Choral Prayer Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral October 17th 2012

[DracoM]

Choral Prayer Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
Feast of St Ignatius of Antioch



Order of Service:



Organ Prelude: Lento (Marian Sawa)
Introit: A new song (James MacMillan)
Responses: Philip Duffy
Hymn: Lord Jesus, when you dwelt on earth (Jesu, dulcis memoria)
Psalms: 15, 112 (Bevenot, Mawby)
New Testament Canticle: Revelation 15: 3-4
New Testament Reading: 1 Peter 5: 1-11
Motet: Joy at the Sound (Roxanna Panufnik - Choirbook for the Queen)
Homily: The Most Rev. Patrick Kelly, Archbishop of Liverpool
Magnificat (Pachelbel)
Final Hymn: Praise to the Holiest (Billing)
Marian motet: Ave Maria (Mervyn Cousins)



Organ Voluntary: Fast Dance (Iain Farrington)


Organist: Richard Lea
Director of Music: Christopher McElroy

[DracoM]

BTW, 'A New Song' / MacMillan is on today's Choral Evensong from St Thomas Fifth Ave, NYC live from 9 p.m. tonight online [Sunday, 14th Oct] along with the Leighton Magdalene Coll Canticles

[jean]

I wondered why you'd called the service Choral Prayer when the usual designation of post-Vatican II sub-Vespers is Choral Evening Prayer.

But I see Radio Times calls it Choral Evensong.

I heard this choir sing the Roxanna Panufnik in a concert a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was a fine piece.

[DracoM]

Whatever the proper title is, reminder today @ 3.30 p.m.

[Simon]

All this, and Kelly in his Wigwam too!

[ardcarp]

'A New Song' / MacMillan

I just can't get enthusiastic about this piece. I sang it when (or soon after) it was first published, and I found the 'tune' naive and the runny organ bit, well, trivial. But I don't want to spoil anyone's fun, so....hope you enjoy it!

[DracoM]

Bits of that service really annoyed - or maybe the BBC's listings or lack of them - really annoyed. Several psalms, fragments etc were apparently unlisted, or maybe I was just too stupid to know what followed what as we dodged from English to Latin and back, pieces were apparently interrupted by prayers - why? - and if not, then what was I listening to? There was some extraordinary sound balancing going on. And as for that organ! Decent player, shame about the instrument.

Yes, I do know it is an exceptionally tricky building to mike for. What they do not have in the cathedral, unlike in more trad shaped churches, is some kind of back wooden etc wall behind the choir which can resonate the sound more gratefully. The choir stalls are surrounded 360 degrees by great empty spaces. The boys tried like heck, as did the altos, but were inclined to be a tad shrill some of the time and there were intonation probs, maybe they were striving to get to be heard over the top of the organ? Whatever, I just found myself longing for the organ to stop so we could hear them all singing unaccompanied.

To my surprise, the MacMillan was the best thing in it - boys really starred here - while the Panufnik was for me so-so, bit shapeless, yes, lots for everybody to do, thus effective, but will it be much heard again, even if it is in the Choirbook for the Queen. ? Dunno. Pachelbel was tuneful and allows all parts to shine.

Sorry if I come over as grumpily ungrateful, but much of the time I just didn't know what i was listening to and that made it a rather inchoate experience. The cathedral's own website nowhere listed the detailed contents of the service either.

[VodkaDilc]

I found it all very enjoyable. MacMillan's choral music really works in the lush acoustic of the great RC cathedrals - it sounded stunning in FM sound! Enjoyable organ music at each end of the service - and some meticulous timing, ending at 4.29!

[Magnificat]

I found it all very enjoyable. MacMillan's choral music really works in the lush acoustic of the great RC cathedrals - it sounded stunning in FM sound! Enjoyable organ music at each end of the service - and some meticulous timing, ending at 4.29!

VodkaDilc,

I listened on FM too but found the acoustic just too overwhelming most of the time.

The choir did their best with a totally uninspiring liturgy I thought.

Iv'e said it before but I do think the RC cathedral choirs should, for these broadcasts, treat their congregations ( it would also be a nice ecumenical gesture) to a glorious BCP choral evensong. There can't be any dogmatic objection and even the Archbishop in his homily referred to the service as Evensong.

Liverpool Met seem to have a different DoM every time they broadcast!!

VCC.

[Simon]

I found it all very enjoyable. MacMillan's choral music really works in the lush acoustic of the great RC cathedrals - it sounded stunning in FM sound! Enjoyable organ music at each end of the service ...

If we can get back to the service, I agree fully with VodkaD. I thought it was a great choice of music and a good blend with the spoken parts too. The top line wasn't as tonally blended as it was at High Noon, but no doubt that's due mainly to changes. I thought they sang with great fervour and made an excellent job, in my opinion, of everything they attempted - especially that glorious MacMillan, which IMO is a masterpiece. Not convinced by Panufnik - apart from the first section it was pleasant enough, but seemed to miss its way somewhere. Not due to choir but to composer. Great organ top and tail too.

I had to listen in the car, and it was one of the most enjoyable CE hours from start to finish that I've heard for a long time. Absolutely no complaints at all. Thanks to all involved.

[french frank]

The sideshow has been moved here, for those who wish to continue the discussion.

[Simon]

Thanks ff. I was about to request that.

As regards VCCs comments, I don't think I agree really. I quite enjoy the occasional variation from the normal CE - and if the music is as interesting as (I found) this today, then why not?!

[ardcarp]

I quite enjoy the occasional variation from the normal CE - and if the music is as interesting as (I found) this today, then why not?!

So do I; and I've just listened to it at last on i-player. As is the custom, each psalm was topped and tailed with an antiphon, but I agree with Draco it was a little odd to have a said prayer in between them. I can't quite agree with Draco (sorry!) about the organ. OK it's not from the Willis/Harrison tradition, but it has plenty of good foundation stops for accompanying, and has plenty of fire in its belly (prompt speech and open-sounding reeds) when a bit of welly is needed. It was, IMO, magnificently played, and I thought the final voluntary was splendid.

Despite my comments (#6) about MacMillan's New Song it did suit the choir well, and it was sung with a sense of space suited to the acoustics. I think the trebles did a sterling job, and were best when 'going for it'. There was a slight tendency to sing slightly under the note in quieter moments and it was probably wise to have most things supported by the organ. The final unacc. ATB motet stayed in pitch.

I've always enjoyed R3's visits to LMC (I won't use the other name!) and this was no exception.

[jean]

I am sure the last time we has a Choral Vespers (that's what the announcer said, and I think the Archbishop called it that too) the use of antiphons was explained on this board. It was odd to have prayers between the Psalms, but they did not 'interrupt' them.

The spoken parts of the service are in English, but some texts are sung in Latin. That shouldn't be too difficult to follow. I love a full-scale Latin Vespers myself, but they're hard to come by these days, except at Brompton Oratory.

I do like the organ, but I don't have enough technical knowledge to be able to say why. And Richard Lea is far more than a merely decent organist!

[Organum]

Well done Liverpool; some good vibrant singing and enunciation; the top line has a tendency towards flatness in their upper register but apart from that, very well done. As to the music, the MacMillan came over very well, as did the Magnificat. I can't honestly say that the Panufnik has much to commend it; well sung on the whole with some good solo parts, but for me the piece just doesn't make any sense. Well done too to Mr Lea for organ accompaniments and voluntary.