Sir David Willcocks' Memorial Concert: Tuesday 1st December

[decantor]

That aside, may I thank you for bringing to my attention Voices for Today which, to my great shame, I did not know about. (I'm sure Mary C knows about it!). The performance which I believe is the one you sang in is on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkHjQLW8yjA

Huge thanks, Mr Ardcarp, for this link. I knew OF the work, as it's Op.75 in the Britten catalogue, but I'd expected never to hear it. And there it is, sitting pretty on YouTube all along: who'd have thought it? Wonderful.

Unlike the Decca EP that was issued of the Missa Brevis, that 'original' from the WCC choristers sounds like a demo of the boy's voice as it heads into cambiata territory: Treble 1, light and shrill; Treble 2, rounded and mature; Treble 3, tending towards a chesty growl. Fascinating.

[ardcarp]

Are you referring to this recording of the premiere in 1959?

I don't think so. The one I mentioned was recorded during a Mass (which someone such as the Queen Mum attended???)* and there was a great deal of background noise...and a few very minor slips from GM. I wrote to them and asked if it were possible to gain access to it, but needless to say it wasn't.

*IIRC it was the frst time a member of the then present Royal Family had, publicly at least, attended a RC service.

[DracoM]

Tiny demur: Wandsworth School on paper might have looked 'downmarket', but actually, in those days, it had a not inconsiderable academic / cultural reputation locally, and of course Russell Burgess as MD. Its music was pretty impressive - hence BB's / Decca's interest, I suspect.

[jean]

I only meant that it was a real comprehensive, which neither Emanuel nor Highgate School ever claimed to be!

[DracoM]

Understood.