tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-416983732847060845.post5616417703531033247..comments2024-03-05T10:14:38.181+00:00Comments on CLASSICAL ICONOCLAST: Elgar Gerontius Spence Bach Choir Westminster CathedralDoundou Tchilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07469682216179706743noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-416983732847060845.post-84290159915248102752012-01-31T11:55:01.259+00:002012-01-31T11:55:01.259+00:00SONGS OF LOVE, LONGING AND LOATHING CONCERT
Songs...SONGS OF LOVE, LONGING AND LOATHING CONCERT<br /><br />Songs exploring love, from classical to pop. For starry-eyed romantics and jaded spinsters alike! A London Contemporary Voices event with special guests<br /><br />Time: 8pm (doors 7:30pm)<br /><br />Venue: St. Peter's Church, Eaton Square, Victoria SW1W 9AL<br />Nearest tube Victoria (5 mins)<br /><br />Tickets: £10 on the door / £8 advance<br /><br />Saturday 11th February 2012 20.00 until 22.00<br /><br />http://www.londoncontemporaryvoices.co.uk/London Contemporary Voiceshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07116924405996566588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-416983732847060845.post-398907724368254332010-11-06T03:19:05.939+00:002010-11-06T03:19:05.939+00:00Thank you both. I'm perplexed by the acoustic ...Thank you both. I'm perplexed by the acoustic at Westmninster. I've not had problems with organ music there (Latry, Bate etc),and haven't had problems in churches either, (I do Three Choirs regularly) Several other people in front of and next to me also commented on not being able to hear much. Two friends in the unreserved seats at the sides were OK though.Doundou Tchilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07469682216179706743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-416983732847060845.post-28838557991801943362010-11-06T02:51:09.630+00:002010-11-06T02:51:09.630+00:00I was there on Thursday with my wife. Neither of u...I was there on Thursday with my wife. Neither of us had heard the piece before but we were both very moved by it. A very special work which brings you close to the awesome question of death and the afterlife.<br /><br />FrankUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02383870113280635475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-416983732847060845.post-49429152544639721952010-11-06T01:40:47.241+00:002010-11-06T01:40:47.241+00:00Having heard the same performance, from the unrese...Having heard the same performance, from the unreserved seating near the back, it seems I came away with different feelings to yourself. <br /><br />Certainly, the cathedral is best-suited to choral singing rather than orchestral playing or solo singing, neither of which carried as crisply as might be desired. The BSO gave what sounded to be a flawless performance, which in the quieter moments was lent a wonderful dreamy texture by acoustic; the louder moments seemed to me rather muffled and lacking in immediacy (no doubt the wall of people in front had something to do with that), and so lost a little - only a little - of the effect.<br /><br />As for the soloists: I left the evening most impressed by Toby Spence. Certainly he lacked some of the immediacy (and, I suspect, nuance) he would have possessed in the concert hall, but the words and tone were still for the most part clear, and he gave a fine performance. I'm interested by your assessment of poor Patricia Orr as 'pretty' - her tone was for the most attractive, but she was clearly unhappy with the acoustic, and was often floundering as she tried to project (the less said about the interjections in the demons' chorus, the better). James Rutherford was good, though.<br /><br />But the choirs! That was the best of all, from both the Bach Choir and the cathedral choir - excellent diction (which, in that venue, would have required formidable cohesion to produce), unimpeachable intonation, very good tone. And some sneering from the Demons, although not so much as to be prioritised over musicality. The Kyrie and the long praise to the holiest were both definite highlights. The risers probably helped in carrying their sound, of course. <br /><br />When one hears a performance in a cathedral, one must of course expect cathedral acoustics, and the effect of these upon the music; but, even with that effect, it was nonetheless a great Gerontius, I feel.<br /><br />And, according to the programme, the bouquets were provided by "Shane Connolly Flowers ltd" ;-)Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15564418354943498965noreply@blogger.com