Chapel of St John’s College, Cambridge [A] 17.ii.21

[DracoM]

So, we're more or less pretty sure that what we hear from John's is not very close -if anywhere near - at all to what Mozart is reputed to have heard and noted?

[BasilHarwood]

So, we're more or less pretty sure that what we hear from John's is not very close -if anywhere near - at all to what Mozart is reputed to have heard and noted?

Arghh - if you watch the Marian video (posted above) - which is FULL of scholarly information and myth debunking - you’ll get so many answers to questions like that.

[Simon Biazeck]

Arghh - if you watch the Marian video (posted above) - which is FULL of scholarly information and myth debunking - you’ll get so many answers to questions like that.

That's a great video and the fresh voices of the Marian Consort sound great too - love that alto!

SBz.

[ardcarp]

Or there's this:

https://www.radiotimescds.com/classical/105117/Ensemble_William_Byrd:_Miserere.htm

The abbellimnti might give some a bit of a shock.

I'm very happy to have the St John's repeat. Wonderful choir. And those who are not cognoscenti (as we all are here ) like to hear what has become 'traditional'. Even more trad would be the English language version, 'Have mercy on me', which King's, and many other choirs, used to sing.

[Simon Biazeck]

Perversely, and because it is almost in my musical DNA, I don't mind the 'Englished' version. The King James words shine out, as ever.

It now sounds so other-wordly - almost "authentic" on its own terms.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piPiVndX7kw

SBz

[Vox Humana]

The piece is so bogus that it makes little difference to me what language it is sung in. I like it either way and would be disappointed if it were dropped from the schedules. I just wish people wouldn't attribute it to Allegri, since it has so little to do with him. There's a newish book about the piece, which I've not read, but Ben Byram-Wigfield's essay makes the point that what we customarily hear is basically a combined confection by Charles Burney and William Rockstro (utilising input from some others like Mozart - Mendelssohn had a hand as well, I believe) and their interventions are significant enough for the piece to be jointly attributable to them. I think it's actually misleading to mention Allegri at all.

[ardcarp]

The only downside of not having it broadcast live is that frisson...is the treble/soprano going to hit the top C bang on each time, and more importantly, is he/ she going to get the following downward scale perfectly in tune? That's probably not an especially worthy reason for enjoying a live service...but I'm sure a few others may secretly agree.

[cat]

I mentioned up thread that it would have been nice to hear something from further back in the archives - The Archive of Recorded Church Music have this morning posted the 1983 service from St John's on their YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW4Syn318f8

[DracoM]

Reminder: today @ 3.30 p.m.

[DracoM]

I mentioned up thread that it would have been nice to hear something from further back in the archives - The Archive of Recorded Church Music have this morning posted the 1983 service from St John's on their YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW4Syn318f8

Seems a very different sound profile. And, may I suggest, a much richer one? Congregation etc? Mic placement? Balance engineer's style? Or is it GG's influence?

[cat]

I'm no expert on the art of the microphone but I can hear plenty of traffic on Bridge Street, although it was a lot busier in 1983 as there were no access restrictions back then. I wonder how they coped with that when recording their albums.

[DracoM]

On GG's recording of the Victoria Requiem a 6, you DO hear the traffic rumble!
I quite like it - makes it feel more 'real' in a curious way.

[ardcarp]

Or is it GG's influence?

Other stuff as well, but definitely that. He was a very different choir trainer from Andrew N. It's not a question of better or worse, just different. The ATB are allowed to use more voice, and of course he produced a slightly more 'continental' style from the trebles. I remember his saying at one time, that two consecutive notes should never be sung 'the same'. Probably something of an exaggeration, but it produces a most expressive result.

[DracoM]

Loosely related to thread:

https://www.herefordcathedral.org/webcasts

[Miles Coverdale]

I'm no expert on the art of the microphone but I can hear plenty of traffic on Bridge Street, although it was a lot busier in 1983 as there were no access restrictions back then. I wonder how they coped with that when recording their albums.

The usual way would be to employ a high-pass filter, also known as a rumble filter, which cuts frequencies below a certain point, usually in the region of 50–75 Hz. That will certainly help to reduce traffic noise, though it won't eliminate it entirely.