Choral music at QEII's funeral at The Abbey and the committal at St George's

[ardcarp]

I don't know if anyone's started a thread about this anywhere. I flipped through yesterday's day-long proceedings to find the musical bits on catch-up. I think all concerned did a great job. Any thoughts about the Weir and the MacMillan?

[Ein Heldenleben]

Preferred.the Macmillan to the Weir though I think the second section of the Mac was not as good as the first.
Thought - was the Abbey service the largest audience for British Choral Music in world history? - estimated TV audience 4 Billion

[Alison]

I was pleased in a way that James O’Donnell was still in place at the time of the funeral.

Does anyone know when the baton is to be passed to Mr Nethsingha?

[oddoneout]

Preferred.the Macmillan to the Weir though I think the second section of the Mac was not as good as the first.
Thought - was the Abbey service the largest audience for British Choral Music in world history? - estimated TV audience 4 Billion

Inclined to agree with your thoughts on the two new pieces, but both will have been a positive for dispelling the idea that all new music is difficult and/or uncomfortable listening.
I found the choices of music for both services to be a most satisfying balance - some profoundly emotional pieces(the Purcell gets me every time), offset by rousing and positive congregational hymns, and nothing that outstayed its welcome. She chose well.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/sep/19/a-ringing-coda-the-music-at-the-queens-funeral-was-both-solemn-and-sublime

[Ein Heldenleben]

Inclined to agree with your thoughts on the two new pieces, but both will have been a positive for dispelling the idea that all new music is difficult and/or uncomfortable listening.
I found the choices of music for both services to be a most satisfying balance - some profoundly emotional pieces(the Purcell gets me every time), offset by rousing and positive congregational hymns, and nothing that outstayed its welcome. She chose well.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...mn-and-sublime

Yes I agree with the music choice but isn’t there a daytime version of the The Day Thou Gavest - a hymn never sung at our 09.15 assembly ?
Interesting that the Order Of Service included the melody line of all the hymns - wonder how many sight readers there were. And surely any of those would know the hymns ?

[DracoM]

The Macmillan I found absolutely his dull, predictable and lazy way, and a lot less interesting than the Weir.
Guess@ am I a Macmillan fan or........?

[oddoneout]

Yes I agree with the music choice but isn’t there a daytime version of the The Day Thou Gavest - a hymn never sung at our 09.15 assembly ?
Interesting that the Order Of Service included the melody line of all the hymns - wonder how many sight readers there were. And surely any of those would know the hymns ?

No harm in having a prompt if it's been a while since hymn singing has been attempted?
The service of committal didn't have the tunes - and the version the Beeb put out had got the hymns unformatted (I think that's the term) so not very user friendly - no indication of verse ends.
I don't know about a daytime version but the words of "The day thou gavest" could be regarded as having another interpretation when used in a funeral service - the day being a life?

[cat]

The finest performance of the Parry I've heard, and I was likewise impressed by the Harris at Windsor. Of the two commissions, the McMillan at least had me paying attention.

Both choirs impressive, especially so at the start of the choir year. Interesting to note that Windsor seemed to have recalled last year's senior choristers to assist, whereas the Abbey ran with the new team (albeit supported by the Children of the Chapel it wasn't a familiar place for them).

I was more taken by the Windsor service, perhaps because it felt more like an actual funeral in terms of scale.

(as an aside, does anyone know why the Garter King of Arms omitted "God Save the King" from the end of his proclamation as it was printed in the Windsor service booklet? I thought it would have seemed out of place in hindsight, so perhaps a last minute decision?)

[jonfan]

Both choirs were superb and wonderful to have two sung services broadcast. A pity, for contemporary reasons, the Russian Kontakion wasn’t named from Kiev as it is in hymn books. The Parry and Harris were stand out anthems but the miniature gems of VW’s ‘O taste and see’ and Walford-Davies Psalm 121 were special.

[Magister Chori]

Does anyone know when the baton is to be passed to Mr Nethsingha?

He will begin his new role in January (perhaps in time for the coronation service!).

The Macmillan I found absolutely his dull, predictable and lazy way, and a lot less interesting than the Weir.
Guess@ am I a Macmillan fan or........?

