Old Hundredth Psalm Tune - Ralph Vaughan Williams

[Armandrea]

Wonderful rendition; the conductor conducted excellently.

[jillfhudson]

What's wrong with this conductor? He seems fine to me, and the choir respond to him well. At least he doesn't take the hymn too slowly. All other versions I've found on youtube are dirges!

[Bram01568]

But this piece needs conducting because there are instrumentalists involved, but it's really an anthem with a part for 'the people'. Unfortunately this particular conductor isn't quite up to the job.

[DaboiaRusselli]

True, it looks better if there's no conductor or if she stays with the choir, but practically speaking, not everyone is necessarily familiar with the song or the arrangement: it may not be as famous as this one, and even in this otherwise very familiar and rather simple tune, the trumpet descant can cause confusion, making it harder for people to find the right notes, etc. Without a director, people - especially those with little background in music - can easily lose track & get lost.

[organeric]

I really hate conductors conducting a congregtion. It is the people's song and not to be controlled!

[1MichaelBussee]

@organeric: I tend to agree, but sometimes, it helps to have a conductor direct the congregation, particularly when there is instrumental accompaniment of an "arranged" piece -- such as this one.

[Tang0Fox1]

@organeric I'll respond that it sometimes looks weird but when you have an unfamiliar hymn or a different arrangement of a familiar hymn you'd better believe that you NEED to conduct that bad boy because having everybody singing different timings and other things like that destroys what's happening.

[pantyflash]

Like, absolutely heavenly.  God bless you, babes!