Music at a....certain event

[french frank]

HRH The Duchess of Sussexphoned him up herself!

As she wasn't then 'Er were just a commoner

[vinteuil]

HRH The Duchess of Sussex phoned him up herself!

... that sounds exceptionally painful. But some people like that sort of thing.

.

[Nick Armstrong]

At the time, until I saw her, I didn't believe it was Elin MT singing...(just me?)

A nervous Elin MT, I thought - but I recognised the voice (just)...

[MickyD]

First time I heard the Boyce. Quite enjoyed that. All the music was lovely!

Indeed it was - the Boyce Symphony No. 1 has long been one of my favourites and I was delighted to hear it played, a perfect choice. Get hold of this lovely CD for much more, bbm!

[jean]

Really?

"Who decided this?" "S/he did."

"Whom decided this?" "Her/Him did."

Yes - and to complete the explanation, it should be noted that in the example in question, what is governed by the preposition to is the whole phrase whoever-decided-to-include...

[greenilex]

Whichever Duke or Duchess...whateffer

[underthecountertenor]

A nervous Elin MT, I thought - but I recognised the voice (just)...

I did too: it came over to me as just what I was expecting. Namely someone without the technique to overcome the nerves and/or turn them into adrenaline. A horribly wayward performance by a mystifyingly overrated singer. I can think of any number of young professionals who could have sung it with perfect intonation, clear diction and the musicality to match Blackadder's playing. Presumably none of them was available.

A friend of mine remarked that he thought it was a chorister (circa 9 years old) until EMT popped up on the visuals. To which I replied 'and not a very good one.'

[doversoul1]

it came over to me as just what I was expecting. Namely someone without the technique to overcome the nerves and/or turn them into adrenaline. A horribly wayward performance by a mystifyingly overrated singer.

I beg your pardon?!!

[Nevilevelis]

I did too: it came over to me as just what I was expecting. Namely someone without the technique to overcome the nerves and/or turn them into adrenaline. A horribly wayward performance by a mystifyingly overrated singer. I can think of any number of young professionals who could have sung it with perfect intonation, clear diction and the musicality to match Blackadder's playing. Presumably none of them was available.

A friend of mine remarked that he thought it was a chorister (circa 9 years old) until EMT popped up on the visuals. To which I replied 'and not a very good one.'

Agreed, but I felt sorry for her. Unless you can knock it out of the park (likely candidates: Louise Alder or Carolyn Sampson), just say no. The decision to sing a piece written for countertenor up an octave at A 415 was the first mistake. Perhaps it's the done thing with this particluar aria (she has recorded it, I think) but unless the technique is rock-solid and the personality unflappable... In that scoring C at A 440 would be kinder.

[underthecountertenor]

Agreed, but I felt sorry for her. Unless you can knock it out of the park (likely candidates: Louise Alder or Carolyn Sampson), just say no. The decision to sing a piece written for countertenor up an octave at A 415 was the first mistake. Perhaps it's the done thing with this particluar aria (she has recorded it, I think) but unless the technique is rock-solid and the personality unflappable... In that scoring C at A 440 would be kinder.

Wise words, as ever. But I couldn’t really bring myself to feel sorry for her, because as you say, she could have said no. It struck me as pure hubris. Mind you, the attention will do her no harm.

[doversoul1]

Wise words, as ever. But I couldn’t really bring myself to feel sorry for her, because as you say, she could have said no. It struck me as pure hubris. Mind you, the attention will do her no harm.

That’s a bit harsh. Any performer can have a bad day. EMT is definitely not a mystifyingly overrated singer. If you were a professional singer (you may well be), would you want a label stuck on you forever as ‘the one who turned down the performance at a royal wedding because s/he didn’t think s/he could manage’? The world isn’t always so understanding especially when such thing as this event is concerned.

[underthecountertenor]

That’s a bit harsh. Any performer can have a bad day. EMT is definitely not a mystifyingly overrated singer. If you were a professional singer (you may well be), would you want a label stuck on you forever as ‘the one who turned down the performance at a royal wedding because s/he didn’t think s/he could manage’? The world isn’t always so understanding especially when such thing as this event is concerned.

We will clearly have to agree to differ over EMT’s standing as a singer. But that, for me, was not just a singer having a bad day. Interestingly, R3 Breakfast played her recording of ‘Where’er You Walk’ earlier in the day, and I was struck by the lack of a decent technique even then (in studio conditions). I’m afraid that came over in the service. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a singer with a sound technique have a ‘bad day’ quite like that.

Since you mention it, and for what it’s worth, I am very much a part-time professional singer - I get paid for singing but it’s by no means my principal source of income. I’ve sung ‘Eternal Source...’ once, for my sister’s wedding, for no fee and not without some reservations. But I don’t think that, if EMT had turned down the Royal Wedding gig, it would ever have come out in the open that she had done so, or that she would have been ‘labelled’ as a result.

As it happens, equally I don’t think that the deficiencies in her performance will have done her any harm. Indeed I would put money on Radio 3 making a big deal out of ‘Royal Wedding Singer EMT’ on Record Review and/or the Early Music Show before very long. And that’s fine, I suppose. But do spare a thought for the truly wonderful young sopranos (and other singers) out there who must have found themselves wondering why they bother.

[Mary Chambers]

They should have asked Iestyn Davies.

[Richard Tarleton]

Terrific. ("With this, I'll sit down - we gotta get y'all married" ! )

I only caught the highlights but read the transcript in The Times. I am not sure what jean means by "what a sermon" (which could go either way, a bit like "good is not the word" ) but...really, Cali, I thought it was a pile of utter bilge, a meaningless rant, a string of words. If you pick it apart, and try to follow a coherent train of thought, there isn't one. I can't imagine what people who found it uplifting were on. My reaction may be down to my Myers-Briggs personality type (INTJ - look it up ) - obviously I'm not cut out to be a Pentecostal, or whatever he is.

[jonfan]

I only caught the highlights but read the transcript in The Times. I am not sure what jean means by "what a sermon" (which could go either way, a bit like "good is not the word" ) but...really, Cali, I thought it was a pile of utter bilge, a meaningless rant, a string of words. If you pick it apart, and try to follow a coherent train of thought, there isn't one. I can't imagine what people who found it uplifting were on. My reaction may be down to my Myers-Briggs personality type (INTJ - look it up ) - obviously I'm not cut out to be a Pentecostal, or whatever he is.

The above to be expected from someone who vigorously objects to prayers of dedication before concerts at St Davids Cathedral Festival. The utter bilge the Bishop was, IMHO, eloquently preaching was that if we love one another there will be less hatred between nations, creeds and individuals. So I love you Richard.
There’s also some quite nasty and uncalled for stuff being written about Elin MT above. IMO she’s from the Emma Kirkby pure style of singing stable and with a distinguished pedigree from Clare College to the Sixteen. A thoroughly nice person as well.