These are some of the most accomplished singers in Britain and beyond. They are teachers and workshop leaders inspiring young people in their thousands. Their education and performance work combined makes them unique and wonderful. I have never seen a group sing unaccompanied AND un-conducted as this advanced group does. Their performance is superb and inspiring. Long may they continue.
UN-freaking-believable!!! I have sung this and even in a choir found it nearly impossible to find the places to breathe -- their breath control is inhuman! And beautiful... they really bring the joy of this piece to life!
Absolument magnifique. J'avais eu la chance de chanter cette belle oeuvre dans les années 70 lors du rassemblement Europa Cantat à Namur, sous la direction de Gottfried Wolters.
Incredible and outstanding performance! With no partiture's aid! I think that it's really nice to listen so shaped Music. It opens heart and mind! Impossible to miss staying astonished and wondered in listening performances like this one!
Does it have to be a case of 'right' vs ;wrong' all the time. Can't people just be left in peace to say 'I enjoyed that' or 'it didn;t do it for me'? I'd like to say....'what an awesome work'...'Thank you JS Bach!'
What a memory,..I have the complete score for these pieces & this version from the heart, and unemcumbered with watching dots- what a Joy !! splendid...Thankyou Voces8*
an interesting and ferocious debate! Surely the most obvious thing to do is watch this video if you like it and don't if you don't like it?!! You may be interested to know that VOCES8 has recorded all six of the motets on Signum Classics with continuo and doubling strings and woodwind. I should dare say it is not too easy for the group to carry an orchestra in its pocket when on tour, especially when this was one piece in a 20 piece programme and the rest of the music was all a cappella.
00:01 01-Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied 04:22 02-Wie sich ein Vater erbarmet 08:14 03-Lobet dem Herrn in seinen Taten 09:38 04-Alles, was Odem hat, lobe den Herren, Halleluja!
Maravillosa versión porque cumple correctamente los tempos y el fraseo. También empastáis (afináis) muy bien las voces y os ha quedado muy elegante, pero lo que más me ha sorprendido es la buena dicción que tenéis todos y esto es esencial para interpretar repertorio vocal. Mis más sinceras Felicitaciones y seguid cantando así.
@GeoffreySimonOnline if you prefer it with instruments doubling voices as you outline, the VOCES8 recording of the motets is done in exactly that way - enjoy.
Der Meister hatte nur wenige Stimmen zur Verfügung - nix mit grossem Chor.. so muss es geklungen haben damals in Leipzig.... wunderbar. Die anspruchsvollste seiner Motteten in Perfektion gesungen. Glückwünsche aus Deutschland!
ce qu'il nous faudrait faire : chanter par coeur ; détente, légereté, et reliefs musicaux de la partition assurés ; à tous mes choristes bien aimés didier
Almost beyond belief - that this most sublime and difficult of Bach's motets can be blithely tossed off with such ease and grace, with perfect tone, balance, and intonation. Only those who have sung this can completely understand what a tremendous joy it is to sing, but watching this will give the uninitiated a taste of it. I only wish it had been recorded in a slightly drier acoustic; too much echo is not friendly to fast, intricate counterpoint.
Even though Bach intended the vocal parts to be doubled by instruments (likely strings doubling Choir I, woodwinds doubling Choir II, keyboard & basso continuo undergirding the whole), this magnificent performance proves that the music works this way also. "Too technical" ??? They sing with a love of the music which is obvious and contagious; Bach captures the text as only he could, and this performance communicates it wonderfully.
EVERYone is doing such a Great job on this. You all are Amazing. It's MEMORIZED. WOW. And the musicality is tremendous. Really really - This performance... is AMAZING.Can't say eNOUGH about it. Just - WOW. Ok - during the Fuga - you must make enough room for the other entrances - ok, now I hear the Bass, but where were all the other parts? (mov 1 btw). But yes - I agree w below comments - even LARGE groups have trouble with this peice. BRAvo. THE TRILL at the end (mov 1) - WOWY-ZOWY.
