Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary (Purcell): from March to Canzona

[Gatltonian]

Is there as powerful a stting of the words in Hebrew?

can Hebrew be rendered literally into English? The last effort I read was feeble in the last degree, but it was probably a bad translator.

I think calling this pedestrian or matter of fact shows a severe tin-ear in matters of English diction.

[Gatltonian]

@ernent

Hardly a pedestrian translation.Indeed, probably as eloquent as one is likely to get. Had he had access to your text, no doubt he would have composed what you have composed.

[mindyhale]

I believe it is The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge, Timothy Brown (director)

[klaussigloxxv]

who are the musicians, singers, chorus and ensemble? very very wonderful !!!!

[smartalek180]

A marvelous recording of phenomenal performances.

Humbling & exalting simultaneously; awe-some in the original meaning of the term.

Thank you so much for sharing it here.

[Barbapippo]

WON

DER

FUL

[Inekeha]

What a wonderful performance! Especially the boy-soprano has a fantastic voice!

I really enjoyed this video. Thanks

[telucis1]

@Inekeha The "boy-soprano" is a woman.

[ds1868]

@telucis1 Yes indeed. The definitive version still resides at Kings next door (from a much earlier recording) with the correct boy trebles. What's annoying (and strange) is that the girls are made to look like boys, let alone trying to sound like them. Ugh.

[ernent]

THIS is a rough translation and it's of course neither your fault nor the translator's. Hebrew is a very different language from English, a very succinct one and its inherent brevity (18 syllables in Heb. vs. 42 in Eng.) lends the phrases special sharpness of expression. To convey this quality in English an artist-translator is needed, otherwise the it sounds too matter-of-fact.

Literally it may be ok, unfortunately "ok" is not good enough when translating great poetry, let alone sacred texts.

[ernent]

"Man that is born of a woman ..." - Job 14,1-2 אָדָם, יְלוּד אִשָּׁה קְצַר יָמִים וּשְׂבַע-רֹגֶז כְּצִיץ יָצָא, וַיִּמָּל וַיִּבְרַח כַּצֵּל וְלֹא יַעֲמוֹד

aDAM yeLUD iSHA, kzar yaMIM usVA ROgez

keZIZ yaZA vayiMAL vayivRAKH keZEL veLO ya'aMOD

If this is what Purcell wrote to a pedestrian translation, what would he have done with a decent one ?

[cesarsalgado1972]

@ernent How can I know it is a bad translation if I have only known this one or very similar ones? You know, many Christian biblical translations are tied to Jerome's Vulgata and any errors there are then repeated in every vernacular version. I would welcome if you could provide even a rough translation, because my knowledge of Bible's original languages is zero. Thanks and God bless you.

[ernent]

@cesarsalgado1972 My comment below was a reply to you, sorry and may God bless you too.

[rrchapman]

@ernent Purcell would have used the text from the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England and the Authorized Version of the Bible (King James Version). This was music for a funeral that would have been conducted accordingly.

(The BCP quoted from the Great Bible, not the AV. While they are similar, the differences can cause confusion.)

[Alexjr1543]

Purcell was such a masterful composer, especially for one who was not as well-known as Bach and Handel. I'd say he rivals, if not exceeds, their level.

[Schnorbs]

That's Peter Gritton at 3:38. Was my choir conductor at school from 1994 to 1999, and is now head of music. Brilliant man. Also Susan Gritton's brother.

[brodsky96]

OMG! the march stabs directly into the soul!!!!

[cyronization]

Can anyone tell me what the purpose of the extra piece of skin on the drum is for? I can only assume it must be some kind of damper. Great music and well performed. Thanks for this.

[MajorLaFrime]

@cyronization

le tambour voilé est signe de deuil.

[infgvli]

JUST WONDERFULL - The most beautiful performance I ever heard! Thanks to all the people who realised it!

[kahetel13]

one of the very few songs i can truly say i will never grow tired of. Both haunting, somber, uplifting and just damn beautiful. Wonderful video and thank you for posting it.

[marcfedak]

Thanks cesarsalgado for posting this. Do you know the proper names of the trumpet/trombone instruments during the first march and near the end? Where these the same type of horns that would have been in use during Purcell's time?

[fugiunt]

Devine!

[jazzevans]

@xerxes52 I don't know who they all are, but one of the trumpet players is renowned natural trumpet player Crispian Steele-Perkins

[TromboneDirk]

The beginning of the first chord of the march is not too good, but the rest sounds very good!

[daisyjrosalind]

Beautiful!I'd also like to know who the singers are.

[molealto]

@daisyjrosalind I think this is Clare College Cambridge; the soprano, I believe, is Angharad Gruffydd Jones - now an up-and-coming professional.

[GreatDeadStone]

perfect tempo

[locomotifx]

He was such a versatile composer, too.

[locomotifx]

Just too gorgeous.



[fcentaur]

It sounds like the end of freedom. Her Magesty Mary was killed.

[retroflow44]

@fcentaur Yes, by smallpox. This was written for Mary II, of William & Mary fame. Not Mary, Queen of Scots.

[isomolle]

Sad, yes, but yet very beautiful music, in particula the sackbutts and the drum in the beginning.

[LordofWuss]

@isomolle

I'm sorry, but what are sackbutts?

[isomolle]

@LordofWuss Sackbutt is an early form of trombone

[sirile99]

just too sad

[franekimono00]

amazing