CE Winchester Cathedral 28th Sept 2011

[Lizzie]

CE Southern Cathedrals Festival recording rarely less than impressive.

How did it all sound? I was at Cathedral Annual Meeting and don't have iPlayer so won't hear for ages... Liz

[Simon]

There were certainly some sound balancing problems, but overall in my opinion it sounded very good indeed, Lizzie.

Though perhaps not quite as good as it would have sounded had any of the three individual choirs done the same thing on their own.

I only heard it it on LA and so will await Sunday's repeat transmission before commenting further.

[Lizzie]

There were certainly some sound balancing problems, but overall in my opinion it sounded very good indeed, Lizzie.

Though perhaps not quite as good as it would have sounded had any of the three individual choirs done the same thing on their own.

I only heard it it on LA and so will await Sunday's repeat transmission before commenting further.

Thanks Simon. I enjoyed it greatly on the day but, in some ways felt the sound was just too big and I would also rather have heard us separately... In some ways, it felt slightly less of a SERVICE than CE normally does at Winchester. Not a criticism, more of a slight misgiving. I'll try to hear it on Sunday too... I gather a broadcast from SCF is to be an annual event. Salisbury next year! All the best. Liz

[DracoM]

With you on this Lizzie. Big sound, OK discipline, but just a big wash. Shame.

[Lizzie]

With you on this Lizzie. Big sound, OK discipline, but just a big wash. Shame.

Oh dear, I did wonder if that might happen... Especially with our pretty massive acoustic in the Nave.

[ardcarp]

I thought the big blocks of sound suited the Howells rather well. The ending was sutained with a breadth and a volume that would probably have been beyond a small choir such as Chichester on its own. In fact 'stately' is an effect that AL was presumably (and sensibly) aiming for given the occasion, the forces and the acoustic. Even if the psalms were slower than I prefer them, I guess with 3 different choirs used to their own house-style, the measured approach was the best solution.

[Y Mab Afradlon]

I've just listened online using my Bose speakers (3.30 kick off is worse for me than the 4. oclock.) as I usuall do and find the sound made by the choirs very acceptible, the only thing that's missing for me, is a strong final consonant which seems to have gone out of fashion these days. It reminds me of the St Paul's sound of the late 70's early 80's with 18 in the back row. and 32 - 34 boys filling that huge acoustic. Thinking of the forces taking part Winchester 14 boys and 12 men, Chichester 10 and 6 and Salisbury 14 and 6 = 38 and 24 (Lizzie can you check my Maths) not too far away from those forces. In addition Winchester has a large accoustic so it did not sound like a Beacham style Messiah. I'm very pleased that the SCF will host a CE each year but why not go live. It occurs a week after most cathedrals and college choirs have gone down and would be an ideal end of term treat. The Three Choirs always goes out live so why not this one. Lizzie were they in the stalls or on the steps? I agree with comments about the organ but a big chapeau to all concerned especially AL who got as much out of the "and to be the glory ..... in the Stanford as he dared without stopping. Howells was stunning and as ardcarp comments, as well as Chichester sing large scale pieces they cannot do justice to them. in a way that such large forces can.

[Op. XXXIX]

Thank-you for the Liszt!

[paradisum]

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[ardcarp]

the only thing that's missing for me, is a strong final consonant which seems to have gone out of fashion these days.

Yes. In days of yore, choristers were trained to spit out the final consonants (and some middle ones too). I think Robert Sharpe still likes a bit of that, especially the 'd' on 'and'. Generally speaking it has gone out of fashion. None of the professional mixed choirs do it, and I think it is regarded as being a bit mannered. However to get across the words in a big acoustic it has its uses. I'll bet somebody's going to bring up St Barry and diction!

[Magnificat]

Of course, Robert Sharpe was Barry's organ scholar at St Albans.