This is truly phenomenal. I only wish the camera was on centre so the balance wasn't skewed!! (But it doesn't really matter because I have the CD) And you all look so good on stage!
Well done everyone . I do think some of the commentators here are being overly harsh. This performance is already a fine achievement. Every so often the individual singers seem to lose contact with each other and that is why the tempo gallops a bit. I think this may be simply to do with having to remember / deliver one's own vocal line and keep going. This group has huge potential and I enjoyed listening.
ok - This group - @ win081 - title: J. S. Bach: "Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied" BWV 225 - Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart (1990) - is doing a great job of the fugal entrances in the first movement. Hear them. But again - You really are ruling this peice on YT right now - First of all - There's only 8 of you!!! again, wow.
Perfect comment, it was nice to read dear colleague! Treatises and sources,, expecially when used for educational purpose, are absolutely necessary. I found on internet the well known Hofmann's book, published by Baerenreiter, about Bach's motets. Here it is, just in case anybody is willing to read www.bach-cantatas.com/Articles/MotetsHofmann.pdf
a me e' piaciuta soprattutto la velocita'....sara' 'filologicamente' scorretta come qualche commento ipotizza, ma ,santo cielo!, c'e' una montagna di energia in queste voci e di gioia di cantare...e il testo non dice questo?
Sono eccezionali. L'audio di questa ripresa non rende abbastanza. Li ho ascolati dal vivo e sono il miglior gruppo vocale (si, più di SwS e KgS!) Correte ad acoltarli!
I do not have enough words to say that the singer is amazing. Many singers can sing well when singing alone, but few are able to sing in a choir, especially in singing classical music.
@1banders : I worked in a cemetery as a grave digger and a spitter was the name used for a spade which in turn served as a shovel ! I believe that I have a copy of Spitta re-published by Dover Publications in my library.
I personally think, that the sopran on the left side is much too dominant for a Bach Motette. Especially the systhem of a Fuge especially at the end with "Alles was Odem hat lobe den Herrn" is, that all voices have the same weight. The other voices are too much in background. About the singers we do t have to discuss very much. They are very good only the sopran is much to loud i think :)
Excellent singing, but the full on dynamic is a little overwhelming at times. However, good to hear a tenor with a such an exciting and engaging timbre. Memories of Gerald English, and a younger, much lamented Philip Langridge. (Bob Chillcott's teacher at one time).
Un enregistrement est souvent trompeur et je suis certain que le public a été extrêmement ravi de cette prestation. De plus, chanter un tel motet sans chef de choeur pour la synchronisation est difficile. Ils ne se regardent pas tous en permanence et ils se synchronisent à l'audition, ce qui inévitablement provoque des petits décalages. Personnellement, je suis fan, c'est un groupe fantastique.
I agree. can't we just like or not like something? People already think we classical musicians (singers in general) are wankers, without adding fuel to the fire. A bit fast for my liking, but well done on memorising what appears to be your entire concert! Amazing.
Es ist eine Motette für einen Chor, so gut dieses solistische Ensemble stimmlich ist, Alt, Tenor gehen unter, der Bass 1 ist noch gut zu hören, Bass 2 kaum, was besonders auffällt. Vor allem in den achtstimmigen Teilen.
It would be nice sometimes to hear some of these groups, this one included, not singing in an 'echo hall.' That actually leads to a lot of distortion of the individual lines. And thus, not necessarily the best recordings or the best singing. Certainly the chapels had echos, but these recordings over do it.
Bei allem Respekt dennoch ein paar Fragen: Warum Solostimmen versus Raumakustik? Warum bei der Tonabnahme manche Stimmen präferieren (lassen)? Wo bleibt der Atem in der Musik - vgl. Greta Pedersen (Norwegischer Choir / nicht viel langsamer - aber)? Warum ließ man es zu, dass die Kameraführung mitunter an Seekrankheit litt?
