To me, it is his best composition by a wide margin (I'm generally not a big fan of Britten, but I adore this piece). Of course I don't know what was in his head or heart, but I imagine it being the kind of music he always actually wanted to write, but felt pressured to be more "modern" -- more complicated, more unusual, more surprising, more innovative etc. Ironically, to me this piece actually has a far more personal voice than most of his other work.
@@jonathanrussell6833 It’s interesting you should say that. I can only really speak of my own experience of his music. The first piece by Britten I ever heard was his cantata Rejoice in the Lamb. We sang it with our school choir when I was 13. At the time I didn’t really like it; I enjoyed singing it but I thought it sounded weird - it was unlike any other piece of choral music I knew. But then I heard it by chance on the radio a few years later and completely fell in love with it. My whole attitude towards the piece changed, and it’s now one of my favourite pieces of choral music. And that piece was the key to unlocking the rest of Britten’s work for me. His whole output makes sense to me through that one piece - it contains all the elements of his mature work but in hybrid form. Sometimes it just takes one work to change our whole outlook on a composer.
From one immaculate conception to another is what this should be called.... first rate singing. Heard this piece many times, but today it was fresh and vibrant.
Lyrics I found online (not sure how accurate):Of one who is so fair and bright Velut maris stella, [Like a star of the sea] Brighter than the day is light, Parens et puella: [Both mother and maiden] I cry to thee, thou see to me, Lady, pray thy Son for me, Tam pia, [so pure] That I may come to thee. Maria! [Mary] All this world was forlorn, Eva peccatrice, [because of Eve, a sinner] Till our Lord was yborn, De te genetrice. [through you, his mother] With ave it went away, Darkest night, and comes the day Salutis; [of salvation] The well springeth out of thee. Virtutis. [of virtue]Lady, flower of everything, Rosa sine spina, [Rose without thorn] Thou bare Jesu, heaven's king, Gratia divina: [by divine grace] Of all thou bearest the prize, Lady, queen of paradise Electa: [chosen] Maid mild, mother es effecta. [you are made]
Very interesting contrast, a gorgeous early 20th Anglican Marian hymn sings in a typical 17th English Protestant style Church. The power of the oxford movement was immense, and CoE moved back to approach its ancient root a lot.
I have watched them age, and mature. Like a good Burgundy, or a Stilton they have improved. After the first enthusiasm of youth, maturity has given them mastery. I await what is to come with a smile.
I had only heard this piece on CD by the Robert Shaw Chorale. I did not begin to truly understand it until seeing this on RUclips. Such a beautiful performance of a beautiful piece. Thank you! See you in Cincinnati!
Exquisite singing, precise and full of deep emotion. But there's a brief view of a page of St Matthew's Gospel at 2:10. I wonder, why? In that book, chapter 6:9 Jesus teaches "This, then, is how you should pray, 'Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name.'" One can wholeheartedly admire Mary the mother of Jesus, but she would be horrified if she were worshipped or had prayers - or hymns - addressed to her!
There's no suggestion of "worship" here at all, please look at the text. Massive difference between devotion and worship. Not sure why hymns to Mary should cause upset, are they any different to hymns to Saints? (not worshipped, either!)
A Hymn to the Virgin remonte à la dix-septième année du compositeur, durant sa dernière année à l’institut Gresham. La pièce est composée sur un texte anonyme des environs de l’année 1300, extrait de l’Oxford Book of English Verse, que Britten avait reçu comme prix scolaire. Destinée à un chœur à huit voix sans accompagnement, elle relève de l’antiphonaire, de la première à la troisième strophe, avec un demi-chœur de quatre solistes (chantant en latin) faisant écho à chaque expression musicale chantée, en anglais, par le chœur principal.
Really great music, and sung incredibly well. Thanks for uploading. (Also, it's macaronic, which for some reason pleases me - I think perhaps I've sung some macaronic music in the past which I really enjoyed or something, but it has pleasant connotations.) Some of those false relations were pretty juicy :-) and, come to think of it, they weren't really false relations as they weren't simultaneous, just mixed major/minor within a phrase. Still juicy though.
It would sound horrible if they sang like Pavarotti or Janet Baker too. Pears was one of the finest SOLOISTS of the 20th century but not an ensemble singer.
That is crap. Voces8 have to skip their countertenors - they are just dominating the sound and not for the best of the overall sound. It's a blind alley.
