CE Portsmouth Cathedral Wed, 13th June 2018 [L]

[DracoM]

CE Portsmouth Cathedral Wed, 13th June 2018


Order of Service:


Introit: Light of the world (Elgar)
Responses: Rose
Psalms 60, 67 (Attwood, Bairstow)
First Lesson: Ezra 4:1-5
Canticles: Stanford in B flat
Second Lesson: Romans 10: 1-10
Anthem: All wisdom cometh from the Lord (Moore)
Hymn: New songs of celebration render (Rendez à Dieu)


Voluntary: Evening Song (Bairstow)


Sachin Gunga (Sub Organist)
David Price (Organist & Master of the Choristers)

[BasilHarwood]

Love the Moore anthem!

If anyone is interested, the Dean of Portsmouth has just retired (his last service was Evensong this Sunday) - no doubt Portsmouth will appoint a forward-thinking successor who will continue David Brindley's good work.

[DracoM]

Reminder: today @ 3.30 p.m.

[Nick Armstrong]

I attended the CE here on Monday evening and can report on excellent Tallis (Responses and Dorian Service) and Sheppard (In manus tuas) by the gentlemen of the Cathedral choir...

[edashtav]

Love the Moore anthem!

If anyone is interested, the Dean of Portsmouth has just retired (his last service was Evensong this Sunday) - no doubt Portsmouth will appoint a forward-thinking successor who will continue David Brindley's good work.

Yes, BasilHarwood, Moore’s Anthem is memorable for its tunefulness, rhythmic vitality and cheerfulness. It’s a good sing whilst keeping the Organist busy and engaged.

I have one doubt... does it outstay its welcome, i.e. is it structurally as taut as it could be?

[ardcarp]

I have one doubt... does it outstay its welcome, i.e. is it structurally as taut as it could be?

Having just heard the piece from Portsmouth, I'd say it is 'structurally sound', if by that you mean it hangs together with integrity. It appears all to be based on the intervals occurring in the plainchant (which makes a most effective ending...8th Tone 1st Enging ?) BTW, did anyone apart from me get reminiscences of of Rejoice in the Lamb?

The music as a whole was well-chosen I thought, and the choir acquitted itself with commitment. Thanks, Portsmouth and David Price.

I expect others noticed the 'extra notes' in the organ accomp of Stanford in B flat Mag. Was this just exuberance from the organist, or maybe some 'reverse engineering' from an orchestral version?

[mopsus]

I expect others noticed the 'extra notes' in the organ accomp of Stanford in B flat Mag. Was this just exuberance from the organist, or maybe some 'reverse engineering' from an orchestral version?

In the introduction to the broadcast there was mention of an 'arrangement' of the canticles, but I don't recall the arranger's name. Stanford did orchestrate the canticles.

[Munsterrrr]

It was an arrangement by a previous DoM at Portsmouth, Adrian Lucas. Pretty sure it was announced during the introduction to the broadcast! It caught most of us off-guard hearing a different organ part to what was written!

[ardcarp]

Ah. I missed the introduction and part of the introit.

Incidentally here's some info about Portsmouth Cathedral Choir:

https://www.portsmouthcathedral.org.uk/cathedral-choir/

[omega consort]

We used the same Lucas arrangement when singing the Stanford in Tewkesbury abbey a few years ago - it is very effective and adds more colour to the already-melodic and colourful original organ part!

[ardcarp]

Stanford in B flat is often thought of as his most bog-standard set of canticles. However, I reckon the B flat Te Deum as a pretty good piece, though not so often heard as it used to be. I've sometimes rounded off a concert with it, and it seems to go down well with audiences.

[edashtav]

Having just heard the piece from Portsmouth, I'd say it is 'structurally sound', if by that you mean it hangs together with integrity. It appears all to be based on the intervals occurring in the plainchant (which makes a most effective ending...8th Tone 1st Enging ?) BTW, did anyone apart from me get reminiscences of of Rejoice in the Lamb?

O yes, I did get the Britten reference,ardcarp! The work’s opening is pure Britten. Philip’s works strike me as a Rainbow Coalition: from Britten, through Howells and Mathias, onwards through Rutter’s take on Fauré, to Walton and Williamson. Wilby wears his influences on his sleeve, and in this comparatively early Anthem, I feel they are undigested leaving me with two thoughts! Will the real Willby please stand up for himself? Secondly, a lack of unity through the overlong piece falling into sections ruled by different governors. Philip always writes with facility and felicity. This work has some rumbustious rhythmic passages that echo Malcolm Williamson and ends with a delightful, extended lyrical coda that seems to be by Rutter out of Fauré. I like its touch of humour: the piece was written for the Prep. School that feeds Guildford Cathedral and at its first performance, the School’s Headmaster sang the solo... I hope the schoolboys got its message All Wisdom Comes from... the Beak! The work, and all of Wilby’s Choral Music, is written idiomatically with a profound knowledge of the capacities of choir and organ. I enjoyed Portsmouth's performance that had precise organ playing, joyful singing in the Choir, but was, possibly, marred by a slightly lifeless baritone solo that lacked forward momentum.

[Jack Pudding]

O yes, I did get the Britten reference,ardcarp! The work’s opening is pure Britten. Philip’s works strike me as a Rainbow Coalition: from Britten, through Howells and Mathias, onwards through Rutter’s take on Fauré, to Walton and Williamson. Wilby wears his influences on his sleeve, and in this comparatively early Anthem, I feel they are undigested leaving me with two thoughts! Will the real Willby please stand up for himself? Secondly, a lack of unity through the overlong piece falling into sections ruled by different governors. Philip always writes with facility and felicity. This work has some rumbustious rhythmic passages that echo Malcolm Williamson and ends with a delightful, extended lyrical coda that seems to be by Rutter out of Fauré. I like its touch of humour: the piece was written for the Prep. School that feeds Guildford Cathedral and at its first performance, the School’s Headmaster sang the solo... I hope the schoolboys got its message All Wisdom Comes from... the Beak! The work, and all of Wilby’s Choral Music, is written idiomatically with a profound knowledge of the capacities of choir and organ. I enjoyed Portsmouth's performance that had precise organ playing, joyful singing in the Choir, but was, possibly, marred by a slightly lifeless baritone solo that lacked forward momentum.

Why are you talking about Philip Wilby?

[ardcarp]

Easy mistake to make...so much recent church music falling into the stylistic gap that ed so admirably describes.

[edashtav]

Why are you talking about Philip Wilby?

Oh dear, fillip me! I need a good shake before I witter on relentlessly re John Wilbye’s contribution to 20th century English Choral music.