Advent Carol Service St John's College Cambridge 2.xii.18 [R]

[Alain Maréchal]

Scroll down to Howells' Take Him Earth for Cherishing.

https://www.sjcchoir.co.uk/listen/we...?autoplay=true

A well-polished performance of the following hymn, probably. I believe you need a little sunshine up there.

[oddoneout]

Am told by a few people who were at the service in-person that this will be worth hearing!

... Especially the Telemann aria which was sung by a small number of trebles.

It was beautiful. A pity the R3 schedule is lacking in information - it would appear someone has just cut and pasted
"Performer: Glen Dempsey. Choir: Chapel of St John's College Choir. Orchestra: Andrew Nethsingha." under the composer and piece title for each item, so no mention of Jakob Lindberg for this item.
I wasn't sure how much of this service I would enjoy, given how much of the music was unfamiliar and 'modern', not a combination I always relish, but I have to say I enjoyed it all, thanks to the quality of the singing.

[Old Grumpy]

It was beautiful. A pity the R3 schedule is lacking in information - it would appear someone has just cut and pasted
"Performer: Glen Dempsey. Choir: Chapel of St John's College Choir. Orchestra: Andrew Nethsingha." under the composer and piece title for each item, so no mention of Jakob Lindberg for this item.
I wasn't sure how much of this service I would enjoy, given how much of the music was unfamiliar and 'modern', not a combination I always relish, but I have to say I enjoyed it all, thanks to the quality of the singing.

Thanks for this - I look forward to hearing this "live" on iPlayer (NOT BBC Sounds). I was at a similar service last night (I know, I know - but the service is so popular they have it on both Saturday and Sunday) at Durham Cathedral - fantastic, all of it - but the highlight for me was the antiphons sung from a gallery at the west end of the nave by a subset of the girls choir - etherial . As one of the clergy commented to me on my enquiry on exit as to where the singers were - the sound wafted over us.

OG

[Nick Armstrong]

IA pity the R3 schedule is lacking in information - it would appear someone has just cut and pasted
"Performer: Glen Dempsey. Choir: Chapel of St John's College Choir. Orchestra: Andrew Nethsingha." under the composer and piece title for each item, so no mention of Jakob Lindberg for this item.

Have a click on the word "here" in the first line of my post #4 above: full details are given in the service booklet

[jonfan]

Well this is wonderful and I've only heard the first half as I had to go and take our own Advent Carol Service, so I went off with a spring in my step. A wonderful choice of music reflecting the lessons and prayers. As Caliban says the best way to get the most out of the experience is to download the booklet each year which always has an image of an angel with a two edged sword coming out of its mouth on the cover!
The highlight in my listening so far was the Telemann with exquisite singing from the trebles. Beautifully engineered.

[DracoM]

The trebles Telemann was outstanding - for me, the best we heard. Less is more as ever.
Also the Arvo Part. Quite jolly stuff elsewhere, lots of energy.
Mighty concentration by all throughout.

[Vox Humana]

slow chordal dross

It's the choral equivalent of a not-so-adept organist's improvised "liturgical waffle" - and about as meretricious.

Not heard the St John's service yet. Must remedy that.

[oddoneout]

Have a click on the word "here" in the first line of my post #4 above: full details are given in the service booklet

Thank you Caliban; I had forgotten you'd posted that link, and have just enjoyed looking through the booklet and trying to remember the various items.
Coincidentally I had been thinking about trying to find advent music to listen to and there at the back are details of a CD of 4 previous services which I will look into.

[Nick Armstrong]

Thank you Caliban; I had forgotten you'd posted that link, and have just enjoyed looking through the booklet and trying to remember the various items.
Coincidentally I had been thinking about trying to find advent music to listen to and there at the back are details of a CD of 4 previous services which I will look into.

Yes the CD was featured on CD Review yesterday - selected items from the services 2014 - 2017: I mean to investigate too. It's on Qobuz, happily. This is a link to the CD booklet if you wish to look more closely at what's included.

Enjoyed the service very much - especially the Telemann as others have mentioned. I can't remember hearing the Bednall before but the above CD evidences that it was included in 2016: good rollicking Mathias-like stuff.

[Roger Judd]

I thought the singing and playing of this services was of a quality one hears once in a blue moon, if one is lucky. It was quite exceptional, IMO. Bravo Andrew Nethsingha and his team!
RJ

[Alison]

I thought the singing and playing of this services was of a quality one hears once in a blue moon, if one is lucky. It was quite exceptional, IMO. Bravo Andrew Nethsingha and his team!
RJ

[ardcarp]

I'm inclined to agree...with one tiny (and I'm sorry to find a grain of grit in the oyster) exception, E'en So Lord Jesus by Paul Manz. He [Manz] starts off so lovingly, but IMVHO he spolis it by throwing top B flats at the trebles. The way they are written causes them, even in the capable larynxes of St John's choristers, to be delivered at something of a shriek which seems quite inappropriate to the words. He doesn't do the tenors any favours either. I often wonder if it might sound better down a full tone. I'm sure the basses could cope.....

I haven't heard the Service all through yet, but so far, superb.

PS And so is the rest.

[mopsus]

I'm inclined to agree...with one tiny (and I'm sorry to find a grain of grit in the oyster) exception, E'en So Lord Jesus by Paul Manz. He [Manz] starts off so lovingly, but IMVHO he spolis it by throwing top B flats at the trebles. The way they are written causes them, even in the capable larynxes of St John's choristers, to be delivered at something of a shriek which seems quite inappropriate to the words. He doesn't do the tenors any favours either. I often wonder if it might sound better down a full tone. I'm sure the basses could cope.....

I think Manz may have been writing for a choir with women on the top line, possibly a particular choir whose capabilities were known to him.

[ardcarp]

I sang it with women on top (not literally ) on Sunday...and it's still a shriek IMHO. Maybe I've just got a thing about it.

[Finzi4ever]

I thought the singing and playing of this services was of a quality one hears once in a blue moon, if one is lucky. It was quite exceptional, IMO. Bravo Andrew Nethsingha and his team!
RJ

couldn't agree more: quite outstanding (again)!