Carols from Trinity College, Cambridge - daily video till Christmas

[Keraulophone]

Carols from Trinity

Over the days leading up to Christmas, the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge will be releasing a video of a different carol each day to their YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/TrinityCollegeChoir).

This first one released today (Wed.16th) is the Advent Responsory by former Director of Music, Richard Marlow. It is an ingenious setting of J S Bach’s “Wachet auf” and is heard at the start of the Advent Carol Service every year, with the choir spread all over the building.


(Daughter at the back - proud dad!)

[ardcarp]

OMG. That's the best singing I've heard for ages. Trinity has the advantage of a big choir, which combined with Sid Layton's genius produces extraordinary results....results which attract the pick of choral scholars. That soloist in the first release is quite exceptional.

[jonfan]

OMG. That's the best singing I've heard for ages. Trinity has the advantage of a big choir, which combined with Sid Layton's genius produces extraordinary results....results which attract the pick of choral scholars. That soloist in the first release is quite exceptional.

The soloist is Molly Noon, daughter of Tim Noon of Exeter. She can be heard as soloist on many of the choir’s archive recordings, pieces by Leighton and MacMillan for example. Exceptional is the word!
The choir’s been very quiet on YouTube this autumn so very good indeed to see and hear them back and in fantastic voice.
PS. Looks like Helena Paish, a previous BBC Chorister of the Year, has joined the choir.

[Keraulophone]

Looks like Helena Paish, a previous BBC Chorister of the Year, has joined the choir.

Helena P and Katherine G joined Trinity choir in September from Truro Cathedral Choir. We will be singing one of Helena’s recently composed carols at our Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols with the girl choristers, and it’s rather good IMO.

Throughout last term, Trinity choir had to cope with depleted numbers due to covid-19 self-isolation. This meant that its usual public webcasts were suspended and Evensongs and Complines were only available to watch and listen to by college members and their close friends and relatives. It has been a comforting way of remaining in audiovisual contact with our daughter during periods of restricted access to the colleges.

Their first service of last term (Duruflé Requiem) was released on YT - a memorable start for those fresh choristers, and everyone else: https://youtu.be/c-RiYOpaYVw

[jonfan]

Thank you K for clarifying the lack of webcasts; I for one really do miss them and watching and listening to past services isn't quite the same no matter how good they are. The Bach organ recitals have been excellent that the two organ scholars presented this autumn. We need to celebrate the present as much as possible so here's hoping the services can be extended to the wider world before too long. The Duruflé Requiem was very memorable indeed and worthy of a CD release as it stood.
I had the good fortune to attend a Sunday Evensong last January and the attention to detail of text and nuances in the phrasing was moving to hear and see. The psalms just start out of nowhere without a conductor and one is left transported to somewhere else.
It's obvious the hymns are not rehearsed and are intended for the congregation to have a sing. On this occasion the organist put in the anacrusis for every verse as we sang 'O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness'. The look of horror on the choristers' faces was something to behold! Fortunately SL had left.
I do hope the two choristers from Truro have an amazing time in the choir, as I'm sure they will.

[Keraulophone]

2. What Sweeter Music (John Rutter)

https://youtu.be/Lu9bKctD2pU

[ardcarp]

One does get the occasional oddity (not the choir's fault) from Sid. Listening to previous years' carols we heard Howells' A Spotless Rose taken at twice the usual speed. A pseudo-medieval romp rather than early 20th century dreamy rhapsody.

[jonfan]

One does get the occasional oddity (not the choir's fault) from Sid. Listening to previous years' carols we heard Howells' A Spotless Rose taken at twice the usual speed. A pseudo-medieval romp rather than early 20th century dreamy rhapsody.

Mm, just the mood of the moment maybe? ‘What sweeter music’ of yesterday is about 45 seconds slower than his recording with Polyphony.

[ardcarp]

Yes, and a lovely performance.

[Keraulophone]

3. Silent Night arr Jonathan Rathbone

https://youtu.be/CMqztgrnXJA

[jonfan]

I love this arrangement; anything with lush, soupy chords one can wallow in like this saves this carol IMHO. Trinity just go for the lush harmonies with a terrific alto line coming forward from the texture. Wonderful moment at the modulation where the tenor soloist takes the tune - will he get the top note, will he? Yes he does! - great moment! He should be named [and he is, Daniel Atkinson].
These daily carols are the high spots of my preparation for Christmas. What does tomorrow hold?
PS. I like how Isaac Newton looks benignly down on everything.

[Keraulophone]

4. The Holy Boy - A Carol (pub.1915 as a piano ‘Prelude’) by John Ireland

Sopranos in unison sing the captivating melody, with gentle organ accompaniment.

https://youtu.be/FrMqYIamtM4

[Vox Humana]

4. The Holy Boy - A Carol (pub.1915 as a piano ‘Prelude’) by John Ireland

There's also an organ version—and the rest. A bit like Douglas Adams and HG2G, Ireland milked this one for all it was worth.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holy_Boy

Ravishing singing by Trinity.

[Keraulophone]

and the rest

Wiki lists sixteen versions, including the original for piano, six of which are arrangements by the composer! The very satisfying organ arr. by Alec Rowley gets a fair few outings on the Fr Willis.

[ardcarp]

There's also an organ version—and the rest. A bit like Douglas Adams and HG2G, Ireland milked this one for all it was worth.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holy_Boy

Ravishing singing by Trinity.

Fabulous. And all these Trinity Carols are (IMVHO) all the better for not having the conductor flapping away in camera. SL is a genius, even at a distance!