Well, just DAMN... only critique is the FF section where you seemed to lose relationship to one another... totally get the emphasis and passion for your individual voice, but... with everything else being so exquisitely specific, to lose it in the LOUD, is a break in an otherwise flawless performance
I find the casual dress distracting. Long black dresses for the women and black suits for the men would be much more appropriate. It would give them what their music has: timelessness.
Benjamin Britten was 16 when he wrote this piece. What a genius!
wow
So he was virgin?
To me, it is his best composition by a wide margin (I'm generally not a big fan of Britten, but I adore this piece). Of course I don't know what was in his head or heart, but I imagine it being the kind of music he always actually wanted to write, but felt pressured to be more "modern" -- more complicated, more unusual, more surprising, more innovative etc. Ironically, to me this piece actually has a far more personal voice than most of his other work.
It seems all young talent is in the past...nowadays...youth has very little talent, sadly...
@@jonathanrussell6833 It’s interesting you should say that. I can only really speak of my own experience of his music. The first piece by Britten I ever heard was his cantata Rejoice in the Lamb. We sang it with our school choir when I was 13. At the time I didn’t really like it; I enjoyed singing it but I thought it sounded weird - it was unlike any other piece of choral music I knew. But then I heard it by chance on the radio a few years later and completely fell in love with it. My whole attitude towards the piece changed, and it’s now one of my favourite pieces of choral music. And that piece was the key to unlocking the rest of Britten’s work for me. His whole output makes sense to me through that one piece - it contains all the elements of his mature work but in hybrid form. Sometimes it just takes one work to change our whole outlook on a composer.
So much love goes into their singing of this carol. Absolutely beautiful.
I could listen to that over and over again.
Lyrics, brilliant, sheer genius. Music, brilliant, sheer genius. Performance, brilliant, sheer genius. Enough said
Totally gorgeous. An inspiration to all of us who strive to sing acapella.
The Master Class of all Master Classes in a cappella singing. Literally brilliant! :)
Thank God for this group !
I think it’s the total control that’s so truly beautiful,and a truly beautiful piece by Britten 🇨🇦
Stunning performance
I absolutely love the way the group massages the notes....gorgeous.
Britten's genius perfectly served by Voces 8's voices and perfect skill ! Very moving !
Never heard this before. Beautiful!
It makes me happy to listen to you all, thank you very much!
This brought tears to my eyes. So much beauty.
and mine too
From one immaculate conception to another is what this should be called.... first rate singing. Heard this piece many times, but today it was fresh and vibrant.
this is stunning..the control is phenomenal and sounds effortless.
looks effortless too, that is years and years of practice. Only a master/mistress can make the impossible look easy.
A beautiful performance of a beautiful little masterpiece. Every note written in this song.. every dynamic marking is perfect.
My goodness, what fine singing!
This is going directly into the heart. Oh my god! What a music, and so terrifficly sung! Bravo!
The most beautiful hymn to Our Lady. Stunning, touching performance.
Many thanks for posting.
My favorite version! :)
Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception!!!
Brilliant staging of this. I once sang the soprano of the semichorus from the Lady Chapel, to the right of the chancel and behind the organist.
Absolutely brilliant!
Bravo! A gorgeous sound for this stunning piece! IMHO, more heartfelt than ‘Ave Maria’. Up there with his setting of the ‘Corpus Christi Carol’.
Lyrics I found online (not sure how accurate):Of one who is so fair and bright
Velut maris stella, [Like a star of the sea]
Brighter than the day is light,
Parens et puella: [Both mother and maiden]
I cry to thee, thou see to me,
Lady, pray thy Son for me,
Tam pia, [so pure]
That I may come to thee.
Maria! [Mary] All this world was forlorn,
Eva peccatrice, [because of Eve, a sinner]
Till our Lord was yborn,
De te genetrice. [through you, his mother]
With ave it went away,
Darkest night, and comes the day
Salutis; [of salvation]
The well springeth out of thee.
Virtutis. [of virtue]Lady, flower of everything,
Rosa sine spina, [Rose without thorn]
Thou bare Jesu, heaven's king,
Gratia divina: [by divine grace]
Of all thou bearest the prize,
Lady, queen of paradise
Electa: [chosen]
Maid mild, mother
es effecta. [you are made]
Matthew Haas Zg
Matthew Haas
TY
Matthew Haas a
Great performance ! Thank you!!
Beautiful! Beautiful!
This is absolutely incredible! Bravo!
Very interesting contrast, a gorgeous early 20th Anglican Marian hymn sings in a typical 17th English Protestant style Church. The power of the oxford movement was immense, and CoE moved back to approach its ancient root a lot.
So Amazing sonically and visually - this is a work of art for which we thank all involved.
