90th birthday of Sir David Willcocks 29.xii.X

[DracoM]

90th birthday of Sir David Willcocks

Broadcast R3 / Wednesday, 29th Dec 2010
from King's College Chapel, Cambridge

Sung by the Chapel Choir with members of the Bach Choir and Cambridge University Musical Society

Introit: A Prayer of King Henry VI (Henry Ley)
Responses: Radcliffe
Psalm: 150 - from A Ceremony of Psalms (David Willcocks)
First Lesson: Amos 5: 18-27
Canticles: David Willcocks
Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 4: 1-13
Anthem: Blest pair of Sirens (Parry)
Hymn: The first Nowell (arr. Willcocks)

Organ Voluntary: Toccata giocosa (Mathias)

Organ Scholar: Peter Stevens
Directors of Music: Sir David Willcocks and Stephen Cleobury

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I thought it was last year!

[DracoM]

I merely follow the R3 schedules!!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I only knew because last Christmas Eve, all Cleobury's descants were substituted by the Willcocks ones to celebrate Sir David's 90th. He was born 29.10.29.

[VodkaDilc]

Should that be 29.10.19? (or even 29.12.19)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Oops! Yes. 29.12.19. :blush:

[mercia]

:holly:

Radio Times says "A service recorded in January this year at KCC to mark the 90th birthday of Sir DW"

:holly:

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

That makes sense, though it seems an odd time to broadcast it.

[makropulos]

That makes sense, though it seems an odd time to broadcast it.

His birthday seems like quite a sensible time to broadcast it. Except that Grove gives that as Newquay, 30 December 1919...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

That's what I mean. A 90th birthday concert on your 91st birthday>

[Simon]

Well whatever, it hasn't been very good up to present.

And I notice that KCC have, would you believe, in addition to this and all the Christmas stuff, yet another CE in February.

There is reason in all things and this is simply overkill; it's not as if they are just simply wonderful and that no other choir can match them - on today's (recorded) hearing they were most certainly not, nor was the recent Christmas broadcast anything to write home about. No wonder people get suspicious and ask questions about just why there is so much bias within the CE schedules. Cui bono?

===

That apart, and despite my respect for Sir David, I can't wait to get to the Parry. Yet another example of why even the greatest choral directors shouldn't always imagine that they are also composers...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Sir David's supreme skill has been as an arranger, rather than as a composer.

[Simon]

Indeed Alpen.

And the Parry was as wonderful as usual :magic: - just suited them!

[mercia]

What a tremendous end to Blest Pair .... just now, fair brought a tear to my eye

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It's a tremendous work. I can still remember how I was bowled over when I first heard it - as the "filler" on Boult's pioneering recording of Elgar's "The Music Makers".

I've only seen/heard Sir David conduct once - in 1977, in Chesterfield Parish Church, as part of the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations - Elgar's Coronation Ode.

[DracoM]

Just listened now. Oh dear.

An occasion more for the aficionados of DW and the sound of yesteryear? And whose idea was it to showcase DW's psalm 150 and canticles. Ahem. Apart fomr the Blest Pair, I thought it a bit anaemic. Sorry. Not their best outing. As said above, DW a fine arranger, but composer.....?

Still, as I said, one for the fans, I suspect.

[mercia]

well I guess if you're going to pay tribute to someone on their 90th birthday you are likely/duty-bound to include some of their compositions?

[Simon]

I dion't think it was the sound of yesteryear, was it? I think it was the sound of KCC fairly recently, on poor-ish form.

[DracoM]

In KCC's defence, it was recorded at a CE pitched very close to the start of term. To come back in, learn new stuff and then have it recorded for later tx is a bit daunting.

That said, yes, it was not KCC's best day.

[Simon]

Well you're right in that it was at the start of term, so small allowances perhaps need to be made - but hardly daunting. Just something to get on with. And except for the Willcocks pieces it's all standard suff, not new - and wouldn't most of KCC know those?

[Vile Consort]

Can't help feeling that York did a rather better job for Francis the other year. His "O Filii et Filiae" was stunningly performed - and a magnificent piece it is, too.