[B]CE St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh [R] Wed, Jan 1st 2020[/B]

[Guest]

CE St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh [R] Wed, Jan 1st 2020


A Sequence of Music and Readings for the New Year from St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh
(recorded 22nd August 2019)


Order of Service:


Introit: A New Year Carol (Britten)
Hymn: It came upon the midnight clear (Noel)
Reading: Psalm 96
Magnificat: Stanford in B flat
Poem: Old and New Year Ditties (Christina Rossetti)
Anthem: Love bade me welcome (Vaughan Williams)
Reading: Revelation 21: 1-7
Carol: Bethlehem Down (Warlock)
Poem: Ring out, wild bells (Alfred Lord Tennyson)
Anthem: In terra pax, Op 39 (Finzi)
Voluntary: Pomp and Circumstance March in G major, Op 39 No 4 (Elgar)


Charles Wood Singers and Ulster Orchestra
David Hill (Director of Music)

Anne Hailes (Reader)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000cq0r

[Guest]

Bump.
Reminder: Jan 1st 2020.

[cat]

Some background for anyone like me who was wondering when David Hill might have been appointed Director of Music at St Patrick's Cathedral: https://www.irishnews.com/lifestyle/...-have-1792228/

[ardcarp]

The link does not specifically mention that Charles Wood was Organist and Choirmaster of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.

[ardcarp]

Reminder. 3.30 today.
Should be good, with VW, Finzi....and I wonder if they'll use the orchestrated version of Stanford in B flat?

[ardcarp]

...they did, at a cracking pace. That apart, what a splendid....concert! That's what it was, and beautifully directed by David H. I was quite taken with the 'arrangement' of the soprano-only verse of Bethlehem Down. Was this penned by DH himself? It seemed to out-do Warlock's own harmonic quirks. Apart from Stanford's Irish roots, I did wonder at the oh-so-English repertoire, especially rounding off with a Pomp & Circumstance March. No complaints. I loved it. Anyone else tune in? It is a struggle to be awake on the afternoon of the night before.

[jonfan]

Agree. A wonderful sequence of words and music, not a concert to me but a refreshing act of worship to usher in the New Year. Meticulous preparation by David Hill brought superlative performances from everyone. ‘Love bade me welcome’ beautifully sung by soloist, duly credited at the end. ‘Bethlehem Down’ was Philip Lane’s orchestration at a guess? The Finzi was new to me, kept me wanting to hear it again very soon. The only quibble was a strange balance when the orchestra played with the organ which resulted in the choir almost disappearing, which was a shame. Very enjoyable and thank you everyone.

[Cockney Sparrow]

I reckoned I had heard the Hill arrangement of the Warlock this Christmas.

Per https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/d...4_GBAJY0657618

" ......In this new arrangement David Hill has combined the accompaniment of the later solo-song version with the original for a cappella voices".

[ardcarp]

‘Bethlehem Down’ was Philip Lane’s orchestration at a guess?

Just had a quick listen to Philip's arrangement on Youtube. It was more or less a straight orchestration for strings of Warlock's verses, using a few key changes along the way to avoid monotony. All done, of course, with his usual mastery.* No voices involved. The version we heard from Armagh went way off-piste at times, and was not the same, so I guess may have been the work of David Hill.

For amusement, this from Wiki:

Bethlehem Down is a choral anthem or carol composed in 1927 by Anglo-Welsh composer Peter Warlock (1894–1930) (the pseudonym of Philip Arnold Heseltine) and set to a poem written by journalist and poet Bruce Blunt (1899–1957). It is a popular anthem used in the Anglican church during the liturgical seasons of Christmastide and Epiphany. Warlock wrote it to finance an "immortal carouse" (a heavy bout of drinking) on Christmas Eve 1927 for himself and Blunt, who were experiencing financial difficulty. The pair submitted the carol to the Daily Telegraph's annual Christmas carol contest and won.

* I knew PL as a student. He had an incredible 'ear' which led to his main career of reconstructing film scores from their sound-tracks, the original orchestral scores and parts having been lost. A great talent.

[jonfan]

Thanks Mr A for clarification and the priceless Wiki.

[ardcarp]

CE repeat today at 3pm.