"I think you're judging this through the lens of modern times and tastes." Ironically, what I wanted to say is that I do NOT agree with modern taste, which prefers Bach over his contemporaries. I agree with Bach's contemporaries as stated e.g 1737 (my translation): "[Bach] would be admired throughout all nations if his music were more pleasant and would not be deprived of beauty by too much bombast and artificial stuff." As it is a matter of taste, you might prefer Bach and I prefer Couperin.
Interesting points about sopranos. It is true in a lot of modern performances. I am told they simply cannot get enough men for mixed choirs (For male voice choirs there is less of a problem) What you say as a joke about 'feminism' has a grain of truth. The fugue is a 'democratic' form as it gives weight to all parts. Men (and boys) are being edged out of an art form written for men by men. Top heavy performances do not have the rich warm texture they are meant to have.
MUCH too fast - the rhythm becomes scrambled! Also the "perfect blonde" singer on the extreme left thinks her part is a solo one. (The Bach-recommended continuo part is missing too.) Miking wrong for the acoustic. Too bad!
Too much nitpicking. This is fresh and direct (like Holly and Ivy by Steeleye Span v Kings College Choir - different but both valid). The words say 'Sing a NEW song' and it starts with a wild dance-song hinting at tambourines and cymbals. They DO take the final fugue too fast, but so do other versions. It should be relaxed and expansive. Mozart was bowled over by this work. He also preferred fugues played slowly. Re the dominance of the sopranos, that is a common feature these feminist days!,
I respect anyone who's a fan of Bach but, COME ON! They performed the whole entire piece from memory without accompinament or a conductor! I still have my own small irks about their interpretation but you should give them more credit. They all held their own and this is not easy to sing!
UkeOne Started amazingly strong and fell apart at the end. They don't need a conductor for this, I think they took it faster than they had rehearsed. Basses are barely audible but that could be the recording.
O' shut up- This is a difficult double quartet- It is a great achievement-full of Joy & spirit !!.. Post up your version !?? lets hear what you can do ??..
@@ericashmusic8889 this isnt about what anyone else can do. This simply isnt good singing- sounds out of control and not polished as their later perfotmances became.
A serious problem with JSB's vocal music is that he writes for voices as if it were instruments, which make his music awkward to sing. The modern (mis-)conception takes this as a feature of JSB's "genius", but I think it is a bug. That even so accomplished singers as these have trouble certainly does not speak for this music. A slower tempo might help, but I agree that the composition itself is "too busy" to be beautiful.
Dear 'MrNatbuscus', Thinking I might have been in error in some respect or other, I made myself listen again. Sad to say my earlier reactions were confirmed - terrible ensemble, infelicitous balance, over-fast tempi relative to singers' ability - all in an overripe acoustic. I then listened to their performance of Gibbons' "Oh clap your hands!", and I can say this: it was better, and some of the singers' voices are excellent (others, alas, not). You are American or Australian, etc., aren't you?
Dieses Stück ist mir einfach zu hektisch. Übertrieben gesagt, klingen Teile daraus in meinen Ohren wie Heavy-Metal: lärmiges Geschrummel. Es gibt natürlich auch Stellen, die ich schön finde, aber es ist nicht mein Lieblingsstück. Außerdem ist's mir zu langweilig...
Die oft besonders bei den Frauen von unten hochgezogenen Töne sind, bei aller Bravour, nicht so schön. Ein F fängt nicht beim C oder Cis, sondern beim F an.
These are some of the most accomplished singers in Britain and beyond. They are teachers and workshop leaders inspiring young people in their thousands. Their education and performance work combined makes them unique and wonderful. I have never seen a group sing unaccompanied AND un-conducted as this advanced group does. Their performance is superb and inspiring. Long may they continue.
UN-freaking-believable!!! I have sung this and even in a choir found it nearly impossible to find the places to breathe -- their breath control is inhuman! And beautiful... they really bring the joy of this piece to life!
