A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 24.xii.24 @ 3 p.m. R4

**oddoneout** · 23-12-24, 20:11

I shall be interested to hear the Grayston Ives piece as he was on Gareth Malone's slot this afternoon - as Bill rather than Grayston - or Charles...

**edashtav** · 24-12-24, 22:41

The Grayston Ives was given a star billing. It was very conservative in idiom. The performance told of careful and thorough preparation. I hope it will grow on me but it was not the highlight

of the Service. That accolade went to Simon Preston’s Messaien-soaked I Saw Three Ships. The organ arrangement of Arnold Bax’s string band score was imaginative and beautifully played. Christopher Robinson’s Hereford carol was a dreary affair. The Warlock was short and energetic. Rutter’s Nativity Carol is a safe choice but its ubiquity was tempered by faster tempi than parish choirs choose. The Maconchy proved to be a slight chip of her block of fine compositions. The Lassus was beautifully sung with ideal balance across the voices.

**oddoneout** · 24-12-24, 23:12

Originally posted by edashtav View Post

The Grayston Ives was given a star billing. It was very conservative in idiom. The performance told of careful and thorough preparation. I hope it will grow on me but it was not the highlight

of the Service. That accolade went to Simon Preston’s Messaien-soaked I Saw Three Ships. The organ arrangement of Arnold Bax’s string band score was imaginative and beautifully played. Christopher Robinson’s Hereford carol was a dreary affair. The Warlock was short and energetic. Rutter’s Nativity Carol is a safe choice but its ubiquity was tempered by faster tempi than parish choirs choose. The Maconchy proved to be a slight chip of her block of fine compositions. The Lassus was beautifully sung with ideal balance across the voices.

Grayston/Bill Ives did say that the new work would not be what people might be expecting,or words to that effect, so I'll be interested to see how it differs from the 'In pace' which was played on Gareth Malone's Monday programme.
The TV version had 'O Holy Night' in that slot, with what I thought was a fine tenor solo.

**smittims** · 25-12-24, 07:43

The Lassus and the Bax arrangement were the highlights for me. Most moving, both.

**Ein Heldenleben** · 25-12-24, 09:57

Originally posted by oddoneout View Post

Grayston/Bill Ives did say that the new work would not be what people might be expecting,or words to that effect, so I'll be interested to see how it differs from the 'In pace' which was played on Gareth Malone's Monday programme.
The TV version had 'O Holy Night' in that slot, with what I thought was a fine tenor solo.

Glad some one else pointed out that beautifully sung solo in the TV Carols From Kings. He clearly has a career in front of him if he chooses to go down that route.

I preferred the sound balance in this TV recording to the live Radio though as always the sound quality on the latter, on my newly repaired FM aerial , was much superior to Freeview. On radio I found the choir descants got a bit buried but this must be one of the most difficult indoor acoustics on earth in which to get a decent balance.

I enjoyed the live Radio Nine Lessons but unlike Edashtav I thought the Rutter Nativity was taken at a slow tempo that a lot of amateur choirs would find a challenge . I thought quite a few of the tempi a tad slow tbh,

**Alison** · 25-12-24, 11:22

I also particularly enjoyed I saw three ships, still without understanding the significance of the lyrics!

I assume the reference to thinking of the ‘abused’ at Christmastide, as in the opening prayers, is a new addition to that fairly unvarying script?

**cat** · 25-12-24, 11:25

It was a good choice to finish Carols from King's on a gentler note with Away in a Manger rather than the usual O Come, All Ye Faithful, presumably on account of the dedication to James Whitbourn at the end.

I believe the soloist mentioned above previously sang under Hyde at Magdalen.

**Pulcinella** · 25-12-24, 11:36

Originally posted by Alison View Post

I also particularly enjoyed I saw three ships, still without understanding the significance of the lyrics!

I assume the reference to thinking of the ‘abused’ at Christmastide, as in the opening prayers, is a new addition to that fairly unvarying script?

From wiki:

The lyrics mention the ships sailing into Bethlehem, but the nearest body of water is the Dead Sea about 20 miles (32 km) away. The reference to three ships is thought to originate in the three ships that bore the purported relics of the Biblical Magi to Cologne Cathedral in the 12th century. Another possible reference is to Wenceslaus II, King of Bohemia, who bore a coat of arms "Azure three galleys argent". Another suggestion is that the ships are actually the camels used by the Magi, as camels are frequently referred to as "ships of the desert".

I'm sure it features on a BBC MM CD somewhere!

**Alison** · 25-12-24, 11:49

Thank you Pulcers and the compliments of the season to you.

Have you been in the company of the much maligned Archbishop of York today?

**Pulcinella** · 25-12-24, 11:58

Originally posted by Alison View Post

Thank you Pulcers and the compliments of the season to you.

Have you been in the company of the much maligned Archbishop of York today?

No! Last saw him at the Advent Procession.
He's certainly not high up my Christmas card list.

Unseasonably, it's Mahler 2 lined up for listening later today, as I've had my fill of carols. Prompted by rewatching Maestro last night, I found the Bernstein Ely recording to stream. I'm sure that Easter eggs will soon be in the shops!

**DracoM** · 25-12-24, 12:48

Turned it off after the VERY fine Lassus.

**Petrushka** · 25-12-24, 14:38

Originally posted by Ein Heldenleben View Post

I thought quite a few of the tempi a tad slow tbh,

Yes, I've noticed that Daniel Hyde does seem to prefer slower tempi, in contrast to Stephen Cleobury who liked to keep things moving. Many carols are related to the dance so my own preference is for Cleobury. If you want slow, then the Willcock's recordings are for you as they sound quite ponderous by today's standards, much as I love them. My old choirmaster in the 1960s liked to keep them moving and often mentioned the dance connection so perhaps that explains my preference.

**Eine Alpensinfonie** · 25-12-24, 14:50

Originally posted by cat View Post

It was a good choice to finish Carols from King's on a gentler note with Away in a Manger rather than the usual O Come, All Ye Faithful.

I’m not sure about this comment. In the live broadcast it ended with Hark, the Herald…

I missed the opening, which included one of the finest descants of all: Philip Ledger’s one for Once in Royal.

**Pulcinella** · 25-12-24, 14:56

Originally posted by Eine Alpensinfonie View Post

I’m not sure about this comment. In the live broadcast it ended with Hark, the Herald…

I missed the opening, which included one of the finest descants all: Philip Ledger’s one for Once in Royal.

Anyone know when the option of a different harmony for the repeated phrase (lines 3 and 4), which I much prefer, began, and who wrote/changed it?

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 24.xii.24 @ 3 p.m. R4

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 24.xii.24 @ 3 p.m. R4

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