CE Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford 7th March 2012

[Finzi4ever]

I like it because it gives a geographical and sometimes historical context to the service we're about to hear. I even enjoy it when, as yesterday, it relates to a place I already know well, though obviously it's even more valuable in the case of somewhere I've never visited.

I also appreciated what some on this board felt to be extraneous commentary during the service from Manchester last month, especially the bit about the psalms just prior to them being sung.
The part of the broadcast that I do sometimes feel I'd gladly dispense with is the organ voluntary at the end, if (and only if) the chosen piece seems totally out of sympathy with what has gone before - but I know this is often a highlight for other MBers so I won't be agitating for its removal just yet!

You really know how to rattle a few cages!!!

[Miles Coverdale]

For me, the main argument against the travelogue is that it serves to highlight the fact that you're listening to Evensong turned into a broadcast, rather than a broadcast of Evensong.

[Finzi4ever]

Spot on!

[Finzi4ever]

I felt that boys' sound was very good, especially in view of the acoustic - the best it's been in some time. Either I'm just getting used to it, or the masively mannered lengthened penultimate psalm syllable per quarter has been reined in a bit. How does it now compare with NCO? While there was plenty of gutsy singing appropriate for the 'Dicin' wiv Death', it just doesn't work with that squeaks & f*rts Austrian Rieger. (That really was one of the worst travesties of the late 70s, neo-classical revival, despite its better-fitting case.)
I too liked the Pott set, but will need to spend longer on the FG anthem before forming any opinion.

[ardcarp]

There must be something in the Oxford water supply that causes weird psalm mannerisms. Also something that causes college organists to lose all sense when planning new organs. If you want to accompany the Anglican liturgy AND play Bach and Buxtehude in wacky temperaments, then you need two organs.

[Chris Watson]

Well said Ardcarp. Although the Magdalen psalms are jolly good now. But those organs! I've never heard the New College one sound pleasant in any repertoire, and only enjoyed the Magdalen one in baroque stuff. Ch Ch does baroque, and German and French romantic, pretty well, apart from some reeds that sound like dying ducks (though in Stevie Farr and David Goode we were blessed with two assistant organists who managed to make the instrument sound wonderful in voluntaries when I was there in the 90s). But singing against it was a horrible experience, particularly having come to Oxford from Durham. Yuk. Happily, Keble have just got a new instrument that looks like it was actually designed to do the job its required to do most of the time, and the one that's coming to Merton in a couple of years looks rather exciting.

[DracoM]

Peter Phillips pushing for it, no doubt.

[Gabriel Jackson]

Peter Phillips pushing for it, no doubt.

Peter isn't the organist on the Merton music staff...

[paul duggan2]

Peter Phillips pushing for it, no doubt.

Ben Nicholas i/c all things organ at Merton

[Chris Watson]

And most things choir, too. He's been appointed full time D of M from next year. Peter directs 4 of the 16 services a term.

[paul duggan2]

And most things choir, too. He's been appointed full time D of M from next year. Peter directs 4 of the 16 services a term.

Choir certainly sounding on top form

[VodkaDilc]

A very prayerful atmosphere and beautifully sung - lovely choral balance, but not over-homogenised with lots of nice detail from all voices, and the latest Pott Preces & Responses (pub. Shorter House) are very nice indeed. That acoustic is so revealing and they are clearly masters of it!

I did not hear it all last week, so made a point of listening today. I agree with Simon: a wonderfully controlled service with a choir and director who know the acoustic well. I used to go there often during Grier's time and was not surprised that his piece suited the choir and the organ so well. But why so much carping about the wonderful organ?

[Chris Watson]

No carping. Just a well reasoned comment from Ardcarp to suggest that it wasn't well designed for its primary purpose (which I don't think that it was) and one from me to say that four years of singing against its shrill mixtures and thin reeds was not entirely pleasant (which it wasn't!).

[DracoM]

I remember being in a pub once and hearing a previous DoM at CCCO regaling the company with his thoughts on the organ. Only I don't think he used the word 'organ' exactly.

[paul duggan2]

I remember being in a pub once and hearing a previous DoM at CCCO regaling the company with his thoughts on the organ. Only I don't think he used the word 'organ' exactly.

It's not great for accompanying but is a superb instrument nevertheless.