CE Chapel of Merton College, Oxford, also on 26th Dec 2021

[DracoM]

CE Chapel of Merton College, Oxford, on the Feast of St Stephen

[ Rpt on 26th Dec 2021 ]


Introit: Welcome Yule! (Parry)
Responses: Radcliffe
Office hymn: Jesu, the father’s only Son (Christe Redemptor omnium)
Psalms 57, 86 (Hine, Battishill, Lord Mornington)
First Lesson: Genesis 4 vv.1-10
Canticles: Dyson in D
Second Lesson: Acts 7 vv.51-60
Anthem: And I saw a new heaven (Bainton)
Hymn: It came upon the midnight clear (Noel)

Voluntary: Cantata No 29, BWV.29 (Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir) (Sinfonia) (Bach, arr. Guilmant)

Benjamin Nicholas (Director of Music)
Alex Little & Tom Fetherstonhaugh (Organists)
First broadcast 26 December 2018.

[jonfan]

I can't do any more than repeat the posting I put last time. Superb!!
The singing of this choir is always beautiful with perfect intonation, balance, and expressivo singing to every phrase. An hour’s pleasure; just what I needed on St Stephen’s Day. The Parry was new to me and quite flirty for him. Clear, communicative psalm singing. The choir can give it heft when needed in the canticles, which generated quite a bit of exciting drama with the sopranos scaling the heights with thrilling singing.
Calm for the soul in the exquisite Bainton, but for me the highlight of the whole service was the unlisted ‘In the bleak’ to Cranham; no fuss, just so beautifully simple, proving again that less is more. (Penultimate bar sung as Holst phrased.)Apt prayers delivered with sincerity and reverence. Unnoticed engineering so must be good.
Thank you Merton

[DracoM]

Dito.