CE Winchester Cathedral 23.i.19 [L]

[DracoM]

CE Winchester Cathedral [L]


Order of Service:


Introit: No small wonder (Paul Edwards)
Responses: Michael Walsh
Psalm 114, 115 (Tonus Peregrinus, Buck)
First Lesson: Genesis 8: 1-14
Canticles: Hereford Service (Richard Lloyd)
Second Lesson: Matthew 24: 29-51
Anthem: Tomorrow shall be my dancing day (Holst)
Hymn: Brightest and best are the sons of the morning (Wessex)


Voluntary: Hymne au soleil (Vierne)


George Castle (Assistant Director of Music)
Andrew Lumsden (Director of Music)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00023j3

[ardcarp]

...and as Lizzie has mentioned on another thread:

This service will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.
- Girl Choristers and Lay Clerks

[BasilHarwood]

...and as Lizzie has mentioned on another thread:

Does the gender of the front row really matter?

[Vox Humana]

Does the gender of the front row really matter?

I'm not quite sure what brought that on, but are you suggesting that such information should be suppressed? Personally I couldn't give a hedgehog's hiccup whether the top line is boys or girls so long as it's musical. Knowing which it is adds to my appreciation.

[ardcarp]

I think Winchester girls+men have not, up to now, played such a big part in Winchster's daily round as in some other places. This is suggested by the heading of all their service-lists:

Choral services are sung by the Boy Choristers and Lay Clerks unless otherwise indicated

I'd also draw attention to Lizzie's post from another thread:

this CE has been programmed in for ages. I think it is a special anniversary for our Girls Choir. They are absolutely flying at present. I’ll be there of course.

In reply to Basil Harwood's post, I'm certainly not trying to re-kindle the weary old boy/girl discussions! Most places find it works best not to mix the genders of the front row (except for special occasions) but I for one am very pleased that girls now have the opportunity to sing as cathedral choristers. The hope is that both set-ups continue to flourish equally.

[DracoM]

Echo every word of ardcarp.

Reminder that the service is today @ 3.30 p.m.

[DracoM]

Fresh sound, well-disciplined, thoroughly professional.
Exuberant Holst with nerveless solos!

[jonfan]

Fresh sound, well-disciplined, thoroughly professional.
Exuberant Holst with nerveless solos!

Agree with spades. A beautiful sound from the girls to complement the men. A lovely distant engineered balance. Good to hear the Holst which doesn't get many airings nowadays, in my experience anyway! What a lovely voice the soloist had, which was typical of the treble sound of the whole choir. The canticles and responses were new to me I'm ashamed to say but I was sold on them after this performance. Thank you Winchester.

[Lizzie]

Just on my way home from Winchester, feeling extremely proud of every single one of them! The two girl soloists absolutely soared. I always look forward to those psalm chants - the rams always skip so lightly around our cathedral! I don't recall hearing the Lloyd Canticles before but, thoroughly enjoyed them. The atmosphere in the Cathedral was electric, and I do hope you enjoyed the offering from Winchester Cathedral.

[ardcarp]

Absolutely fabulous! Great sound from everyone and beautifully directed.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy the Holst. It's one of his pieces I'm a bit lukewarm about, because after a simple beginning it can become a bit relentless...as if Holst is trying to 'overwork' the material. However, Andly Lumsden has got it nailed! And as Draco says above, those opening solos were beautifully done.
I really recommend catching up on this CE if you missed it.

Thanks for the report, Lizzie!

[oddoneout]

Just on my way home from Winchester, feeling extremely proud of every single one of them! The two girl soloists absolutely soared. I always look forward to those psalm chants - the rams always skip so lightly around our cathedral! I don't recall hearing the Lloyd Canticles before but, thoroughly enjoyed them. The atmosphere in the Cathedral was electric, and I do hope you enjoyed the offering from Winchester Cathedral.

Didn't they just! High spot of the broadcast for me.

[Vox Humana]

Yes, excellent singing. My goodness, they gave that anthem some "welly". I especially enjoyed the introit, a super piece which I had not come across before. Nor did I know "Wessex", which I shall now have to search out. Fine voluntary, too. If ever there's a cathedral that deserves a new organ it's Winchester. The only thing I didn't like was Psalm 114. With all deference to Lizzie, it's just a personal gripe. I have never been able to understand why anyone would want to sing that exultant psalm to such a dreary tune. It's OK if you are singing all the psalms in plainsong, but if you actually want to convey the mood (and Winchester certainly tried)...?

[Lizzie]

Yes, excellent singing. My goodness, they gave that anthem some "welly". I especially enjoyed the introit, a super piece which I had not come across before. Nor did I know "Wessex", which I shall now have to search out. Fine voluntary, too. If ever there's a cathedral that deserves a new organ it's Winchester. The only thing I didn't like was Psalm 114. With all deference to Lizzie, it's just a personal gripe. I have never been able to understand why anyone would want to sing that exultant psalm to such a dreary tune. It's OK if you are singing all the psalms in plainsong, but if you actually want to convey the mood (and Winchester certainly tried)...?

I fully understand what you mean but, I suppose I just enjoy the 'young rams', and when the sounds of the deep, when the Organist lets Bertha loose!

[ardcarp]

I have never been able to understand why anyone would want to sing that exultant psalm to such a dreary tune.

Tonus Peregrinus has been associated with Ps114 for...well...for ever. I prefer it un-harmonised, and I thought the unison verses were excellent today. I've never thought of it as dreary myself. (Someone said to me before Christmas that they thought O Come O Come Emmanuel was 'dreary'. Chacun, etc.)

If anyone wants some bed-time reading try this: https://www.biu.ac.il/hu/mu/min-ad04/PEREGRINE.pdf

[RAC]

"Wessex" and the descant are in New English Hymnal (49 1st tune) - there is a double connection with Winchester Cathedral. The composer of the tune Alwyn Surplice (1906-1977) was organist of Winchester Cathedral from 1949 to1972,
the composer of the descant Anthony Caesar (1924-2018) was a chorister at Winchester in the 1930s and Precentor and a Canon from 1974 to 1979.