Choral Vespers from Buckfast Abbey [L] Wed, 8th Dec 2021

[DracoM]

Choral Vespers from Buckfast Abbey [L] Wed, 8th Dec

Choir of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge

For the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Order of Service:

Introit: Ave Maria (Stravinsky)
Hymn: Ave Maris Stella (Plainsong arr. Matthew Martin)
Psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 (Plainsong/Falsebordone, Matthew Martin/Patrick Russill)
Scripture Reading: Romans 5: 21-25
Motet: Vidi speciosam (Victoria)
Magnificat Primi toni (inter pares) (Victoria)
Marian Antiphon: Tota pulchra es (James Macmillan)

Voluntary: Fantasie-Improvisation sur l‘Ave Maris Stella (Tournemire)

Matthew Martin (Precentor)
Kyoko Canaway and Martin Baker (Organists)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00126yr

[DracoM]

Reminder: today and LIVE!!

[ardcarp]

The sound of G&C choir has changed quite a few times over the years. In the period when I knew it best (under Geofrrey Webber over 25 years ago) it had a very 'straight' sound. Since then it went through a phase of quite fruity sopranos...which some didn't like....and back again. The choir has always been progressive in its choice of music, certainly not restricting itself to the mainstream Anglican repertoire, both in its chapel services and in its recordings. I very much look forward to hearing it in Buckfast's very generous acoustic....and under new leadership.

For those who don't know, Buckfast is a functioning Benedictine community, where the daily offices are sung by (rather few) monks. On Sundays there is a small professional choir of good local singers...local in the sense of a 50-mile radius...which sings for the Solemn Mass. There is a Master of Music, Philip Arkwright, an assistant, plus David Davies who holds the post of Organist. (He is a recent assistant organist of Exeter Cathedral.) Today's broadcast is of course entirely presented by the visiting choir and musicians of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.

[ardcarp]

I think G&C ought to be congratulated. They must have been rehearsed quite thoroughly in, what must have been for them, the unfamiliar rituals of Vespers with its antiphons and other fast-moving bits and pieces...and I thought the organist who played for the office did a great job in continuity and supporting the pitch here and there.

The singing was good and ensemble excellent, though to pick flies, I thought the sopranos lacked a bit of finesse when there were two independent parts. I see no 'shame' in having organ support for what is often regarded as a capella repertoire. After all the Sixteen sometimes do! (I think historical evidence for the practice is uncertain, though I stand to be corrected.) I've always loved Stravinsky's Ave Maria. So simple in its way and very well sung here. I don''t like that ghastly 'Our father' which is, I think, always (?) used at Westminster Cathedral, and strikes me as boringly trite.

Anyone else listen?

Three cheers for the choral scholars who gave their time after term's end. It would be great if Matthew Martin, late of this parish, were to find time to tell of the experience at Buckfast.

[Subtuum]

I think G&C ought to be congratulated. They must have been rehearsed quite thoroughly in, what must have been for them, the unfamiliar rituals of Vespers with its antiphons and other fast-moving bits and pieces...

They sing vespers every Tuesday (during term).

[oddoneout]

I enjoyed this. Confident, well-paced and with a sense of purpose - which would be explained by Subtuum's comment that this is a regular service for G&C, rather than something of unfamiliar territory.
My only nitpick would be that towards the end a soprano voice with vibrato became rather too prominent for my liking, distracting somewhat from the whole which up to then I had found well blended.

[ardcarp]

They sing vespers every Tuesday (during term).

Ah, that explains to some extent the familiarity with the rite. However, each place has its own little quirks, and to incorporate the Buckfast 'cantor' into their offering was pretty much seamless. I've sung Vespers (in English) on occasions, and the pace was then (how shall I put it?) more relaxed.

[jonfan]

There was a sense of urgent communication in this service with a cracking pace throughput. Beautiful engaging singing set in a wide, generous acoustic by the engineering, which gave a sense of eternity. Pictures on the choir’s twitter feed showed them standing in a semicircle and with a glorious winter’s day outside.

[ardcarp]

https://twitter.com/caiuscollegecho

[Magister Chori]

I very much look forward to hearing it in Buckfast's very generous acoustic....and under new leadership.

Just because of the generous acoustic of Buckfast Abbey, a little more relaxed pace in the Introit - together with some wider breath between the phrases - would have helped clarity.
However, it's just a fussiness within a splendidly sung service!.

I don''t like that ghastly 'Our father' which is, I think, always (?) used at Westminster Cathedral, and strikes me as boringly trite.

It's by Rimsky-Korsakov (from his "Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom", opus 22): it was brought into use at Westminster Cathedral under the tenure of David Hill, but can't say if it's still in use.

[oddoneout]

Very much enjoyed hearing this again.

I see that this

Johann Sebastian Bach Prelude and Fugue in E flat major, BWV 852 (Fugue)

is the sum total of "Music Played" according to the CE page today. Insofar as anyone at the Beeb's end might have noticed I supposed the attitude would be - "the music's already listed what's the problem?"

[ardcarp]

??? Seems they're getting as sloppy with the web-page management as they do for EMS.

[oddoneout]

??? Seems they're getting as sloppy with the web-page management as they do for EMS.

And Afternoon Concert.

[Matthew Martin]

I think G&C ought to be congratulated. They must have been rehearsed quite thoroughly in, what must have been for them, the unfamiliar rituals of Vespers with its antiphons and other fast-moving bits and pieces...and I thought the organist who played for the office did a great job in continuity and supporting the pitch here and there.

The singing was good and ensemble excellent, though to pick flies, I thought the sopranos lacked a bit of finesse when there were two independent parts. I see no 'shame' in having organ support for what is often regarded as a capella repertoire. After all the Sixteen sometimes do! (I think historical evidence for the practice is uncertain, though I stand to be corrected.) I've always loved Stravinsky's Ave Maria. So simple in its way and very well sung here. I don''t like that ghastly 'Our father' which is, I think, always (?) used at Westminster Cathedral, and strikes me as boringly trite.

Anyone else listen?

Three cheers for the choral scholars who gave their time after term's end. It would be great if Matthew Martin, late of this parish, were to find time to tell of the experience at Buckfast.

Hello. Glad you enjoyed it. The choir hasn’t often broadcast from the G&C chapel as (beautiful though it is) it’s pretty dry. Good for rehearsals though as there’s nowhere to hide - the singers really have to learn to create a good sustained line and in many ways make their own acoustic.

Buckfast always fun and inspiring - and they look after us well there. We’ve been singing Vespers (although in a slightly shortened form) each week this term on a Tuesday and have been enjoying getting to grips with the chant etc (and organists experimenting with accompaniment/improvising). That’s not to say that we don’t do Evensong as well (panic not..) - every Sunday, with Eucharist on Thursdays. So a good mix of styles/repertoire.

I should point out that on the broadcast last week Martin B played the chant parts and our brilliant senior organ scholar (Kyoko) did the hymn (AMS), MacMillan and Tournemire at the end.

[ardcarp]

Good to hear from you MM after a long break. Sorry I got the organists muddled. I know that Martin Baker did a recital on the new Ruffatti at Buckfast not long ago. Well done to the organ scholar!

All power to your elbow at G&C. I'm very fond of its College Chapel in spite of its downside acoustically. One of my daughters was a choral scholar there (maybe it was called Exhibitioner in those days) and had a great experience of recordings and tours as well as the chapel services.