Stephen Layton's Faure Requiem Tour Monday 6th May 7.30

[DracoM]

City of London Sinfonia: The Faure Requiem Tour

Live from Ely Cathedral:
Works by Tallis etc
Fauré's Requiem
Broadcast premiere of a new work by Gabriel Jackson
Poulenc Organ Concerto

Stephen Layton with the Ely Cathedral Choirs and the City of London Sinfonia.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I hadn't heard of this tour. Is there a list of venues? I notice there are visits to Ely, Durham, Gloucester, Cambridge, Coventry, Porstmouth and the Temple Church, so there must be three more.

[french frank]

I hadn't heard of this tour. Is there a list of venues? I notice there are visits to Ely, Durham, Gloucester, Cambridge, Coventry, Porstmouth and the Temple Church, so there must be three more.

Left hand column http://www.cityoflondonsinfonia.co.u...-Requiem-Tour/

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Brilliant, and many thanks. I seem to have missed the only one close to home. Thank heavens for Radio 3

[DracoM]

MAY
Friday 3 May, 7.30pm Durham Cathedral
Monday 6 May, 7.30pm Ely Cathedral
Friday 10 May, 7.30pm Portsmouth Cathedral
Saturday 11 May, 7.45pm Derby Cathedral

OCTOBER
Friday 11 October, 7.30pm Coventry Cathedral
Saturday 12 October, 7.30pm Guildford Cathedral
Wednesday 16 October, 7.30pm Exeter Cathedral
Friday 18 October, 7.30pm Chester Cathedral
Saturday 19 October, 7.30pm Southwell Minster
Saturday 26 October, 7.30pm Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral

[DracoM]

Well, crumbs...I'm afraid that this felt to me like a pretty ordinary concert all round. CLS playing of the Thomas Tallis Fantasia and the Poulenc organ piece were for me far and away the best things about the whole evening.

Trebles tried like heck and did the opening Tallis material pretty OK, maybe trying a little too hard? Tuning problems [ including I fear in the Pie Jesu] in places, and the men's voices were nicely articulated but again barely heard. Below average baritone soloist, and a strangely slight piece by Mr Jackson - actually the instrumental writing sounded interesting under quite light choral textures, but either because of the microphone balance or for some other reason, a good deal of it was rendered exasperatingly inaudible which is a shame.

Must listen again.

The Requiem itself....well, for me, all a bit ho-hum, I'm afraid.

[Roger Judd]

I have just iPlayered the Poulenc concerto. Hats off to Jonathan Lilley on a splendid performance, a couple of registrational blips notwithstanding. Given that the console is a vast distance away from the conductor there was fantastic unanimity between Layton and Lilley, and the organ suited the music perfectly IMO, producing glorious sounds. As a member of the union of ex-assistant organists of Ely I could be a bit biased, of course, but what a wonderful instrument it is. My only gripe was with the BBC technicians who, to my ears, got the balance between organ and strings badly wrong - when the organ is going full tilt, one should still be able to hear the strings' passagework, but I couldn't. This was a disservice to the CLS players who realised Poulenc's very demanding string writing superbly. I'll try to catch the rest of the concert when, and if, the sun goes behind a cloud today!
RJ

[DracoM]

Certainly agree with all you say about Jonathan Lilley.

[ardcarp]

Poulenc's very demanding string writing

It's not the hardest thing in the world for string players, with respect. They usually enjoy it...there's some jam for violas, and a witty pastiche Tchaik passage.

[Gabriel Jackson]

and a strangely slight piece by Mr Jackson - actually the instrumental writing sounded interesting under quite light choral textures, but either because of the microphone balance or for some other reason, a good deal of it was rendered exasperatingly inaudible which is a shame.

The string writing in my strangely slight piece was a great deal clearer and more audible in the broadcast than it was in the cathedral.

[DracoM]

Well, in that case, to be honest, I don't think you've been well served in either format.

[Gabriel Jackson]

Well, in that case, to be honest, I don't think you've been well served in either format.

The acoustic of Ely Cathedral is what it is. I don't think that "format" can be changed...

[Tony Halstead]

The acoustic of Ely Cathedral is what it is. I don't think that "format" can be changed...

[ardcarp]

Anyone who has attended, or performed in, a concert in that big space under the lantern will know of its acoustical difficulties. I was intrigued by its effect on the string sound in the VW Tallis Fantasia, at least as it came over via the radio. It had an almost organ-like quality at times. It was indeed a shame that the balance in the Poulenc was so awry. I do like it to end with the final timpani stroke resoundingly putting a full-stop on the piece. Even that was a bit of a whimper. Acoustics apart, I wonder if SL (as opposed to the organ soloist) gave us a slightly polite rendition of the piece? It needs to throw caution to the winds and be played with swagger!

The Faure on the other hand was most beautifully accompanied, and the balance came over very well. The men of the choir sang well within themselves (i.e. not singing their whatsits off) and I thought the combined boys and girls made a lovely sound. It was a great achievement for the cathedral choirs (and the solo treble) to perform live on air and 'in concert', so congrats all round.

[Simon]

The Requiem itself....well, for me, all a bit ho-hum, I'm afraid.

An unusual adjective, even for you old chap. I'd be fascinated to know what you meant!