The Chapter House Choir, York

[light_calibre_baritone]

The York choir is amateur, the BBC Singers is professional - why are they being compared?

It's great to hear that this York based choir is doing well, but I'm not sure saying that it would be better off in London is even worth saying. London is full of excellent amateur choirs but of course it will be, it's vastly bigger than York!

[jean]

London is full of excellent amateur choirs...

...and none of them appear at the Proms either!

I'm as opposed to the cultural dominance of London as anyone, but I really don't understand the point of this thread.

[Pulcinella]

The York choir is amateur, the BBC Singers is professional - why are they being compared?

Because the amateur choir produced a pleasanter sound than the professional one often does, perhaps?

It's great to hear that this York based choir is doing well, but I'm not sure saying that it would be better off in London is even worth saying. London is full of excellent amateur choirs but of course it will be, it's vastly bigger than York!

I'm not sure it was being said that the YCC would be better off in London.
Merely that we would be better off if we could hear more of them and their likes on Radio 3 and less of some other groups.

[jean]

You rarely hear any amateur choirs on R3, whether based in London or anywhere else, apart from large choirs (or choruses - see previous discussion) especially the ones attached to symphony orchestras.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

...and none of them appear at the Proms either!

So the Crouch End Festival Chorus and BBC SO Chorus are not from London?

The York choir is amateur, the BBC Singers is professional - why are they being compared?

It's the quality of music making that should be the issue - not who employs them. In the case of these particular chamber choirs, the ones not being paid are the ones who merit the greater musical respect. By a mile.

[jean]

So the Crouch End Festival Chorus and BBC SO Chorus are not from London?

They're big choruses, as I said in my next post, and the BBC SO Chorus belongs to an orchestra, as I also said.

If there's a choral concert from Birmingham or Liverpool, the CBSO Chorus and the RLP Choir will be broadcast, too.

But can you name one amateur chamber choir from anywhere that has ever been broadcast, except on Let the Peoples Sing or whatever it's called these days, or of course in the Meet my Choir slot?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

But can you name one amateur chamber choir from anywhere that has ever been broadcast, except on Let the Peoples Sing or whatever it's called these days, or of course in the Meet my Choir slot?

Yes. The Chapter House Choir used to have a one hour slot at 11.00 p.m. on Christmas Eve on Radio 2 from 1989 onwards, for a number of years. When Radio 2 dropped its few classical programmes, this went with it. They haven't always been ignored. We're not talking about your normal good quality amateur choir here. We're talking about a group that can give the Tallis Scholars and the Monteverdi Singers a run for their money.

[jean]

So it's only this particular choir you're talking about. And it was only on Radio 2!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

So it's only this particular choir you're talking about. And it was only on Radio 2!

This is the choir I'm talking about. It's the subject of the thread. But there's no reason why other choirs shouldn't be discussed.

Re Radio 2 - yes, but you did ask whether any amateur chamber choir had ever been broadcast. The CHC would be better suited to our favourite radio channel.

[ardcarp]

The words 'professional' and 'amateur' can be a bit blurred in certain areas of choral singing. One could cite The Holst Singers for instance as being thoroughly 'professional'...except they don't get paid. Maybe we should use other words to overcome these semantic difficulties. Suggestions?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Indeed. They should be judged on quality, not financial reward.

[jean]

This is the choir I'm talking about. It's the subject of the thread...

But in your OP, you wrote

...If this choir were in London . . .

And I just don't think there's any evidence that its being in London would make any difference. It still wouldn't be broadcast.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

And I just don't think there's any evidence that its being in London would make any difference. It still wouldn't be broadcast.

I think it just might, because they'd be better known by the people with influence.

[Gabriel Jackson]

I think it just might, because they'd be better known by the people with influence.

I don't know who the 'people with influence' are, but as has already been said, there are very good amateur chamber choirs in London already who aren't broadcast.

[Vox Humana]

But can you name one amateur chamber choir from anywhere that has ever been broadcast, except on Let the Peoples Sing or whatever it's called these days, or of course in the Meet my Choir slot?

There are the Clerkes of Oxenford, who broadcast a few R3 programmes in the early '70s. I wonder whether the tapes still exist. Their performances may not have been as clinically excellent as their professional imitators, but they were very good and, for me, typically reached the parts the others didn't.

Indeed. They should be judged on quality, not financial reward.

Absolutely.