The Choir: Gabriel Jackson is interviewed by Aled Jones

[DracoM]

Now there's an interesting conjunction?

Anyone hear it?

[mopsus]

One sign of Gabriel J's success is the need to specify the canticles as being composed by Francis Jackson in a recent broadcast. Not so long ago it would have been just Jackson in G.

[decantor]

Now there's an interesting conjunction? Anyone hear it?

Yes - of course. Hearing the composer speak is often informative - the source of and reason for his texts, for example, or his attitude to tradition and commissions. But I think any composer struggles to elucidate his own music: presumably, if the ideas could be expressed in words, he would not have troubled to notate them. Even so, GJ managed to conjure some sort of verbal picture of what he had in mind. At least the programme did not stint on full-length samples of his work - his Airplane Cantata, for instance, and the startling declamation written for the Pope's visit. (Another measure of GJ's success is that a Google for the poet, Robin Bell, who provided one of his texts brings up more of GJ's setting than the poetry.)

Earlier in the afternoon we'd heard GJ's latest BBC Singers' commission, the a capella Choral Symphony. I lack the competence to offer a review of a work lasting almost half an hour - it was varied, vivid, and very virtuosic - but it was a great ride. The Singers were on splendid form, but I would personally single out the soloists - especially the tenor, mezzo, and soprano - as being superb in this context.

[Wolsey]

One sign of Gabriel J's success is the need to specify the canticles as being composed by Francis Jackson in a recent broadcast. Not so long ago it would have been just Jackson in G.

Nicholas Jackson (sometime Organist of St David's Cathedral) is also a composer, so the use of the forename is even more essential nowadays.

[underthecountertenor]

One sign of Gabriel J's success is the need to specify the canticles as being composed by Francis Jackson in a recent broadcast. Not so long ago it would have been just Jackson in G.

Really, mopsus? I don't think so. Standard BBC practice has, so far as I know, always, and quite properly, been to announce that 'the canticles are sung to the setting in [key] by [full name]'. I have never heard an announcer say, for example, 'the canticles are Jackson in G.'

[mopsus]

I was thinking of the Radio Times listings rather than announcements on air.

[BBMmk2]

BBC Singerson 'great form'? Hmmm,

[Gabriel Jackson]

BBC Singerson 'great form'? Hmmm,

There's no "Hmmm" about it - they were sensational!