BBC Singers live from St Paul's, Knightsbridge

[Roger Judd]

Yes, I did enjoy the music. Like you, AM, I listened because the Singers performed music that was largely unfamiliar to me, and I'm very pleased that I did, and I'm grateful to them. As with most concerts broadcast live, there are bound to be moments which don't go quite as one might wish, and which in a recording studio would be re-made. Last night's concert was no exception - as you say, there was one quartet which did sound uncomfortable, but none of the little blemishes spoilt the broadcast for me - the music won through. Would a specialist group singing this repertoire have increased my pleasure? Well, I'm not sure.
RJ

[Alison]

What a good read! Fascinating thread.

Simon gone a bit quiet on St Paul's.

[Roehre]

Yes, I did enjoy the music. Like you, AM, I listened because the Singers performed music that was largely unfamiliar to me, and I'm very pleased that I did, and I'm grateful to them. As with most concerts broadcast live, there are bound to be moments which don't go quite as one might wish, and which in a recording studio would be re-made. Last night's concert was no exception - as you say, there was one quartet which did sound uncomfortable, but none of the little blemishes spoilt the broadcast for me - the music won through. Would a specialist group singing this repertoire have increased my pleasure? Well, I'm not sure.
RJ

It was the programmed music which did attract me to listen.
Though I have got some reservations whether the BBC singers are the "best choice" in this repertoire (see my comment below) I thought it a concert worth listening to. Rather rare repertoire, and for me it's the music that comes first (hence I hardly have more than one or two recordings of any one work in my collection - going for perfection is IMHO hunting the Holy Grale)

[Simon]

http://www.stpaulsknightsbridge.org
This is where the concert in question took place.


Erm, Simon, I've been wondering in reading your posts if we are we talking the right St Paul's?

Thanks D. Yes, I saw the heading at the top of the first post.

But I confess I've never been to this place, and I don't know if it actually a chucrh type building or not, so my comment about the big acoustic was perhaps foolish - it may be as dry as Lichfield, for all I know! I just assumed that it was a church and churches often have quite good acoustics that show off groups quite well. Sorry.

As regards my "choir" comment, it was a throwaway that would have been better with a wink after it.

[Caussade]

Thanks D. Yes, I saw the heading at the top of the first post.

But I confess I've never been to this place, and I don't know if it actually a chucrh type building or not, so my comment about the big acoustic was perhaps foolish - it may be as dry as Lichfield, for all I know! I just assumed that it was a church and churches often have quite good acoustics that show off groups quite well. Sorry.

As regards my "choir" comment, it was a throwaway that would have been better with a wink after it.

It's not notably dry, nor particularly resonant - wooden ceiling and wooden panelling in the chancel, quite a bit of carpeting. But it is, given its position about 2 minutes from Hyde Park Corner, unusually quiet... http://www.stpaulsknightsbridge.org/...-architecture/ - and it is by common consent one of the most beautiful Victorian churches in the capital. If you're ever passing you should drop in, it's lovely.

[Old Grumpy]

Interesting thread indeed. As a non-muscian (amateur or professional) I am one of those who would hesitate to comment on certain aspects of performance. I greatly enjoyed the music, but do find some sympathy with some of the comments earlier in this thread. The singers have slightly too much vibrato for my liking (but what do I know?). Agree the quartet item left a bit to be desired.

OG

[Simon]

I greatly enjoyed the music, but do find some sympathy with some of the comments earlier in this thread. The singers have slightly too much vibrato for my liking (but what do I know?). Agree the quartet item left a bit to be desired.

OG

What do you know OG? If I may say so, it's not a question of what you know or don't know. Your opinion is valid because you listened, you assessed against experience, and you made your call.
You don't need to be an expert to have a valid opinion. Many "experts" have been proved over time to have been completely wrong about many things - give me an intelligent amateur in many cases, for a useful take on a subject.


For example, you don't need to be an architect, a builder or an expert in construction to know that this

http://tracontracon.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/brunel-university-lecture-centre.html

is a grotesquely unpleasant structure, whereas this

http://www.britannia.com/church/studies/gloscath.html

is one of the loveliest buildings in the world.

[Flosshilde]

Originally Posted by mercia

should we really be surprised if a composer/musician strenuously comes to the defense of his/her colleagues/friends when they come under attack [and can't speak for themselves] ?

Good heavens, no. But they could speak for themselves, if they wanted.

Yes - they are not the Queen.

[ardcarp]

You never know...HM might be one of our closet members.

[Gabriel Jackson]

I'd like to make a general point about this Forum, if I may be so bold. EVERYONE'S opinion is very welcome here. Members include lots of 'amateurs de musique' (in the French sense) many who are or have been involved in practical music making at various levels, and a few who are well-known in their field. It is very good to have the latter group as part of our online community as they can offer useful inside knowledge and valuable insights. I remember, for instance, when Rob Cowan used to contribute regularly to the old BBC forum. And it is great to have Catherine Bott contributing to both The Choir and The Early Music Show Forums. But being a bit of a celeb does not carry with it the right to esteem personal opinions more highly than anyone else's...and I'm sure most celebs don't. We have to be very careful not to intimidate the many, many Forum members who would like to post up their thoughts here but feel worried about having their comments rubbished. I repeat, this Forum is for the opinions and discussions of all its members.

It is not opinions that are the problem - we all have opinions, likes and dislikes, views about this performance or that by this group or that. What is both boring (because it's repetitive) and inappropriate is the ill-informed pontificating about the BBC Singers, especially, which seems to be a stock-in-trade of certain people here. Simon and i are not always in agreement, though there seems to have been something of a rapprochement recently(!) but he is right - if you don't enjoy the work of the BBC Singers, fine, get over it; either don't listen or, at least, spare us the in-depth "factual" analysis which, on most counts, is wrong, plain and simple.

[Gabriel Jackson]

You make good points, Alain.

Indeed!

[chrisjstanley]

One of the "other" choirs at St Paul's Knightsbridge is of course the St Paul's Knightsbridge Festival Choir

http://www.spkfc.com/

which performs three concerts a year and rehearses at St Stephens Church Hall near to Gloucester Road. Very handy for RCM boys and girls I'm sure.

The church itself is a gem sheltered from the noisy A4 by the Berkeley Hotel and just down the road from Harvey Nicks and Harrods, and a little further from The Oratory and the dreaded HTB happy clappies.

bws
Chris S