Radio 3 Carol Competition

[Padraig]

My sentiments entirely.

Not mine.

I too have a favoutite though.

[subcontrabass]

Listing to the shortlisted carols, I'm struggling - not with the carols themselves, but with the BBC Singers. They sound like my grandmother.

I tried listening to each of them, but quickly gave up every time. Without the text in front of me the words were totally incomprehensible. Whether that was the fault of the singers or the enigineers I leave to others to discuss. Musically I found them all highly derivative and lacking in any originality.

[Don Petter]

By chance I heard what was apparently the last one. It sounded a load of old cods - glad I missed the rest!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I tried listening to each of them, but quickly gave up every time. Without the text in front of me the words were totally incomprehensible. Whether that was the fault of the singers or the enigineers I leave to others to discuss. Musically I found them all highly derivative and lacking in any originality.

The words are on the website, alongside the recordings - very useful.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Musically I found them all highly derivative and lacking in any originality.

They are carols, and I thought them to be rather good, despite the wobble.

[jean]

They are derivative, but that's not such a bad thing - it's what most of them are derived from that's the problem. I'm not keen on piano goo (though I doubt if that's what alpie meant to write!)

One stands out for me, probably because it sounds suitably modal in places, and lacks all that piano.

.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I'm not keen on piano goo (though I doubt if that's what alpie meant to write!)

Thanks, Jean. Now suitably edited.

[CallMePaul]

They are derivative, but that's not such a bad thing - it's what most of them are derived from that's the problem. I'm not keen on piano goo (though I doubt if that's what alpie meant to write!)

One stands out for me, probably because it sounds suitably modal in places, and lacks all that piano.

.

My favourite too!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

My favourite too!

By "one" do you mean number 1?

[jean]

Oh dear...I did not mean to reveal my favourite, but I inadvertently did...

[quiretenor]

Only one managed to improve that dreadful poetry. I'd find that quite a challenge to set, so on that basis alone, No. 1 gets it for me.

The BBC opera chorus sound in fine fettle, don't they! Actually, I'm not a fan of over-homogenised choral singing - brand bland, I call it - but that's a bit too much; sounds rather competitive and beetle-browed. To be fair, I like the Sop. & Ten. soloists in the Burgess setting, so I have nothing against vibrato per se. It's the corporate sound which is often driven and glutinous.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

In this instance, when we are trying to assess the musical qualities of 6 carols, it's doubly annoying. Trying to concentrate on the music, one is diverted by the singers trying to outdo one another. At least they don't claim to be a choir.

It reminds me of my student days when I had friends studying at the Royal Manchester College of Music. Singing students would practise all day, facing wide open windows so that all passers by could hear them. They couldn't have been seeking fresh air - that was not available in Manchester in the 1960s. It could only have been a desire to be heard. Their legacy lives on.

[quiretenor]

Hmm, I wouldn't blame the singers. Presumably the conductor has asked for the sound he wants and if he doesn't like it he will have said so. They are professionals and can pretty much do anything they are asked to do. I'm quite happy to hear colour and vibration as long as it serves the text and melodic structure. We may have to agree to disagree on that one. Actually, I thought the better the music (the Burgess setting being the only one of any real value for me) the better they sang, but there were balance issues.

[Nick Armstrong]

At least they don't claim to be a choir.

I caught one of these carols for the first time today. Like losing sight of the wood for the trees, I couldn't really hear the music for the singers...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Hmm, I wouldn't blame the singers. Presumably the conductor has asked for the sound he wants and if he doesn't like it he will have said so. They are professionals and can pretty much do anything they are asked to do. I'm quite happy to hear colour and vibration as long as it serves the text and melodic structure. We may have to agree to disagree on that one. Actually, I thought the better the music (the Burgess setting being the only one of any real value for me) the better they sang.

Nooooooo!. Don't blame David Hill. He's one of the best. The BBC Singers have sounded like this under most, if not all, of their conductors.