Fantasia 150, Broadcast Today Options

[Tosher]

Dear all,

'Fantasia 150' is the title of the piece that won the recent Harrison & Harrison of Durham led competition to compose a piece of organ music as part of their 150th anniversary celebrations.

Won by Paul Ayres, it received its first public performance at the end of todays broadcast of Choral Evensong on BBC Radio 3 which came live from St Pancras' Church, London.

If you've not had chance to hear it, tune in on I-player now. What did/do people think of the piece?

Tosher

[mrbouffant]

Didn't like it. I do like some of Paul Ayres' stuff, so I am not a complete Philistine. However, this didn't do it for me.

[Vox Humana]

I hadn't looked at the schedule in advance, so had no idea what it was. My reaction was the opposite of Mr B's. I was very taken with it. The only other piece of Ayres's that I've heard is that light-hearted romp Exite fideles. This was an altogether more serious essay, but I thought it was well crafted and it worked. It didn't sound tooooo difficult either - but I'll bet it is!

[Tosher]

I think on the right instrument it could be more encouraging hearing, preferably in a more generous acoustic (for that final crashing chord), but it didn't really work there. It made me think of the mating of, say, a 1990's news bulletin theme tune and some kind of contemporary szherzetto.

It would be very interesting to know what else was submitted, and by whom!

Tosher

[oldromola]

Great piece - loved it!

[pitcher54]

I was full of good intentions yesterday; I was going to listen to the repeat of Choral Evensong so that I could contribute to the debate. Sadly the 'contemporary' music got in the way, as did the piercing soprano who cut through everything like a razor (is that the same soprano who features in all the Finzi Singers recordings I wonder?). Despite turning off with a mental note to return for the voluntary, I forgot. Sorry about that.

Meanwhile, I wonder if anyone out there can explain to me why the sound engineers at the BBC can't get the balance right during Choral Evensong? They seem to delight in winding down the volume when the choir and organist get to the exciting bits, and cranking it back up again for the precentor's part in the responses, and for anyone reading the lessons. It's madness, and needless to say that the BBC seem incapable of providing a satisfactory explanation. Is it any better on digital radio?

[Tosher]

I was full of good intentions yesterday; I was going to listen to the repeat of Choral Evensong so that I could contribute to the debate. Sadly the 'contemporary' music got in the way, as did the piercing soprano who cut through everything like a razor (is that the same soprano who features in all the Finzi Singers recordings I wonder?). Despite turning off with a mental note to return for the voluntary, I forgot. Sorry about that.

Meanwhile, I wonder if anyone out there can explain to me why the sound engineers at the BBC can't get the balance right during Choral Evensong? They seem to delight in winding down the volume when the choir and organist get to the exciting bits, and cranking it back up again for the precentor's part in the responses, and for anyone reading the lessons. It's madness, and needless to say that the BBC seem incapable of providing a satisfactory explanation. Is it any better on digital radio?

Perhaps to prevent the frazzling of thousands of pounds worth of kit by a stray Tuba on 25" wind? The fact is we don't know what instructions the sound engineers are actually under...could be a case of if any more equipment is blown on Choral Evensong, we'll cancel it for good?! Who knows. But there will be good reasons.