Choral Vespers from Westminster Cathedral 8.xii.X

[DracoM]

Choral Vespers from Westminster Cathedral

Order of Service:

Introit: Ave Maria (Parsons)
Deus in adiutorium (plainsong)
Hymn: Ave Maris Stella (plainsong)
Psalms: 122, 127 (plainsong)
Canticle: Benedictus Deus (plainsong)
Reading: Romans 5: 20-21
Responsory: In hoc cognovi (plainsong)
Magnificat: Magnificat primi toni à 4 (Palestrina)
Homily: Archbishop Vincent Nichols
Motet: Vidi speciosam (Victoria)

Organ voluntary: Toccata, Fugue et Hymne sur Ave Maris Stella (Flor Peeters)

Organ Scholar: Peter Steven
Assistant Master of Music: Matthew Martin
Master of Music: Martin Baker

[ardcarp]

Loads of plainsong...appropriate to Advent, I suppose. It does make the polyphony all the more glorious when it finally arrives. Hope the homily is brief.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I look forward to it as I drive home from work.

[DracoM]

Vincent Nicholls and the catholic church have a raft of issues currently on the public agenda that might merit consideration in a broadcast homily, perhaps?

[jean]

I'm not quite sure what you mean by that, DracoM, but the fact remains that the Catholics always sieze this opportunity to address the nation, while the Anglicans restrain themselves.

[subcontrabass]

the Catholics always sieze this opportunity to address the nation

I always thought they were just filling up the time left over by an intrinsically shorter service.

[Finzi4ever]

Loads of plainsong...appropriate to Advent, I suppose. It does make the polyphony all the more glorious when it finally arrives. Hope the homily is brief.

...but quite sublime chanting nonetheless: a fantastic sense of line throughout.

[DracoM]

And, Finzi4ever, their joy and expertise in spinning out and sustianing those lines too!

The Parsons is one of the great glories of the English Renaissance, and this was a restrained but eloquent reading of it, the incremental arching of the treble line over the fine interplay between the other voices, and of course that wonderful 'Amen'.

Chant was sung with great confidence and propulsion, and the final Victoria Marian Motet was given a truly rousing performance.

Just so good to hear a very fine choir tnot only taking delight in what they do but singing with such accomplished skill and teamwork.

Many thanks to all.

Magisterial and mischievous Flor Peeters voluntary as well!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

What I heard was rather wonderful, but I missed the first 20 minutes, helping someone stuck in the snow on the East Yorkshire coast.

[DracoM]

Do get into iPlayer for that fine Ave Maria / Parsons at the opening. Worth it.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Thanks, DracoM, I will.

[Anna]

I love plainsong, and I always say no-one does it better than Westminster. A very quiet, comtemplative, Advent broadcast. An oasis of peace.

[Magnificat]

DracoM

The Parsons Ave Maria is a great favourite of mine too but I have to say I don't think the boys did that Amen justice at all. Instead of soaring heavenward it seemed to me to stop just above their heads!

I thought the rest of the service and music typical Catholic gloom. I found it depressing and the singing,frankly, rough and without any refinement whatsoever. I turned it off.

VCC

[subcontrabass]

A beautifully sung service. I am slightly puzzled, however, by the inclusion of a (not entirely satisfactory) English adaptation of the setting of the Lord's Prayer by Rimsky-Korsakov. It is musically slightly at odds with the rest of the service. They always seem to include this when they broadcast Choral Vespers.

[ardcarp]

They do that Lord's Prayer setting every time. I find it very trite, but it is clearly a much loved chestnut which they just have to do...even when it is a mile away stylistically from anything else in the service.

I thought VCC's comments were a bit harsh. What was he expecting, CE from Kings?