Maundy at Abbey

[Guest]

Just to encourage everybody that can to watch the Maundy service live from the Abbey on iplayer. Wonderful singing and quite astonishing organ playing, with fantastic footage and shots (though sadly some commentary over several pieces). It's a real gem imho.

[Magnificat]

It was impossible to judge the quality of the singing with so much commentary. I hope Hugh Edwards doesn't talk so much in the Royal Wedding coverage.

As a spectacle it was wonderful as you say. There seemed to be some different aspects to the shots, usually it is all up and down the the Quire and Nave this time there were more views from the transepts which added greater depth to the scene.

VCC

[Wolsey]

Wonderful singing and quite astonishing organ playing, with fantastic footage and shots (though sadly some commentary over several pieces).

That's a great shame, as Huw Edwards is himself an accomplished organist as he proved on Songs of Praise three years ago. He had the good grace though to stop his commentary so that Zadok the Priest could be enjoyed. Escorting the Queen during the distribution of the Maundy in his capacity as Secretary of the Royal Almonry was former cathedral organist and Songs of Praise conductor Paul Leddington Wright. The post was previously held for thirty years by his father.

[jean]

Can I encourage posters to provide a link when they're recommending a programme that's already on iPlayer?

Here it is:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b010n3xk/The_Royal_Maundy_Service_at_Westminster_Abbey/

[mercia]

rather obvious to say so, but I should imagine the BBC were using this service as a dry-run for their coverage of THAT wedding, camera positions etc. etc. - so we can probably expect all the wedding music to be spoken over too

[MickyD]

It's not just us - I'm sorry to say that on such occasions, French broadcasters too are guilty of nattering on all over the music. They will be providing their own TV coverage of the wedding, but I wonder just how much of the music will be heard.

[decantor]

Normally, I would be angry too if a commentator chattered over a choir singing Purcell. But surely this was a 'big day' for the recipients of the Maundy money, and it was fair enough for Edwards to tell us just a little of who they were and what they had done. I shall be much angrier if he tries to tell us about the flower-arrangers while the choir sings at THAT wedding.