The Choir - this Sunday and next

[ardcarp]

Today we had:

Choral maestro [!] Joseph Cullen draws on his own expertise as chorus master to the Huddersfield Choral Society and his long association with the London Symphony Chorus to celebrate the sound of large choral forces and orchestra. He'll explore how the relationship between chorus master, chorus and conductor works, and reveal a few tricks of the trade along the way, with music by Mahler, Bach, James MacMillan and Leonard Bernstein.

Nothing earth-shattering and faintly popularist but a pleasant listen.

Next Sunday , however.......

Vocalists Rebecca Lodge and Neil MacKenzie with highlights from the BBC Singers' archive.

!!!

[DracoM]

!!!!!!!!!!!!! indeed.

[DracoM]

Did nobody listen?

[mercia]

yes I listened and enjoyed. Very unwise for me to comment further except prosaically to ask what that top note at the end of Figure Humaine is. Just curious to know.

[Gabriel Jackson]

yes I listened and enjoyed. Unwise for me to comment further except prosaically to ask what that top note at the end of Figure Humaine is. Just curious to know.

It's an E

[ardcarp]

Bob Chilcott
The making of the drum - suite to words by E. K. Braithwaite for SATB choir
Composer: Bob Chilcott Performer: Simone Rebello Performer: BBC Singers

Peter Warlock
Corpus Christi for alto, tenor and chorus vers. original [1919]
Conductor: Leslie Woodgate Performer: Anne Wood Performer: Peter Pears Performer: BBC Chorus

Sir Michael Tippett
The Weeping babe - motet for soprano and chorus
Conductor: Stephen Cleobury Performer: BBC Singers

Giles Swayne
Cry for 28 amplified voices
Conductor: John Poole Performer: BBC Singers

William Byrd
Mass for 4 voices
Conductor: Bo Holton Performer: BBC Singers

Sir Hubert Parry
Jerusalem, orch. Elgar for chorus and orchestra
Conductor: Leslie Woodgate Performer: Edwin Milkin Performer: BBC Men's Chorus

Pierre Boulez
cummings ist der dichter for 16 voices and 24 instruments
Conductor: Pierre Boulez Performer: BBC Singers Performer: Ensemble Intercontemporian
Judith Bingham
Beneath these alien stars for women's voices and organ
Conductor: David Hill Performer: Iain Farrington Performer: Women's voices of BBC Singers

Ferruccio Busoni
Concerto Op.39 for piano & orch [+male chorus in finale]
Conductor: Mark Elder Performer: BBC Symphony Orchestra Performer: Peter Donohoe Performer: BBC Men's Chorus

Francis Poulenc
Figure humaine - cantata for double chorus
Conductor: David Hill Performer: BBC Singers

John Tavener
Song for Athene for chorus
Conductor: Simon Jolly Performer: BBC Singers

Quite a good idea to have two members of the BBCS (one of very long standing) presenting the programme. Many of us on The Forum have reservations about the sound the BBCS make. And some of us wonder if a full-time choir permanently staffed is the best way to get the best results for all kinds of music. But given that the BBCS are what they are (and we all, I'm sure, appreciate their abilities to tackle anything at short notice) the contents of the programme was very skilfully chosen. Apart from a bit of Byrd, they did not try to showcase the repertory that is (IMHO) done so much better by other choirs. Instead they chose inter alia Tippett, Swayne, Boulez, Busoni which demonstrated them at their best. I especially enjoyed Giles Swayne's Cry for 28 amplified voices conducted by John Poole (who was Mr BBCS for many years).

I'm glad too that they included a bit about the history of the singers and their previous names. I'm not sure 'Wireless Singers' was mentioned which I believe was their name when Benjamin Britten's A boy was born was done by them. It was fascinating to hear a few snippets of solo by Peter Pears circa 1936 (a less closed throat in those days). And the choir's accompaniment of that Warlock piece with its slides and swoops between notes was a singing style I can remember adults using when I was a lad. Pre-war vowels and voice production were much in evidence too as the men of the choir sang Jerusalem in unison.

To sum up, if you're a carper of the BBCS (as I frequently am and shall continue to be whenever I find their sound inappropriate) or not, this edition of The Choir had much of interest.

[jean]

I especially enjoyed Giles Swayne's Cry for 28 amplified voices conducted by John Poole who was Mr BBCS for many years.

I'm very glad to hear that!