CE Three Choirs Festival 10th August 2011

[decantor]

Possibly those who were there will shoot this posting down in flames, but I remain puzzled as to why I just could not make myself respond to or like much of this service.

As so often, Draco, I share many of your sentiments - this was a somewhat joyless service. But I personally could take much pleasure in the denser sonority of having three cathedral choirs performing together - like triple cream! - and so came away with less negative feelings. If the trebles at times seemed underpowered, it may because there were only eight or so from each foundation - I don't know that to be the case, but in the past only the most senior choristers were called up for duty in August (a commitment deserving our gratitude). I also thought the Beeb captured well the double-choir antiphony in the Canticles, and that the choir's diction was commendably clear in the psalms.

With part of the Howells Requiem featuring as an introit, we have to assume that the service was intended as an In Memoriam for 9/11, and therefore the music was apposite enough. The Jackson Hill anthem did indeed try the patience, most of its 15 minutes being just rolling and rather directionless four-square harmonies, but I found interest in listening to the way the choirs were trying to redeem it with their phrasing and dynamics. And, if any choristers were today singing their final service, then it must have been a treat to be asked to sing a B-natural against the chord of F at its final cadence!

If we are allowed to make personal remarks, then I would have to agree that the presiding priest provided us with a pastiche of parsonicality. I'd also thank Adrian Lucas for his years of service to Worcester, and wish him well in the wider musical world.

[DracoM]

Yes, salymap, I did indeed get the 10th anniversary 9/11 reference from the off, but that is a whole month too early. This service was determinedly, wallowingly funereal - so why? And how festive was that or Three Chs or as a CE?

I have to say to decantor I'd not be at all sure if I was a chorister in any of those choirs and leaving I'd want to remember that as my ave atque vale!! Now, if they had recorded it and played it on BBC R3 on Wed 7th Sept, it would have then been repeated on........Sunday, Sept 11th.

So not sure I actually get the BBC policy on this either.

[Double Diapason]

I have just this minute walked into the living room and asked my wife what the hell she was listening to.
Turns out it was the opening bars of this service - the singing was dreadful!!
Although it did get better I couldn't help wishing the tuning had been perfect in the psalm (as it should be at this level!) and that someone had told those selecting the music that this was a festival and they are a month early for 9/11. The cantor made me laugh (was it Bill Nighy?!), the organ wasn't loud enough................i couldn't listen to any more.
All to bizarre for me!

[AscribeUntoTheLad]

Why on earth is this Festival still being held in the middle of August? Is this so sacrosanct? Surely it can be moved to a more convenient time for those performing in it and even, perhaps, those who attend it.?

VCC

Sorry, is the middle of August an inconvenient time for people to attend a music festival?

[DracoM]

No, of course not, and the Three Chs has been going for yonks at more or less exactly that time and drawing thousands to its various events.
I think that when a sort of 'problem' service like that turns up it suddenly makes some people notice the event in the first place and then focus on other aspects of its provenance.

I do hope we get some members of the congregation or relevant musicians on to talk about the event. I believe that Adrian Lucas was on The Choir encouraging us to go to the CE earlier.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The middle of August is one of the few times that some of us can attend a music festival - the same with the Proms and Edinburgh Festival.

[Miles Coverdale]

No, of course not, and the Three Chs has been going for yonks at more or less exactly that time and drawing thousands to its various events.
I think that when a sort of 'problem' service like that turns up it suddenly makes some people notice the event in the first place and then focus on other aspects of its provenance.

Actually, if you go back a hundred years or so the festival was four or five weeks later in the year. Next year's will be in late July to avoid clashing with the Olympics.

I can understand that the anthem may not have been to everyone's taste, but that does not make it a 'problem' service. I do wish people on this forum, the vast majority of whom do not, I suspect, put their professional reputations on the line by performing live on Radio 3, would choose their words a little more carefully and with a little more respect to those who do.

[Bullock in D]

I wholeheartedly agree with Miles Coverdale. Having sweated my pobs off during that evensong it was totally deflating to come home and read such depressing comments. As Miles suggests, the anthem might have been a little monochrome in places but having rehearsed it intensively of late it has revealed itself to be a very moving piece. The choice of texts was and remains most relevant to not only 9/11 but also events of earlier this week. I urge you to listen again when you can. This is no Pot Noodle piece: it deserves another hearing.

