La Maitrise de Radio France

[ardcarp]

Under the Early Music Thread, doversoul directed us to Through the Night broadcast in the early hours of Christmas Day.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pcs2t

I was astonished to hear La Maitrise de Radio France singing, amongst other things, VW's Fantasia on Christmas Carols, Britten's Ceremony of Carols and Finzi's In Terra Pax.

Anyone who has experienced the state of French church music as it currently exists in most parish churches and cathedrals may well have a poor opinion of it. However, here we have an example of what happens when the French government puts its resources into cultural activities. You will not be disappointed!

There is a whole section about La Maitrise on the radio France website:

http://sites.radiofrance.fr/chaines/formations/maitrise/accueil/index.php

Click on the headings under 'La formation' also on 'Pedagogie'.

[Nick Armstrong]

Thank you for that ard I went to hear them some years ago at Notre Dame, I was very impressed (Fauré's "Messe basse" I remember was one of the pieces).

And that TTN looks great generally, might have to decant that onto the iPod, cheers!

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

and if you are in Strasbourg next month check out Filigrane; heard them in Oxford a year or so ago, truly wonderful ensemble ...

[Oldcrofter]

Here they are singing Britten's 'This Little Babe' (Ceremony of Carols):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_Tux6tixN0

[Oldcrofter]

Sofi Jeannin, the Musical Director of the Maitrise de Radio France, is originally from Sweden (mezzo) and has studied in Nice, Stockholm (Royal Academy of Music) and London (RCM with Paul Spicer). She's also taught in London at the RCM Jr. Dept. and at Imperial Coll. plus singing with London Voices since 2006 so she has a very solid background in British music, as well as Swedish and French music.

There's an interview with her here (in English) with Carla Bruni which includes details of how she was appointed to the Maitrise choir school:

http://www.carlabrunisarkozy.org/en/sofi-jeannin-swedish-mezzo-soprano/

[decantor]

As Sofi Jeannin mentions in the above interview, the French rather lost touch with choral singing, but they do seem to be making a bit of an effort. The Maitrise de Toulouse opened in 2006, and their first CD impressed me. They are directed by a Brit, Mark Opstad, and his website offers a few clips of his choir:- http://www.markopstad.com/-Maitrise-de-Toulouse-.html

In both Paris and Toulouse, it is clear that the programme attracts many more girls than boys. If their SATB work is to advance towards excellence, they will surely need to entice more boys into the Maitrises. It's a problem everywhere!

[ardcarp]

It is very good to know that one of the two choirschool sites is in Bondy, a somewhat run-down area. It is a very French thing to be sure that opportunity is not only available to the privileged.

[chitreb]

Under the Early Music Thread, doversoul directed us to Through the Night broadcast in the early hours of Christmas Day.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pcs2t

There is a whole section about La Maitrise on the radio France website:

http://sites.radiofrance.fr/chaines/formations/maitrise/accueil/index.php

Click on the headings under 'La formation' also on 'Pedagogie'.

I went to the website and managed to follow most of the french but when I started to struggle I clicked on Google's translate option. This bit était très amusant: "When the boys molt, a special curriculum is offered to them to enable them to continue and complete their education in the Masters."

[ardcarp]

[Simon]

The best bit of CofC x far! But if you want to hear it with some real steel in it, try this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ygUW3Cawp8

[ardcarp]

Thanks Simon. Pity no harp.

[Flosshilde]

In both Paris and Toulouse, it is clear that the programme attracts many more girls than boys. If their SATB work is to advance towards excellence, they will surely need to entice more boys into the Maitrises.

Are you suggesting that girls can't be excellent?