CE Winchester College 15.xii.X

[DracoM]

CE Winchester College

Order of Service:

Introit: There is no rose (Joubert)
Responses: Smith
Psalm: 25 (Turle)
First Lesson: Isaiah 39
Office Hymn: Come thou long expected Jesus (Cross of Jesus)
Canticles: Collegium Regale (Howells)
Second Lesson: Matthew 17: 14-21
Anthem: Es ist ein ros entsprungen (arr. Sandström)
Benedictus: Stanford in C


Organ Voluntary: Fuga sopra il Magnificat BWV 733 (Bach)


Organist: David Newsholme
Director of Chapel Music: Malcolm Archer

[Magnificat]

Love the introit - a little gem.

Can't stand the Sandstrom arrangement of es ist ein ros entsprungen. All that hummng. I can't understand why anyone wants to mess around with that glorious tune just sing it.

It will be interesting to hear what MA gets out of the inexperienced back row. I am sure the boys will be first class.

[ardcarp]

"Can't stand the Sandstrom arrangement of es ist ein ros entsprungen"

That was my first reaction when it was thrust in front of me for the first time. I have to say, however, that some audiences are captivated by it, so one has to admit that it's a novel and effective idea.

[DracoM]

"Live from Winchester College"

This banner appears at the head of the current Radio 3 schedule listing for this service.

It isn't 'live'.

It is, to use the BBC's favourite wriggle 'as live'. I am given to understand that actually it is a recording made earlier in the term.

I do object to this sleight of hand, but.........

...........if I had been a bit more on the ball - and I apologise about this - and nahing anyway some knowledge about school/college terms etc, I should have twigged a bit earlier and thus realised earlier that there was unlikely to be a public school in the country putting on such a traditional CE for 'live' transmission this week of all weeks.

Almost all of them break up this week, and as such, their choirs are all most likely to be doing full-on Christmas / Advent services for their own parents / students etc.

Mea culpa.

[DracoM]

Nice, rounded, pretty confident treble sound, some very good tenors and lots of energy, and an excellent soloist in Coll Reg, plus one [?] intrepid stratospheric treble in the final seconds of the anthem

I imagine the two trickiest bits were the unaccompanied intoned Lord’s Prayer – must be a listening DoM’s nightmare if he feels the pitch waver, unable to do anything about it knowing that more than likely the organ is about to come in for the next set of responses. And, of course, the unaccompanied Sandström, with its mix of static and subtly shifting textures. All singers need strong nerves when things are changing almost in microtones round you. A very testing and rewarding piece for a young choir – I know some do not share that opinion.

I like my Coll Reg a bit quicker than that. Just felt that everyone was possibly hanging on a bit, but scrupulous observation and disciplined execution of the Howells expression marks were refreshing.

I liked the intimacy of the sound picture we got from the Chapel too. Made it seem like a real occasion.

[jean]

Can't stand the Sandstrom arrangement of es ist ein ros entsprungen.

Never heard it before; am not in a great hurry to hear it again.

[DracoM]

Jean

It is actually better 'live' than heard via radio.

I suspect that maybe a bigger acoustic than Winchester College Chapel might have been his intention i.e. the sounds hang and combine and wreath around each other like incense rising?

The less resonant the acoustic, the less magic it has. Wonder if Liverpool Anglican had ever tried it? You could take it very slowly in that huge space.

[ardcarp]

The less resonant the acoustic, the less magic it has

Yes I agree with that, as evidenced by the rather sudden and unfulfilling ending we got. It definitely needs to hang around a bit. I don't actually think the piece is that difficult. To bring it off, maybe it is; but in terms of the dots it remains tonally very static. Not at all like (for instance) Jonathan Harvey where suddenly the ground shifts under your feet.

Nice normal psalms, btw.

[Tevot]

Just listening to "es ist ein ros..." I thought it worked very well! In my ignorance I didn't know that Michael Praetorius is credited with the theme. It is a lovely tune...though yes perhaps the 'up-tempo' versions travel better :-)

Best Wishes,

Tevot

[ilikewillis]

Bit disappointing considering it was 15th evening....I suppose you can't have everything.

[Op. XXXIX]

Just listening to "es ist ein ros..." I thought it worked very well!

Finally a moment to give the service a listen. (We all know how busy the holidays are ) No problem with the Sandstrom -I rather enjoyed it- but throw in Col Reg and all bets are off.

[ardcarp]

I wonder if any organophiles would care to comment on the Winchester College organ...and in particular its sounds in the Howells?

[ardcarp]

Sorry...that repetion of the final word was a mistake, and in no way intended to be derogatory.

[Simon]

An excellent service in almost every way, for me, albeit that I agree with the above comments about the acoustic and the anthem. Just what a CE should be - and wonderful as always to hear those sublime BCP words at the start. My only quibble would be that a few more strong trebles on Dec would have ensured a better balance - but it may have been the miking down there.

If one could distil Howells, I think that one would come up with Coll Reg. We liked the Gloucester too, but Coll Reg was always the Howells favourite. The Gloria is awesome.

Thanks to all at Coll for (IMO) one of the best of the year!

[Lizzie]

I really enjoyed the whole service on LA in the library and found it very personal and spiritual in content and sound. Perhaps because it IS a smaller acoustic than I'm used to.

First time I've heard the Sandstrom and must admit I absolutely loved it. A very mystical sound for me andwould love to hear it again in the dark, surrounded by candlelight.

Thank you all for a very spiritual experience.
Best. Liz

"Can't stand the Sandstrom arrangement of es ist ein ros entsprungen"

That was my first reaction when it was thrust in front of me for the first time. I have to say, however, that some audiences are captivated by it, so one has to admit that it's a novel and effective idea.