Choral Evening Prayer, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral [L]: 9.10.2024

[Pulcinella]

Choral evening prayer, live from Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral on the feast of St John Henry Newman.

Prelude: Andante (Mawby)
Introit: Lead kindly light (Purday)
Opening Responses: Duffy
Office Hymn: Praise to the Holiest in the height (Billing)
Psalms 14, 111
Canticle: Revelation 15 vv3-4
Motet: Let the people praise thee (Mathias)
Magnificat: Primi toni (Mawby)
Antiphon to the Blessed Virgin Mary: Ave Maris Stella (Olsson)
Voluntary: Toccata ‘Magnificat’ (Nicholas Davies)

Christopher McElroy (Director of Music)
Richard Lea (Organist)

[DracoM]

Many thx for this.

[Pulcinella]

Many thx for this.

Hope you don't mind the future broadcasts being advertised (in response to a comment on the Pershore Abbey thread).

[DracoM]

Go for it!

[ArpSchnitger]

The opportunity arose at fairly short notice for me to attend the service live, so I walked up Mount Pleasant to arrive ahead of the 2:45 pm time that the cathedral music list noted that we should be seated. I found the main door closed and a sign saying “Cathedral closed , BBC broadcast”. There were three or four of us waiting so we circumnavigated the cathedral, but other doors seemed closed as well. I decided to ring the cathedral office to find out which door we should use, only need to be told that the broadcast was to be made in private without a congregation! I pointed out the indication on the music list and was transferred to someone on a higher pay grade! They too explained that there was to be no congregation, in case we made a noise or coughed (!). I explained that in my experience of many BBC live broadcasts of Choral Evensong, the BBC liked to have a live congregation, and the producer would come and brief us beforehand, also that some of us had made special journeys to attend etc.

(I can understand if the cathedral wanted to avoid noises off as every sound is magnified greatly in this acoustic, but then indicating on the music list ‘be seated by 2.45pm’ is misleading).

Eventually, I persuaded someone to come to the main door to speak to the people who were waiting, and at 2:55 pm we were let in on condition we were as quiet as the proverbial church mice.

Without an order of service and consigned to some seats at 11 pm to the choir and organ at 12 pm (using a clock face to indicate the cathedral seating zones), I didn’t really feel part of what didn’t actually feel like a service; we were seated throughout, even the celebrant remaining seated unless at the lectern. The balance between choir and organ where we were seated was heavily in favour of the organ, and the choir (half of whom had their back to us) could not easily be heard in passages in which the organ was registered mf or above.

This is the first time I’ve heard the Met organ since its restoration, and it did sound excellent, with the exception of a couple of fruity Chamade pipes in the Mathias.

I was pleased that those of us who had made the effort to attend were, with quite a bit of persuasion, allowed to enter the building, but I did feel that the ministry of welcome from the Cathedral was sadly lacking – perhaps as they weren’t expecting anyone to welcome – at the end it took quite a bit of sleuthing to find a door that would let us back into the outside world, and no one around to help until we stumbled across a helpful chorister parent who showed us out through the underground car park.

An ‘interesting’ experience- I’ll look forward to listening on BBC Sounds to hear how the sound through the microphones compares in what is of course a pretty challenging acoustic to record.

[oddoneout]

The opportunity arose at fairly short notice for me to attend the service live, so I walked up Mount Pleasant to arrive ahead of the 2:45 pm time that the cathedral music list noted that we should be seated. I found the main door closed and a sign saying “Cathedral closed , BBC broadcast”. There were three or four of us waiting so we circumnavigated the cathedral, but other doors seemed closed as well. I decided to ring the cathedral office to find out which door we should use, only need to be told that the broadcast was to be made in private without a congregation! I pointed out the indication on the music list and was transferred to someone on a higher pay grade! They too explained that there was to be no congregation, in case we made a noise or coughed (!). I explained that in my experience of many BBC live broadcasts of Choral Evensong, the BBC liked to have a live congregation, and the producer would come and brief us beforehand, also that some of us had made special journeys to attend etc.

(I can understand if the cathedral wanted to avoid noises off as every sound is magnified greatly in this acoustic, but then indicating on the music list ‘be seated by 2.45pm’ is misleading).

Eventually, I persuaded someone to come to the main door to speak to the people who were waiting, and at 2:55 pm we were let in on condition we were as quiet as the proverbial church mice.

Without an order of service and consigned to some seats at 11 pm to the choir and organ at 12 pm (using a clock face to indicate the cathedral seating zones), I didn’t really feel part of what didn’t actually feel like a service; we were seated throughout, even the celebrant remaining seated unless at the lectern. The balance between choir and organ where we were seated was heavily in favour of the organ, and the choir (half of whom had their back to us) could not easily be heard in passages in which the organ was registered mf or above.

This is the first time I’ve heard the Met organ since its restoration, and it did sound excellent, with the exception of a couple of fruity Chamade pipes in the Mathias.

I was pleased that those of us who had made the effort to attend were, with quite a bit of persuasion, allowed to enter the building, but I did feel that the ministry of welcome from the Cathedral was sadly lacking – perhaps as they weren’t expecting anyone to welcome – at the end it took quite a bit of sleuthing to find a door that would let us back into the outside world, and no one around to help until we stumbled across a helpful chorister parent who showed us out through the underground car park.

