Like many others, I first heard this vital and innovative piece when its first performance was part of the St John's College Cambridge 2022 Advent Service broadcast 'live' on BBC Radio 3. In amongst the traditional and often contemplative and sombre Advent music and readings, this bold commission by the choir's departing Music DirectorAndrew Nethsingha was immediately startlingly and dazzling with its jazz rhythms, hand claps -and foot stopping. I just wondered how the general congregation would have reacted when it suddenly burst on them towards the end of the service?! I have no doubt that this truly inspired piece by Iain Farrington will quickly become an Advent 'classic' -for those choirs and organists capable of doing it full justice!
It would work quite well from choir stalls. It's trickier in a concert setting because you need to either sing it from memory or use music stands. My choir sang it in our christmas concert last weekend - I was gutted I had come down with COVID and had to miss the performance.
The organist was George Herbert, who at the time was assistant organist at St John's (having been organ scholar from 2019 to 2022), and is now the assistant organist at HM Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace.
Like many others, I first heard this vital and innovative piece when its first performance was part of the St John's College Cambridge 2022 Advent Service broadcast 'live' on BBC Radio 3. In amongst the traditional and often contemplative and sombre Advent music and readings, this bold commission by the choir's departing Music DirectorAndrew Nethsingha was immediately startlingly and dazzling with its jazz rhythms, hand claps -and foot stopping. I just wondered how the general congregation would have reacted when it suddenly burst on them towards the end of the service?! I have no doubt that this truly inspired piece by Iain Farrington will quickly become an Advent 'classic' -for those choirs and organists capable of doing it full justice!
God what a great piece
WOW! that was amazing 😮😍
Just completely obsessed with this now. HOW GOOD
Great piece of music!
Sing this 3 times this weekend in Boston
Amazing!
Very curious to know if this was sung live in a service
It was commissioned by St John's for their 2022 Advent Carol Service, so yes it has been
@@JoshuaGawleyThat must've been an absolutely lit service then
was it ever! 2022 hair raising
We just did it at our college carol service, it was indeed lit
It would work quite well from choir stalls. It's trickier in a concert setting because you need to either sing it from memory or use music stands. My choir sang it in our christmas concert last weekend - I was gutted I had come down with COVID and had to miss the performance.
Organist?
The organist was George Herbert, who at the time was assistant organist at St John's (having been organ scholar from 2019 to 2022), and is now the assistant organist at HM Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace.