A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols Dec 25th 2012 2 p.m.

[ardcarp]

Great minds......

[Gabriel Jackson]

Indeed, and there have certainly been some worthwhile additions to the repertoire from Kings Commissions as you say (in terms of widespread popularity and frequency of performance, Part and Rutter by some distance I'd say)...but given the service's worldwide exposure you would perhaps think that more items would have made it into the mainstream repertoire, which was more the point I was making. It is perhaps no small coincidence that the list you give above are all rather more 'mainstream' composers (and you would join that list as well, GJ) as opposed to the likes of Tansy Davies, Dominic Muldowney and Brett Dean, who I have to confess I would otherwise not have heard of and whose commissions don't seem to be enjoying any longevity. Is it that more established composers are established for a reason (ie they write music which is 'better' or more well-received) or does the name behind the piece attract people to it? I guess this is the kind of question is what you were hinting at there.

It's certainly true that all the composers I listed (with the exception of Thomas Ades) are associated with choral music, having written plenty of it. (I think it's a bit early to judge what will happen to Tansy's piece - wasn't it only premiered in last year's service?). But Stephen Cleobury has always been clear that he wants contributions to the carol literature from composers who are not necessarily particularly involved in liturgical/choral music, which is a very good thing in my view, and there should be more of it. Brett Dean, for example, is a very successful composer on the international stage in the field of orchestral and instrumental music.

As to whether a piece enters the repertoire - yes, the existing reputation of the composer helps, of course. If it is difficult, that will hinder its widespread success. If the publisher does a good job promoting it (I am very lucky in that respect) that makes a difference. (I think Dominic Muldowney is no longer with a commercial publisher, for instance.) If people tend not to like a piece, that's a problem, of course! (Which has nothing to do with its quality - there are some very good pieces which are not popular and some dreadful ones which are!) Is the text appealing? In the conductor's judgement, are listeners likely to enjoy it? Have people even heard of the composer (Tansy Davies is well-known in her field, which is - I suspect - not yours, which is why you hadn't previously come across her)? It's complex business...!

[Gabriel Jackson]

I don't think Tavener's The Lamb was a KCC commission, but being included in their carol service made it hugely popular. Reason? Its refrain (Little lamb who made thee, etc, etc) uses very traditional harmony much repeated. The retrogradable two-part bit has a few scrunches, enough to give the piece contemporary 'cred', but not enough to frighten the horses.

Maybe this is one reason why some pieces persist and others don't...though my theory hardly applies to Harvey and Weir.

It's also a patronising theory, suggesting either cynicism on the part of the composer or gullibility on the part of listeners, or both. Perhaps a more reasonable explanation for its popularity is that it's a beautiful piece which is not very difficult.

[Philip]

I don't think Tavener's The Lamb was a KCC commission, but being included in their carol service made it hugely popular. Reason? Its refrain (Little lamb who made thee, etc, etc) uses very traditional harmony much repeated. The retrogradable two-part bit has a few scrunches, enough to give the piece contemporary 'cred', but not enough to frighten the horses.

I'm with GJ that there is a little more to it than this...the reason the piece works as a whole is the contrast between the two halves of the verses, and the way the straightforward harmony appears out of the 'scrunches'. When you look at the score the economy of notes is quite surprising, particularly how some of the phrases in the opening half are repeated and/or reversed. It is an absolutely exquisite miniature, simply pure genius. Incidentally, Tavener's commission for KCC was 'Away in a Manger' which doesn't appear to have found a wider audience, somewhat in the shadow of 'The Lamb' and 'God is with us', I guess.

As an aside to the commissions though, there is something to be said for pieces which have been 'made famous' by KCC, though they were not commissioned. 'The Lamb' is one, but I think also of things like Simon Preston's arrangement of 'I saw three ships', Mack Wilberg's 'Ding dong', and so on. I'm sure many choral directors have seen/heard pieces and then used them with their own choirs.