Infiniment merci; D'une beauté à la fois terrestre et divine.
Ohmygoddddd!!! No word can explain how beautiful it is 💖
Now I understand why Mozart was stunned when he listened to this Motet in Leipzig!
Absolument magnifique. J'avais eu la chance de chanter cette belle oeuvre dans les années 70 lors du rassemblement Europa Cantat à Namur, sous la direction de Gottfried Wolters.
My utter favourite in polyphonic genius, exquisitely performed. Thank you.
LIstening again - That Soprano trill, AND the whole groups ending of the first movement - is just.. So incredibly beautiful!!! Really NICEly done.
Simply divine! You sing like happy angels! Thank you so much...
This is amazing! For more than 5 years I was looking for an individualised 8 voice performance of this piece!! Brilliant 👏 👏
Incredible and outstanding performance! With no partiture's aid! I think that it's really nice to listen so shaped Music. It opens heart and mind! Impossible to miss staying astonished and wondered in listening performances like this one!
Does it have to be a case of 'right' vs ;wrong' all the time. Can't people just be left in peace to say 'I enjoyed that' or 'it didn;t do it for me'?
I'd like to say....'what an awesome work'...'Thank you JS Bach!'
It is totally right...and I believe that Bach would have done this just as you have done it here.
What a memory,..I have the complete score for these pieces & this version from the heart, and unemcumbered with watching dots- what a Joy !! splendid...Thankyou Voces8*
an interesting and ferocious debate! Surely the most obvious thing to do is watch this video if you like it and don't if you don't like it?!! You may be interested to know that VOCES8 has recorded all six of the motets on Signum Classics with continuo and doubling strings and woodwind. I should dare say it is not too easy for the group to carry an orchestra in its pocket when on tour, especially when this was one piece in a 20 piece programme and the rest of the music was all a cappella.
Acapella! Magnificent! 🙏🏼
Sehr schön! Bach ist Wunderbar!👍🌏🪐👼👀⚘️
*claps* Best performance of this I have heard. Truly excellent.
00:01 01-Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied
04:22 02-Wie sich ein Vater erbarmet
08:14 03-Lobet dem Herrn in seinen Taten
09:38 04-Alles, was Odem hat, lobe den Herren, Halleluja!
Maravillosa versión porque cumple correctamente los tempos y el fraseo. También empastáis (afináis) muy bien las voces y os ha quedado muy elegante, pero lo que más me ha sorprendido es la buena dicción que tenéis todos y esto es esencial para interpretar repertorio vocal. Mis más sinceras Felicitaciones y seguid cantando así.
Excellent performance - very pure!
@GeoffreySimonOnline if you prefer it with instruments doubling voices as you outline, the VOCES8 recording of the motets is done in exactly that way - enjoy.
That soprano is amazing!
Yes, this video is my introduction to Voces8, and in particular, to the wonderful soprano, Emily Dickens.
True!
Wow. It's really, really difficult to do this one or two on a part, and these guys pull it off beautifully.
Brillaint... all in German and from memory"!
Der Meister hatte nur wenige Stimmen zur Verfügung - nix mit grossem Chor..
so muss es geklungen haben damals in Leipzig.... wunderbar. Die anspruchsvollste seiner Motteten in Perfektion gesungen. Glückwünsche aus Deutschland!
Une merveille. Chapeau!
ce qu'il nous faudrait faire : chanter par coeur ; détente, légereté, et reliefs musicaux de la partition assurés ; à tous mes choristes bien aimés didier
Great job, guys! I enjoyed this very much. Thanks for the share.
Pure Lust am Singen!
Ja, nur ist die Aufnahme ziemlich schlecht. Das ist schade.
Nicely done thank you
Really, really impressive. And memorized! My goodness.
The bass at the beginning of the Alles, was Odem hat, wow, really nice!
Eine wunderbare Darbietung. Super Interpretation
Stuns the senses -- gorgeous!
