Wedding music

[Lizzie]

The music looks very good.

Lovely orchestral pieces before the service, hymns and music afterwards.

I see they have tried to placate Sir Peter Maxwell Davies who was a bit miffed that he didn't get the new commission.

The piece by Patrick Hadley is a favourite of mine although the words have innuendo that could seem a bit inappropriate for a wedding service!! It is a piece for springtime and after Easter. I don't know, however, whether the Winter could be said to be past considering today's chilly winds and yesterday's snow and hail in parts of the country.

The musical snobbery surrounding John Rutter never ceases to amaze me. He is a fine composer and does what he does extremely well and is very popular as a result and we should at least get a tuneful piece thank God. Rutter at his best is terrific. St Albans have just released his Gloria, Magnificat and Te Deum on Naxos. Absolutely stunning stuff and selling like hot cakes. I am extremely glad that he has been honoured with the new commission for this prestigious occasion. Well done WA.

I am looking forward to all.

Absolutely agree with you Vcc. Liz

[muticus]

As do I - Rutter at his best is singable, tuneful and approachable. Sure he has his off days, but don't we all?
Besides I don't think W & K have any pretensions (though using that word here might be fraught with potential prickles) to being musical - I expected Elton doing his 'Camel with the Wind' renditions anyway...overall it looks a good mix - nice to see some Finzi (FFE will be pleased) - and 'Best Pair of Nylons' is always good for a sing-along. ;-)

[Dentes improborum]

If anyone should be interested

http://www.officialroyalwedding2011.org/blog/2011/April/28/Music-for-the-Wedding-Service

Could someone remind me please, was Patrick Hadley's My Beloved Spake written for a royal wedding?

It was written for the Ripon Cathedral wedding, on 9th July 1936, of one of Hadley's students and is dedicated to Ursula and Martin Watson. (Details from "Music at Ripon Cathedral 657-2008" - Malcom S Beer and Howard M Crawshaw, 2008)

[mercia]

It was written for the Ripon Cathedral wedding, on 9th July 1936, of one of Hadley's students and is dedicated to Ursula and Martin Watson. (Details from "Music at Ripon Cathedral 657-2008" - Malcom S Beer and Howard M Crawshaw, 2008)

thanks for going to the trouble

[Stanfordian]

Wow, all that Parry! My only problem is that I cannot stand that piece anymore by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies 'Farewell to Stromness' as its been played to death since Classic FM got their hands on it.

[Nick Armstrong]

Well I'm really glad they are having Cwm Rhondda - it'll be just like being at a rugby match!

Also that lovely RVW 'Rhosymedre' Prelude... Also very Welsh, if I remember right from blowing the trombone in the school concert orchestra...

[ardcarp]

Although much of the music is more suited to a coronation than to a wedding of someone two jumps away from the throne, it would be nice to hear some of it. The ardcarps senior and junior (but not me) are glued to a telly and helpless with laughter at the hats and the name-dropping. Good old Boris commented that it was 'a good dry run for the Olympics'. Is there any way one can hear the music happening now in the Abbey?

[Richard Tarleton]

Sadly they don't appear to be singing Love Divine to Hyfrodol

[Finzi4ever]

Yes, Rutter at his best is fine, but what I'm hearing right now is the tweeist of twee and I fear will never be off Classics FM, just as well I don't tune to that station very often.

[Norfolk Born]

LOVE your avatar!
Ofcachap (another Finzi fan).

[Nick Armstrong]

Another Finzi fan here (looking across the room at the bust of him that sits by my CD shelves).

The Rutter wasn't too bad - did the job, I thought - nice catchy sequence towards the end. Could have been worse. The Welsh 'Ubi caritas' was a bit lugubrious though. No one does it like Duruflé...

PS Blest Pair of Nylons is a really crummy old piece I think...

[Triforium]

Yes, Rutter at his best is fine, but what I'm hearing right now is the tweeist of twee and I fear will never be off Classics FM, just as well I don't tune to that station very often.

Well, that was the risk, could have gone either way.

[Nick Armstrong]

Awesome trumpet playing! (Only one split top note in the National Anthem fanfare opening )

[amateur51]

LOVE your avatar!
Ofcachap (another Finzi fan).

It's a John Minnion, I think

[Finzi4ever]

Yes, you are quite right.
I'd appreciate others' views on the two 'new' works today.