Good music................

[Adnosad]

............. from the Saturday Afternoon Send Off.

For a scaled down event this was most excellent.

The personally chosen music was excellent , much to my surprise.   

Just illustrates how effective the minimum of resources can be .

Would have liked to have been able to hear 546 in its entirety; there is a tendency to overblow this piece a lot of the time and  as a result it loses a fair amount of  its depth of feeling ( IMHO )  The playing of this piece was, by my standards at least, exemplary.

The camera work (  again in IMHO ) was excellent; some impressive close ups of the facade pipes juxtaposed against the ceiling and views of  " the artillery ".

 

 

 

 

[Choir Man]

I agree, a very dignified send-off with great choice of music, expertly performed by the small ensemble. It would be nice to hear a recording of all the music played before and after, however it's not unexpected that the TV cameras and commentators followed the 'action' elsewhere.

I do hope this arrangement of William Lovelady's setting of Psalm 104  gets published sometime soon.

[S_L]

 

I didn't hear or watch the service live but I did watch the 'stream' loaded onto YouTube on Saturday evening. 

I didn't hear the organ music beforehand JS Bach 'Schmuke Dich' BWV654, the Adagio - Harris from the A min. Sonata, Salix - Percy Whitlock, Berceuse - Vierne & Rhosymedre Vaughan Williams nor did I hear BWV 546 played afterwards.

I thought the standard of singing to be absolutely superb - as it always is on these occasions. I have heard some criticism of the Soprano but I noted her beautifully controlled singing during the Croft Funeral Sentences and her adopting a different type of sound during the Britten and the Loveday. I didn't like the arrangement of 'Eternal Father' although I suppose I can understand the need for an arrangement. And I hadn't realised that the Britten Jubilate was written at the request of the Duke and first sung in honour of his 75th Birthday.

The Ecclesiasticus reading 'Look at the rainbow and praise its maker' was completely fitting and, of course, the St. John reading  made absolute sense for the occasion. 

I watched from afar in the French countryside and I remember thinking that whilst watching that, to quote an American "Only the British can put on a show like this" - and it is true!!

Wonderful ceremony - wonderfully performed music - and, in my opinion, a most fitting occasion for a man who was a hugely important part of public life for so long.

Requiem Aeternam

........................... and, and I make no apology, - God save the Queen.

 

[Choir Man]

It was William Lovelady's setting of Psalm 104 that was commissioned for the Duke's 75th Birthday. This was originally a cantata in three movements for larger forces and was abridged and arranged for the funeral by James Vivian.

The Britten Jubilate was first published in 1961 when the duke was still in his 30's.

[S_L]

4 hours ago, S_L said:

And I hadn't realised that the Britten Jubilate was written at the request of the Duke and first sung in honour of his 75th Birthday.

Well - part of the statement was correct!! How silly of me - by the Duke's 75th birthday Britten had been dead for nearly 20 years!!

Yes, it was written at Aldeburgh in February 1961 and published that same year. My copy says by OUP although I have found a reference to it being published by Chester. At the time of its composition the Duke was, indeed, in this 30's - he was 40 four months later! I read that it is thought that the Duke may have suggested its composition as early as 1958. 

And performed as part of the Duke's 80th and 90th birthday celebration as well!

My apologies for my mistake and my thanks to Choir Man for pointing out my error!

 

[Rowland Wateridge]

5 hours ago, S_L said:

I didn't hear the organ music beforehand JS Bach 'Schmuke Dich' BWV654, the Adagio - Harris from the A min. Sonata, Salix - Percy Whitlock, Berceuse - Vierne & Rhosymedre Vaughan Williams nor did I hear BWV 546 played afterwards.

I watched the ITV broadcast ‘live’ and none of the pre-service organ music was included, the outdoor ceremonial taking precedence.  As much as we heard it, I thought the organ sounded absolutely splendid.  Luke Bond opened up for the final verse of ‘Eternal Father’ without drowning the singers - splendid stuff!  The opening bars of BWV 546 were simply tremendous, and I quickly switched to BBC where the impact was considerably less, but they may have faded it for the ‘talk-over’ commentary.  I simultaneously recorded Sky TV’s broadcast which included much of the Prelude without ‘talk-over’, and the sound quality was impressive, but this was gradually faded for commentary as the mourners finally departed.

[S_L]

And here is an interesting article by John Rutter. "Did they mention the music?"

Did they mention the music? | John Rutter

[Adnosad]

Splendid,cogent article ; would one expect anything else from JR?   Can only comment on the article to the extent that myself ,and a fair few others are also in agreement.

 

Reminds me of the famous story re` WTB at SGH.

[Martin Cooke]

On 27/04/2021 at 05:46, S_L said:

And here is an interesting article by John Rutter. "Did they mention the music?"

Did they mention the music? | John Rutter

See the Radio Times, too, where Joanna Forbes L'Estrange has written to complain about the non-identification of the four singers and RT has attempted to put it right.

[S_L]

3 hours ago, Adnosad said:

Reminds me of the famous story re` WTB at SGH.

 

I had to think for a second - but, yes, wonderful story!!!