[DracoM]

Nobody suggested this was an easy service to sing, nobody undervalued the efforts being made, a numbers of posters pointed out the difficulty of getting forces together mid-August, rehearsing intensively new music and performing it live on national radio, many paid tribute to the known excellence of the constituent choirs lending their expertise. Respecting that level of expertise and professionalism is endemic to this forum - and it regularly and loudly pays tribute week in week out to the consummate skill and commitment of the choirs we hear such that to suggest that it does not is plainly not true.

So, paying tribute to such is one thing, liking the music chosen for a service is quite another, and posters must be free to like or dislike what they hear, and that is how it is with all performers in public spaces from the humblest parish choir up to and including KCC. People have opinions. This forum is a gathering point for such opinions.

And regular visitors and contributors to this forum know full well that also week in week out someone inevitably draws attention to the not infrequent and often considerable difference between the sound / impact on site and the same via radio / LA.

Likewise, no-one challenged that such texts were not relevant to the anniversary of 9/11. They challenged that they were being sung on August 10th. I ventured to ask why the service had not in fact been recorded for a later tx particularly as the Wed 7th Sept / Sunday 11th Sept pairing would seem to be a perfect match to the music / anniversary chosen. Indeed, a number of choirs in cathedrals are far from ready to sing live on national radio on Sept 7th anyway given when term starts, and my suggested scheme seemed at least worthy of consideration. Maybe it was so considered. Would be good to hear from BBC authorities if such a plan had been thought about.

Others pointed out that the choice of music seemed a bit curious for an apparently joyous mid-summer festival - again, a perfectly legit opinion.

I fully sympathise with and understand the sensibilities of performers, but with respect, neither you nor I know who the contributors to this forum are, nor indeed whether they have expertise that has been bred out of long and current performing backgrounds, so that to suggest that contributors are ignorant of the problems of performing in public is a difficult objection to sustain, I would have thought.

[Simon Biazeck]

I do wish people on this forum, the vast majority of whom do not, I suspect, put their professional reputations on the line by performing live on Radio 3, would choose their words a little more carefully and with a little more respect to those who do.

Here, here - well said!

[AscribeUntoTheLad]

Although it did get better I couldn't help wishing the tuning had been perfect in the psalm (as it should be at this level!) and that someone had told those selecting the music that this was a festival and they are a month early for 9/11.

What, so music performed in festivals should always be completely light-hearted and in a major key?

And to all those who have pointed out that this is a month too early for 9/11, I think it might be rather difficult to move the Three Choirs Festival to September.

I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments expressed by MC. And my thanks also go to Bullock in D, from whom I have learnt a new word this evening. Is it an
abbreviation or a word in its own right?

[chorister49]

Hear hear, from me too. Too often, I think people forget that they're listening to a live broadcast, not a CD recording which has been poked and prodded, refined and tweaked to within an inch of its life.I think that often the difference between what people *think* they hear live, and what they hear on the radio is a matter of perception between being in the building and seeing what is happening, and being at home with only one of their senses focussed on what they can hear. There are people on these boards who are quick to jump to the defence of posters who criticise, and in doing so stifle comments of the supporters of the musicians who dare to raise their heads above the parapet and cast some light on the circumstances of the broadcast.

I enjoyed this broadcast - yes, the clergy were a bit slow and ponderous but they often are exactly the same 'live' and, after all, we are encouraged to consider these broadcasts as a dip into what we would hear if we were to be in the cathedral itself. Yes, the intonation wasn't always 100% perfect, but the commitment was admirable and there was a lot of very good singing here.

[bull-scheidt]

Was it just me, or did anyone else hear something from Tchaikovsky 6 in the psalm chant?

[Magnificat]

Sorry, is the middle of August an inconvenient time for people to attend a music festival?

Since it is the middle of the holiday season it is probably inconvenient for many, yes.

For the choirs it is most certainly inconvenient in my opinion - plain daft in fact.

This seems to be yet another institution hide bound by tradition.

VCC

[Y Mab Afradlon]

Two observations

Fistly, Miles I have the utmost respect for those who, daily uphold the great choral tradition in our cathedrals up and down the country and do not wish to undermine the efforts put in by these choirs. Most comment on choice of repertoire which I believe in today's society in all walks of life it is difficult to avoid the so called "critical friend" Thank you to all for your contributions.

Secondly, the festival timing. Some may say that having such a festival in the middle of the long vac is the only time when lay clerks with "day jobs" could secure time off from their employers to sing in the variety of concerts that they are involved in during the week. In addition, I suspect it is also financially beneficial as well.