Schola Cantorum

[Luckdragon]

The Japan Boys Choir Association (https://japanbca.com) has announced that the Schola will perform in Sapporo on August 26 and Tokyo on August 31. They have also begun to build a boy choir database at https://japanbca.com/world-boy-choir-database/ that some of you may find interesting.

I don't like this blog post style "database", but if they are sponsoring and arranging concert opportunities then then can present it however they want! I've heard approx. 25 of the choirs listed under the UK section live and over 50 of them if you include watching streamed evensongs.

The Grazers also have a decent list of Germanic boy choirs at https://kapellknaben.at/knabenchoere/

[Celtic]

The Grazers also have a decent list of Germanic boy choirs at https://kapellknaben.at/knabenchoere/

Lumping all the Germanic choirs together (sorry!) I've managed, primarily due to Knabenchor Festivals, to see the following in concert:

Tölzer Knabenchor
St. Florianer Sängerknaben
Hannover Knabenchor
Neuer Knabenchor Hamburg
Regensburger Domspatzen
Wienersangerknaben
Wiltener Sängerknaben
Windsbacher Knabenchor
Knabenchor Capella Vocalis
Stuttgarter Hymnus Chorknaben
Zürcher Sängerknaben
Solothurner Singknaben
Münchner Knabenchor

And of those that I've seen the St. Florianer are my favourite followed closely by the Tölzer Knabenchor. Of the large number I haven't seen at all, the one I most want to hear live at least once would be the Thomanerchor Leipzig. (Crossing my fingers the recent CVMS trip paves the way for a reciprocal visit) Particularly as their current conductor is the former conductor of the Solothurner Singknaben who were nice enough to sing a great concert conveniently in London!

[seraphita]

Hurray!

[fan_de_LoK]

An update occurred today on the future events page about the concert announced for Tuesday 23 May evening.

The event has been renamed from "Sing Joyfully" to "Rejoice!". It now starts at 19:45 rather than 19:30

Mainly: the tickets sale is now open and good surprise: the concert will be live streamed!
Ticket for the live stream is at £6.

The program is said as being ' a recital by the upper voices of the Schola, of music both sacred and secular, ranging from Monteverdi through to Lloyd Webber with a few surprises along the way!'.

The concert was tempting, but being in the middle of the week, it was difficult to get there from abroad while working during the week.
The very good news of the live stream solves the issue, that's a great idea!


The events page, with the link to buy the tickets including for the live stream:
https://www.scholacantorum.co.uk/copy-of-the-schola

[Luckdragon]

"Upper Voices" = trebles and altos?

[Surpinto]

"Upper Voices" = trebles and altos?

I would imagine so.

Digital tickets and for cheap! Woohoo!

[Luckdragon]

Some photos from the Schola's most recent performance:

[fan_de_LoK]

[j8000]

I don't suppose anyone attended their Monteverdi Vespers concert a couple of weeks back and also attended the Monteverdi Vespers concert by the other London Catholic state school boys choir last night, and would be able to compare the two?

I wanted to attend both but unfortunately had to miss the CVMS one, but made it to the London Oratory yesterday. It is one of my favourite works and I was very impressed with LOS performance, I seem to remember CVMS tend to discretely reinforce their back row with a couple of pros for concerts, whereas LOS relied solely on the boys (apart from the two tenor soloists or course, essential for this piece and great role models for the younger singers) .

It's a work that is really affected by the pros and cons of a building's acoustic. I remember hearing it in Westminster Abbey's nave and the parts that seemed to work best there were perhaps different to the highlights for me in the Oratory last night, where it was sung from the west side of the crossing. Also the abbey's trebles were perhaps a tighter ship which benefited parts like the Sancta Maria, but LOS trebles were perhaps more robust which was a plus point in other areas.

I'd be intrigued to know how the CVMS performance went.

[Celtic]

I attended both, although unfortunately I didn't make that Wabbey one so I can't compare to that. The last time I heard Monte's Vespers was actually exactly 5 years ago, almost to the day of this year's performance, sung by CVMS in St James'.

They were different performances despite the inclusion of the same Sagbutts and Cornetts.

Starting with the Tenors, we had Mark Dobell in both concerts and then Peter Davoren for LOS, both were excellent. But the standout Tenor for me was Nicholas Mulroy for CVMS who is expressive and engaging and quite captivating in his performance.

Interesting you should mention CVMS propping up their back line, because in this case it was LOS who called up some alumni.

CVMS did however involve a second treble choir, namely the girls of Godolphin and Latymer. Their singing from the back was one of the dynamic sections that I really enjoyed. In terms of the dynamic sound generally, the acoustics in the Oratory are just superior to those at St James, so the echoes in particular, both instrumental and vocal, worked really well there. I do love a piece with shifting sound.

