Choral Vespers Westminster Cathedral [A] 8th April 2020

[DracoM]

Choral Vespers Westminster Cathedral [A] 8th April 2020
( First broadcast 8 April 1998 )


Order of Service:


Introit: Verba mea auribus percipe (Schutz)
Office Hymn: Vexilla regis prodeunt (plainsong)
Psalms 61, 66 (plainsong)
New Testament Canticle: Colossians 1 vv.2-20 (in Falsobordone)
Reading: Ephesians 4 vv.7, 20-24, 30-32; 5, vv.1-2
Responsory: Adoramus te, Christe (Monteverdi)
Homily by the Rev Mgr George Stack
Magnificat Quarti Toni a 6 (Palestrina)
Motet: Hei mihi, Domine (Guerrero)


Andrew Reid (Organist)
James O'Donnell (Master of the Music)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000h2ft

[DracoM]

Reminder: today @ 3.30 p.m.

[ardcarp]

Words fail me as to the gloriousness of the singing. In the mean time, Hei mihi, Domine is on this one of WCC's CDs

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7945255--the-music-of-westminster-cathedral-choir

[DracoM]

If anyone was wondering why there was so much concern from those with a love of what the Westminster Cathedral Choir has always and does stand for, and even shock over implications behind the recent resignation of the current DoM, that Archive Vespers made it clearer than clear why this ensemble is so valued within and without the Catholic world, and why fears for its continuance persist.

[Lordgeous]

Wonderful, as always. Are we any clearer as to what the future holds and does anybody know what has happened to Martin Baker?

[ardcarp]

I listened through headphones, and I'm sure there were some boys singing alto in the Guerrero. (I know they were doing the SSATTB version.)
What a wonderfully fluid sense of phrasing the choir had, and what dynamic range. Wow.
I just wish they'd bin that Pater Noster. I've never liked it.

[DracoM]

Altos, yes, glad you thought the same. Thought they were more than OK doing it too. Must have been a good year?

[Miles Coverdale]

There have been boy altos at Westminster for many years. Some are taken on to sing alto from the beginning, while others are what might be called superannuated trebles. I gather that being made to sing alto for a week or so is the Westminster equivalent of sitting on the naughty step.

[DracoM]

I think ardcarp and I well knew that, we were just commenting on how skilfully prominent they were in the repertoire chosen.

[Nevilevelis]

Vintage O'Donnell - vibrant, agile trebles, controlled passion all round and superb balance. Very fluid and engaging chant style too.

NVV

[Miles Coverdale]

OK, I just thought that Ardcarp's remark made it sound like their presence was unexpected or unusual.

[DracoM]