Indeed, they have heavenly fun together!!!
Almost beyond belief - that this most sublime and difficult of Bach's motets can be blithely tossed off with such ease and grace, with perfect tone, balance, and intonation. Only those who have sung this can completely understand what a tremendous joy it is to sing, but watching this will give the uninitiated a taste of it. I only wish it had been recorded in a slightly drier acoustic; too much echo is not friendly to fast, intricate counterpoint.
Even though Bach intended the vocal parts to be doubled by instruments (likely strings doubling Choir I, woodwinds doubling Choir II, keyboard & basso continuo undergirding the whole), this magnificent performance proves that the music works this way also. "Too technical" ??? They sing with a love of the music which is obvious and contagious; Bach captures the text as only he could, and this performance communicates it wonderfully.
EVERYone is doing such a Great job on this.
You all are Amazing.
It's MEMORIZED. WOW.
And the musicality is tremendous.
Really really - This performance... is AMAZING.Can't say eNOUGH about it.
Just - WOW.
Ok - during the Fuga - you must make enough room for the other entrances - ok, now I hear the Bass, but where were all the other parts? (mov 1 btw).
But yes - I agree w below comments - even LARGE groups have trouble with this peice. BRAvo.
THE TRILL at the end (mov 1) - WOWY-ZOWY.
FANTASTIC
GENIUS BACH
This is truly phenomenal.
I only wish the camera was on centre so the balance wasn't skewed!! (But it doesn't really matter because I have the CD)
And you all look so good on stage!
Well done everyone . I do think some of the commentators here are being overly harsh. This performance is already a fine achievement. Every so often the individual singers seem to lose contact with each other and that is why the tempo gallops a bit. I think this may be simply to do with having to remember / deliver one's own vocal line and keep going. This group has huge potential and I enjoyed listening.
Tenortalker this performance is actually very good indeed, very poor audio quality though!
BRILLIANT!!
Fantastisch! - Bravo! :-))))))))))))))
complicated polyphonic structure this Bach composition. Fine young voices.
perfekt!!!
ok - This group - @ win081 - title: J. S. Bach: "Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied" BWV 225 - Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart (1990) -
is doing a great job of the fugal entrances in the first movement. Hear them.
But again - You really are ruling this peice on YT right now - First of all - There's only 8 of you!!! again, wow.
What a Joy!
I couldn't really hear the tenor/bass lines, but wow, that Soprano is just amazing!
They're missing the continuo! This is NOT an "a cappella" work.
Jay Preis The continuo, isn't needed. This piece can and was originally performed without it
Perfect comment, it was nice to read dear colleague! Treatises and sources,, expecially when used for educational purpose, are absolutely necessary. I found on internet the well known Hofmann's book, published by Baerenreiter, about Bach's motets. Here it is, just in case anybody is willing to read
www.bach-cantatas.com/Articles/MotetsHofmann.pdf
la linea de mezzo las hacen dos hombres...me costo encontrar mi tesitura!
This is amazing. I can barely do it with the music
a me e' piaciuta soprattutto la velocita'....sara' 'filologicamente' scorretta come qualche commento ipotizza, ma ,santo cielo!, c'e' una montagna di energia in queste voci e di gioia di cantare...e il testo non dice questo?
Diesen großartigen Chor hörte ich vor ein paar Jahren live in der Nähe Nürnbergs.
Leider weiß ich nicht mehr, wo. Kann mir jemand helfen?
Does anybody else see the interaction between the bass and alto at 2:12? XD The third and fourth guy from the left...
You mean @1:52? Yes. After 2:04 he doesn't sing a note for 36 seconds.
Verità, preziosi. Voci supremi
Alleluia !
Sono eccezionali. L'audio di questa ripresa non rende abbastanza. Li ho ascolati dal vivo e sono il miglior gruppo vocale (si, più di SwS e KgS!) Correte ad acoltarli!
