CE Magdalen College, Oxford Wed, 31st January 2018

[DracoM]

CE Magdalen College, Oxford Wed, 31st January 2018


Order of Service:


Introit: Hail, gladdening light (Stainer)
Responses: Rose
Psalm 118 (Varley, Ives)
First Lesson: Haggai 2: 1-9
Canticles: Daniel Purcell in E minor
Second Lesson: Luke 2: 22-40
Anthem: Gaude, gaude, gaude Maria (Sheppard)
Hymn: When all thy mercies, O my God (Belgrave)


Organ Voluntary: Reges Tharsis (Preston)


Alexander Pott (Assistant Organist)
William Fox (Organ Scholar)
Mark Williams (Informator Choristarum)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09plxl9

[Vox Humana]

Since this is evidently a wall-to-wall feast of Magdalen composers (and why not?), I am assuming that the first chant is by John Varley Roberts. I wonder whether we will lose the final hymn again: that Sheppard can take up to a quarter of an hour to sing (although the Clerkes of Oxenford despatched it in less than 12 minutes). The Purcell doesn't take long though.

[mw963]

Almost fainted with pleasure during those psalms. Exquisite.

Not sure the pronunciation of "informator" was quite to my tastes in the opening credits....

[jean]

Beautifully ornamented solos in the Daniel Purcell.

[mw963]

Could one of you experts explain why the Canticles are actually in F minor (assuming A = 440 Hz). Is that what they would have sounded like back then pitch-wise?

[Miles Coverdale]

Could one of you experts explain why the Canticles are actually in F minor (assuming A = 440 Hz)

Probably because the published edition (by Christopher Dearnley, from memory) is in F minor. The ATB verses, particularly the alto part, are quite low in E minor, to the extent that the old Stainer edition variously printed them for ATB, TTB, TBB and so on.

[ardcarp]

Quite touching to hear Gaude, Gaude sung in its place of birth. Also quite brave to broadcast it live, given that it has two treble parts (OK a treble and a mean). The idiom probably doesn't come easily to a modern chorister; but it would be good to think (though we can't know) that their sound is not so different from 450 years ago. If there was a touch of frailty, that is in now way a criticism! No such frailty in AATTBB.

[gilesandcarys]

I had the pleasure of witnessing this live... Mr Williams gets a fantastic sound out of the gents

[Finzi4ever]

Almost fainted with pleasure during those psalms. Exquisite.

Not sure the pronunciation of "informator" was quite to my tastes in the opening credits....

very impressive - poss best choir in Oxford now (contentious, I realise). psalms excellent, (sharp) Purcell spirited and punchy. Huge sing in the Sheppard and who can blame some stratospheric tiredness creeping in, but a great sound in quite a dry acoustic. False relation paradise and and English cadence one too in the voluntary...(thinks) must give them up for Lent again.
Thank you, Magdalen.

[gilesandcarys]

Better sharp than out of tune!

[mw963]

Probably because the published edition (by Christopher Dearnley, from memory) is in F minor. The ATB verses, particularly the alto part, are quite low in E minor, to the extent that the old Stainer edition variously printed them for ATB, TTB, TBB and so on.

Thanks MC.

Fabulous Evensong.

[ardcarp]

must give them up for Lent again

I'm ashamed to say that I haven't quite kicked the habit yet....

[mopsus]

Good to hear Daniel Purcell in E minor, which I think used to be broadcast more often than it is now.

[Vox Humana]

Almost fainted with pleasure during those psalms. Exquisite.

Not sure the pronunciation of "informator" was quite to my tastes in the opening credits....

He couldn't pronounce "Purcell" either.

That fine Varley Roberts chant was a perfect match for the words.

Quite touching to hear Gaude, Gaude sung in its place of birth. Also quite brave to broadcast it live, given that it has two treble parts (OK a treble and a mean). The idiom probably doesn't come easily to a modern chorister; but it would be good to think (though we can't know) that their sound is not so different from 450 years ago. If there was a touch of frailty, that is in now way a criticism! No such frailty in AATTBB.

I'm very much of the view that the Sheppard was written for the Chapel Royal in the 1550s, not Magdalen College, but there's no doubt an argument to be had about this. Magdalen sang the piece at the written pitch, so for SATTBB (with S and A divided in the prose). It's certainly not easy to pull off. It's long, requires some stamina and the prose verses are rather exposed. The polyphonic re-entries after the plainsong verses are always danger points in any Tudor respond setting, but here they were all very assured. I enjoyed the Preston very much - a quite sophisticated piece, excellently played.

[ardcarp]

Thanks for your wisdom about Gaude! I have to say that Purcell's name was variously spelt in the Old Cheque Book, including (if my memory serves) Mr Persill !
(That was Henry of course...and I think Purcell's father may also have been a Henry.)