CE Bristol Cathedral 21st March

[DracoM]

CE Bristol Cathedral


Order of Service:


Introit: Timor et Tremor (Poulenc)
Responses: Rose
Psalms: 11, 12, 13 (Kelway, Crotch, Battishill)
First Lesson: Jeremiah 13: 20-27
Office Hymn: Forgive us when our deeds ignore (Bow Brickhill)
Canticles: Collegium Magdalenae Oxoniense (Leighton)
Second Lesson: 1 Peter 1:17 – 2: 3
Anthem: May God shield you on every step (David Bedford) ('Choirbook for the Queen' - first performance)
Final hymn: All my hope on God is founded (Michael)



Organ Voluntary: For the Iron Voice (Philip Wilby)



Paul Walton (Assistant Organist)
Mark Lee (Director of Music)

[Vile Consort]

Hopefully we will get the whole of the voluntary on this occasion!

[Finzi4ever]

Hopefully we will get the whole of the voluntary on this occasion!

Don't we always these days? Or is this a reference to a specific occasion?

[DracoM]

Reminder: today @ 3.30 p.m.

[DracoM]

Incidentally, the BBC claim that the anthem receives its 'first performance'. It doesn't. As far as I can see, the Cathedral choir sang it yesterday in Evensong. It IS, however, the first BROADCAST performance.

Actually they did a dress rehearsal for both canticles and anthem yesterday in their regular Evensong. Canny planning.

[gainasbass]

On Saturday they sang the Leighton Mag and Nunc and did the Poulenc as the anthem.

[Vile Consort]

Don't we always these days? Or is this a reference to a specific occasion?

The latter. The first performance of the work was given from a copy with a sheet missing.

[DracoM]

Quite neat and disciplined singing. Poulenc was an auspicious start, then spirited Leighton.

The Bedford anthem started well. 'Aha!', I thought, 'I can hear this being sung in a number of churches etc', and THEN it went very uncomfortably stratospheric, the top line tried wrestling it to the ground not entirely in control, and it seemed to me then that only a very few choirs apart from the very toppest class would give it a shot merely based on the skyrocketing of a few bars. Hey ho. Hope I'm proved wrong.

Loved the Wilby - very finely played.

[terratogen]

No dead acoustic here. Well-sung and even tremendous-sounding in places. Apart from the sometimes sturm und drang-y introit and the psalms—which today included a bleak favourite of mine—this service didn't feel all too dramatically Lenten... but that could just be in comparison to a St Thomas Evensong from a few days back. One way or the other, I hardly mind; I loved the Poulenc, which was new to me and which I intend to seek out, and David Bedford's new commission felt, in some ways and in some places, almost like a welcome to spring.

Am I right in thinking that Bristol's choristers begin singing with the cathedral choir two to three years later than is typical, thanks to Bristol Cathedral Choir School's current lack of a primary school? I wonder if and how that impacts recruitment efforts, training, and the eventual sound of the choir. Not that I can complain based on today's broadcast. Well done, everyone at Bristol!

[french frank]

Am I right in thinking that Bristol's choristers begin singing with the cathedral choir two to three years later than is typical, thanks to Bristol Cathedral Choir School's current lack of a primary school?

I don't think that's so. Probationers are recruited from local primary schools and two are given a place at the school each year.

But BCCS (now an Academy) is applying to open a primary school.

[terratogen]

I don't think that's so. Probationers are recruited from local primary schools and two are given a place at the school each year.

But BCCS (now an Academy) is applying to open a primary school.

Thanks, French Frank. I didn't think that sounded right; I must have misunderstood BCCS's literature, which seemed to suggest that any primary school child can audition to start a probationership for Year 5 (age 9) and that successful probationers can then audition for special entry into BCCS—and thus into the Cathedral Choir—for Year 7 (age 11). But that seems like quite a late start when it's considered that some choirs hear prospective choristers as early as Year 2.

[french frank]

Thanks, French Frank. I didn't think that sounded right; I must have misunderstood BCCS's literature, which seemed to suggest that any primary school child can audition to start a probationership for Year 5 (age 9) and that successful probationers can then audition for special entry into BCCS—and thus into the Cathedral Choir—for Year 7 (age 11). But that seems like quite a late start when it's considered that some choirs hear prospective choristers as early as Year 2.

Hmm, well I'm not sure that you haven't stated the position correctly (sorry, I thought you were saying that at Year 7 they just hoped suitable children would apply)! In fact, it isn't clear that the probationers participate in services ('They participate in a reduced timetable of singing, joining the Cathedral Choristers on certain weekdays and alternate weekends'). Being both an acacemy specialising in music and a 'faith school' they more or less have latitude to take in any of the probationers - and others - at Year 7 (looking up the latest news, I think they can take up to 8 on the faith criterion; there will also be the music places, not limited to potential choristers).

Obviously, if they're allowed to open a primary Free School they will be much better placed to give the children full training from a younger age. So you were right in saying that they don't (as yet) enter the full choir at 8 or 9.

[DracoM]

Poor Bristol! No one else wanting to talk about their singing?
NO repeat on Sunday, btw.

[Magnificat]

The cathedral site states that the choir consists of 14 boys, 14 girls and 10 men.

The music list doesn't state whether it was boys and men or girls and men or all forces. It would be nice to know to whom we are listening then our comments would be better informed.

VCC

[DracoM]

I'm assuming both boys and girls singing. Certainly what it sounded like
But given my track record, don't hold your breath.........................