An ‘interesting’ experience- I’ll look forward to listening on BBC Sounds to hear how the sound through the microphones compares in what is of course a pretty challenging acoustic to record.

The newsletter doesn't list the Evening Prayer in the Services section but does note that the cathedral will be closed for the recording. There is also reference to another recording, of Mass, being made following the R3 one.

https://liverpoolmetrocathedral.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/39-NEWSLETTER-6-OCTOBER-2024.pdf

I see what you mean about no indication of the exclusion on the service sheet, but it looks as if the regular weekday 5pm mass would have been a no-go as well?
Your experience didn't quite fit this did it?

Whether you come here for a service, event or a visit I can assure you of a warm welcome in the name of Christ which will give strength and encouragement in your daily life.
Canon Anthony O'Brien
Cathedral Dean

[ArpSchnitger]

The newsletter doesn't list the Evening Prayer in the Services section but does note that the cathedral will be closed for the recording. There is also reference to another recording, of Mass, being made following the R3 one.

https://liverpoolmetrocathedral.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/39-NEWSLETTER-6-OCTOBER-2024.pdf

I see what you mean about no indication of the exclusion on the service sheet, but it looks as if the regular weekday 5pm mass would have been a no-go as well?

I didn’t see the newsletter, just the music list. (As did the others trying to attend) There was clearly conflicting information between the two, which the lady in the Cathedral office eventually conceded.

Your experience didn't quite fit this did it?
Whether you come here for a service, event or a visit I can assure you of a warm welcome in the name of Christ which will give strength and encouragement in your daily life.
Canon Anthony O'Brien
Cathedral Dean

What’s that hymn? All are welcome in this place (unless you are trying to attend a BBC live broadcast) ;-)

[Ein Heldenleben]

Oh dear this “no room at the inn “ business seems pretty much unprecedented . The number of times I’ve heard that phrase “please by seated by 3.30”

[smittims]

This was a most unusual CE, but I found it rewarding to listen to.

Its not widely known that 'Gerontius' (I always say it with a hard G , not 'Jerontius') was a real historical figure, a Roman general in the late years of the Empire who converted to Chrisitanity. I've always thought Newman called his poem 'the dream of Gerontius' to show that he wasn;t claiming 'this is what happens after death' merely that it was a poetic expression of what might be , based on his Catholic faith and theology.

[Pulcinella]

This was a most unusual CE, but I found it rewarding to listen to.

Its not widely known that 'Gerontius' (I always say it with a hard G , not 'Jerontius') was a real historical figure, a Roman general in the late years of the Empire who converted to Chrisitanity. I've always thought Newman called his poem 'the dream of Gerontius' to show that he wasn;t claiming 'this is what happens after death' merely that it was a poetic expression of what might be , based on his Catholic faith and theology.

Maybe because it wasn't CE but Choral Evening Prayer?

[oddoneout]

Oh dear this “no room at the inn “ business seems pretty much unprecedented . The number of times I’ve heard that phrase “please by seated by 3.30”

It was be seated by 2-45 as I remember it, ie 15 minutes before broadcast. I haven't heard the invitation to be present for some time - might be a reflection of fewer live CEs and/or that my listening to R3 is much reduced these days, but it would be ironic if, given all the other promotional rubbish, that particular bit of useful information has been dropped.
This will strike a chord with a good few forumites

https://www.classical-music.uk/opinion/article/the-long-view-spare-me-radio-3-s-celebrity-choral-evensong

I very much enjoyed the Mathias 'Let the people praise thee'; I have sung it a couple of times and I feel it does need a robust approach, which it was given - although some of the organ contribution was a bit too robust to my ears and made me laugh(parp stops), which I doubt is the intended effect. The address was a bit of a surprise(not having looked up what such a service might contain) but something to think about in relation to the purpose of the event. I found the singing a pleasure, confident and sounding as if the top line was enjoying the occasion and, to my non-technical ears, the echo seemed to have been handled well - it was good to hear it rolling away at the ends of loud sections. However, even allowing for the fact it was Choral Evening Prayer not a Choral Evensong I didn't get much of a sense it was a service though. That's not something that normally bothers me especially so I was a bit surprised.

[DracoM]

Agreed - a concert by any other name.

[mopsus]

It seems to be an attempt to make a live broadcast simulate the conditions of a recorded one. A long way from the original idea that the radio was dropping in on the regular round of services at wherever it was. (Although that idea was weakened a long time ago - how many Cathedrals have introits, lengthy anthems, descants etc. for an ordinary Wednesday evensong?)

I have only rarely attended an evensong broadcast in person - my thinking being why go out of my way to be there when Radio 3 will bring it into my home? - but it is a great pity to try to exclude those who wish to do this. The miking is such that you are normally only aware of the congregation when they change posture or give a bit of extra volume to the hymns, which makes this listener feel more that they are there in the building too. (An exception was the bawling a few years ago at Bath Abbey during O come, O come Emmanuel).