Tenebrae's live stream this evening (Sunday 23rd May)

[ardcarp]

Tenebrae (about 12 of them) did a live concert in St John's Smith Square tonight at 7.30. With audience present.
We were alerted to it by one of the singers, and by some miracle Mrs A. got it on Facebook...for free. I think it was entitled 'English Baroque' and consisted of works, mostly well-known, by Blow. Purcell, Croft. Greene and Boyce. It was a slightly sombre programme, starting off with the Croft/Purcell funeral sentences. They sang well (as one would expect) though I didn't enjoy the sound engineering very much. The voices were too 'present' and nothing of the St John's Smith Square acoustic was apparent. (I know it's good, because I've sung there.) Worth a listen (a) if you enjoy that repertoire and (b) if you can find it!

[Petrushka]

It's here but don't know how long for.

https://www.sjss.org.uk/tenebrae

[AuntDaisy]

Thanks for pointing this out and for the link.

The excellent PDF notes say "Livestreamed and available on demand for 30 days"

[Quarky]

Thanks .....

[ardcarp]

...and for any organ nerds:

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/a-voice-that-is-made-to-measure-computers-change-the-stops-but-it-s-still-bourdons-and-bombards-inside-gillian-widdicombe-explores-the-mysteries-of-a-modern-organ-1508207.html

I was quite interested to read that, because when I did a St John Pash in there...too long ago to remember the date....there was no active instrument. We of course had chamber organ and harpsichord continuo, 3 voices per part with 'step-out' soloists and Catherine Mackintosh leading a very small Baroque band. Another Catherine (Bott) was one of the sops. Lovely person.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Tenebrae (about 12 of them) did a live concert in St John's Smith Square tonight at 7.30. With audience present.
We were alerted to it by one of the singers, and by some miracle Mrs A. got it on Facebook...for free. I think it was entitled 'English Baroque' and consisted of works, mostly well-known, by Blow. Purcell, Croft. Greene and Boyce. It was a slightly sombre programme, starting off with the Croft/Purcell funeral sentences. They sang well (as one would expect) though I didn't enjoy the sound engineering very much. The voices were too 'present' and nothing of the St John's Smith Square acoustic was apparent. (I know it's good, because I've sung there.) Worth a listen (a) if you enjoy that repertoire and (b) if you can find it!

Yes I had a look at the concert and would agree. Usually the problem there is a bit too much reverb - fine for choral maybe not so much for orchestral. Some of the mic placement looks odd - including two on desk stands on the floor at ankle level - not a rig I’ve ever seen before!

[ardcarp]

I noticed that too. Very odd. The result did rather spoil the 'ensemble' sound, which is normally so good with Tenebrae. I just heard from one of my rellies who thought that at some point in the recent past some 'acoustical work' was done to the interior of St Johns to reduce the reverb. a bit. He wasn't sure about it though. Perhaps someone knows?

[Keraulophone]

...and for any organ nerds:

...who don't subscribe to the Indy:




Incidentally, there's a charming IIP/13 Byfield-Harris in St Mary's aisle of Truro Cathedral, derived from the 1750 Byfield-Harris IIIP/21 of the original St Mary's parish church. It is said that it was built for the Chapel Royal, but did not suit the situation for which it was intended, and that Sir William Lemon of Carclew, 1st Baronet, bought it and presented it to St. Mary's church. [NPOR]

[mopsus]

...and for any organ nerds:

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/a-voice-that-is-made-to-measure-computers-change-the-stops-but-it-s-still-bourdons-and-bombards-inside-gillian-widdicombe-explores-the-mysteries-of-a-modern-organ-1508207.html

I was quite interested to read that, because when I did a St John Pash in there...too long ago to remember the date....there was no active instrument. We of course had chamber organ and harpsichord continuo, 3 voices per part with 'step-out' soloists and Catherine Mackintosh leading a very small Baroque band. Another Catherine (Bott) was one of the sops. Lovely person.

When churches get converted to concert halls they often lose the resident instrument - the organ. I've often wondered about the one that must have existed in St George's Bristol, trying to work out where in the building it would have been. Sorry - probably a comment for the organ part of the forum.

[Keraulophone]

Yes I had a look at the concert and would agree. Usually the problem there is a bit too much reverb - fine for choral maybe not so much for orchestral. Some of the mic placement looks odd - including two on desk stands on the floor at ankle level - not a rig I’ve ever seen before!

The too-close miking didn’t do the choir or the music any favours. Tenebrae usually sound top-notch, not only on recordings (their Parry Songs of Farewell were superb) but also in concert when they have a decent acoustic to sing into. The predominantly solemn programme of the music of five ‘English Baroque Masters’ must be home territory for a choir named Tenebrae.

We can hear what (some of) these singers sound like in the same building during Holy Week this year in a sequence of music and readings for Palm Sunday: https://youtu.be/pnA67YVzqWs. The choir is spread out across the floor of SJSS with no audience present. The ample acoustic signature of St John’s is used to advantage here and the choir sounds terrific, contrasting starkly with the very dry presentation a few days ago.

[ardcarp]

Agree absolutely.

[Beresford]

We can hear what (some of) these singers sound like in the same building during Holy Week this year in a sequence of music and readings for Palm Sunday: https://youtu.be/pnA67YVzqWs. The choir is spread out across the floor of SJSS with no audience present. The ample acoustic signature of St John’s is used to advantage here and the choir sounds terrific, contrasting starkly with the very dry presentation a few days ago.

Lovely sound. I can't see any mics on the video, maybe two at floor level. Makes the current trailer on SOUNDS, boasting of using 131 mics for an orchestra, somewhat suspect.

[BasilHarwood]

Lovely sound. I can't see any mics on the video, maybe two at floor level. Makes the current trailer on SOUNDS, boasting of using 131 mics for an orchestra, somewhat suspect.

The SJSS videos doesn’t have anything to do with the BBC... And a symphony orchestra will have about 80 to 100 members, so 131 mics sounds about right.

[Keraulophone]

a symphony orchestra will have about 80 to 100 members, so 131 mics sounds about right

...but they don't grow on Decca trees.