TAKE GREAT pleasure today in introducing two very different—yet equally sublime—choral foundations to our readers (unless, of course our readers are already familiar with them). I find these institutions especially helpful because both maintain active livestreams, allowing the listener much greater access to the choirs’ weekly and ongoing music making efforts.
Ripon Cathedral Choir (Ripon, UK)
I have mentioned Ripon Cathedral Choir briefly in previous posts, but I include it here today especially because of its almost phoenix like rise from the choral ashes after it closed its choir school in 2012. The choir itself continued, but in steady decline, until Dr. Ronny Krippner arrived several years ago and pulled the institution from its precipitous nose dive (alongside a lot of hard work from cathedral staff and chorister families). When Krippner arrived chorister numbers were at a low, but following massive recruiting measures, including school visits and large numbers of auditions and invitations to choristers and families, the choir is not only full again, but continues its ascent to the top of the English choral pyre. If I understand correctly, choristers are usually admitted to the choir as long as they can match pitch and are willing to work hard–they aren’t necessarily a hand picked group of choral stars. And what I find so attractive as a choir trainer is that one can hear this transformation take place over the course of several years simply by listening to their weekly livestreams. I am also excited to announce that Dr. Krippner will be spending a week with working our choristers this August, and we can’t wait to learn from him.
Buckfast Abbey Choir (Buckfastleigh, UK)
Matthew Searles is the current Master of the Music of Buckfast Abbey, where he maintains not only a professional SATB choir, but also a line of trebles. While I might honestly be accused of musical misogynism owing to my love for the boy choir sound, I nevertheless have to admit that I am utterly overwhelmed by the beauty of the SATB group under the direction of Mr. Searles’ capable leadership. The blend of the sopranos is faultless (without trying to sound like pre-pubescent boys) and musically expressive, and it rests atop an ATB foundation that is no less musical than it is broad and firm, whether singing Gregorian chant and classical polyphony or very angular modern sounds. Mass, Vespers and Benediction is livestreamed every Sunday and Holy Day from the Abbey, or one can listen to a expansive list of sacred music recordings from its very own recording label, Ad fontes. Buckfast Abbey is like unto Westminster Cathedral in that the listener hears a broad range of “Catholic” music, including Gregorian chant, set within the Church’s own rites. It is a shame that this is not standard in more of our churches.
While I can listen to either choir for my spiritual edification (and let’s be honest, for my sheer enjoyment), I nevertheless find both helpful in fostering my role as a choir trainer, a role that rarely receives the attention it should in our schools and institutions of higher learning. I encourage our readers to use these, and every means possible, to deepen their knowledge of the choral arts in order to move forward their work with their choirs.
