Francis Poulenc - O Magnum Mysterium

[Laryngoskopie]

WONDERFUL!!!

[pawdaw]

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.

[randwatters]

@ pawdaw: Speaking as a bass -- because we can.

[Mayacka]

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.

[TheHannajoh]

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:/

[mastersinger47]

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.

[soicancommentonvids]

@pawdaw wth? this piece is in Bb minor! of course there's a Bb in the last chord! its just a standard tierce de piccardie ending lol...?

[ravellove05]

とてもおじょうずです！高音が綺麗…いい曲ですね！

[luckjes112]

All the discussion regarding dissonants and whatever.

There are NO dissonants in this beautiful peace of music.

I did my solvege lessons very very well!!!

This music is from heaven!!!! Just beautifull cords.

Perhaps the advanced listener discover the diminished 7 chords.

Some not advanced listeners perhaps are regarding that as dissonant

[Lurkatz]

celestiale esecuzione,proporzionata alla illuminata composizione

[luckjes112]

Every sonic and every chord is of a unknown beauty!!!

I need boxes of tissues!!!

[lozzag13]

this piece is unbelievably beautiful, whatever the chord

[mightyafrowhitey]

I have no idea what any of you are talking about. I hear nothing dissonant in this piece... It sounds beautiful to me. Not that dissonance can't be beautiful. That would be absurd. Maybe it's Eliot Carter who said, The more I listen to dissonance, the more consonant it wounds, and the more I listen to consonance, the more dissonant it sounds." I'd have to agree with him completely.

[Djembe908]

@mightyafrowhitey I completely agree with you! I have nothing to be added to your statement

[Anna59990]

Good I's Very Very beautiful

[merceesbeatrizcampos]

Lovely!

[saminnyc]

Bb or not this piece is absurdly beautiful

[YIUEOR]

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!

[Lomitus]

Poulenc seemed to have this really strange obsession with obtuse dissonance...rather displeasing to my ears. I'll stick with the Lauridsen version as performed by the Nordic Chamber choir instead.

[MrPoog]

@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.

[IlGattonero13]

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.

[KamuntKurush]

I love this piece. Singing it now in my choir, as well.

[MrPoog]

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.

[cleanmyroomforme]

@MrPoog that's because it's poulenc :)

[henryr16]

@MrPoog Or when you're standing in a woodworking shop and you realize that you, too, are a tool?

[MrPoog]

@henryr16 What a fantastically constructed statement. You should go to law school!

[BandGuru01]

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.

[quelasol]

I agree with pawdaw. Doesn't matter that the basses *can* do the low Bb well... it definitely has no place there.

[FFailing]

This gives me chills!<3 My choir is singing this atm.

[pawdaw]

what is that low Bb doing there in the last chord??

[luxemkingII]

@pawdaw I kind of like it

[ashes2fire]

@pawdaw The low B flat is there because it's in the score. My guess is that Poulenc put it there. My choir is singing it this year from the 1952 Editions Salabert, which, I would guess also, was set while the manuscript was still wet from his hand. And, for closure, the first note the bass sings is also that same B flat.

[Kentuckykay]

My concert choir is doing this beautiful piece for our christmas concert and i LOVE IT so so much!

[koochitykoo]

Any man who can write like this is incredible. Singing part of the Metamorphoses (C'est Ainsi que tu est) this semester. Gorgeous work.

[tantalumdom]

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

[hairstonnyc]

Sweet memories...learned this 40 years ago.

[rubenriz]

@hairstonnyc

never met you but I love you already

[clarksc1988]

My choral conductor sang often with this group. Not sure if he's on this recording. A beautiful performance. And DAMN! Low basses pulling out a low Bb at the end! Bravo.

[lyricalaska]

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!!!!!!!!!

[hannahkross]

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 :)

[Aslaug75]

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.

[InvictusMentis]

This song gives me chills...I remember singing it in my high school chamber choir. Thank you for this recording. It's beautifully done.

[briffid]

Wow. I know this piece quite well, and the singers solve all difficult parts with ease and perfection.

[guth2391]

Poulenc's music is absolutely beautiful. magnificent.

[pirlouit00]

hahaha basses! that final note, while definitely not in the score, is quite impressive.

[haggar719]

I don't know why everyone voted your comment down. The low Bb is definitely not in the score and it is impressive. They sing it perfectly smooth. I chuckle when I hear it as well.

[disposableteenager]

this is the best I've heard this song...

[orionslvgrl]

Thank you sopranos for NOT pinching those notes! Tenors you rock. WELL DONE ALL!!!

[legendlegacy408]

when i learnt this song, it was hard and i did know it can be so angelic and nice :) beautiful song and wonderful choir :)

[SingInTune]

Yeah!!! Nice work people. Thank you for this memory. I love the movement and the clean tone

[felixthecateika]

beautifully done