CE Chichester Cathedral Wed, 13th March 2013

[chitreb]

I am looking forward to the Southern Cathedrals Festival in July when all three (Chichester, Winchester and Salisbury) will come together. I understand there is some Britten in store ...

The programme for the Southern Cathedrals Festival has just been published:

http://www.southerncathedralsfestival.org.uk/programme/

[ardcarp]

The programme for the Southern Cathedrals Festival has just been published:
http://www.southerncathedralsfestival.org.uk/programme/

All good stuuf...and plenty of Britten, of course. Maybe Dyson in D is a bit ordinary for the CE broadcast....but I suppose they have to choose repertoire standard to all three choirs to save rehearsal time.

Interesting to see Chichester is doing Blest Pair of Nylons on its own at the end of the Festival. Double choir, and quite a big sing for a small outfit.

[ardcarp]

I may have got this wrong, but it appears there is no occasion during the SCF where the fully combined choirs (i.e. boys and girls) get together for a big bash concert. I've probably mentioned this before (a factor of senility ) but Malcolm Archer's last carol service at Wells...combined choirs...was very spectacular.

[decantor]

I may have got this wrong, but it appears there is no occasion during the SCF where the fully combined choirs (i.e. boys and girls) get together for a big bash concert. I've probably mentioned this before (a factor of senility ) but Malcolm Archer's last carol service at Wells...combined choirs...was very spectacular.

To be fair, ardcarp, I don't think that any SCF to date has combined all five treble units. I've always imagined that it's deliberate policy, as the boys' and girls' repertoires tend to be different; but it may just be lack of rehearsal-time.

As far as I can see, this year's SCF has dropped the Choral Masterclass. It may only be for this one year, but it's a pity as it always attracted a packed house. Or have I just missed it on the programme?

[DracoM]

Interestingly, too. Sarah Baldock is a regular Visiting DoM on the Summer Vacation Girls' Course at St Thomas Fifth Ave, NYC, so she does give choral Masterclasses, AND leads Masterclasses for visiting DoMs as well.

[decantor]

Interestingly, too. Sarah Baldock is a regular Visiting DoM on the Summer Vacation Girls' Course at St Thomas Fifth Ave, NYC, so she does give choral Masterclasses, AND leads Masterclasses for visiting DoMs as well.

Then again, Draco, the Masterclass was never taken by one of the SCF's resident DoMs - they probably feel they have enough to do. They usually invited a distinguished guest - I recall Barry Rose and John Bertalot.

I wonder if the choristers have gone on strike in protest: they're the ones in the hot seat. However, I would have expected them to enjoy it....... very little real pressure, lots of laughter, and always tumultuous applause at the end.

[mopsus]

I think some choirs do have or have had a sound which changes little, regardless of the personnel, 'created' by the director of music. I think of Trinity College Cambridge under Richard Marlow, whose sound seemed to be invariant over the dozen or so years I followed it. When you encountered Trinity singers in other contexts (solo or choral) their voices could sound quite different from when they were singing in their college choir.

[ardcarp]

I think of Trinity College Cambridge under Richard Marlow, whose sound seemed to be invariant over the dozen or so years I followed it.

Richard Marlow was (I understand) known for insisting his soprano line sound like old-fashioned trebles