A Christmas Cracker!
Post categories: Composers of the Year
|15:41 UK Time, Wednesday, 23 December 2009
We've a Christmas Cracker for you: it's a short film of a 'composite' performance of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus using recordings made by some of the 450 choirs who signed up for Sing Hallelujah!
Watch the film and you'll be intrigued by the variety of orchestration, tempi, choral forces, and - yes - even concert pitch adopted by the choirs. This is the link to watch the film: www.bbc.co.uk/sing/hallelujah/ - you might like to entertain your friends by sending it to them, and the film can be embedded on your own web page.
Don't forget that the highlight of Christmas Day on Radio 3 will be a recording of English National Opera's production of Messiah with Sophie Bevan (soprano), Catherine Wyn Rogers (alto), John Mark Ainsley (tenor), Brindley Sherratt (bass) and the ENO Chorus and Orchestra, conducted by Laurence Cummings. That's in Performance on 3 at 7pm.
Comment number 1.
At 14:41 24th Dec 2009, kleines c wrote:I watched your fascinating 'Hallelujah' chorus compilation online from around the country (UK), Graeme, and forwarded it around the world. It was amusing to listen to so many contrasting interpretations all together. Congratulations to all! As for Radio 3, your efforts are much appreciated here! A Christmas Cracker to all of you, too!
c.
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Comment number 2.
At 09:48 3rd Jan 2009, followthewabbit wrote:Fantastic and fascinating?? I think this kind of presentation is worn out, past its time. It is only designed for people who follow Strictly Come Dancing. Poor Handel. If he was alive he would demand a more sophisticated radio station. Everything is greeted with hysteria these days I am afraid.
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Comment number 3.
At 13:27 4th Jan 2010, kleines c wrote:I, too, think that were BBC Radio 3's Composer of the Year (2009) were alive today, he would be writing music for a more sophisticated radio station, although I suspect that he would be fascinated to see what contemporary choirs were making of his Hallelujah chorus over Christmas. The ENO production sounded very good on the radio on Christmas Night, even if it did not work as well dramatically on stage. I guess that the question for Graeme, Roland and the powers that be, is how should Radio 3 be interacting with its (potential) audiences in 2010 and beyond?
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