CE Chichester Cathedral 7.iii.2018

[DracoM]

CE Chichester Cathedral [archive from 7 June 1972]


Order of Service:


Responses: Ayleward
Psalm 37
First Lesson: 1 Samuel 17: 1-30
Canticles: Watson in E
Second Lesson: Luke 4: 1-13
Anthem: Why rage fiercely the heathen? (Mendelssohn)


Nicholas Cleobury (Assistant Organist)
John Birch (Organist and Master of the Choristers)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09tgs7s

NB: apologies but no info on psalm chants, hymns [are there any?] or vol.

[ardcarp]

John Birch was not just an O&C but a very fine all-round musician. I remember him conducting concerts at the Southern Cathedrals' Festival, and he didn't look like an organist trying to conduct but someone completely in command of the orchestral medium. (IIRC one programme included TheChichester Psalms.)

Here is his obit. from a few years back:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/may/22/john-birch-obituary

[Roger Judd]

JB was indeed a superb musician, and his choir was one of the very finest during his time at Chichester. He was also in artistic partnership with the inspired Dean, Walter Hussey, whose patronage of the arts was unrivaled. As you will know, Bernstein's Chichester Psalms was a product of that partnership.

There is no hymn or voluntary mentioned, as BBC Choral Evensong in 1972 was only 45 minutes long; the voluntary was often faded after just a few bars. Presumably, at that time, Radio Times didn't print the chant composers' names.
RJ

[ardcarp]

Presumably, at that time, Radio Times didn't print the chant composers' names.

Oh good...we can have a jolly guessing game.

[DracoM]

Sorry, my awareness of CE doesn't go back that far - i.e. 1972 - and it looks as if the BBC archive doesn't list them either.

[Y Mab Afradlon]

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/295b25d7e2da4129a93749dd7fa9c40d

Gnome doesn't have anything more either.

[DracoM]

Today's service from archive @ 3.30 p.m.

[Dafydd y G.W.]

Oh good...we can have a jolly guessing game.

Perhaps we should have a sweepstake.

[Keraulophone]

Place your bets...

http://www.anglicanchant.nl/psalms/psalm0037.html

[Vox Humana]

There are apparently over 18,000 Anglican chants out there (says the man who collects them).

[Finzi4ever]

fantastic vowel sounds from choir and clergy 'alaike'! Interestingly (for me at least) this must have been the last public outing (no, not in that sense!) before 13 years of silence, for the Hill/Hele instrument. Chi did still broadcast with the horrendous 70s Allen toaster, I think, but not that often - sure I shall be corrected.

Musicality really showed in the Watson Nunc: first time I have ever thought of it as musical.

[DracoM]

Worth it for the Leighton Paean alone - well, the bit we heard.
Why on earth this afternoon they did not play a complete version of it is a bit puzzling - they had plenty of time. I'm sure other organists have recorded it!!

[underthecountertenor]

Worth it for the Leighton Paean alone - well, the bit we heard.
Why on earth this afternoon they did not play a complete version of it is a bit puzzling - they had plenty of time. I'm sure other organists have recorded it!!

As a matter of (mild) interest, what would your preferred solution have been?
(1) Cutting the broadcast before the voluntary started and playing a commercial recording of the Paean instead? (Which arguably would have compromised the integrity of the archive broadcast)
(2) Spliced a commercial recording to the broadcast at the fadeout point? (Could have been interesting!)
(3) Played the broadcast in full, and then played a commercial recording of the complete Paean? (Probably the best solution, although I'm not sure that any Leighton bears immediate repeating )

(I assume that the BBC didn't have a practice of keeping a recording of the complete voluntary when it was faded out when 'live' - which is a pity if so).

[mw963]

Well I'm afraid that I of course felt that the Leighton wasn't faded a second too early, but as you all know I'm afraid on that score I'm incorrigble....

As to the service - beautiful control, beautiful dynamics, such a smooth smooth sound (perhaps enhanced unintentionally by being in mono and with the HF rolled off). I too loved the vowels and the delivery, the word missionary takes on a whole fascination of its own with such equal stressing. We have lost something (in my view) with modern diction.

Great to hear, but as I suspect we all agree, it should be IN ADDITION TO, NOT INSTEAD OF, a live Wednesday relay. I do think that the BBC should come clean as to why we're being given so many substitutes, is it money, is it that the Cathedrals don't want to broadcast? It would be better if they were honest with us.

[DracoM]

as a matter of (mild) interest, what would your preferred solution have been?
(1) cutting the broadcast before the voluntary started and playing a commercial recording of the paean instead? (which arguably would have compromised the integrity of the archive broadcast)
(2) spliced a commercial recording to the broadcast at the fadeout point? (could have been interesting!)
(3) played the broadcast in full, and then played a commercial recording of the complete paean? (probably the best solution, although i'm not sure that any leighton bears immediate repeating )

(i assume that the bbc didn't have a practice of keeping a recording of the complete voluntary when it was faded out when 'live' - which is a pity if so).

3 - imo.