I love this! I sang it about 10 years ago and can still sing it fairly well despite being over 65 years. Love the very minimal vibrato and excellent pitch!!!!!!!!!
+Catniss Everdeen, it's almost incredible, i can't find anything decent on youtube... i mean, is it too difficult? Or maybe real professional choirs dont deal with such a repertoire?
I just heard this tonight at a small concert at the local church. Sung by a filharmonic choir, it nearly brought tears to my eyes. So very, very beautiful.
I have sung this many times in performance and it is one of my favorite pieces. I love the version captured here by the Robert Shaw festival singers. The "mystery" in the mysterium is preserved and it is not just sung but created and shaped beautifully. Bravi!
Nice version of what is a pivotal piece for me. Am not en expert in chiral music but i tend to associate it with piety, craving after Light in the darkest hour, and seek thou shalt receive moment, of my life and of my day. 😇
I have just found this piece of music for the very first time, embarresingly never heard of Poulence before, only found it looking for the vespers by rachmanininoff. beautiful piece of music,am becoming a lover of choral music.thank you for posting. the music for me is like a corridor between our world and that of heavenly bodies.beautiful and thanks for posting
Poulenc is really brilliant! My choir sang "Les Tisserands" in quarantine style. Write this in the search: you will surely like it. Corale Novarmonia - Les Tisserands (F. Poulenc)
This setting of the text might be the most fitting and evocative. It conveys the mystery of the birth while hinting at the darkness and pain lying in wait in the child's future.
I've never heard Poulenc's O Magnum Mysterium before today. What an incredible arrangement! The Robert Shaw Festival Singers give such a sublime performance I would be afraid to hear a mediocre group attempt this song. Yet, in listening to the music in Poulenc's song, though wonderful it may be, I ponder if it is a suitable pairing for the lyrics about the lowly birth of Christ being witnessed by the animals near the manger, etc. I think a better combining of music-to-lyrics, for these specific lyrics, is the arrangement by Lauridsen. I believe that Poulenc's vocal arrangement here is superior to Lauridsen's song on several levels, yet again, for these specific lyrics, maybe not. My favorite performance of Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium is by Polyphony.
I find it very relevant. The confusion in the voice leading and chords in general creates a very realistic atmosphere regarding the nativity. This baby is our king? The savior of the world is forced to lay in a feeding hole? That doesn't sound correct. Even the wise men were rich. Where is this king's status? But then there's a sense of underlying stability throughout the piece, and maybe that's because it all really does make sense to them. Even with all of these bizarre conditions and irregularities, they truly believe that this is God's only begotten son. They're declaring the texts they use, and nothing less, no matter how 'incorrect' it sounds. A truly great mystery indeed. I love this arrangement.
mmichaelowenss I don't find that in this music or in his history. In fact, he was a deeply religious man. At first he was sort of forced into it, but eventually he came around to being a very religiously devout man. I highly doubt that he was mocking the church for their beliefs because then he would have been mocking himself.
Tx! People have to learn to enjoy the music instead of arguing about a B-flat belonging there or not. Who cares?? It is so pure and beautiful! Pump up your lower tone bass volume and enjoy! Kind regards, Wiebe
O magnum mysterium et admirabile sacramentum ut animalia viderent Dominum natum iacentem in praesepio. Beata virgo cuius viscera meruerunt portare Dominum Christum.
I can understand why you might think the low Bb is just wrong for the chord. It's not traditional. But it's something I would want to include in that chord as well, if I were composing this. There's something large, open, and icy about that last chord. Like you're in a bright castle made of ice, but you're completely warm and at home in it. Or, you're standing on a mesa, staring out over a wide landscape as a slight breeze blows around you. That Bb belongs.
it is quite common for basses to do that on their own will haha, but quite seldomly required by composers, because you cannot realistically expect the presence of basses able to sing this low Bb. So I would argue that had Poulenc believed it can be sung he would include it as well.
all the people arguing on here....wow... i had hoped that educated people would be more mature than the people that argue on every pop/rock singers' videos. but alas even here people have to prove that they are right.
