CE Gloucester Cathedral 9.ii.Xl

**Magnificat** · 05-02-11, 22:13

Rather obscure Old Testament lesson.

Can't say that I'd ever heard of the Book of Baruch before looking it up on Google. It is supposed to be in The King James but is certainly not listed in mine!!

Walmisley chant to psalm 49 as discussed recently on another thread.
It would be nice if a DoM somewhere who might be reading this board could consider singing 39 when it comes up to this chant for our friend who was looking for this combination.

Good that Gloucester are doing their own setting of the canticles.

VCC

**subcontrabass** · 05-02-11, 22:23

Originally posted by Magnificat View Post

Rather obscure Old Testament lesson.

Can't say that I'd ever heard of the Book of Baruch before looking it up on Google. It is supposed to be in The King James but is certainly not listed in mine!!

Get a complete copy (with the Old Testament Apocryphal books included).

**Magnificat** · 06-02-11, 16:29

I believe readings from the Apochcrypha are optional in the Cof E. I've certainly heard readings from Maccabees and Ecclesiasticus and The Wisdom of Solomon rings a bell but I certainly don't recall ever hearing anything from Baruch and the others now that I have looked them up.

I would imagine they are listed in editions of KJB earlier than mine.

VCC.

**bach736** · 08-02-11, 17:30

Apart from the psalms and final hymn, this is the service Gloucester sang last Sunday afternoon. I noticed Bath Abbey did the same recently. Oh, the pressures on rehearsal time! Still, it should be good.

**choralclerk** · 09-02-11, 11:35

It's very normal for Cathedral choirs to do a 'dry run' before their broadcast, if anything it helps with timing of music, but also it never hurts to have that extra bit of rehearsal!

**DracoM** · 09-02-11, 16:25

As choralclerk says, it is very common for this to happen. Check out the websites of relevant foundations just before CE.

One thing to rehearse, anoher to do it liturgically under 'performance pressure', with all that that implies. Very sensible, I'd say.

**Finzi4ever** · 09-02-11, 22:09

Enjoyed this hugely, albeit through my Oono miniDAB, and even got the sense of the space and some atmosphere (very much a building in 2 halves, I say). Great to hear the Howells at home, with excellent and dynamic accompaniment, though that instrument, fine as it is especially with newly added depth and slightly less rasping reeds, is hardly what HH envisaged. Great counter-tenor moments in the Parry and gloriously indulgent psalms. Top flight for me!

**DracoM** · 09-02-11, 22:39

Quiet, dignified service, no glad handling, no tourist brochures, highly disciplined, focused singing, some lovely top line singing particularly some of the divisi stuff, and what a joy to hear weight from men's voices that do not feel they see this as a chance to audition for La Scala, but rather see themselves as team players in an act of worship.

There was the odd wobble in the Gloucester Service, but a mere whisper of insecurity.

The real centrepiece was that extraordinary Parry anthem. What a searching examination of a choir it is! Absolutely every part was tested, it was a capella and the tonality slid around all over the place, and we went from stratospheric and exposed boys' lines to sepulchral bass, fff down to ppp often within the space of only a bar or so. Remarkable. And they really kept the show on the road. Great concentration and a real tribute to the choir and above all to the control of the DoM.

Splendidly engineered: a big acoustic, but unlike last week at KCC, this felt balanced and carefully plotted.

Terrific Parry voluntary too.

And very fine closing prayers too. I don't often comment on them, but no fuss, no fine words, just measured, careful, thoughtful stuff.

**ardcarp** · 10-02-11, 00:28

Draco. I enjoyed the service too, but am not quite so ecstatic about the singing as your good self. I hate to pick and carp [!] but there was quite a bit of insecurity and wobbly 'attack'. The Blatchley piece, clearly designed for the big spaces and acoustic of Gloucester, suffered quite a bit from this as it had a lot of starts after silences, if you know what I mean. And there was a distictly dodgy moment in the Howells. ATB were a good-sounding bunch. I wonder if the trebles were a bit nervous at times or a bit under strength maybe? I think they warmed up as the service went on, and I agree thay made a sterling effort in the double-choir Parry. Agree too about the dynamic control. Maybe organ a tad over-loud in the psalms?

**bach736** · 10-02-11, 07:34

I agree with the angelic Hosts - a very enjoyable service. The opening verses of the Magnificat must be one of the best marriages of words and music ever written for the Evening Service. Fluent psalm singing too. Never been a big fan of the organ but Ashley did the Parry proud. Definitely worth a few rounds in The Fountain!

**DracoM** · 10-02-11, 12:36

ardcarp

I was hoping there would be reading between the lines! If anybody reads my lines!
Agree about the Howells.

**ardcarp** · 10-02-11, 15:20

It's always a problem knowing what to say and not to say. I'd just like to say a big thanks to all Gloucester, especially the front line, for a really enjoyable CE .

**mercia** · 13-02-11, 16:27

just listening to the Sunday repeat of CE and can't help thinking that Gloucester was as fortunate (if not more so) in their Howells-dedicated-canticles as any other choral foundation - Howells at his most sensuous and jazzy (in my humble opinion)

**DracoM** · 13-02-11, 17:58

Howells - sensuous - jazzy: now how many times have we ever seen those three words in the same posting?

Cue for a new competition - putting together apparently unlikely telegrams ref CE material? No more than ten words?

CE Gloucester Cathedral 9.ii.Xl

CE Gloucester Cathedral 9.ii.Xl

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