McCreesh on The Choir

[Gabriel Jackson]

I've just LA'd it. It is a wonderful piece. Why is it so rarely done?

Because it's very hard!!

[jean]

I have some memories of rehearsing it some time in the 1960s, and I remember the first part quite well, but I know we never performed it. I expect that's why!

(May I say, Gabriel, that I very much enjoyed your 40-part motet which I heard in company with the Tallis in Manchester recently.)

[Gabriel Jackson]

I have some memories of rehearsing it some time in the 1960s, and I remember the first part quite well, but I know we never performed it. I expect that's why!

(May I say, Gabriel, that I very much enjoyed your 40-part motet which I heard in company with the Tallis in Manchester recently.)

That's very kind of you, Jean! It was rather a splendid concert wasn't it?

[jean]

It was rather a splendid concert wasn't it?

It was. Robin Walker's was a fine piece, too.

I was rather sorry that Peter Philips kept all his singers grouped tightly together - at one voice to a part they all fitted easily onto the platform, but I like the way the texture of the Tallis is clarified if you can hear the music moving from choir to choir. I wondered if spreading the singers out would have benefited the other two pieces, too.

(Sorry, all a bit off topic!)

[Gabriel Jackson]

It was. Robin Walker's was a fine piece, too.

I was rather sorry that Peter Philips kept all his singers grouped tightly together - at one voice to a part they all fitted easily onto the platform, but I like the way the texture of the Tallis is clarified if you can hear the music moving from choir to choir. I wondered if spreading the singers out would have benefited the other two pieces, too.

(Sorry, all a bit off topic!)

I certainly like to hear things moving from side to side in my own piece, but experience ha also shown that if the singers are too far from each other cohesion is lost.