In terms of the other soloists, CVMS were superior. Their treble pair of Malakai and Kaelan were supremely impressive, but across the board with DW, FM, TM etc. singing various sections, I really cannot recall any weak section at all, they were excellent in all areas. LOS by contrast had some weaker sections in this regard. Scott is just better at getting the best out of his soloists, in my opinion. This is highlighted by the two lead trebles for LOS. Both were excellent but I question the choice of first and second treble, as James Tweedie (former Wabbey) was on as second treble and it's my personal opinion he would have done much better as lead treble. When given the opportunity he has/had a voice to rival Malakai's. In my Xmas choral bonanza Tweedie was my top soloist until FM happened.

Overall I would say the choral sections were marginally edged by LOS, I feel like in some sections CVMS were ever so slightly adrift, and the sound balance in general was better in LOS (though this is partially due to my seat) but CVMS easily won on solos. However, the important thing is, they were both fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable.

Spent the pre-concert chatting with my neighbour about classical music, opera and theatre, which is always nice. Also, he said he thought I was in my mid 20's which was extremely flattering and, sadly, very very wrong.

[j8000]

Thanks for your thoughts, interesting to hear about that second choir, there is certainly a lot of variation in how this work is recorded and performed compared to say the common Bach oratorios.

I know of Nicholas Mulroy but am yet to hear him in concert, so I'll keep an eye out. I remember hearing James at the abbey - my impression from Wednesday was that his voice is changing and the role he was given was perhaps the most suitable for him on the night?

I might be wrong but I think LOS have a background in renaissance polyphony which doesn't really call for solo parts in their day to day work (or in their recordings to date iirc), whereas CVMS have a tradition of their members undertaking lots of solo work in a variety of settings. You mention some weaker sections, which is true, however some of their even more junior trebles making brief solo appearances were great, so the fact those boys weren't singing the parts that ended up being weaker suggests to me that everything had gone well in rehearsals and it was a case of nerves due to lack of solo experience in front of a full house. Their concert repertoire seems to have been getting more adventurous in recent years so I'm sure this aspect will improve.

While you were receiving complements I was getting very wet in a torrential shower, dashing from the tube sans umbrella. I seem to have chosen the worst moment to arrive as the people already there seemed to be dry, and the rain eased off as I went up the steps

[Celtic]

Yes, I was surprised by how differently parts of it were interpreted by the two performances. But I was happy, as it made it more interesting than just hearing the same work performed identically twice.

LOS' selection of repertoire is the reason I stopped going to see them. Prior to their Durufle/Widor concert in November of last year I hadn't seen then since June 2018, a four and a half year gap. But I had to acknowledge that they do produce a fantastic sound, hence my return to their performances. But the dearth of solo work is a big part of why I will always favour CVMS over them.

Yes, of course, I don't know what's going on in the background with James so you may be right that he just isn't in the position to sing lead treble these days. Which would be a shame, as I rate him as one of the best UK trebles of the last few years. I was lucky enough to hear him sing solos at Westminster Abbey a couple of time, including a superlative performance in Dec 2021's Ceremony of Carols (probably the best version I have heard live), in addition to his many appearances on TV.

Edit: I happened to be chatting to one of the other LOS trebles at a drinks reception in December and I asked about JT and this other chorister told me he was having to be "retrained" because he didn't sing things in the "right" way (the LOS way). I refrained from expressing my opinion on that.

I timed my jog to the Oratory during a lull in the downpour and managed to arrive only slightly damp , albeit with wet feet...

[j8000]

Sometimes I might be inclined to take what trebles say with a pinch of salt.

I believe the LOS and CVMS trebles have the same singing teacher - Anita Morrison who also teaches St John's Cambridge and for many years prior trained the trebles of Westminster Cathedral. I couldn't imagine her "retraining" a successful abbey chorister, so he was probably referring to something rather less dramatic, like learning a new conductor's gestures.

[Celtic]

Sometimes I might be inclined to take what trebles say with a pinch of salt.

Of course!

► Show Spoiler

largest-shipment-of-salt.jpg (238.36 KiB) Viewed 3727 times

largest-shipment-of-salt.jpg (238.36 KiB) Viewed 3727 times

I believe the LOS and CVMS trebles have the same singing teacher - Anita Morrison who also teaches St John's Cambridge and for many years prior trained the trebles of Westminster Cathedral. I couldn't imagine her "retraining" a successful abbey chorister, so he was probably referring to something rather less dramatic, like learning a new conductor's gestures.

Ooh, I hadn't actually realised that, but yes, I see Anita is listed in both programmes! Interestingly, Anita is the only voice trainer listed for LOS, but CVMS has five!

Edit: For a very limited time only, a snippet of Tweedie at the end of Nov 2022...

► Show Spoiler

[Yorkie]

Edit: For a very limited time only, a snippet of Tweedie at the end of Nov 2022...

► Show Spoiler

Oh, he is very good. Not seen that before. Thank you.