CE Edington Priory 24th Aug 2011

[DracoM]

CE Edington Priory
Annual Festival of Music in the Liturgy



Order of Service:



Introit: One thing I have desired of the Lord (Sumsion)
Responses: John Harper
Psalms: 116, 117, (Camidge, Grote)
First Lesson: Genesis 22: 10-17
Cantate Domino (Philip Moore)
Second Lesson: Matthew 10: 1-22
Deus Misereatur (Philip Moore)
Anthem: Antiphon (Britten)
Hymn: How widely doth Christ stretch out his arms (Edington)
Te Deum (Victoria)


Organ Voluntary: Te Deum Op 59 no 12 (Reger)



Peter Stevens (Organist)
Jeremy Summerly, Matthew Martin, Benjamin Nicholas (Choir Directors)

[DracoM]

Just a reminder of the CE this week.

[DracoM]

I always find the Edington mix / acoustic fascinating.
Almost no resonance, three different choirs, different genres, chapel apparently crowded, so that it all sounds as if it is being sung in my front room rather than a church. Felt like a bit less plainchant in this year's service, but my memory might be failing.

Standout pieces for me were the Britten Antiphon and the Victoria Te Deum. Lots of drama, good singing, gutsy solos from boys and some good altos in the Britten. Decent if not quite pin sharp ensemble in all parts. Moore canticles energetically sung.

[decantor]

Yes, I can't help but regard the acoustic as a pity: the padded cell effect doesn't help the ensemble, and must be quite a strain for any singers who are used to floating their voice off into outer space. But only at Edington can one hear a mixed choir and an all-male choir sing in immediate juxtaposition: the former more focused, precise, and nuanced, but the latter dropping us unmistakeably into the liturgical setting.

What struck me was the quantity of music on offer - little of it being commonplace in cathedral music lists, and therefore needing to be learned ad hoc. I relished it all, and am in grateful awe of those who give up a week of their summer holiday to have a good liturgical shout in the middle of nowhere.

[DracoM]

THREE choirs actually, so I believe: mixed voice, boys and men, men. If there are only 60 voices in total [ selon le pretre] , none of the ensembles can be very big?