Here's a screenshot of the home page:
Friday, 30 January 2015
Westminster Cathedral Choir's slick new website
This modest little blog has recently had a makeover, and now I see that Westminster Cathedral Choir has a dedicated website, and it's rather nice looking too: http://www.westminstercathedralchoir.com/
Here's a screenshot of the home page:
Here's a screenshot of the home page:
Saturday, 24 January 2015
J.S. Bach and P.G. Wodehouse
Upon watching the fabulous performance of the Bach Christmas Oratorio from December last year under Maestro Jacobs, I couldn't help but be distracted by the tenor - lovely voice but such an odd choice of shirt to don.
Couldn't help but be reminded of:
Couldn't help but be reminded of:
Solemn Pontifical Mass with Dedication of the Altar celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI, Sydney, 19 July 2008
Splendid - at long last the full video found on YouTube. Sound quality is disgraceful, but it will have to do. There is commentary in French, including right over the top of a beautiful account of the Palestrina Tu es Petrus (see from around the 40 second mark).
Monday, 19 January 2015
A bastardised Weihnachtsoratorium - and some great ones
Oh dear, why must everything good be ruined by dance?
This is a favourite under maestro Harnoncourt:
And here's a recent performance conducted by Rene Jacobs (recorded 13 December 2014). Must be a record opening chorus - all over in just 6:30 (7:00 to 8:00 is the usual)! As always Jacobs questions the received wisdom and pushes his instruments and singers to their limits - sometimes at the expense of musicality. But there's no question that the maestro elicits some very fine music making. Chamber orchestra and choir are of the first class. Enjoy the thrill of it, or click here to watch the also exciting but musically safer Gardiner performance from his Bach pilgrimage in 2000.
This is a favourite under maestro Harnoncourt:
And here's a recent performance conducted by Rene Jacobs (recorded 13 December 2014). Must be a record opening chorus - all over in just 6:30 (7:00 to 8:00 is the usual)! As always Jacobs questions the received wisdom and pushes his instruments and singers to their limits - sometimes at the expense of musicality. But there's no question that the maestro elicits some very fine music making. Chamber orchestra and choir are of the first class. Enjoy the thrill of it, or click here to watch the also exciting but musically safer Gardiner performance from his Bach pilgrimage in 2000.
Saturday, 17 January 2015
Pope in the Philippines - Holy Mass at Tacloban
Could the weather have been worse?! Well done to all for pressing ahead in such trying conditions. In some ways, it's nice to hear the Holy Father saying a few of the prayers in English.
The Mass book is available by clicking here.
The Mass book is available by clicking here.
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