I'm also not a fan of MacMillan's music - it seems to me quite gloomy and a bit repetitive (billions of grace notes to be played/sung on the beat...) - but on this particular occasion I found his piece more moving and effective than the Weir (who is also quite repetitive in his quasi-folk rhythms and melodies).

However, two splendidly planned and sung services (on the performing side, I preferred the one from Windsor). In the Parry from WA it was quite an unusual choice to have the short "O my soul, awake!" section taken so fast, even if the animato it's in the score. Plenty of descants, quite unexpected for a funeral service! The final Bach Fantasia was particularly moving to me.

[Y Mab Afradlon]

Interestingly we had within the national period of mourning two renditions of Bring us O Lord, one from a choir with an acoustic with a 7 second echo and the other in the place it was written for without reverberation. Hats off to all the musicians (and those from webcast services) for such a fitting tribute to Her Majesty and showcased the Anglican Choral Tradition to the world.

[Keraulophone]

I'm also not a fan of MacMillan's music - it seems to me quite gloomy and a bit repetitive (billions of grace notes to be played/sung on the beat...) - but on this particular occasion I found his piece more moving and effective than the Weir …

… the short "O my soul, awake!" section taken so fast, even if the animatoit's in the score. Plenty of descants, quite unexpected for a funeral service! The final Bach Fantasia was particularly moving to me.

Interesting that the MacMillan was composed around ten years ago, in readiness for the occasion, so I suppose we should be comparing it with his style of writing at the time, which seems to fit - plenty of ‘Scottish’ grace notes.

Yes, the soul was rudely awakened in the Parry - I’ve never been asked to sing it quite that abruptly, but it was startlingly effective. Descants - none allowed in our cathedral’s three memorial services.

As for the Bach Fantasia à 5 - a fittingly solemn choice, though I wasn’t sure about the notes inégales applied to the first pair of quavers in each repetition of that recurring phrase. Other organists apply this unevenness to all four quavers. Then there is the extra ornamentation thought to be provided by JSB for performance on the pedal harpsichord. Is this all or partly necessary for organ performance? It was well played by the Sub-Organist, but a bit over-thought IMHO on this particular occasion. To my mind, the Fantasia would have sounded more stately played as straight rhythmic quavers as the procession headed towards the west doors of the abbey.
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[Ein Heldenleben]

Interesting that the MacMillan was composed around ten years ago, in readiness for the occasion, so I suppose we should be comparing it with his style of writing at the time, which seems to fit - plenty of ‘Scottish’ grace notes.

Yes, the soul was rudely awakened in the Parry - I’ve never been asked to sing it quite that abruptly, but it was startlingly effective. Descants - none allowed in our cathedral’s three memorial services.

As for the Bach Fantasia à 5 - a fittingly solemn choice, though I wasn’t sure about the notes inégales applied to the first pair of quavers in each repetition of that recurring phrase. Other organists apply this unevenness to all four quavers. Then there is the extra ornamentation thought to be provided by JSB for performance on the pedal harpsichord. Is this all or partly necessary for organ performance? It was well played by the Sub-Organist, but a bit over-thought IMHO on this particular occasion. To my mind, the Fantasia would have sounded more stately played as straight rhythmic quavers as the procession headed towards the west doors of the abbey.
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Believe it or not the Mail ran a Twitter based story on the organ playing at the Abbey .The Fantasia did not find favour with the Twitterati with the playing compared to that of Les Dawson.Slightly unfair I thought. I think the Abominable Dr Phibes element present in all full- on organ playing often doesn’t “land well” with the punters.

[DracoM]

Stars for me in the Funeral were the coffin-bearers. Those STEPS.........wow!

[Keraulophone]

The Fantasia did not find favour with the Twitterati with the playing compared to that of Les Dawson. Slightly unfair I thought.

I’d say very unfair. Some of those are proper Twits. I try to avoid their grinding axes.

Try explaining notes inégales to the Twitterati!

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11227319/Royal-fans-poke-fun-sinister-music-played-tune-instrument-Queens-funeral.html

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