Weekend Roundup

Sunday 28th of November, 2010

At Farm Street (OF 1100) Vaughan Williams Mass in G minor. At Southwark Cathedral (OF 1130) Arvo Pärt's Missa Syllabica.

Weekend Roundup

Sunday, 21st of November, 2010.

At Farm Street (OF 1100) Ave verum corpus of Marcel Dupré. At Leeds Cathedral (OF 0930) the Missa in simplicitate of Jean Langlais. At Westminster Cathedral (OF 1030) the Messe Solonelle of Langlais, James MacMillan's Sedebit Dominus Rex, and at Vespers (1530) Balfour Gardiner's Te lucis ante terminum.

 

Floreat Cantus

Doff of the hood to the Hermeneutic of Continuity for news of a Christmas Concert which may be of interest. The programme, directed by composer Wilfrid Jones, includes Pearsall's In Dulci Jubilo. Proceeds to a good cause.

A Stocking Filler

Personent Hodie: Music For Christmas. Ealing Abbey Choir, directed by Christopher Eastwood, with Simon Hogan, organ. Herald HAV POD 362. 1hr 2' 37. [DDD].

Whilst strictly off topic, recent Latin text material is lacking, this recording may be a useful gift for the upcoming season. Nineteen tracks cover the Advent-Christmas period with a few surprises but mainly presenting an anthology of what has been presented in this groups annual Christmas Carol Service over the years. The Choir has a recording 'history' with Herald producing a recording of the Bruckner motets some years ago under the direction of Jonathan Brown. Since then, and on other labels, there has been an Dickens themed recording (music and reading) under Richard Ncholson's directorship and a recording of largely modern English music with Timothy Blinko.

The offerings from the organ really stand out on this recording. I'm presuming Hogan is the performer on these tracks. Three Bach chorale preludes, Nun, komm, der Heiden Heiland (BWV 659), In Dulci Jubilo (BWV 608) and Wie schon leuchtet (BWV 739) are interspersed and really show the Rushworth and Dreaper instrument off for what it can do. Otherwise the choral tracks are a selection from chant through to some current arrangements of traditional material. Full texts are given in a simple booklet.

The recording quality (DDD) is very good. At one point I wondered if the accompaniment was too prominent due to the placement of the microphones but this proved to be momentary. Ealing Abbey is not an easy building to record in. Being directly under the Heathrow flight path often makes for recording in short takes at strange times of the day. The sound of the boys has changed over the years and Eastwood is dealing with a somewhat 'slimmed down' ensemble. This sounds very clear in the recording acoustic which is somewhat more resonant than the weekly worshipper might recognise.

Two reasons for a further 'plug'. (1) Proceeds from the recording are going to a very worthy cause; Aid to the Church in Need. You can have little doubt that your alms will not go where they will be misused. (2) It is a very competently assembled compilation with a combination of well known material, appropriate organ music, and an interesting marking point for where this choir is at the moment. The HAV website entry for this release is here.

Weekend Roundup

Sunday, 14th of November, 2010.

In the UK today is Remembrance Sunday and one Requiem Mass is permitted. This year Fauré leads followed by Victoria and Mozart much further down the field.

At Farm Street (OF 1100) the Pié Jesu from the Requiem of Maurice Duruflé. At Leeds Cathedral (OF 0930; Mass of the Sunday) Messe d'Escalquens of Langlais and Terra tremuit of Bárdos.

Weekend Roundup

Sunday 7th of November, 2010.

At Farm Street (OF 1100) the Missa Brevis of Zoltan Kodaly. At Leeds Cathedral (OF 1100) Maurice Duruflé's Requiem  and the Chant de paix of Jean Langlais. At Southwark Cathderal (OF 1130) the Missa Seria of Nicholas O'Neill.