CE Chapel of Rugby School Wed, 22nd June 2022 [R]

[Simon Biazeck]

Quite! It’s a good start.

Oh, and it's not marked as a solo in the original edition!

[Keraulophone]

Oh, and it's not marked as a solo in the original edition!

Surely tutti tenors singing it in a flat would have the council round in minutes?!

[ardcarp]

My impression of today's CE was that it was very well and thoughtfully directed. Good to hear the Leighton anthem.

Sadly, it seems that a priestly précis before every Psalm, Hymn and Anthem is going to become the norm.This surely doesn't happen at regular choral evensongs?

[Simon Biazeck]

Surely tutti tenors singing it in a flat would have the council round in minutes?!

Interesting how it’s become a solo. In fact, I’ve never heard it sung by tutti tenors (a brace, rank or batterie… ?!). Huh!

[Keraulophone]

Sadly, it seems that a priestly précis before every Psalm, Hymn and Anthem is going to become the norm.This surely doesn't happen at regular choral evensongs?

The school chaplain has an educational responsibility towards his/her predominantly young congregation, so in this instance the preambles are justified, IMHO. They can be overdone, though, and I wouldn't like to hear them as a matter of course. Yesterday, we were about to sing Lennox Berkeley's lovely anthem The Lord is my Shepherd when we were told that John Tavener had been one of his students!

[Simon Biazeck]

The school chaplain has an educational responsibility towards his/her predominantly young congregation, so in this instance the preambles are justified, IMHO. They can be overdone, though, and I wouldn't like to hear them as a matter of course. Yesterday, we were about to sing Lennox Berkeley's lovely anthem The Lord is my Shepherd when we were told that John Tavener had been one of his students!

I agree in this instance, although at other times I find it irritating and unnecessary. I wonder if it’s encouraged by the producers. Thankfully, at the Oratory with Old Rite Vespers they can’t get a word in! Sadly, I can’t do our next broadcast.

More Lennox Berkeley, please. I heard his Mag. & Nunc from Canterbury a few weeks ago, and it seemed to be ideal mid-week fare; quiet, unassuming and thoughtful.

[W.Kearns]

[QUOTE=Keraulophone;885555]The school chaplain has an educational responsibility towards his/her predominantly young congregation, so in this instance the preambles are justified, IMHO. /QUOTE]

It's a fair point, but surely the school chaplain has ample opportunity to discharge his/her educational responsibilities at the rehearsal stage rather than during the act of worship - ?

[Keraulophone]

It's a fair point, but surely the school chaplain has ample opportunity to discharge his/her educational responsibilities at the rehearsal stage rather than during the act of worship - ?

Depending on the producer, the spoken parts of the broadcast are not necessarily heard during the balance rehearsal in their eventual order. Their timing can be taken separately without the choir present.

Reinforcement by repetition is a useful educational tool. The chaplain may have thought his radio audience also needed guidance. It's really up to the producer on the day.
.

[ardcarp]

I guess it's a BBC production trend.

Until the lockdown, I belonged to a small ad hoc group of singers which offered to sing Choral Evensong in various churches (a) who wanted us and (b) who were no longer able to do their own choral evensong. It was very popular with (mainly older) parishioners and we often had a big congregation. We had two stipulations though. (1) That we would be fed and watered...which often turned out to be a really good tea, and (2) There would be no input from anyone (apart from lesson readers) between the 'welcome' and the prayers. (One of us usually sang the responses and collects, unless we knew there was a tuneful vicar.) The person doing the organising was brilliant at handling all this with tact. And we did have a retired Bishop plus a couple of retired cathedral organists among out ranks!

[jonfan]

Beautifully prepared service with a rewarding Leighton fest! The anthem is quite a find for me with a thrilling build up to a climactic ending. The warm, resonant acoustic sometimes made it hard to catch the words especially in the psalms but it was a magical moment when the organ dropped away and the choir sang ppp.

[haldeman]

The chaplain’s interminable introduction has no place on CE. It was addressed to the radio audience not to the congregation (as suggested by others) and while maybe a sentence of context is fine, this was way over the top.

[Finzi4ever]

The chaplain’s interminable introduction has no place on CE. It was addressed to the radio audience not to the congregation (as suggested by others) and while maybe a sentence of context is fine, this was way over the top.

To be fair, this wasn't the chaplain, but as befits the role 'Peter R A Green, Executive Head Master Rugby School Group Rugby' ...

[ardcarp]

Executive Head Master Rugby School Group Rugby

Things have moved on since Tom Brown's Schooldays!

[Finzi4ever]

Things have moved on since Tom Brown's Schooldays!

See for yourself:

https://www.rugbyschool.co.uk/the-rugby-school-group/

[Keraulophone]

Things have moved on since Tom Brown's Schooldays!

So have the fees… £38,454 boarding p.a.