Overemphasis on consonants can get in the way of the flow of the music, but Barry was very emphatic about consonants, always demanding that the boys sounded them, and as far as clarity of the words is concerned ( and their importance to him is well known ) he was undoubtedly right.

VCC

[BBMmk2]

I loistened to it on R3. I thought the sound was quite good, considering it was from a cathedral(not withstanding the accoustics!!) that List is something else and the Howells to were the highlights for.

As someone said earlier, the accoustics suited the Howells.

[Lizzie]

I've just listened online using my Bose speakers (3.30 kick off is worse for me than the 4. oclock.) as I usuall do and find the sound made by the choirs very acceptible, the only thing that's missing for me, is a strong final consonant which seems to have gone out of fashion these days. It reminds me of the St Paul's sound of the late 70's early 80's with 18 in the back row. and 32 - 34 boys filling that huge acoustic. Thinking of the forces taking part Winchester 14 boys and 12 men, Chichester 10 and 6 and Salisbury 14 and 6 = 38 and 24 (Lizzie can you check my Maths) not too far away from those forcespp. In addition Winchester has a large accoustic so it did not sound like a Beacham style Messiah. I'm very pleased that the SCF will host a CE each year but why not go live. It occurs a week after most cathedrals and college choirs have gone down and would be an ideal end of term treat. The Three Choirs always goes out live so why not this one. Lizzie were they in the stalls or on the steps? I agree with comments about the organ but a big chapeau to all concerned especially AL who got as much out of the "and to be the glory ..... in the Stanford as he dared without stopping. Howells was stunning and as ardcarp comments, as well as Chichester sing large scale pieces they cannot do justice to them. in a way that such large forces can.

The Choir were on the Chancel steps of the Nave and ranged up and backwards on temp staging in front of the Choir Screen. Obviously Boys in front and Big Lads behind and above. So sorry I can't remember the numerical make-up, although I think there were around 17 and 12 from Winch which is about our usual complement. I haven't heard it since the day so, you've all got the benefit of me yet! I love Stanford A and look forward to hearing it... I don't think Winch are usually guilty of poor consonants - it always seems one of our great strengths... If you hear the Choir live and are in situ - especially in Quire rather than the Nave with the wide open spaces - it's certainly not something you would criticise then for! Liz

[Y Mab Afradlon]

I thought that they would be on the staging on the steps - there was no criticism intended of the choirs, I felt that the finanl consonants may not have come over through the mics and were a bi-product of the positioning. Last time I was able to listen to them live (on a Sunday afternoon about two years ago) the diction in the choir stalls is impecable.

I tend to disagree with ardcarp in post number #25 as I've heard two of the top pro groups namely the Monteverdi Choir live in the Sheldonian doing Monteverdi Vespers and heard The Sixteen do a superb recital in Cardiff in May. There was certainly an emphasis on diction by the young Monteverdi singers and having sung with Jigi know his attitude toward ends of phrases.

Have listened again this afternoon and am still impressed with the sound the enlarged choir makes. Bravo.

[Lizzie]

I thought that they would be on the staging on the steps - there was no criticism intended of the choirs, I felt that the finanl consonants may not have come over through the mics and were a bi-product of the positioning. Last time I was able to listen to them live (on a Sunday afternoon about two years ago) the diction in the choir stalls is impecable.

I tend to disagree with ardcarp in post number #25 as I've heard two of the top pro groups namely the Monteverdi Choir live in the Sheldonian doing Monteverdi Vespers and heard The Sixteen do a superb recital in Cardiff in May. There was certainly an emphasis on diction by the young Monteverdi singers and having sung with Jigi know his attitude toward ends of phrases.

Have listened again this afternoon and am still impressed with the sound the enlarged choir makes. Bravo.

I didn't think you were being critical! The Cath is notoriously difficult for acoustic in the Nave and must be a sound engineer's nightmare... I'm looking forward to hearing it at the w/e. As I travelled through France recently, I listened to a couple of previous broadcasts on my Mp3 player and felt so close to home!