The precentor on this recording was Charles Wesley Evans, a black American baritone from the deep South (the Seraphic Fire choir itself is based in Miami). I think Evans' declamatory style suits Smith's sturdy and robust setting of the Preces quite well, but as any chorister knows, your precentor mileage may vary!
There are so many good settings of the Preces and Responses for Evensong, but I think this has to be my favourite. The "Amen" is a wonderful piece in its own right!
Thanks to the late Philip Ledger and the incomparable Choir of King's College Cambridge for their LP recording "Evensong for Ascension Day" (EMI 1980) which included this setting (together with Robert Stone's "Our Father").
I could not agree more! I first heard it at my school's carol service at St Michael's, Teignnmouth in 1976 the final prayers and benediction were said by the Vicar beforehand I heard the full preces and responses two years later on a BBC Choral Evensong from King's College, Cambridge, under the direction of Sir Philip Ledger.
This takes me right to the choir pews, crumple sheet music, off key cantor and sweet alto lines - I loved it all! Thanks for uploading these, please do more - Leighton Responses perhaps?
Of all the things I miss about Evensong, singing the Preces and Responses (Byrd, Smith, Sanders, and Rose, especially) has to be uppermost. Guarantee most church choristers could sing them all by memory alone, even subsequent to years removed from choral singing.
We sang it differently. After "world without end amen, another Preces, "Praise ye the Lord".Response: The Lord's, The Lord's, The Lord's Name be prai ai ai sed" Much more fun!Yes, the last Amen was so beautiful to sing!
Smith wrote this set prior to the changes in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. The Oxford University Press editors of the Tudor Preces and Responses made the change you sang.
@@dnkeane30 who's the cantor？ i never heard that term.., it means "singer" in my mother language, but i dont think that's what you are talking about LOL
