranged amicably with full co-operation between school, cathedral and parents.

And that is why it is in my view mischievous for VCC to put this sort of stuff out.

.

underthecountertenor

It is correct and everything was agreed amicably. There was nothing mischievous about my post. I was just impressed that the the boy was prepared to come back for the broadcast. As far as I am aware school comes first at St Albans not the choir.

The only time I remember a big fuss was when Barry Rose sacked a boy for going on a trip at Whitsun half term when he knew he would be required to sing for Pentecost.

VCC

[light_calibre_baritone]

Only took four pages until St Barry was mentioned! Come on you guys... My 'For3 The Choir' bingo card isn't as well stamped as it should be!

[light_calibre_baritone]

Or is that dabbed?

[DracoM]

I'm with ardcarp entirely.
Unnecessarily ad hominem comments underminig what was a very satisfying service, well sung, by a highly competent choir.
Sad.

[underthecountertenor]

Or is that dabbed?

I think it's actually dobbed. As in a dobber. Or so my cleaning lady told me when I took her up the Mecca. ;-)

[underthecountertenor]

I'm with ardcarp entirely.
Unnecessarily ad hominem comments underminig what was a very satisfying service, well sung, by a highly competent choir.
Sad.

Ad hominem, eh? Ah well, quotitty totitty yeah?

I rarely resort to emoticons, but this really does cry out for a <facepalm>

[Magnificat]

.

The problem here is that VCC has posted a bit of gossip, which may or may not be more or less accurate, I suspect partly with a view to 'bigging up' St Albans and partly with a view to trying to show that he/she has an 'in' at the Abbey (although of course it must be pretty obvious that VCC is not an authorised spokesperson for the place) But the fact is that no one apart from the people directly involved knows exactly how the matter was dealt with. And that is why it is in my view mischievous for VCC to put this sort of stuff out. .

underthecountertenor

Your comments above are so objectionable and wide of the mark that I must clear up any wrong impressions they may give to people reading this thread.

I have not posted a bit of gossip. I merely passed on a piece of information which was given to me by someone intimately involved with the choir so that Draco would know that the fact that he had enjoyed treble soloist so much in the anthem was because the latter who is a very talented singer with a fine voice is so dedicated to the choir that he gave up a day of his week long school trip and with the help of his parents and cooperation of his school, returned to the Abbey to take part in this broadcast

I haven't got an 'in' at the Abbey but I do know a lot of people and clergy there because I am a reasonably regular member of the congregation.

As regards 'bigging up' St Albans, I don't need to. The excellence of the choir speaks for itself. As far as I am concerned it is as good as any of its kind in this country and better than most. Its concerts pack churches and halls, its recordings invariably receive critical acclaim.

I appreciate it and am prepared to say so and will continue to do so.

With no endowments and no choir school they do amazing things there musically. John Rutter has said publicly that he is a great admirer.

St Albans is a wealthy area certainly but most inhabitants are asset rich and cash poor and raising money takes a lot of imagination and hard work. The Cathedral Music Trust is brilliantly fronted by businessman Gerald Corbett, who has chaired several household name companies.

The massive annual Pilgrimage at St Albans-tide was devised by a previous Precentor and is now an international event attended by thousands. It was held last weekend and the major services attended by the Archbishop of Canterbury. He was known to have been mightily impressed by the event especially the number of children involved and ,of course, he had the privilege of hearing the cathedral choir sing Festival Evensong.

The Cathedral and Abbey Church has the biggest regular congregation of any in the country and it is ecumenical hosting services by all the denominations. I was attracted there by this diversity and the excellence of the music firstly under Barry Rose and now under Andrew Lucas.

It's a unique place and I am proud to be associated with it and its choirs.

VCC