Choral Vespers Wed, Oct 4th 2017

[DracoM]

Choral Vespers Wed, Oct 4th 2017
Archive recording from 2006 of Choral Vespers for the Feast of St Francis of Assisi

Montserrat Abbey, Spain


Order of Service:


Introit: Cuncti simus concanentes (Llibre Vermell)
Office Hymn: Most high, omnipotent, good Lord (Jesu, corona virginum)
Psalm: 104 (plainsong)
First Lesson: Isaiah 55
Anthem: The Praises of St Francis (Martin Bussey)
Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 1: 7-31
Homily: Canon Angela Tilby
Magnificat tertii toni (Victoria)
Motets: O Crux (Fernando Sor)
Mariam Matrem (Llibre Vermell)
Final Hymn: All creatures of our God and King (Lasst uns erfreuen)


The Pilgrim Consort
Director of Music: Marcus Farnsworth

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b096hz0j

[ardcarp]

I wonder why we need an Archive broadcast right now? We had choral vespers a couple of weeks ago. And surely our choral foundations are up-and-running after the Summer hols? I do hope this isn't cost-cutting by the BBC.

[DracoM]

And why, by all that's glittery, is there a homily by an Anglican cleric? I mean.........in Montserrat Abbey of all places? For the BBC, is it not a real Vespers right for R3 unless it has an Anglican to make us feel comfortable? Just ponder the anomalies in that? AND given how fine the resident choir at Montserrat is - been several times, a highly reputable choir school in its own right - why an imported ensemble from UK at all?

Puzzling. Oh yes, worth hearing, of course, but........but.........erm..........[sigh].

[french frank]

I wonder why we need an Archive broadcast right now? We had choral vespers a couple of weeks ago. And surely our choral foundations are up-and-running after the Summer hols? I do hope this isn't cost-cutting by the BBC.

Cost-cutting would be more worrying than the presence of a UK ensemble. I can only find references to the "BBC Pilgrim Consort" (is this correct? in what sense 'BBC'?) which would explain why they were recorded performing in Montserrat and why they were therefore broadcast on Radio 3.

But this (long) article by Stephen Shipley describes the programme's broadcasts from overseas locations, including with the Pilgrim Consort (he doesn't say they are/were a BBC choir).

[DracoM]

(he doesn't say they are/were a BBC choir)

Well, well.............what a surprise that is!

[ardcarp]

a homily by an Anglican cleric

Much better in Spanish, surely.

[french frank]

(he doesn't say they are/were a BBC choir)

Well, well.............what a surprise that is!

I'm not sure that they were. I was querying the fact, and taking his non-reference as a possible sign that they weren't. But even if they were that only explains why they featured on CEs.

[french frank]

Much better in Spanish, surely.

[DracoM]

Much better in Spanish, surely.

OR no homily at all?

[ardcarp]

Si, nada.

[french frank]

OR no homily at all?

I think it would be hard to argue that CE was "religious programming" (part of the station remit) if it was only music. As it is, the station gets off quite lightly in that respect. But it's still too much for some who would rather see Choral Evensong ditched altogether!

[DracoM]

I am more than eager to champion ALL the fine individual elements in this Choral Vespers for a whole variety of reasons.
My puzzlement comes from this ensemble, in this place, with an Anglican cleric delivering the homily? Esp when the Abbey is a monastic community, has an enviable choral / musical tradition of its own. I'd think I'd have preferred to hear the residents in their indigenous location than what looks like a BBC package.

[Dafydd y G.W.]

Presumably there was a reason, but 2006 is so long ago none of us can remember what it was - am a little surprised if this is so. Vaguely recall the original broadcast but haven't the foggiest idea what the rationale was.

[Dafydd y G.W.]

Presumably there was a reason, but 2006 is so long ago none of us can remember what it was - am a little surprised if this is so. Vaguely recall the original broadcast but haven't the foggiest idea what the rationale was.

At a guess deliberately designed as an oecumenical event, as oecumenism is Judith Maltby's thing.

[DracoM]

Reminder: today @ 3.30 p.m.