CE Salisbury Cathedral Wed, November 1st 2017

[teamsaint]

Can't believe they brought that Basil Harwood off the bench for the final 20 minutes, absolute waste of space... Herbie "Canticles" Howells was more than capable of taking the strain on his own.

Well that may just be a symptom, perhaps the real problem is if Hallsie is tinkering with the tried and trusted 8-8-3-3 formation.
I'd have left Harwood Walmisling the bench too.....

[BasilHarwood]

Can't believe they brought that Basil Harwood off the bench for the final 20 minutes, absolute waste of space... Herbie "Canticles" Howells was more than capable of taking the strain on his own.

Sad face!

[DracoM]

Disappointed that experienced posters on The Choir threads have turned this one into silliness.

[Munsterrrr]

Having just listened this morning, my thoughts are as such:
Introit was very well executed. A personal favourite, it's all about that penultimate 2-1 suspension! Glorious.
Responses and Psalm also very well done, if a little clinical for my taste. I may be being thick here, but by whom was the Lord's Prayer? I've never heard it before, and enjoyed it very much.
It's a shame 'for all the saints' was cut down a few verses, but understandable.
The canticles are also a personal favourite, but I felt they were a touch on the slow side, but for good reasons I imagine! Fabulous sound from the back 6, however. Also, isn't it meant to be solo, then full for the 'he remembering' bit? I am prepared to be corrected, of course! Gloria was perfect.
Having never the Harwood, I was pleasantly surprised! Never been the biggest fan of Basil's works, but this did keep my attention for the most part. Also a welcome rendition of the English words of the ancient antiphon, rather than the more common 'O Quam Gloriosum'.
The Te Deum was excellent, in my opinion. Exciting, gripping and the 'piano' bits were expertly done. I have, however, my reservations towards having a Te Deum whacked on at the end of an evensong, even if Matins isn't sung as often nowadays. It makes little liturgical sense in my opinion. Again, I'm prepared to be corrected.
Voluntary was played fantastically too. Love that piece!
Overall a great service, and just shows on what BBC3 will be missing out when they cut out Live services...

[Nick Armstrong]

my thoughts.....

Great post, Munsterrrr - and a belated welcome to the Forum! (your post #1 having arrived under my radar). An exemplary corrective to the silliness into which 'experienced posters' can sometimes lapse (mea culpa, though I do think there's a traditional place for an occasional bit of levity in the choir stalls, surely? )

I'm going to listen again on the strength of some of your comments, not least about the introit, and because I shamefully had to stop listening at the start of the voluntary first time through, so that will be corrected.

Keep 'em coming, Munsterrrrr!

[ardcarp]

Welcome from me too!
The Lord's Prayer was (I think) retro-composed by Clucas to go with his excellent Responses. I like the way he keeps it short by a sort of dialogue betweem top line and ATB.

Near the beginning of the second lot of responses, I was impressed by the accuracy of the very exposed major second on 'Lord have mercy upon us'. It's often a wobbly moment!

[Dafydd y G.W.]

Anyone know of the liturgical whys and wherefores of bolting on a Te Deum at the end? High days and holidays?

A Solemn Te Deum may be sung at the end of Mass or the Office, or as a stand-alone service, to mark occasions of particular rejoicing.

An instance of the last may be found in your Book of Common Prayer under "Forms of Prayer for Day of Accession" - the third section, "The following Service may also be used on the same day at any convenient time."

[BasilHarwood]

Welcome from me too!
The Lord's Prayer was (I think) retro-composed by Clucas to go with his excellent Responses. I like the way he keeps it short by a sort of dialogue betweem top line and ATB.

Yes, the Lord's Prayer was written for Chichester if I'm not mistaken, or certainly dedicated to John Birch - someone correct me if I'm wrong. Hope that counts as a serious post?

[DracoM]

I was just a bit concerned that the lads and lasses at Salisbury - if, of course they ever read these august threads - might be a bit saddened by what their hard work had turned into at one point on this thread!

Clarification and scholarship ALWAYS welcome!!

[Miles Coverdale]

A Solemn Te Deum may be sung at the end of Mass or the Office, or as a stand-alone service, to mark occasions of particular rejoicing.

Or to make Evensong last an hour when it otherwise wouldn't.

An instance of the last may be found in your Book of Common Prayer under "Forms of Prayer for Day of Accession" - the third section, "The following Service may also be used on the same day at any convenient time."

The Day of Accession for the present monarch is in February, isn't it?

[Dafydd y G.W.]

The Day of Accession for the present monarch is in February, isn't it?

Indeed. But 'twas merely an example. Great as is the rejoicing of Her Majesty's subjects on that happy anniversary, it may well be that Holy Mother Church finds other days as joyful (or indeed, loyalty to the Lord's anointed notwithstanding, even more joyful).

[ardcarp]

At first confused, then amused, by the use of 'Ascension' both to the Earthly throne and the Heavenly.

[Nick Armstrong]

If I may recant somewhat on the steps of the scaffold, having had another listen this afternoon, I do take back some of what I said about the Harwood anthem - it's a better piece than I gave it credit for first time around. It opens very well, especially on the organ, and then when the choir come in. Old Basil was well advised to bring this material back later in the piece, because around the middle it does seem to me to sag into less interesting material, which I suspect my attention was on first time through. Worth an airing though, so I would modify my intemperate initial judgement....

Sad face!

Happier face?

What an absolute gem the introit is though - Musterrrrr is spot on. I've actually listened to that four times now. Gorgeous, and beautifully sung.

A Solemn Te Deum may be sung at the end of Mass or the Office, or as a stand-alone service, to mark occasions of particular rejoicing.

An instance of the last may be found in your Book of Common Prayer under "Forms of Prayer for Day of Accession" - the third section, "The following Service may also be used on the same day at any convenient time."

Thanks for this DyGW

[Dafydd y G.W.]

At first confused, then amused, by the use of 'Ascension' both to the Earthly throne and the Heavenly.

Different words, though similar in appearance:

ad+scandere > ascendere (=rise, ascend) giving the noun ascensio, whence English aSceNsion

ad+cedere > accedere (=approach, come to) giving the noun accessio, when English aCceSsion

[ardcarp]

Different words, though similar in appearance:

Yes. Silly me.

It [O How Glorious] opens very well, especially on the organ

It's a bit of a nerve-wracking play...not especially difficult.... but those thirds tend to get your fingers (and knickers?) in a twist.