CE Chapel of King's College, Cambridge Weds 8th Feb

[DracoM]

CE Chapel of King's College, Cambridge


Order of Service:


Introit: Late have I loved thee (Harry Bramma)
Responses: Tomkins
Psalms 42, 43 (Wesley)
First Lesson: 1 Samuel 1: 19b-28
Canticles: Blair in B minor
Second Lesson: Luke 2: 41-52
Anthem: Give unto the Lord (Elgar)
Hymn: Praise my soul, the King of heaven (Descant: Robinson)


Organ Voluntary: Rhapsody No 3 in C sharp minor (Howells)


Organ scholars: Richard Gowers, Henry Websdale
Director of Music: Stephen Cleobury





NB [I]Apologies for such early posting but big probs locally with broadband might play havoc later.

[W.Kearns]

Wed 8 Feb, surely - not 9.

[ardcarp]

Wed 8 Feb, surely - not 9.

Fixed.

[DracoM]

Thx.

[DracoM]

Reminder@ today @ 3.30 p.m.

[mw963]

Yet again that silly woman leaps in straight after the voluntary, along with a good lip-smack (or maybe script rustle).

Perhaps she should stop and reflect what being under a Zepellin attack at the end of WW1 might have been like, and why it might have produced music such as Howells wrote.

I call her a silly woman because I believe she's allegedly a musician herself, and anyone with half a crotchet (*) of musical sensitivity would leave a dignified pause after a work of that intensity.

Wasting my breath I know.

Organ sounded superb, but I didn't feel the technical balance really did many favours for the choir; I only came in half way through, and it's a very subjective - er - subject I know.

(*) otherwise known as a quaver so I'm told.

[Awkwardlistener]

The King's sound only a couple of years back (maybe 3-4) was sounding excellent; rich trebles, rounded basses, and some tenors and altos of real promise.

This evensong, I have to say was an appalling sound for any choir to make. The boys sounded bedraggled, utilising completely different tone colours between them; some sounded breathy, some sounded forced, some sounded edgy, none were particularly nice to listen to. It was the men though that were the real disappointment. The back row at King's are (at least on the evidence of this outing and at Christmas) the worst crop I have heard in 30 years of listening. Basses were without presence, and sounded as if they were sight reading; no richness, depth or sonority there. The tenor sound was execrable. What it sounded like were a group of young men who had spent most of the previous 364 days of the year singing so gently and lazily that when it came to singing with a bit of volume and intensity they were completely unable to do anything other than shout ineffectively. The altos were by far the best vocal part, but struggled to make up for the 3rd rate singing around them. The organ playing was a pleasure and was the only thing stopping me from turning it off. Apologies if this sounds a touch harsh but I think that's one of the most disappointing broadcasts I've listened to.

[oddoneout]

I too was taken aback at what I heard - so much so that I had to fire up the PC to check that it was Kings as advertised(I missed the intro). I left it on but didn't give it my full attention, hoping for something to shine out.
The Sunday repeat slot will be free for other activities this week...

[Alison]

Wow, DracoM's verdict, and Ardcarp's, are eagerly awaited.

[EdgeleyRob]

Well you've gotta love those Howells Organ Rhapsodies

http://prioryrecords.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=59_72_115&product_id=1771

[mw963]

Well having had a go at the Con announcer up-thread (oops, silly me, Ms Dereham is a "presenter", which excuses everything) I felt I should stop there.

But I do actually agree with the subsequent comments about the singing, I was prepared to blame it on the technical balance to some extent, but like others I felt I heard some pretty untidy edges...

Still - we all have our less good days. One doesn't know what adversities might have been present....

[DracoM]

Less than KCC's best day. Loved the vol
Erm.........seemed to be struggling for some reason difficult to identify. Effects of that struggle evident, but the cause?

[Triforium]

Not the best I've heard from Kings. Agree that there was unevenness in the treble sound. And yes, a little surprised by the back rows. As mentioned, the altos were the best of the lower three parts, but even so, some 'countertenorisms' crept in. The famous alto mini scoop (yes, yes, it happens because, especially with certain consonants, it is more comfortable) - concerning the land of Jordan. Most male altos have it beaten out of them as soon as they begin to study voice seriously. I'm afraid I was reminded that these were undergraduates singing, particularly in the Elgar.

[DracoM]

It was the sort of ragged sound of the trebles that struck me on a second listen.
Two or three singing for all they were worth. The rest stumbling behind a bit. Weird. So unlike the trad KCC sound.
This was big-sing repertoire, especially the Elgar, and I suppose one might wonder if it was a wise choice? But for service lists and broadcasts you have to nominate what you will sing way, way back....then hope!

[Nick Armstrong]

The King's sound only a couple of years back (maybe 3-4) was sounding excellent; rich trebles, rounded basses, and some tenors and altos of real promise.

This evensong, I have to say was an appalling sound for any choir to make. The boys sounded bedraggled, utilising completely different tone colours between them; some sounded breathy, some sounded forced, some sounded edgy, none were particularly nice to listen to. It was the men though that were the real disappointment. The back row at King's are (at least on the evidence of this outing and at Christmas) the worst crop I have heard in 30 years of listening. Basses were without presence, and sounded as if they were sight reading; no richness, depth or sonority there. The tenor sound was execrable. What it sounded like were a group of young men who had spent most of the previous 364 days of the year singing so gently and lazily that when it came to singing with a bit of volume and intensity they were completely unable to do anything other than shout ineffectively. The altos were by far the best vocal part, but struggled to make up for the 3rd rate singing around them. The organ playing was a pleasure and was the only thing stopping me from turning it off. Apologies if this sounds a touch harsh but I think that's one of the most disappointing broadcasts I've listened to.

Not sure where to post this, but here will do for the moment.

A couple of visits over the past year or two had led me to form (with regret, as Lord Sugar would say) a view pretty similar to the above.

But I'm very happy to report that I was at evensong in King's on Thursday - and the choir in its 17/18 configuration is already sounding on much better form, sweeter and more unified voices in all departments. All of the main musical elements were very well done, I thought:

Radcliffe: God be in my head
Mathias: Jesus College Service
Bingham: I will lift up mine eyes

Hope my impressions from the substalls will be borne out on the airwaves in the months to come (despite the merciless digital microphones)...