Heaven on earth!!!
I do not have enough words to say that the singer is amazing. Many singers can sing well when singing alone, but few are able to sing in a choir, especially in singing classical music.
I like it. Its nothing german, nothing Bach, but music is jumping out of the recording, thats worth!
Nice!
@1banders : I worked in a cemetery as a grave digger and a spitter was the name used for a spade which in turn served as a shovel ! I believe that I have a copy of Spitta re-published by Dover Publications in my library.
how do they keep all that music in their heads???
einfach üben!
I personally think, that the sopran on the left side is much too dominant for a Bach Motette. Especially the systhem of a Fuge especially at the end with "Alles was Odem hat lobe den Herrn" is, that all voices have the same weight.
The other voices are too much in background.
About the singers we do t have to discuss very much. They are very good only the sopran is much to loud i think :)
I think it is more of a matter of sound engineering.
Excellent singing, but the full on dynamic is a little overwhelming at times. However, good to hear a tenor with a such an exciting and engaging timbre. Memories of Gerald English, and a younger, much lamented Philip Langridge. (Bob Chillcott's teacher at one time).
Un enregistrement est souvent trompeur et je suis certain que le public a été extrêmement ravi de cette prestation.
De plus, chanter un tel motet sans chef de choeur pour la synchronisation est difficile. Ils ne se regardent pas tous en permanence et ils se synchronisent à l'audition, ce qui inévitablement provoque des petits décalages.
Personnellement, je suis fan, c'est un groupe fantastique.
purity in its purisht form.....!
IThey can use a more relaxed tempo if they sang 2 per part
The detractors are jealous. SO beautiful!
I agree. can't we just like or not like something? People already think we classical musicians (singers in general) are wankers, without adding fuel to the fire. A bit fast for my liking, but well done on memorising what appears to be your entire concert! Amazing.
Es ist eine Motette für einen Chor, so gut dieses solistische Ensemble stimmlich ist, Alt, Tenor gehen unter, der Bass 1 ist noch gut zu hören, Bass 2 kaum, was besonders auffällt. Vor allem in den achtstimmigen Teilen.
Is this the same group that performs Komm Komm ?
They sing all six motets!
They should have made the semicircle the other way with basses out front! But you can't deny she is a wow of a singer.
Wat heeft dit met Bach van doen?
9:38
Giants should not be stereotyped!They have the right to be "heard"...,besides they make good tenors!
now they are much more better
I agree
They are more disciplined and more musical today. They are untouchable now.
I thought the tempo was too fast
are the three on the far right giants?
It would be nice sometimes to hear some of these groups, this one included, not singing in an 'echo hall.' That actually leads to a lot of distortion of the individual lines. And thus, not necessarily the best recordings or the best singing. Certainly the chapels had echos, but these recordings over do it.
Bei allem Respekt dennoch ein paar Fragen: Warum Solostimmen versus Raumakustik? Warum bei der Tonabnahme manche Stimmen präferieren (lassen)? Wo bleibt der Atem in der Musik - vgl. Greta Pedersen (Norwegischer Choir / nicht viel langsamer - aber)? Warum ließ man es zu, dass die Kameraführung mitunter an Seekrankheit litt?
"I think you're judging this through the lens of modern times and tastes."
Ironically, what I wanted to say is that I do NOT agree with modern taste, which prefers Bach over his contemporaries. I agree with Bach's contemporaries as stated e.g 1737 (my translation):
"[Bach] would be admired throughout all nations if his music were more pleasant and would not be deprived of beauty by too much bombast and artificial stuff."
As it is a matter of taste, you might prefer Bach and I prefer Couperin.
Mozart disagrees with you. Teeheee...
Oh and Bach will only have wanted this doubled by instruments because he was worried his singers wouldn't be able to cope. And it is NOT too fast.
Beethoven also uses the voice as just another instrument.