Traditional....still traditional.....Where's Poulenc?......discrete vocal dissonance! There he is!! And if he didn't end with that nonconventional low Bb the piece would be incomplete. In some of his pieces he has a knack for traditional writing adding a hint of 20th century. It's absolutely perfect!
I'm not discounting Robert Shaw's decision to put the low Bb in. (and I'm referring to the one two leger lines under the bass stave; which is heard here and which is absolutely NOT in the printed score) Poulenc may well have approved his decision to put this note in. But it's gilding the lily, surely.
Looking at the score. The last note, the basses have the Bb one octave and a whole step below middle C. That's not out of place. In this *performance*, some basses drop the bottom out and take the Bb and octave below THAT. That's an interpretive decision, not the composer's writing. So when you--as a director--do the piece, YMMV.
I'm presuming the Hodie and Quem Vidistis Pastores videos you have are by the same choir? It would be lovely to hear their recording of the remaining motet :)
+ C'est très beau, un grand merci! O grand mystère, et admirable sacrement, que des animaux voient leur Seigneur nouveau-né, couché dans une mangeoire! Heureuse Vierge, dont le sein a mérité de porter le Christ Seigneur. Alleluia! fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_magnum_mysterium
@Lomitus By obtuse dissonance, do you mean dissonant intervals by voices on different ends of the spectrum? I don't quite get what you're saying there. I myself love Poulenc's music, as well as Lauridsen's. This piece does seem rather traditional and a bit out of character for Poulenc, though. Then again, I haven't analyzed his music too much.
I absolutely don't agree with you!!!!! Absolutely NOT!!!! First of all, the piece you are refering to is not from Francis Poulenc! That is one! Secondly: If I listen to the piece you are refering to, they're just amateures.Lots of the chords (with all respect) are out of pitch!!! And that is audible. So, to my shy opinion, this one (The Robert Shaw Singers) is the most beautiful rendition to be found on RUclips!!!!!!!!
I prefer boys to women as well, because while the boys lack the experience, they can give the same emotion and beauty, WITHOUT all the vibrato women usually provide.
I had tis comment, only to add a comment. 66 comments is not a good number for this. "Beata Virgo, cujus viscerameruerunt portareDominum Christum." But, im agnostic. Thanks.
Beautiful, from a deeply talented yet underrated composer.
Poulenc's music is absolutely beautiful. magnificent.
Yes
I love this! I sang it about 10 years ago and can still sing it fairly well despite being over 65 years. Love the very minimal vibrato and excellent pitch!!!!!!!!!
Haunting and other worldly, always gives me goosebumps
Wonderful B flat at the end from basso profundo Glenn Miller.
Lovely! Robert Shaw Festival Singers at their absolute prime!
I love this piece. Singing it now in my choir, as well.
So beautiful!!
My high school honor choir is doing this piece for our festival season, I'm looking forward to it so much.
This is by far the best take I know, not even RIAS did a good job on this
+Catniss Everdeen, it's almost incredible, i can't find anything decent on youtube... i mean, is it too difficult? Or maybe real professional choirs dont deal with such a repertoire?
It is kinda difficult for choirs to sing this. I mean my choir found singing Bach much easier for some reason. We never did master this one.
concur
I just heard this tonight at a small concert at the local church. Sung by a filharmonic choir, it nearly brought tears to my eyes. So very, very beautiful.
Majesty magnified!
this is so beautiful to me.
Just one word, perfection.
Очень тонко, изящно и проникновенно! Выразительно узнаваем подчерк Пуленка)
thank you so much for uploading this. God bless you!
