Chapel of King's College, Cambridge [L] R4 3 p.m. 24.xii.2018

[Nick Armstrong]

I thought it was an excellently sung service by a choir in pretty cracking form at the moment. I wouldn't necessarily disagree with comments, e.g. by ardcarp, about a couple of tempo/phrasing choices - but in terms of blend, energy, clarity of diction and vocal quality, no reservations whatever. The treble soloist at the start had quite a mature, almost 'operatic' quality to the voice - not to excess, pretty compelling and nervelessly accurate.

Technical quibbles, listening via the R3 App on an iPad Pro beaming to Airport Express and thence to large speakers, were: 1) the producers' 'rev limiter' cut in audibly in loud, high music, compressing the volume a tad disappointingly; 2) the choir balance seemed excessively in favour of the trebles in the first two or three numbers, and to be corrected later (or did one just get used to it? )

But as far as the choir was concerned: just excellent.

[mw963]

I thought it was an excellently sung service by a choir in pretty cracking form at the moment. I wouldn't necessarily disagree with comments, e.g. by ardcarp, about a couple of tempo/phrasing choices - but in terms of blend, energy, clarity of diction and vocal quality, no reservations whatever. The treble soloist at the start had quite a mature, almost 'operatic' quality to the voice - not to excess, pretty compelling and nervelessly accurate.

Technical quibbles, listening via the R3 App on an iPad Pro beaming to Airport Express and thence to large speakers, were: 1) the producers' 'rev limiter' cut in audibly in loud, high music, compressing the volume a tad disappointingly; 2) the choir balance seemed excessively in favour of the trebles in the first two or three numbers, and to be corrected later (or did one just get used to it? )

But as far as the choir was concerned: just excellent.

I don't know for certain, but I think the sound on iplayer (and I assume in this case you mean Radio 4, not Radio 3) is taken post-network-processing, and so is subject to Optimod or whatever they're using now. Until about 2004 they used to switch out Optimod once a year - just for Kings - but that "concession" lapsed eventually and as a result there is considerable compression and limiting, as there is on Sunday Worship every week.

The Radio 3 repeat - provided you listen on a digital platform (Dsat, DTT, DAB) - should be unprocessed. It's the version I hear (being engaged elsewhere for the live relay).

[Alison]

The lack of love and tenderness .... excellent description. It applied toIn the Bleak too in my opinion.

I used to love that arrangement but now wish we didn’t get it every year!

An outstanding choir.

[Caussade]

The lack of love and tenderness .... excellent description. It applied toIn the Bleak too in my opinion.

I used to love that arrangement but now wish we didn’t get it every year!

An outstanding choir.

I haven’t heard the service, but I wonder if a perceived slight lack of affection in some performances might be ascribed (paradoxically, maybe) to the intensity of emotion which SJC must undoubtedly have been feeling today - he let slip on R4 that he was regretful and sad to be leaving, and what a difficult time he’s had personally this year. It’s marked his last year of tenure in a really regrettable and saddening way. He’s had his detractors here - sometimes unreasonable, even vicious, ones - and I have my reservations about KCC from time to time but whatever the ill-informed might think it’s a damned difficult job, and it’s hard to imagine how he must have been feeling this afternoon after 37 years of directing these services. A slight...briskness may have been his way of keeping things under control, maybe. I don’t know.

[ardcarp]

The treble soloist at the start had quite a mature, almost 'operatic' quality to the voice

...and what about that short treble solo in I saw three ships? Some very mature licence in the phrasing!

[Pulcinella]

The service booklet at York has the following as part of its introduction:

The traditional service of Nine Lessons and Carols originated at Truro Cathedral in the early twentieth century and was later adapted by Eric Milner-White (later Dean of York) whilst Dean of King's College, Cambridge, in 1918.

My partner and I were sitting in the regular choir stalls, as Dec Tenors 1 and 2; one of the rehearsal music booklet sets had been left there (and everything was already laid out for tomorrow too) so I was able to follow the music, which was especially useful in their new commission, by Peter Moger, Precentor and Acting Dean.

Might catch the King's repeat tomorrow.

[hmvman]

I listened to the binaural mix this evening and very good it was too - and I thought it was good that they left in a bit of the venue sound after the voluntaries, just the sounds of the congregation walking out etc., before fading out. A nice touch.

[Nick Armstrong]

I listened to the binaural mix this evening

How did you go about this, hmvman?

[hmvman]

How did you go about this, hmvman?

I found it via a link on the R4 page, Caliban. Here's the link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p06wj10h

[mw963]

Thanks for that hmvman.

Comparing your link (which does seem to be totally uncompressed) with the main iplayer version

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0001vyk

there are very obvious differences, with network processing clearly audible on the latter.

I am delighted that the BBC have seen fit to release a "clean" unprocessed version of the broadcast, particularly as for a while they used to do an "HD" version live on the internet which was also uncompressed, but I think that got dropped a few years ago.

[BBMmk2]

Dry good programme this year. Stephen Cleobury’s last.

[oddoneout]

I shall be interested to hear the repeat today as I watched the 'made for TV' version yesterday and that was definitely brisk in its approach. Couldn't fault it technically but for all that I felt somewhat unsatisfied at the end; it's possible that the sound limitations of my TV didn't help.

[jonfan]

This was an excellent finish for SC with the trebles in supreme form. A nice mixture of the best from the past and a worthy addition from Judith Weir to the commissions SC has championed; a worthy legacy. (PL’s Stille Nacht surely one of the best SATB arrangements of the piece.)Excellent sound engineering and looking forward to wallowing in the binaural feed. It seems another far gone era when we thrilled to hear stereo by hooking up tv sound with Network Three on a Saturday morning to hear the service in two channels. How primitive was that!
I will not miss any of SC’s descants. How cruel asking the trebles to scale a top B in the first hymn!

[Awkwardlistener]

I understand the points made about Cleobury’s tempi and phrasing, but there should be wider recognition of his ability as a choir trainer. The King’s boys sound considerably better than those at St John’s these days. Fascinating to hear King’s choristers singing with more colour warmth and depth than down the road. Also striking are the lack of tributes from rival choirs - you’d get more magnimity in the House of Commons. Says more about chips on shoulders than anything else.

[jonfan]

I understand the points made about Cleobury’s tempi and phrasing, but there should be wider recognition of his ability as a choir trainer. The King’s boys sound considerably better than those at St John’s these days. Fascinating to hear King’s choristers singing with more colour warmth and depth than down the road. Also striking are the lack of tributes from rival choirs - you’d get more magnimity in the House of Commons. Says more about chips on shoulders than anything else.

I’m not disputing SC’s undoubted ability to train a choir but I don’t think he can hold a candle to AN down the road. Colour, warmth, expression St John’s have in spades. Just to watch and/or listen to AN conduct a psalm is time standing still at the doors of heaven. I suggest AL you listen to the Advent Carol Service, which is still available, and the Telemann Aria in particular to illustrate the difference. King’s could never do that under SC.