CE St Davids Cathedral Wed, 31st May 2017

[DracoM]

CE St Davids Cathedral
The 2017 Cathedral Festival



Order of Service:


Introit: Ave Maria (Grayston Ives) first performance
Responses: Clucas
Office Hymn: Sing we of the blessed Mother (Abbot's Leigh)
Psalms 122, 127, 128 (Garrett, Howells, Havergal)
First Lesson: Zechariah 2:10-13
Canticles: Murrill in E
Second Lesson: Luke 1: 39-46
Anthem: Blest pair of Sirens (Parry)
Final Hymn: For Mary mother of the Lord (St Botolph)


Organ Voluntary: Alleluias (Triptyque Grégorien - Langlais)

Assistant Director of Music: Simon Pearce
Organist and Master of the Choristers: Oliver Waterer

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08rstkx

[DracoM]

Reminder of start time today @ 3.30 p.m.

[Gamba123]

St Davids Cathedral

I thought the choir as a whole sounded amazing and very well balanced.

Oliver Waterer is obviously an outstanding musician. This showed in the singing of the introit and the final psalm which was stunning. I especially liked the bottom F in the Ives.

Blest pair of sirens sung by a girls top row was just fabulous. The entry "O may we soon again renew that song" was sung with such clarity and technique. Almost brought me to tears.

The chap who sang the responses was outstanding. Best I've heard this year.

Outstanding voluntary by the organist.

All round fantastic service.

[jonfan]

I agree with Gamba123; this was an exceptional service on many levels. The Ave Maria set the tone with a beautiful, restrained setting. Worth getting to know and hear again. 'The chap who sang the responses' is Jonathan Lean, who is the Dean of the cathedral. He often sings tenor in the choir. His delivery of the opening sentences was a model of how it should be done, drawing the listener into the mood for worship and ready for what follows. Strong confident responses and canticles. The psalm sequence was beautifully judged with a magical hushed delivery of Psalm 128 which showed superb control. Great attack in the Parry and the top line relishing the marvelous tune as mentioned above.
The top line must be one of the best around with superb blend and control with excellent diction; but can erupt with great power when needed. Superb organ as usual from SP and effortless engineering as the sound was well balanced throughout. I haven't visited St Davids for some time; will book straight away.
Many thanks to everyone; one to treasure.

[DracoM]

Yes, some nice treble line delineation, and confidently sung. A quiet service, but very nicely carried through.

[choralmike]

I was at this service and enjoyed it very much. I was a little disappointed that the service took place in the Nave and not in the Quire, but it worked well. 'Sirens' is a big sing, but they brought it off well and there was a look of satisfaction and achievement on the faces of the singers at the end.

A talented and versatile 'crew' at St David's Cathedral, as the Dean and a Canon and two of the lay clerks took part in a wonderfully funny version of 'HMS Pinafore' the previous evening, with generous audience participation.

[jonfan]

The choir normally sings in the nave, especially for a big service as the quire is quite small. The DOM has in the past placed the choir in an open V for a broadcast, an advantage as it makes a splendid sound over the radio and also the congregation can see the choir more easily. The past two years the girls' sound has sounded quite mature, worthy of an Oxbridge college. This year a much younger sound but great potential. A ten year tenure in this choir must be a very rewarding and enriching experience for a chorister.

[mopsus]

I expect there was careful location of the microphones for this - especially after what happened at last year's 9 Lessons and Carols there!

[jonfan]

I expect there was careful location of the microphones for this - especially after what happened at last year's 9 Lessons and Carols there!

O come on! Don't stop there. What happened?

[mopsus]

O come on! Don't stop there. What happened?

I was at this service. I think it wasn't till around the sixth lesson that the microphone attached to (or near) one of the lay clerks was switched off. I'm sure the trebles sang wonderfully before that point, but I had no way of telling!

[jonfan]

I was at this service. I think it wasn't till around the sixth lesson that the microphone attached to (or near) one of the lay clerks was switched off. I'm sure the trebles sang wonderfully before that point, but I had no way of telling!

Ah, it must have been like a Minus One cd.

[ardcarp]

Just to say I've now heard last week's CE om i-player, and thought it really excellent. It is extraordinary how some of the remoter cathedrals produce the goods. Tuning, phrasing, blend, tasteful accompaniment...it all fell into place. The lessons and prayers were all of a piece too. It takes a confident choir to do Blest Pair live on air.

[jonfan]

Just to say I've now heard last week's CE om i-player, and thought it really excellent. It is extraordinary how some of the remoter cathedrals produce the goods. Tuning, phrasing, blend, tasteful accompaniment...it all fell into place. The lessons and prayers were all of a piece too. It takes a confident choir to do Blest Pair live on air.

I think, ardcarp, you expressed similar sentiments about last year's broadcast that far off places manage to perform to a very high standard. Maybe it's London and Oxbridge that are remote!

[oddoneout]

It is extraordinary how some of the remoter cathedrals produce the goods. Tuning, phrasing, blend, tasteful accompaniment...it all fell into place. The lessons and prayers were all of a piece too. .

Why extraordinary? Isn't it about having the right quality of 'staff' in place, rather than location? Neither singing potential nor the ability to play the organ well are confined to the large urban centres, and the delivery of a good service is not confined to well known establishments. Just as well for those of us dwelling beyond the pale.

[ardcarp]

I'm sorry if I repeat myself from time to time. Put it down to age. But I think there is more than just chance to my 'remote place' theory. I know personally a retired Dean of Truro and have discussed it with him. It may be partly to do with the lack of pressure compared with ,say, St Paul's where it is massive. It may be also to do with pride of place, the ability to work always with the same team (i.e. less depping). But is there something else? I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe to do with young, aspiring DoMs in their first flush of enthusiasm and aspiring to higher things? I'd better stop before I say anything else silly.