King’s College, Cambridge Carol upcoming

[DracoM]

The Angel Gabriel by Philip Moore will be sung in public for the first time on Christmas Eve at KCC.

He says of it:

" The gentle and familiar lilt of the Basque melody to which these words have been sung is known and loved all over the world. Without in any way denigrating the music, I have often felt that a more vigorous treatment of these words would also be appropriate. ‘His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame,’ for example, gives more than a hint of the drama of the Annunciation. My setting of the words attempts to illustrate this. / Dr Philip Moore"

[edashtav]

A disappointingly safe, conservative choice of new piece by the Stephen Cleobury's successor, Daniel Hyde. I was hoping for a commission from a younger composer, perhaps one whom he encountered in the USA.

[DracoM]

E,g, Nico Muhly?

Maybe DH is starting conservative to assuage doubts about a change of regime?

[Pulcinella]

Do we know when it was written/commissioned?
I think such prejudgements are a little harsh.
I imagine that it could be a very special setting; the choir I sing in recently sang his Evening prayers, number 3 of the Three Prayers of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and found it an incredibly moving piece of music.
It is included in this terrific CD:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8047152--music-for-remembrance

[DracoM]

Yes, I quite like PM as well, BUT his work is not as challenging as some, hence my suggestion..........? That way DH respects past and points to future? Maybe?

[Pulcinella]

Yes, I quite like PM as well, BUT his work is not as challenging as some, hence my suggestion..........? That way DH respects past and points to future? Maybe?

But (to use your word!) why must it be challenging?
Surely there is a point/purpose in a new composition being accessible to other choirs, not just a select few.
And how do you know it won't be challenging?

To go back to a point you didn't address: do we know when it was written/commissioned?
The wheels might already have been set in motion before Hyde was appointed.

[edashtav]

But (to use your word!) why must it be challenging
To go back to a point you didn't address: do we know when it was written/commissioned?
The wheels might already have been set in motion before Hyde was appointed.

A fair point.

[DracoM]

FGS, all I was doing was conveying info on the KCC website.
Just thought lovers of KCC services might like advance notice of something to appear later in Dec.

Crikey.

Wish I hadn't bothered.

[jonfan]

FGS, all I was doing was conveying info on the KCC website.
Just thought lovers of KCC services might like advance notice of something to appear later in Dec.

Crikey.

Wish I hadn't bothered.

Do keep bothering Draco. Appreciated by at least one.

[Nick Armstrong]

Do keep bothering Draco. Appreciated by at least one.

Make that two.

Recently back from Cambridge, including a lovely quiet, understated winter weekday Evensong at KCC. Palestrina Mag, Lassus Nunc, the Tallis O nata lux, plus an unadvertised bonus amongst the responses, the setting of the Lord’s Prayer by John Sheppard, stunning music. To my ears, the choir is sounding on top form - very impressed with Daniel Hyde from this first experience. Great blend, some spot-on solo singing, and impeccable treble sound.

A choir in very safe hands. I’m sure they’ll do the new commission full justice on 24th.

[Pulcinella]

Oh, I appreciate the information.
Just not all the comments (duly conceded by edashtav) that followed.

[Caussade]

Oh, I appreciate the information.
Just not all the comments (duly conceded by edashtav) that followed.

The only thing that matters in all this is whether it's a good piece or not, surely? And also how it fits into the sequence of service repertoire as a whole, about which we currently know precisely zero. PM is frankly unlikely to turn in a poor piece, and some of his lesser known things (Salutatio Angelica, Bonhoeffer Prayers previously mentioned, O quam gloriosum) are very fine indeed, even if they remain firmly within a 'conservative' harmonic language. Not a problem, is it? We'll probably never know whether it was Stephen Cleobury or Dan Hyde who commissioned the 2019 piece - I'm not sure I care much - but I think there's a pretty fair spread of idioms over the history of the King's commissioning programme, and I'm sure there are no subtle inferences to be drawn concerning coded messages in the selection of repertoire. If I were Dan Hyde I'd certainly be playing it pragmatically safe for my first 9 L and C, and he may well have 35 years ahead of him to commission people more to the forum's liking. How enthused he must be by the prospect of that aeon of opprobrium stretching in front of him. Anyway, cheer up - just think of all the lovely harrumphing to be had when it's not exactly how you wanted it to be. There's always a silver lining.

[Nick Armstrong]

Anyway, cheer up - just think of all the lovely harrumphing to be had when it's not exactly how you wanted it to be. There's always a silver lining.

Coincidentally, the PM Bonhoeffer setting is coming up on R3 in this afternoon’s archive CE from Lichfield, so I will listen with redoubled interest thanks to this thread

[cat]

Details from the BBC press release:

This year’s service celebrates the musical contribution of several former Directors of Music, including Sir David Willcocks, Sir Philip Ledger and Sir Stephen Cleobury, who recently passed away

A new carol has been commissioned for the service every year since 1983. The specially-composed carol for 2019, The Angel Gabriel, is by former Organist and Master of the Music at York Minster, Philip Moore.

Once in Royal David's City (desc. Cleobury)
Bidding Prayer read by the Dean
Sussex Carol (arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams)
First lesson: Genesis 3 vv 8-15, 17-19 read by a Chorister
The Truth from Above (Vaughan Williams/arr. Christopher Robinson)

Second lesson: Genesis 22 vv 15-19 read by a Choral Scholar
Angels from the Realms of Glory (arr. Reginald Jaques)
Ding Dong Merrily on High (arr. Willcocks)
Third lesson: Isaiah 9 vv 2, 6-7 read by a representative of the Cambridge churches
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (desc. John Scott)
O Little Town of Bethlehem (Sir Henry Walford Davies)

Fourth lesson: Isaiah 11 1-4a, 6-9 read by the Chaplain
There is No Rose (Dame Elizabeth Maconchy)
The Lamb (John Tavener)

Fifth lesson: Luke 1 vv 26-35, 38 read by a member of College staff
The Angel Gabriel (2019 commission - Moore)
Joys Seven (arr. Cleobury)

Sixth lesson: Luke 2 vv 1-7 read by a representative of the City of Cambridge
Silent Night (arr. Cleobury)
Candlelight Carol (John Rutter)

Seventh lesson: Luke 2 vv 8-17 read by the Director of Music
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night
Away In a Manger (arr. Cleobury)

Eighth lesson: Matthew 2 vv 1-12 read by the Vice-Provost
Coventry Carol (Kenneth Leighton)
Sir Christèmas (William Mathias)

Ninth lesson: John 1 vv 1-14 read by the Provost
O Come, All Ye Faithful (desc. Willcocks)
Collect and Blessing
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (desc. Ledger)

Organ voluntaries:
In dulci jubilo (BWV 729) (Bach)
Final from Symphonie VI (Louis Vierne)

Director of Music: Daniel Hyde
Organ Scholar: Dónal McCann
Chaplain: The Revd Andrew Hammond
Dean: The Revd Dr Stephen Cherry

[DracoM]

Thank you for doing my job!!