Like many others, I first heard this vital and innovative piece when its first performance was part of the St John's College Cambridge 2022 Advent Service broadcast 'live' on BBC Radio 3. In amongst the traditional and often contemplative and sombre Advent music and readings, this bold commission by the choir's departing Music DirectorAndrew Nethsingha was immediately startlingly and dazzling with its jazz rhythms, hand claps -and foot stopping. I just wondered how the general congregation would have reacted when it suddenly burst on them towards the end of the service?! I have no doubt that this truly inspired piece by Iain Farrington will quickly become an Advent 'classic' -for those choirs and organists capable of doing it full justice!
Thank you for posting - I sang under Bernard Rose (I believe this was written for him) at Magdalen but I don’t recall ever singing it- although we did do other Howells canticles
This work begins almost sounding like Georgian chant using unison voices with no sense of meter before erupting into multimeter with added stresses and accents typical of Neo-Classic composers. It features sudden large changes in dynamics. At 10:30 we see linear counterpoint marked with dissonance. This work is mostly harmonic textures with homophonic form exempting the solos. Several tempo changes throughout before ending with a quiet "Hallelujah".
0:00 - Mysterious begining 1:20 - CHOIR: "Let Nimrod" 2:52 - CHOIR: 1st Halleluyah 3:58 - Soprano solo ("For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry") 6:03 - Alto solo ("For the Mouse is a creature") 7:00 - Tenor solo ("For the flowers are great blessings") 9:00 - CHOIR: "For I am under the same accusation" 11:30 - Bass solo ("For H is a spirit") 12:37 - CHOIR: "And therefore he is God" 12:41 - CHOIR: "For the instruments are by their rhimes" 14:08 - CHOIR: "For at that time malignity ceases" 15:04 - CHOIR: 2nd Halleluyah
Very beautiful. Composed the year my own deceased Father was born in northern New York. In tribute to a Son lost too soon. My Gardner, Massachusetts Choir is giving this a go. I'm one of our GenX-Tenors.
I’ve chosen this to be taken out of church at my funeral. I’m not dying but I’ve written my intentions clearly. Very powerful and I’m surprised more people don’t have it there.
@@charlesbeal1595This score is by Baereneiter, which they say follow the manuscript, they just reissued a revised edition so maybe that will have more corrections
Fernand Laloux was my music teacher at School, 1967-1968, when I think he retired. At the time we had no idea of his background and it was astonishing to find this and other compositions many years later. He had the misfortune of having to teach classes of boys who really weren't interested in music unless it was the Beatles and whoever was popular at the time.
