Festival of 9 Lessons & Carols, King's College Cambridge 2013

[Philip]

I agree with the comments above regarding the singing - the general sound was great and once again I enjoyed most of it through my Sky box with surround sound.

The choice of carols is always tricky on an occasion such as this, but it was good to see Britten, Rodney Bennett and Tavener all remembered. I could live without that Judith Weir what seems like every year!

Regarding descants, Cleobury wrote a raft a new ones a couple of years ago which appeared in a Novello compilation which I possess. However, this year's 'Hark the herald' was not that in the book, and I don't recall hearing it before - has he written another? I thought his first round of descants to be alright, but the latest set are a bit screechy overall. Both are sub-Willcocks IMO, with his 'O come, all ye faithful' being the best of the lot.

The second organ voluntary can of course be heard in full on R3 tomorrow.

The order for the TV version is at http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/files/ser...kings-2013.pdf - there is no Wise Men reading so no Cornelius.

[Alison]

In terms of sheer singing in the choir, it seemed to us a vintage year - great blend, no 'sore thumbs' among the boys or gentlemen

One or two instances of prosaic direction and dodgy descants by Mr Cleobury (and some wayward congregational singing) aside, a good old listen, and better than in previous years. (The absence of Cornelius's corny old 'Three Kings' an added bonus!)

It's Christmas now

Masterly summation old bean. To which I would only add that 'In the Bleak' was due a break this year. Thanks to all.

[Petrushka]

Have there ever been such goosebump moments as at 'Word of the Father' and 'Born to raise the sons of earth'? They both thrill me year after year and never more so than this time round. On a negative point, the descant to 'Once in Royal David's City' was horrible and the Williamson arrangement of 'Ding Dong Merrily on High' not one I want to hear again.

Apart from that, magnificent stuff (even the Britten) and well done the chorister who read the first (and longest) lesson. Having come to grief on this one myself all of 45 years ago I can appreciate a flawlessly read lesson when I hear it.

The Radio 4 sound came across as a little congested. Will the R3 repeat be better?

[Simon Biazeck]

and the Williamson arrangement of 'Ding Dong Merrily on High' not one I want to hear again.

Nah! It's very fine, festive and warm-hearted.

[Petrushka]

Nah! It's very fine, festive and warm-hearted.

Well ok then, I'll give you that.

One way or another I'll get to this service one year!

[BBMmk2]

I am glad I watched this years. Such a treat was had!

[ardcarp]

and the Williamson arrangement of 'Ding Dong Merrily on High' not one I want to hear again.

I agree (though someone upthread liked it). However good the altos are, the first line just sounds like Hinge and Bracket camping it up! Poor vocal scoring, IMO.

Haven't heard the service to the end yet, but the choral sound seemed very good this year..

[Philip]

Have there ever been such goosebump moments as at 'Word of the Father' and 'Born to raise the sons of earth'? They both thrill me year after year and never more so than this time round. On a negative point, the descant to 'Once in Royal David's City' was horrible and the Williamson arrangement of 'Ding Dong Merrily on High' not one I want to hear again.

Apart from that, magnificent stuff (even the Britten) and well done the chorister who read the first (and longest) lesson. Having come to grief on this one myself all of 45 years ago I can appreciate a flawlessly read lesson when I hear it.

I agree on 'Word of the Father'. Good news for me - I'm accompanying it twice in the next 14 hours! I'll brief the choir for a bit of an allargando before 'that' chord.

I quite liked the Williamson arrangement of Ding dong, although judging by opinion on here views are split on that one! The market for arrangements of Ding dong is quite crowded, what with Wood (basic harmony), Willcocks and Willberg, all of which have featured in previous years (maybe one year we'll have an arranger whose name doesn't start with a W!).

And you're right to mention the Chorister who read the first lesson - I was very struck by how well read it was, clear but with personality.

[Petrushka]

And you're right to mention the Chorister who read the first lesson - I was very struck by how well read it was, clear but with personality.

It's not an easy lesson for a young chorister to read and is considerably longer than the rest. Delivered here with, as you say, clarity and personality. Worth a listen on its own.

[DracoM]

Weir and Chilcott the highlights for me - AND Simon Vivian's production.

There were turkeys: SC's descants seem to veer more and more towards American show tunes - 'Ding dong', and even more toe-curling 'While shepherds watched', and some of the soloists in Susanni seemed just a bit over exposed.

But the solid gold turkey for me was the meandering, self-indulgent Musgrave piece. No-one sounded terribly sure of themselves. Was it worth it, I began to wonder!

Generally speaking, however, the singing was as good as we've heard for a few years, strong trebles who were called upon to do one heck of a lot well above and beyond in many senses, as were the team of tenors and bases, AND after the schedule that the KCC choir has to regularly go though since late November doing TV shows, services for the city of Cambridge etc etc, and they ain't finished yet.

And thumbs up to Doug Tang as well. Some fine organ work.

[Anna]

Don't fret. It may yet be on the TV version.

The TV version, which I caught the last bit of, is recorded, I think, sometime months ahead and bears no resemblence to the radio version, for one thing, the tv is only 75 mins and sanitised

[Petrushka]

The TV version, which I caught the last bit of, is recorded, I think, sometime months ahead and bears no resemblence to the radio version, for one thing, the tv is only 75 mins and sanitised

Anna, the TV version is recorded at the beginning of December http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/events/ch...e-lessons.html

The organ sound coming through my speakers on the TV version was terrific.

[ardcarp]

and well done the chorister who read the first (and longest) lesson

Indeed. In days gone by it used to end at "and thou shalt bruise his heel", which I thought was better...and less taxing. But it held no terrors for today's reader.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Regarding descants, Cleobury wrote a raft a new ones a couple of years ago which appeared in a Novello compilation which I possess. However, this year's 'Hark the herald' was not that in the book, and I don't recall hearing it before - has he written another? I thought his first round of descants to be alright, but the latest set are a bit screechy overall. Both are sub-Willcocks IMO, with his 'O come, all ye faithful' being the best of the lot.

l

I think this was a return to Cleobury's first Hark the Herald descant. There's just one word to describe SC descants: messy. Though on reflection "embarrassing" springs to mind also.

[MickyD]

While Shepherds Watched was at one time sung to the tune of On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at but it's rather difficult to make the words fit.

There is a splendid version of this on a Hyperion disc of 18th century Christmas carols from The Parley of Instruments and a gutsy choir!