Mozart from Eton College 5th Jan 2011

[DracoM]

Eton College Chapel 5.i.Xl
The Rodolfus Choir

First Vespers of the Epiphany
Mozart's Vesperae Solennes de Confessore K 339

Introit: Venite populi K 260 (248a) (Mozart)
Psalms: Dixit Dominus; Confitebor Tibi; Beatus vir; Laudate pueri; Laudate Dominum (Mozart)
Lesson: Isaiah 49: 1-7
Hymn: Why impious Herod (Veni redemptor)
Magnificat (Mozart)
Hymn: Brightest and best (Liebster Immanuel)


Organ Voluntary: Fantasia in F minor K 608 (Mozart)

Tom Winpenny (Organist)
Ralph Allwood (Director of Music)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Now that's what I call a thoughtful and creative way of "using" the Mozartfest. It will be my first day back at work after Christmas and the service will accompany me home.

[BBMmk2]

I do love the Fantasia and Fugue in F minor K608. One of the few Mozart pieces I like.

[ardcarp]

Bbm. If you like minor key Mozart, you mst surely rate Pamina's G minor aria from Die Zauberflote or the first movement of the G minor Symphony (No. 40) ? Like some bits of the Requiem, these are really soul-searching...or the C minor piano concerto K491...or...well the list goes on. I wonder if any other bits of tomoroow's 'CE' will touch the spot?

[ardcarp]

I've always known the Fantasia in F minor K608 as being 'for mechanical organ'. I've been trying to read an article by A. Hyatt King online whilst it was playing today. Alas these extracts from Musical Times allow you one page only and the print quality is so poor that I can't read it at all. Can anyone enlighten me as to what sort of 'mechanical organ' this piece was written for? It must have been some gadget to have coped with a work of this complexity..and I must say I have my doubts as to whether pinned barrel or paper roll technology could cope with it now, let alone then. Is the version we hear played nowadays for manuals and pedals arranged by anyone well-known? It's a piece that I've never had a bash at personally.

I'm aware that today's theme had to be 'Mozart', but I'm not sure that the beefy Romantic organ at Eton was ideal. IMHO the first section was played a little too fast for the instrument and for the acoustic...though maybe limited time came into it.

I'm sure others will have comments about the singing.

[Simon]

One of the pro organists will help with that ardcarp, I'm sure. I've never played it either.

I'm sure you're right about the venue. I had my doubts that this would work and in the event, I don't think it did, unfortunately.

One of the problems was trying to put together what I see as a rather artificial collection of music, the other was that Rodolfus - as comprised today anyway - didn't succeed with the whole variety. It was good to hear some of the less frequently performed pieces - Confitebor Tibi, for instance - and some parts of some of them worked. But despite a few rather nice bits - particularly the a cappella parts - overall, the whole thing came over as patchy, incompetent and sounded to me like an under-rehearsed mess. The miking was appalling - I expect everybody noticed the gradual turn up in the last hymn - the balance was way out, especially with the Laudate soloist, and choir and organ were on occasions not together. What should have been a seamless delight was not - and if that's what they sound like, then I for one shan't be buying their delayed Howells CD - why the delay, I wonder? Better in any case to leave Howells to a men/boys cathedral outfit, surely?

[ardcarp]

Better in any case to leave Howells to a men/boys cathedral outfit, surely?

If you want a new-ish recording of Howells' Coll Reg Te Deum, try The Temple Church's latest offering The Majesty of Thy Glory on Signum Classics. This choir sings Mattins as its main weekly offering, so it sounds to the manner born, as does Elgar's Te Deum from Op 34. The other offerings on the disc are Purcell's Te Deum in D, Purcell's My Beloved Spake, and Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb. Begin with the Howells if you want to be impressed.

[jean]

Was it my imagination, or did the announcer speak of Vespers for THE confessor rather than A confessor, thus giving the impression that Mozart was writing in honour of our own dear King Edward rather than a whole category of saints?

[Finzi4ever]

A bit of a 'college try' this one: sadly many of the verse/solo voices were too young or undertrained to cope with the severe demands made on them by this (sometimes over-)complex music. I have to admit I am finding 12 days of Mozart rather cloying. I didn't feel the same with the Bach or Beethoven fests.

[ardcarp]

sadly many of the verse/solo voices were too young or undertrained to cope with the severe demands made on them by this

I wonder how the youngsters from NCO will cope with the Requiem, live, next Wednesday?

[Finzi4ever]

Readily, I'd imagine.

[Simon]

The Requiem's a different matter. Far less difficult for the main choir than some of these pieces - and haven't they brought in pro soloists? Plus, the chances are that they've already sung it a few times - I remember the first time we did it: only a couple of the seniors, of whom I wasn't one then, had sung it before, but we had it cracked in less than a month, and that was in addition to all the other stuff for regular services. But we'll see.

[ardcarp]

I wonder exactly why the Beeb decided not to repeat Wednesday's CE from Eton this Sunday? Hope this isn't the thin end of a wedge.

[Simon]

No, it's cos it's the Mozart celebration. Does happen occasionally, if you recall, around major festivals or similar.

[ardcarp]

Oh I see, like Easter or Christmas....