The Choir - Sunday 23rd June

[ardcarp]

Britten 100
Paul Spicer explores Britten's choral music. Plus a new work setting William Blake's poems

Now I wonder what that will be?

[DracoM]

Do you / does Paul Spicer mean a new work by Britten setting Blake, or................??

[ardcarp]

'or' I expect. These brief programme flyers (especially for The Choir) tend to tell only part of the story. But it's good that the Beeb are getting figures experienced in the choral world to front these programmes.

[decantor]

'or' I expect. These brief programme flyers (especially for The Choir) tend to tell only part of the story. But it's good that the Beeb are getting figures experienced in the choral world to front these programmes.

The Beeb site actually tells us that these new Blake settings are by the Women's Union: viz. "Thea Musgrave, Anna Meredith, Charlotte Bray and Sally Beamish, recorded at the Aldeburgh Festival on 9th June."

[ardcarp]

Oh well done, decantor. My abilities at digging beneath the strap-line (and at avoiding mixed metaphors) are extremely limited.

[Miles Coverdale]

The Beeb site actually tells us that these new Blake settings are by the Women's Union: viz. "Thea Musgrave, Anna Meredith, Charlotte Bray and Sally Beamish, recorded at the Aldeburgh Festival on 9th June."

If all four composers had been men, would you have referred to them as the Men's Union?

[ardcarp]

Well, it was nearly all Britten, and if I may say so, was a very well chosen sample of his work, avoiding the obvious (Hymn to the Virgin, St Cecilia, Rejoice in the Lamb,etc, etc) and including some rarely heard pieces. Paul's own choir, The Finzi Singers, figured quite largely, and why not? Their sopranos have a 'richer' sound than some similar groups, but the soprano solo in the Te Deum in C was stunning...the best I've heard it, I think. (Not sure about the organ...very bright and with a too-prominent quint on the pedal 16' flue.) Good to hear Friday Afternoons done complete by a gutsy children's choir whose sound Britten would surely have liked.

The Union anthem was quite Britten-esque at times. Was this inspired by the so-called union anthem that Blow and others whom I've forgotten cooked (!) up at the Chapel Royal?

[DracoM]

Yes, agreed, and that strange early Britten piece. Never heard it before.
Kids were terrific in Friday Afternoons, and yes, the Finzis did the Te Deum a treat.