I have watched them age, and mature.
Like a good Burgundy, or a Stilton they have improved.
After the first enthusiasm of youth, maturity has given them mastery.
I await what is to come with a smile.
Are you aware the members have changed over time? There is only one original Voces8 member left in 2019.
Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception! This is lovely.
wonderful singing of a wonderful piece of music
Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing! I'm so glad I discovered you. Just beautiful.
I freaking LIVE for that final "efecta"
OMG yes!
Easier to sing when you face each other. Absolutely beautiful.
Splendid! Supremo! I'm expecting them to visit Japan again.
Britten is perfect, your voices are beautifull
Magnifica esecuzione. Grazie, mi sono commossa.
hot damn!..I've sung this for years..but you guys just..dang it's good
La meilleure version de ce chant merveilleux .
I have had the privilege of singing alto in this stunning piece a couple oft times.
I had only heard this piece on CD by the Robert Shaw Chorale. I did not begin to truly understand it until seeing this on RUclips. Such a beautiful performance of a beautiful piece. Thank you! See you in Cincinnati!
This is used in the 1978 series Butterflies with Wendy Craig and Jeffrey Palmer s1 e5 whilst he is mounting his butterfly collection
Brilliant tone and blend...Bravo!
Que belleza de obra y una magnífica interpretación. Bravo
Beautiful 👏👏👏
So amazing!!!!!
How lovely!!!
There must be a Heaven above! (This proves it.)
How so?
C est magnifique
Immaculate....Bravo!
So lovely.
This is a song for me
Zauberhaft!!!
Exquisite singing, precise and full of deep emotion. But there's a brief view of a page of St Matthew's Gospel at 2:10. I wonder, why? In that book, chapter 6:9 Jesus teaches "This, then, is how you should pray, 'Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name.'" One can wholeheartedly admire Mary the mother of Jesus, but she would be horrified if she were worshipped or had prayers - or hymns - addressed to her!
There's no suggestion of "worship" here at all, please look at the text. Massive difference between devotion and worship. Not sure why hymns to Mary should cause upset, are they any different to hymns to Saints? (not worshipped, either!)
Armonia perfetta.
Exquisite!
A Hymn to the Virgin remonte à la dix-septième année du compositeur, durant sa dernière année à l’institut Gresham. La pièce est composée sur un texte anonyme des environs de l’année 1300, extrait de l’Oxford Book of English Verse, que Britten avait reçu comme prix scolaire. Destinée à un chœur à huit voix sans accompagnement, elle relève de l’antiphonaire, de la première à la troisième strophe, avec un demi-chœur de quatre solistes (chantant en latin) faisant écho à chaque expression musicale chantée, en anglais, par le chœur principal.
Pure beauty!
Sublime....
I well up....so lovely
Mysthic & Magic !
Is anyone else crying?
just inside.
A little slice of perfection in an otherwise nasty little world...
Really great music, and sung incredibly well. Thanks for uploading. (Also, it's macaronic, which for some reason pleases me - I think perhaps I've sung some macaronic music in the past which I really enjoyed or something, but it has pleasant connotations.) Some of those false relations were pretty juicy :-) and, come to think of it, they weren't really false relations as they weren't simultaneous, just mixed major/minor within a phrase. Still juicy though.
Gyönyörű!
How could Britten know that there would exist this group years later and wrote this song for them?
A bit of heaven ...
Wow your music is so good. I'd love to use it in some of my classical music/hydroponic gardening videos.
Needs more air time loving the sound
Please post the original language lyrics as performed on the video.
Just no point listening to this without headphones. Too many overtones for my iPad speakers
Wonderful...maybe a little too loud.
Nice perform! But your shoes... They are so damn long!=D
Shut your eyes then
Wonderful. imagine how awful this would sound if they sang like Peter Pears! Love is deaf.
It would sound horrible if they sang like Pavarotti or Janet Baker too. Pears was one of the finest SOLOISTS of the 20th century but not an ensemble singer.
Men singing alto parts to give it more depth.
That is crap. Voces8 have to skip their countertenors - they are just dominating the sound and not for the best of the overall sound. It's a blind alley.
Well, just DAMN... only critique is the FF section where you seemed to lose relationship to one another... totally get the emphasis and passion for your individual voice, but... with everything else being so exquisitely specific, to lose it in the LOUD, is a break in an otherwise flawless performance
I find the casual dress distracting. Long black dresses for the women and black suits for the men would be much more appropriate. It would give them what their music has: timelessness.
Absolutely brilliant!!!