BBC R3 Choral Evensong, 08-Jan-2014

[DaveHarries]

Hi all,

 

One of the things that came up in the "Appointments" thread during 2013 was the appointment of Robert Quinney (previously at Westminster Abbey) to be DoM at Peterborough. Wednesday 8th January 2014 sees a broadcast of Choral Evensong from Peterborough: For anyone interested the music list given in the Radio Times is this:

 

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Introit: Illuminaire Jerusalem (Judith Weir)

Responses: Matthew Martin

Office Hymn: Bethlehem of Noblest Cities (Tune: Stuttgart)

Psalm: 145 (Walmisley)

First Lesson: Joel 2, vv28-end

Magnificat octavi toni (David Bevan)

Second Lesson: Ephesians 1, vv7-14

Nunc Dimittis tertii toni (Victoria)

Anthems: Look Up, Sweet Babe (Berkeley) // In The Bleak Midwinter (Richard Rodney Bennett)

Hymn: Brightest and Best Of The Sons of the Morning (Tune: Liebster Immanuel)

Organ Voluntary: Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern, BuxWV203 (Buxteheude)

 

Director of Music: Robert Quinney

Assistant Director of Music: David Humphries

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Sounds like it should be quite good. Interesting that there are two anthems: can't remember that happening before.

 

HTIOI,

Dave

[Philip J Wells]

It will be interesting to see if there are any comments on the pitch of the instrument.

[pcnd5584]

Not from me.

 

I was able only to listen to the second part of this broadcast, and I have no idea in which key each piece had been written, having never heard the works before. (Even the Buxtehude, I must confess.)

 

However, I did think the Magnificat was a little odd. It seemed to mix plainsong with existing arrangements (or fairly close) of carols. It did not really work for me.

 

I though that the choir sounded good and that the organ came over well in the voluntary. Had I not known from where it was brodacast, I should not have guessed that the venue was Peterborough Cathedral.