CE Washington National Cathedral, USA [A] 11.iv.2018

[DracoM]

CE Washington National Cathedral, USA [A]
First broadcast on 14 April 1993


Order of Service:


Introit: Easter Sentences (David Koehring)
Hymn: Christ is alive (Truro, arr. Dirksen)
Responses: Douglas Major
Psalm 115 (Tonus Peregrinus with handbells)
First Lesson: Micah 7: 7-15
Canticles: Sowerby in E minor
Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 15: 30-41
Anthems: Christ the Lord is risen today (Rorem)
Come ye faithful (Baker)
Christ our Passover (Dirksen)
Hymn: The Lord of Life (Gelobt sei Gott)

Postlude: Grand Choeur Dialogue (Gigout)


Michael Velting (Assistant Organist)
Douglas Major (Organist and Choirmaster)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09yh5lb

[Triforium]

Nice building.


I would drive miles to avoid listening to Sowerby or Dirksen. Usually ends with a big loud chord extending for at least 5 bars. Cadential instructions include - blow smoke off tips of revolvers before spinning and holstering.

[Vox Humana]

Yes, lovely building. It's not often one encounters a traditional, Gothic cathedral in pristine, mint condition. I found it almost unnerving to realise that our British cathedrals must once have looked just as clean, neat and unweathered.

Impressive organ too. On the whole I dislike musical behemoths, but I make an exception for this one. It both feels and sounds exceedingly fine. The Sowerby Swell division (a second Swell division aimed at the nave) packs a punch that is more than the equal of many an English Great Organ. And it's not often you come across the luxury of being able to adjust the height of both the organ bench and the pedalboard. I wonder whether we'll get to hear the 64' reed? It sounds OK until you get to the bottom five or so notes, which are quinted. A friend aptly described the effect as sounding more like a helicopter than a note.

The psalm looks intriguing. Hopefully it will be magical...

[ardcarp]

A friend aptly described the effect as sounding more like a helicopter than a note.

If my O-level physics still holds good (not to mention my brain ) then bottom C will only be about 8 Hz, so it would be perceived more as mechanical noise than a note.

Can anyone post the Specification on the Organ sub-forum?

[DracoM]

https://cathedral.org/music/organ/

A start.
Have made enquiries for an organ spec.
Will post on sub-Forum as, or if or when I receive.

[subcontrabass]

The spec is here: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/upl...OrganSpecs.pdf

[Gabriel Jackson]

https://cathedral.org/music/organ/

A start.
Have made enquiries for an organ spec.

No need to make enquiries - it's on their webiste https://cathedral.org/wp-content/upl...OrganSpecs.pdf

[DracoM]

Reminder: today @ 3.30 p.m. Archive service.

[Keraulophone]

the Specification on the Organ

It has everything including the kitchen Zink!

[DracoM]

And aren't they making sure you hear it.
Clearly the US has a rather different view of CE than I do.

[jean]

Well they certainly don't go in for O God, save the Queen, nor are they particularly anxious for the Almighty to endue her ministers with righteousness, for all that I could hear.

[DracoM]

So.....were jean and I the only Forumistas who listened?

[oddoneout]

So.....were jean and I the only Forumistas who listened?

Well I had it on but I'm not sure I was listening as such. Next door's toddler was having a loud play session with his dad and their dog was getting hysterical with his dratted squeaky toy.... so trumpets and drums quite useful. The music didn't grab me, but it was interesting to hear a different approach to CE, and good to be able hear quite a lot of the words being sung. Won't be tuning in for the repeat but don't consider this afternoon's listening a waste of time.

[jean]

I didn't care for the handbells. For a while I thought it was someone's phone going off, but 1993 would have been a bit early for that.

[Vox Humana]

Well they certainly don't go in for O God, save the Queen, nor are they particularly anxious for the Almighty to endue her ministers with righteousness, for all that I could hear.

I didn't recognise the responses after the Creed at all. As far as I know [which admittedly isn't very far] it's normal for the responses in the US to follow broadly the British BCP pattern, but, since the Queen has no locus there, it is usual to pray, "O Lord, save the state." I remember one occasion, thirteen years ago now, when I was accompanying a cathedral voluntary choir in a Choral Evensong at a public school in New Hampshire. At the rehearsal the school's minister was anxious that we should sing the service exactly as we did in England. The choirmaster asked whether it was OK to pray for the Queen. The reply was, "Oh yes! Our bishop just loves queens!" This was Gene Robinson territory...

I thought the handbells were managed quite tastefully. I would have preferred to do without, but this is, after all, a country where even parish churches (and not just important, big city ones) may offer a full-time Director of Music post with an office in the church. In return the DoM will be expected to have oversight of e.g. the parish church choir, a youth choir, a junior youth choir, a chamber choir of [semi-]professionals and a handbell choir - and be expected to muster an orchestra when required too. I have not Googled the situation at Washington, but it may well be that the handbells came with the job.

I just loved the broad speed of the first hymn, which felt to me just right for this vast place. I wish I could have said the same about the arrangement.