An evening in heaven...at Royal Holloway

Every so often, this cat likes to get out a bit. I was very fortunate to find myself out in Egham this past weekend as the Choir of Royal Holloway celebrated St Cecilia, with what is their traditional College Feast, preceded by a concert in its unique chapel. It was an enormous pleasure to be present to hear this wonderful choir, with its fast growing reputation both in this country and abroad. Not being ‘in London’, but out at the College’s countryside campus in Egham, one always wonders what the turn out will be – fortunately, there was a great number in the audience who experienced, like me, the varied and inspiring programme put together by Rupert Gough.

The concert opened with Eric Whitacre’s Cloudburst, a secular pseudo-liturgy in performance, including bells, piano and cymbals, enriched with the aid of the chapel’s new lighting system expressing (in various colours) the piece as it progressed.  Further along in the programme, the choir performed Vaughan Williams’ Silence and Music. These two pieces alone demonstrate the wide capabilities of this ensemble - from the more modern and eclectic, to the belt-and-braces Britishness that Vaughan Williams and his ilk present . Between these two, however was my personal highlight - the performance of Britten’s Hymn to St Cecilia. In it, I believe, the choir demonstrated an ability that many other ensembles would give their right arm for – being able to be young and effortless, whilst having a gravitas and maturity concurrently. The soloists were sublime, and the opening of the second section “I cannot grow: I have no shadow to run away from” was a thing of beauty to experience and hear - something I will remember for a very long time. It is no wonder that they are now signed to the Hyperion label

Other works from the choir’s eclectic repertoire included pieces written for them by Richard Rodney Bennett and Tim Garland, which showed the choir’s amazing skill at being able to ‘inhabit’ the repertoire they perform.

The big ‘event’ of the evening was the James MacMillan commission. He commented prior to performance that it is an important stage in a composer’s working life when he is asked to set those words to music. MacMillan did not disappoint. A work for double choir, the rich dissonances resounded through the chapel in praise of the patron being celebrated – full of rich texture, exemplifying his superb compositional skills to the max, it was received well by both singers and audience.

In a world which used to demonstrate that singing wise “The only way is Oxbridge”, the Choir of Royal Holloway has demolished that myth entirely. Their reputation deserves to ascend even faster than it already is – a choir that really is fresh faced, youthful and full of life, whilst being able to sing the most devastatingly beautiful music with the conviction that this is all they have ever done. This is a choir going places: and I hope that all who read this will listen/look out for them - they truly are a force to be reckoned with.

In praise of Shorter House

When not in quire (and certainly not using the end of the stall to sharpen my claws), I like to seek out new pieces, anthologies and tit-bits that I think might be useful. I have a great belief that we are living in a new 'Golden' Age of music-making, and that some are slow to work this out. For a little while now, I've been following the growing output of books from Shorter House, a new publishers "specialising in new choral collections and anthologies". It takes a lot for me to be bowled over, but Tom Shorter and his team really are on to something quite amazing. In a short space of time, six anthologies have appeared: three books of canticles, a book of responses and a collection called 'Sing Evensong', which, the clever blog-reader will work out, includes everything you really need to pull of a decent Evensong down your local Cathedral or Parish Church. 

I don't want to bore you all by waxing lyrical about every good point in the series, but I do want to encourage you to have a look, and certainly consider purchasing - because they really are that good!

I've just taken hold of 'Sing Evensong', which is clever in its execution: having been a singer who goes on 'jolly holidays' to sing Evensong at various places, there's only so much of Stanford in B flat one can take, so it is refreshing to see a book entirely of previously unpublished pieces which could add greatly to the repertoire. Most of it would come easily without too much practice: Anthony Baldwin's Introits If ye love me and Lift up your heads, together with Harvard based composer Carson Cooman's anthem Awake, my heart would make excellent additions to choirs of any ability. The sets of Responses all are reasonably straightforward - the set by Jeremy Jackman have some interesting harmonies, which would provide more interest than a set of Tallis or Ayleward.

A number of 'catch-all' psalms are provided to chants by Jackman, Simon Biazeck, Graham Ellis, Bill Ives and Malcolm Archer. On playing through, I found the Archer chants made me want to 'miow' along, but that may have been to do with over-familiarity with the chosen psalm texts. 

Four sets of canticles follow: Simon Lindley provides two: a Fauxbordon which is perfectly acceptable, but lacking much long term interest in my honest opinion; but following it is Lindley's Knaresborough Service which reminded me of the Herbert Sumsion style. Having played through it, it seems reasonably straight-forward, and is pleasing on the ear whilst not being full of dissonance or causing anxiety attacks for the lower parts.

David Orr's Service in E flat is something that would really suit a parish choir (with a capable organist) very well - and certainly would serve an under-rehearsed visiting choir singing an Evensong within ten minutes of arrival. Mostly unison, with some divisi, and an unaccompanied section in the middle, there is something quite quaint about its simplicity.  Certainly something to put down if time is an issue, or it's been a heavy afternoon in the pub! 

Ben Parry's Evening Canticles in G are the most challenging - certainly in need of sturdy singers and organist, but worth putting time in to getting to grips with. Brimming with energy, with some great syncopations going on, it would be a welcome relief to hear than a piece of Stanford. The one oddity is that the Nunc Dimittis is in seven/eight - certainly takes a lilt to the Song of Simeon. 

The Anthems are welcome selections - God, grant us grace by Andrew Earis (who also wrote one of the Introits) sets a text attribute to Niebuhr which offers something reflective and simple in text for a warm, summer evening. Robert Evans' Come, my way, my truth, my life is a simple setting of the well-known Herbert text. Accesible, and with a good tune, it would make a welcome inclusion into a mid-week Evensong. Will Todd (of Jubilee fame) offers an anthem that represents his compositional style. God of truth  represents a piece that would work well not only in a Cathedral Evensong setting, but also in the 'alternative' worship space. 

The volume closes with six hymns with appropriate descants and arrangements, a benediction The Lord bless you by David Orr, and concluding dismissal responses by Jeremy Jackman. 

A great little book, full of handy pieces for that unexpected or under-rehearsed Evensong. For £9.95, you really can't go wrong! 

Welcome!

There's been a dancing dog on X-Factor, a bear that encourages us to give to charity, and another "cat" that tweets from 10 Downing Street....so, let me introduce myself.

I'm a "cat" who's been around Church Music and their environs for a while. It's something I love, something I study, and something (I believe) is a unique art-form that only the English could have come up with. I hope that many of you who read this (well, the one or two who read it drunk after doing a 'random google search') will enjoy it, follow it and (possibly) contribute. 

All my little musings are personal - they bear no relation to a set policy for one party or another. I may write something that you disagree with - that's fine, and I'm happy to either be told that I am not fully aware of facts, or that you just disagree - but don't use that to launch your own rant or soapbox, as you can always set up your own blog. 

I hope, over the coming weeks, to review BBC Choral Evensong - there won't be discussions about 'personalities' and favouritism of one location over another. I'll call it as I hear it on the broadcast. I may, at times, delve into subjects as wide ranging as American politics, to Sesame Street, to even the goings on in the CofE. In these, I will be speaking personally (well, meowing actually!), but will try to be fair in criticism and defense (when required). There won't be any coverage of votes taking place in Synod this week, for instance, as I am on 'lap-sitting' terms with men and women on both sides of the debate. 

So, here goes... my first blog post! Meeeeow........