Songs Of Praise

[Guest]

S.O.P. came to our church a while ago. The choir spent weeks/months preparing a special repertoir and making sure they were at the peak of performance for their big moment, only to find out at the last minute that the BBC were bringing their own choir to be filmed - in our church!

(Whats more, whilst no-one said anything, it was quite apparent that they had chosen a choir that, how shall we say, conveyed an image of our parish that was more acceptible to the BBC, if you get my drift)

Not just the choir, everyone was expecting a look in, from the toddlers group to the bellringers. We smouldered beneath our smiles. Only the chief padre got any camera time.

In fact, on the following day (sunday), the vicar gave one of his best services, and the choir and musicians played the best i've ever heard them; and as soon as it was over, the cameras rolled out to finish the show. 'Show' being the appropriate word. Its all for show.

Furthermore, there was no toddler group that day, as the crew had left so much discarded catering all over the nursery, there wasnt time to clear it. Sorry children.


Has anyone else had a similar experience from Aled Jones and his entourage?



or roger royle?


or thora hird?






harry secombe?

[ardcarp]

Anyone who's had experience of a TV programme being made (be it about schools, gardens, churches, choirs...anything) will know that what comes out at the end is what the producer wants to come out, and will be tailored (to put it mildly) to fit in with his/her pre-conceived ideas. Of the hours of 'footage' that are shot, most of it ends up on the cutting-room (albeit these days metaphorical) floor. Interviews will be included or not, and those that are will not be shown complete; indeed bits will be used that do not necessarily match what the interviewee was trying to say. To be fair to Aled, he's just a front man and probably has little or no say in how the programme will turn out. I dare say participants in the current BBC Young Musician will be seething about what was shown as compared with what actually happened. Everything just has to be packaged and gift-wrapped these days.

A long time has elapsed since Songs of Praise was recorded 'live' and trnsmitted without interference! I took part in one in the early 70s and that's the way it was done then, warts and all (including one of my warts )

[mangerton]

I'm sorry to hear of your unhappy experience, ok. I have heard similar tales about recent SoP.

I took part in quite a few SoP many years ago. The first was in 1970 - recorded in the BBC's Glasgow studios in monochrome. I sang in others between then and c 1980, some from the studio, and a good number from churches. In those days they were done differently. Now they record a sound take, and the singers then mime as the cameras are moved about. Recent discussions on KCC refer to the procedure. Then sound and vision were done together, as live, and both had to be right, or a retake was required. The OB crews were employed by the BBC then and were the professionals that you would expect. We didn't have big "names" introducing the programmes; on one occasion a choir member did the links.

Changed days indeed, but not for the better.

[old khayyam]

To Ardcarp: Well i'm not really talking about the 'packaging' which is, as you say, what one would expect. More that i was far from alone in thinking SOP simply visited and shone a spotlight on various church-based communities around the UK. Everyone in our church thought this was the case. As explained, the choir rehearsed for their lifetime moment on TV.

So when Aled says 'today we are visiting St Suchlike in Countyshire', be aware that the choir and most of the people you see are nothing to do with that church, which is simply providing a venue for the BBC to present a show.

In fact I think this provides an opening for a programme that does indeed simply film services from a different church each week..

[old khayyam]

the singers then mime as the cameras are moved about

Thats truly terrible. It seems i dont know the half of it. But likewise, neither do most people.

[french frank]

More that i was far from alone in thinking SOP simply visited and shone a spotlight on various church-based communities around the UK. Everyone in our church thought this was the case. As explained, the choir rehearsed for their lifetime moment on TV.

That seems much less forgiveable than inserting footage of baby polar bears as if they were part of the main filming. It's dishonest. But it doesn't surprise me.

[mopsus]

There is quite a lot of sleight of hand goes on. I've sung in services that have been broadcast 'as live' but were recorded a few days earlier. (For example, to avoid the really early start that can be required for a 'live' broadcast of the Radio 4 Sunday morning service preceded by a run-through). Presumably if some event occurs in the meantime which has be be mentioned in the prayers, a reference to it can be spliced in.
One recent TV broadcast put the Exultate Singers from Bristol in a Bath church. I think they wanted to showcase that church, which had just been redecorated. (As a corrective, there was another TV broadcast from the same church which had a choir with singers from various Bath choirs. I'm not sure what that church has in the way of its own music).

[DracoM]

Which all serves to make the excellent choirs we hear regularly on Choral Evensong even more valuable in terms of actually and faithfully representing their foundations.

[MrGongGong]

I have heard about the SOP thing from a few people I know who are involved in church music so i'm not surprised.
Though I guess its more a case of "what do you expect" ?
It's TV , it needs a "story" and if your passion isn't part of that then it's not in ..............

People expect a certain level of production values these days (read the YMOTY thread ?) so that's what is delivered I guess. Drama has "won" in terms of TV (and to a large part Radio ).

[VodkaDilc]

People expect a certain level of production values these days (read the YMOTY thread ?) so that's what is delivered I guess. Drama has "won" in terms of TV (and to a large part Radio ).

This is the main reason why I was determined to actually attend some Proms this year; they have been unbearable on television for some years and the radio gimmickry is fast catching up. I'm looking forward to sitting in the audience and excluding the broadcasters' "production values" altogether. (I know this is a Songs of Praise thread, but the disease is the same.)

[old khayyam]

heartbreak & hypocrisy

I suppose we are a more media-savvy crowd on here. But it has brought to light the sad fact that SOP is crusading around the country breaking the innocent hearts of the godly-minded communities it purports to represent. It has the same effect as all that Pop-Idol/X-Factor nonsense, where humble people of our nation have been duped into thinking they are entering a bonfide talent-contest based on merit alone (and that simon cowell's comments represent the balanced and constructive assessment of an industry professional).

But it is not about "drama". SOP did not attempt to bring drama to our church. They simply brought their own choir, filmed them as if they belonged there, and left the children's playgroup like the aftermath of a party. And all they have to do is be honest about their plans in advance (explain the deceit before it is perpetrated?), and clear up after themselves, like you would expect of any good christians.

In the end, the BBC's flagship christian programme has deceived the innocent, and desecrated a consecrated building.

[french frank]

I've sung in services that have been broadcast 'as live' but were recorded a few days earlier.

Radio 2 had such a Good Friday programme from St Paul's cathedral two or three years ago. Any impression that this was genuine involvement on the most solemn day of the Christian year was shattered by a trail for the Radio 2 Music Club, laughter, applause, bits of joshing with Mick Hucknall and Paul Gambaccini, in the middle. It was inserted on the hour between movements of Fauré's Requiem .

[Pabmusic]

All this reminds me of a friend (no longer with us) who told me as long ago as 1983 that Songs of Praise had visited his church on the IoW. My friend was one of those featured, for an interview and to choose a hymn. As with all his co-interviewees, he was presented with a BBC list of hymns, from which he had to choose one and explain why it was his favourite!