[ardcarp]

there is something to be said for pieces which have been 'made famous' by KCC, though they were not commissioned. 'The Lamb' is one, but I think also of things like Simon Preston's arrangement of 'I saw three ships', Mack Wilberg's 'Ding dong', and so on. I'm sure many choral directors have seen/heard pieces and then used them with their own choirs.

Phillip, I think "there is something to be said, etc...." is a HUGE understatement. Ever since Willcocls' day (and, one might add, the publication of Carols for Choirs I) KCC carol service has been a major influence on what choirs do, choirs of all types, sizes and proficency. Widening out the discussion to choral standards in the UK, it would not be too much of an exaggeration to say that KCC has been a yardstick to which many choirs and choral directors have aspired.

Maybe things have moved on a bit, and there are now many other choirs and groups with different styles and wider repertoires which can be admired and sometimes emulated. This is a good thing, and maybe what Draco says (post#9), i.e. that the KCC format is overdue for a bit of fresh air is true.

Don't think me completely bananas if I mention a carol service given by a comp which I attended a couple of nights ago. There was some good gutsy singing in a variety of styles, and accompaniments sometimes involved electric guitars, drumkit and steel pans. This may not be to everyone's taste, and it wouldn't usually be to mine, but the sense of joy with which all the kids were doing this stuff was infectious and I and Mrs Ardcarp came out imbued with a certain amount of Christmas spirit. However (and I am getting to the point) the school stuck to the traditional 9 lessons from the King James bible. These were read, or rather stumbled over, with little or no understanding on the part of readers or audience. In other words, they were entirely inappropriate to the occasion. Presumably the school felt that as the service was held in a local church the trad lessons were somehow obligatory. How much better the Christmas story could have been told had an inspired English or Drama teacher been tasked to come up with some alternative readings, and coached the kids (and staff!) to perform them with the same pazzaz given to the music.

[DracoM]

Could not agree more with that last para.
Over-reverent emulation of templates can stifle engagement and response and thus lead the template to be more important than what originally inspired it.

[Nick Armstrong]

Terrible FM reception of R4 here in central London... Atmospherics? Damp in the Fens?

Is it just us?

[Philip]

Terrible FM reception of R4 here in central London... Atmospherics? Damp in the Fens?

Is it just us?

Crystal clear through my Sky Box up here.

The Carl Vine piece sounded distinctly tricky. New Rutter to follow shortly.

I've got to abandon ship to go and play at our Crib Service. I'm assuming it will be as chaotic as usual.

[Anna]

Terrible FM reception of R4 here in central London... Atmospherics? Damp in the Fens? Is it just us?

Evidently just you Duckie, ringing out crystal clear over the hills of Wales at the moment as well .... really enjoying it as the ham cooks. Edit: And that's just on my old fashioned Roberts Radio in the kitchen on FM!

[Alison]

Just waiting for Mary to pipe up !...

[cloughie]

Just waiting for Mary to pipe up !...

Just on - In the Bleak Midwinter - Maybe done a lot but what a lovely carol it is!

[Nick Armstrong]

Just on - In the Bleak Midwinter - Maybe done a lot but what a lovely carol it is!

Wonderful.

Improvement in reception now.

Boys singing very well, beautiful blended sound. Don't like the choral scholar soloists though - mental images of bees buzzing up flues...

Let's see what Three Kings brings...

[Nick Armstrong]

Let's see what Three Kings brings...

[NHTL]

I am listening via my Sky box and IMO the sound quality is superb, the sound engineers are doing a wonderful job conveying the atmosphere of the service, crystal clear sound with a wide dynamic range. I feel everyone is on top form this year, particularly the choir - thanks to all involved.

[Alison]

I felt I was getting involved with In the Bleak until suddenly the balances shifted and the moment was gone.

It somehow summed up a service which for all the musicianship never for me quite achieved uplift.

DracoM's points about templates seem very well made.