The Canterbury Enthronement...the music?

[ardcarp]

Is there any opportunity to listen without interruption during the BBC2 coverage? I've just started watching on i-player, and 15 mins in, it's all chat and interviews...and I'm already suffering Edwards-fatigue.

[Petrushka]

Is there any opportunity to listen without interruption during the BBC2 coverage? I've just started watching on i-player, and 15 mins in, it's all chat and interviews...and I'm already suffering Edwards-fatigue.

Same here! Just over 15 mins in myself and not enthused so far.

[Petrushka]

In fact, having now seen most of the coverage this is really excellent and much more the BBC we expect. Thankfully, the commentary has been more discreet than I anticipated.

Full marks.

[bach736]

You can download the 44 page service booklet here :

http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/2013/03/21/enthronement-service-sheet/

[ardcarp]

I take it all back! Once it got going, we were allowed to follow the service with minimum interjections. I though the choir did a great job, the trebles (12 in number?) appearing quite unfazed by the occasion. DF didn't let the grass grow under his feet, and I really enjoyed the Britten Te Deum in C. A great piece. There were a couple of middling to c**p hymns in the mix. I wonder if they were Welby's choices? Any thoughts on the Berkeley? Cool and colourful African dancing.

[ardcarp]

BBC2 i-player:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01rgrpv/Enthronement_of_the_Archbishop_of_Canterbury/

[mercia]

if the Archbishop chose the Britten in C I like his taste in music. For a second I thought the Berkeley was going to turn into John Tavener's The Lamb - a very similar sequence of notes anyway and to my ear in the same key - it lay very high in places for the trebles which I thought caused them to screech (for want of a better word). I liked the psalm chant.



very sorry, but what does this mean ?

DF didn't let the grass grow under his feet

[ardcarp]

For a second I thought the Berkeley was going to turn into John Tavener's The Lamb -

Snap. In fact, double snap because Mrs Ardcarp and I got the same vibe at the same instant.

My grss growing comment meant that I thought DF kept the tempi moving along nicely in everything despite the grandeur of the occasion. No ponderous pomp in other words.

[mercia]

My grss growing comment meant that I thought DF kept the tempi moving along nicely in everything despite the grandeur of the occasion. No ponderous pomp in other words.

oh I see, thanks. Indeed nothing dragged. I guess they had an eye on the clock, knowing that the BBC had to disappear at 4:30pm. What with the preamble to the "main event" it probably lasted over 2 hours.

[chitreb]

I thought the choir singing was excellent and the whole service rather moving. The Berkeley was definitely Taveneresque (hope I have got the right number of e's and r's in that lot).

[Mr Stoat]

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing. Musically, it knocked the Papal Installation into a cocked hat (unsurprisingly!) It rarely gets a mention, but I thought the bellringing was pretty damned good at the end!

[Wolsey]

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing. Musically, it knocked the Papal Installation into a cocked hat (unsurprisingly!)

I agree wholeheartedly. Congratulations to David Flood, the choir and the organists.

[Magnificat]

I agree wholeheartedly. Congratulations to David Flood, the choir and the organists.

Did I see the lay clerks playing bongo drums or tambourines in one of the hymns? I'm sure I did.

VCC

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Did I see the lay clerks playing bongo drums or tambourines in one of the hymns?

If there were two drums and held between the lay clerks' knees, then they were Bongos. If hand held and with little cymbals around the rim, they were tambourines.

[Jamiewhall]

if the Archbishop chose the Britten in C I like his taste in music. For a second I thought the Berkeley was going to turn into John Tavener's The Lamb - a very similar sequence of notes anyway and to my ear in the same key - it lay very high in places for the trebles which I thought caused them to screech (for want of a better word). I liked the psalm chant.

I heard a story recently that when ++Justin was made Dean of Liverpool, they asked him there what music he might like for the service. He said something like "Oh I don't know anything about all this cathedral stuff, I'm a HTB man myself." The person he was talking to responded, "Here we're SATB".