Advent Carol Service New College Oxford

[DracoM]

Webcast of the recent Advent Carol Service from the Chapel of New College, Oxford can now be accessed on their website.

Music being sung:
Alexander Campkin / O Nata Lux
Mendelssohn / Veni Domine
Bruckner / Virga Jesse
Weelkes / Gloria in Excelsis Deo
Josquin des Prez / Ave Maria
Gibbons / This is the Record of John
Vaughan Willians / This is the Truth from Above
anon / Rejoice in the Lord Alway
Andrew Carter / There is no rose
Trad basque The Angel Gabriel
Grieg / Ave Maris Stella
Rachmaninov / Magnificat

Plus a fantastic voluntary which I can't name because the box containing the credits does not extend down far enough on my screen for me to read!

Stunning is the very opening - Campkin / O Nata Lux.

But actually to pick anything out is invidious. Really worth listening to. Probbaly as good as you can get these days? The stamina and musicality of that team is intimidating!

Enjoy

[pilamenon]

Many thanks for this - what a great service (in both senses!) from New College.

The organ voluntary is the Allegro from Widor's Sixth Symphony.

[DracoM]

Shame on ME for not recognising it! Gosh and golly gee!! Thanks, pilamenon!

[ardcarp]

Just heard the New College Advent Carol Service. Fantastic singing, though maybe a rather long service (an hour and three-quarters) except for choir-anoraks like us. As you say, Draco, very difficult to pick out the best, but I thought the Rach Magnificat and the Mendelssohn Veni Domine were especially impressive. Maybe the Bruckner did not work quite as well...but I'm being fussy. I note they chose to do The Record of John with a tenor.

I must say I do like the format of NCO's webcast page. It allows you to see the running order and to choose which bits to play with great ease.

[DracoM]

Yes, ref layout: they've adopted the same format as John's. Very accessible.

Isn't it very strange that the permanent sound set-ups in both NCO and John's give by some way superior listening results than the relays from the same chapels that the BBC gives us on CE?

Some techy like to explain why that is?

[DracoM]

Just an advanced notice: on Wed 12th January in the CE slot, NCO sing the Mozart Requiem - all soloists are male.

[cheryltweedy]

This was fantastic - a lovely rich blend, with no edge or gratuitous warble.
Carried by largely fantastic trebles and basses - one bass in particular who has a rich sonorous tone. The altos make a decent enough sound, although a little hooty. The tenors were a bit Kermit-the-frog like, there sounded like there was only one of them! One particular feature of this choir I find is that it sounds intimate, never over-sung or under-supported as if there are no more than a few trebles and a handful of men; is this excellent blending or simply by virtue of being small choir?

I might be biased (?!) but I thought this very much superior to KCC Nine lessons and SJC Advent service; both of which featured some prominent breast-beating from the men.

Three minor criticisms- I I thought it a little top heavy, (more alto?) could have with bit more 'middle.' NCO seem to go 'with the tune' rather than the words. Listen for example in the Vaughan Williams and see how many unimportant words and prepositions are give stress. Thirdly for such a dry acoustic there phrasing seems to be a touch exaggerated. In general though lovely.

Cheryl

[mercia]

organ sounded noticeably out-of-tune in the Widor, I wonder if this cold weather has affected a lot of instruments

[DracoM]

Delighted we agree about this, cheryltweedy.
The Mozart Requiem should be worth listening out for too.

[Wolsey]

Just an advanced notice..

An 'advanced notice' notice, DracoM? That really is beyond the pale.

[ardcarp]

organ sounded noticeably out-of-tune in the Widor

Or they've got it uned to some silly temperament, i.e. one that's ideal for everything except what they use it for.

[mercia]

Or they've got it tuned to some silly temperament

oh yes, hadn't thought of that

[cheryltweedy]

Delighted we agree about this, cheryltweedy.
.

Glad we do Draco! By far my favourite choir at the moment. Its funny because its clearly the direction given that creates that wonderful sound, as the c-scholars at SJC and KCC are probably from similar stables to NCO.

I have been trying to put my figure on why the NCO sound is so good so here goes; The sound is 'ego-less' - the aim is clearly on the music rather than on any particular 'sound' one wants to create. There is an integrity and authenticity to the finished product sorely lacking in other choirs. NLC and the SJC advent service clearly contained moments in which certain singers were being rather egotistical without regard to the overall sound. Both choirs self-consciously create a 'sound' (albeit different ones) rather than letting the sound 'be' being a consequence of good music making. - not very clear I know but just a thought.

[Magnificat]

Glad we do Draco! By far my favourite choir at the moment. Its funny because its clearly the direction given that creates that wonderful sound, as the c-scholars at SJC and KCC are probably from similar stables to NCO.

I have been trying to put my figure on why the NCO sound is so good so here goes; The sound is 'ego-less' - the aim is clearly on the music rather than on any particular 'sound' one wants to create. There is an integrity and authenticity to the finished product sorely lacking in other choirs. NLC and the SJC advent service clearly contained moments in which certain singers were being rather egotistical without regard to the overall sound. Both choirs self-consciously create a 'sound' (albeit different ones) rather than letting the sound 'be' being a consequence of good music making. - not very clear I know but just a thought.

CT

I'm slightly confused: on the Nine Lessons thread you said you preferred the English sound of King's!!

NCO, of course, use experienced lay clerks as well as their choral scholars.

VCC

[ardcarp]

I have been trying to put my figure on why the NCO sound is so good

In fact NCO's sound does vary from year to year, especially in the treble department. EH manages to get his charges to sing with real musicianship and musical understanding. I guess they could all sing as soloists, and so the blend is bound to change a bit, whereas pure head-voice choirs can sound the same year in, year out. In my day the latter was the norm but not universal. If you listen to some early Temple Church recordings, GTB had choristers (and I don't just mean Ernest Lough) with 'character' in their voices. I like to hear a variety of styles of treble singing and don't belong to any brigade that asserts one sort is better than another. The men at NCO are great, and somehow you never seem to hear a really hooty alto as you do in some other places.