I have sung this many times in performance and it is one of my favorite pieces. I love the version captured here by the Robert Shaw festival singers. The "mystery" in the mysterium is preserved and it is not just sung but created and shaped beautifully. Bravi!
when i learnt this song, it was hard and i did know it can be so angelic and nice :) beautiful song and wonderful choir :)
Yeah!!! Nice work people. Thank you for this memory. I love the movement and the clean tone
Nice version of what is a pivotal piece for me. Am not en expert in chiral music but i tend to associate it with piety, craving after Light in the darkest hour, and seek thou shalt receive moment, of my life and of my day. 😇
I have just found this piece of music for the very first time, embarresingly never heard of Poulence before, only found it looking for the vespers by rachmanininoff.
beautiful piece of music,am becoming a lover of choral music.thank you for posting.
the music for me is like a corridor between our world and that of heavenly bodies.beautiful and thanks for posting
Merci.pour ce bel cantate.
Fantastique, J'ai entendu le live et il a été tout aussi hallucinant!
I am crying now..
Poulenc is really brilliant! My choir sang "Les Tisserands" in quarantine style. Write this in the search: you will surely like it. Corale Novarmonia - Les Tisserands (F. Poulenc)
Außer, dass alle "e"s wie "ä"s ausgesprochen werden find ich's wunderschön!!
One of the best answers for sheet music fanatics!
Wunderschön❤
WONDERFUL!!!
Fermer les yeux , et tout oublier un moment....
Wow. I know this piece quite well, and the singers solve all difficult parts with ease and perfection.
This setting of the text might be the most fitting and evocative. It conveys the mystery of the birth while hinting at the darkness and pain lying in wait in the child's future.
Capolavoro!
I've never heard Poulenc's O Magnum Mysterium before today. What an incredible arrangement! The Robert Shaw Festival Singers give such a sublime performance I would be afraid to hear a mediocre group attempt this song.
Yet, in listening to the music in Poulenc's song, though wonderful it may be, I ponder if it is a suitable pairing for the lyrics about the lowly birth of Christ being witnessed by the animals near the manger, etc. I think a better combining of music-to-lyrics, for these specific lyrics, is the arrangement by Lauridsen.
I believe that Poulenc's vocal arrangement here is superior to Lauridsen's song on several levels, yet again, for these specific lyrics, maybe not.
My favorite performance of Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium is by Polyphony.
I find it very relevant. The confusion in the voice leading and chords in general creates a very realistic atmosphere regarding the nativity. This baby is our king? The savior of the world is forced to lay in a feeding hole? That doesn't sound correct. Even the wise men were rich. Where is this king's status? But then there's a sense of underlying stability throughout the piece, and maybe that's because it all really does make sense to them. Even with all of these bizarre conditions and irregularities, they truly believe that this is God's only begotten son. They're declaring the texts they use, and nothing less, no matter how 'incorrect' it sounds. A truly great mystery indeed. I love this arrangement.
mmichaelowenss I don't find that in this music or in his history. In fact, he was a deeply religious man. At first he was sort of forced into it, but eventually he came around to being a very religiously devout man. I highly doubt that he was mocking the church for their beliefs because then he would have been mocking himself.
J'aime. Beaucoup. Joyeux...
Tx! People have to learn to enjoy the music instead of arguing about a B-flat belonging there or not. Who cares?? It is so pure and beautiful! Pump up your lower tone bass volume and enjoy! Kind regards, Wiebe
Omg people who cares about that last note? Its freaking BEAUTIFUL! that's all that matters:) I still wish my choir was doin this piece:/
Impressive. Many thanks!
Beautiful. Period.
O magnum mysterium et admirabile sacramentum
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum
iacentem in praesepio.
Beata virgo cuius viscera
meruerunt portare Dominum Christum.
Lovely!
Tres minutos de belleza sagrada.
I can understand why you might think the low Bb is just wrong for the chord. It's not traditional. But it's something I would want to include in that chord as well, if I were composing this. There's something large, open, and icy about that last chord. Like you're in a bright castle made of ice, but you're completely warm and at home in it. Or, you're standing on a mesa, staring out over a wide landscape as a slight breeze blows around you.