Good looking people as well:)
I like the singers very much. But, in this case, I think, the male voices are dominating. There is not enough "jubilation" in the higher notes
Impressive. Slightly lacking in basses, though.
@3NUNS : This is so perfect is it not 3NUNS ! No need for accompaniament !
Bello, rocambolesco. Poco spirituale però. Manca lo spirito di Bach.
a bit of a gallop, but great fun :-)
I don't like it. Way to fast , no air for prcision. sounds kind of blurry and chaotic
@JoelvanLennep Yup that's why their jazz is not totally to my liking.
Sorry. No. Everybody sings its own motet.
Trochę za szybki i "zakrzyczany" przez to Bach... Choć zespół ma świetny potencjał :) Odsyłam do Rachmaninova w ich wykonaniu :)
The acoustics are NOT good in this Cathedral. Pity.
Interesting points about sopranos. It is true in a lot of modern performances. I am told they simply cannot get enough men for mixed choirs (For male voice choirs there is less of a problem) What you say as a joke about 'feminism' has a grain of truth.
The fugue is a 'democratic' form as it gives weight to all parts. Men (and boys) are being edged out of an art form written for men by men. Top heavy performances do not have the rich warm texture they are meant to have.
MUCH too fast - the rhythm becomes scrambled! Also the "perfect blonde" singer on the extreme left thinks her part is a solo one. (The Bach-recommended continuo part is missing too.) Miking wrong for the acoustic. Too bad!
Too much nitpicking. This is fresh and direct (like Holly and Ivy by Steeleye Span v Kings College Choir - different but both valid). The words say 'Sing a NEW song' and it starts with a wild dance-song hinting at tambourines and cymbals. They DO take the final fugue too fast, but so do other versions. It should be relaxed and expansive. Mozart was bowled over by this work. He also preferred fugues played slowly.
Re the dominance of the sopranos, that is a common feature these feminist days!,
Sloppy...just plain sloppy because the tempo is way out of control! This is Bach for Christ's sake...control the speed, LISTEN & blend!
I respect anyone who's a fan of Bach but, COME ON! They performed the whole entire piece from memory without accompinament or a conductor! I still have my own small irks about their interpretation but you should give them more credit. They all held their own and this is not easy to sing!
UkeOne Started amazingly strong and fell apart at the end. They don't need a conductor for this, I think they took it faster than they had rehearsed. Basses are barely audible but that could be the recording.
O' shut up- This is a difficult double quartet- It is a great achievement-full of Joy & spirit !!.. Post up your version !?? lets hear what you can do ??..
@@ericashmusic8889 this isnt about what anyone else can do. This simply isnt good singing- sounds out of control and not polished as their later perfotmances became.
A serious problem with JSB's vocal music is that he writes for voices as if it were instruments, which make his music awkward to sing. The modern (mis-)conception takes this as a feature of JSB's "genius", but I think it is a bug. That even so accomplished singers as these have trouble certainly does not speak for this music. A slower tempo might help, but I agree that the composition itself is "too busy" to be beautiful.
Dear 'MrNatbuscus', Thinking I might have been in error in some respect or other, I made myself listen again. Sad to say my earlier reactions were confirmed - terrible ensemble, infelicitous balance, over-fast tempi relative to singers' ability - all in an overripe acoustic. I then listened to their performance of Gibbons' "Oh clap your hands!", and I can say this: it was better, and some of the singers' voices are excellent (others, alas, not). You are American or Australian, etc., aren't you?
Dieses Stück ist mir einfach zu hektisch. Übertrieben gesagt, klingen Teile daraus in meinen Ohren wie Heavy-Metal: lärmiges Geschrummel. Es gibt natürlich auch Stellen, die ich schön finde, aber es ist nicht mein Lieblingsstück. Außerdem ist's mir zu langweilig...
Die oft besonders bei den Frauen von unten hochgezogenen Töne sind, bei aller Bravour, nicht so schön. Ein F fängt nicht beim C oder Cis, sondern beim F an.