That Bb belongs.
it is quite common for basses to do that on their own will haha, but quite seldomly required by composers, because you cannot realistically expect the presence of basses able to sing this low Bb. So I would argue that had Poulenc believed it can be sung he would include it as well.
¡Hermoso! y delicadamente cantado
all the people arguing on here....wow... i had hoped that educated people would be more mature than the people that argue on every pop/rock singers' videos. but alas even here people have to prove that they are right.
Poulenc videntes stellam
Traditional....still traditional.....Where's Poulenc?......discrete vocal dissonance! There he is!! And if he didn't end with that nonconventional low Bb the piece would be incomplete. In some of his pieces he has a knack for traditional writing adding a hint of 20th century. It's absolutely perfect!
that low note has as much place as anything else in the piece. love it. doing this one right now in one of the choirs I'm in.
I'm not discounting Robert Shaw's decision to put the low Bb in. (and I'm referring to the one two leger lines under the bass stave; which is heard here and which is absolutely NOT in the printed score) Poulenc may well have approved his decision to put this note in. But it's gilding the lily, surely.
DAT BASS
Looking at the score. The last note, the basses have the Bb one octave and a whole step below middle C. That's not out of place.
In this *performance*, some basses drop the bottom out and take the Bb and octave below THAT. That's an interpretive decision, not the composer's writing. So when you--as a director--do the piece, YMMV.
Poulenc four christmas motets
Bb or not this piece is absurdly beautiful
@hairstonnyc
never met you but I love you already
What it is doing there? Being beautiful!!!
Easily my favorite piece I performed with my choir. @san juan hills chamber choir
❤🌷❤🌷❤🌷❤🌷❤🌷❤🌷
Ufff! - Extra!!! :o)
I'm presuming the Hodie and Quem Vidistis Pastores videos you have are by the same choir? It would be lovely to hear their recording of the remaining motet :)
God, is that you?
+
C'est très beau, un grand merci!
O grand mystère,
et admirable sacrement,
que des animaux voient leur Seigneur nouveau-né,
couché dans une mangeoire!
Heureuse Vierge,
dont le sein a mérité de porter le Christ Seigneur.
Alleluia!
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_magnum_mysterium
@Lomitus By obtuse dissonance, do you mean dissonant intervals by voices on different ends of the spectrum? I don't quite get what you're saying there. I myself love Poulenc's music, as well as Lauridsen's. This piece does seem rather traditional and a bit out of character for Poulenc, though. Then again, I haven't analyzed his music too much.
Pergolesi ... and folks ...
paradis?
pas encore ,,
@MrPoog that's because it's poulenc :)
Better when sung by boys (trebles) instead of women (sopranos). Check out Westminster Cathedral Choir's recording of Poulenc, it's unbeatable.
I absolutely don't agree with you!!!!! Absolutely NOT!!!!
First of all, the piece you are refering to is not from Francis Poulenc! That is one!
Secondly: If I listen to the piece you are refering to, they're just amateures.Lots of the chords (with all respect) are out of pitch!!! And that is audible. So, to my shy opinion, this one (The Robert Shaw Singers) is the most beautiful rendition to be found on RUclips!!!!!!!!
I prefer boys to women as well, because while the boys lack the experience, they can give the same emotion and beauty, WITHOUT all the vibrato women usually provide.
@pawdaw I kind of like it
I had tis comment, only to add a comment. 66 comments is not a good number for this.
"Beata Virgo, cujus viscerameruerunt portareDominum Christum."
But, im agnostic. Thanks.
what is that low Bb doing there in the last chord??
@henryr16 What a fantastically constructed statement. You should go to law school!
OK. That's enough, Shakespeare.
....good to hear those tenors falsetto (i know, wrong spelling) the A......can't hit it well either
This is not poulenc... Poulenc is not pops.
Tg
Better when sung by boys (trebles) instead of women (sopranos). Check out Westminster Cathedral Choir's recording of Poulenc, it's unbeatable.