The next carol was by Francis Poulenc (1899-1963), Quem vidistis pastores dicite, FP 152 No. 2 from “Quatre motets pour le temps de Noël”. Written in 1951, a loose translation is Whom did you see, shepherds, tell us [who has appeared on earth]?. Our choirs have sung most of these motets in the past few years and the sole exception may be heard very soon. This lovely recording is by the Elora Festival Singers, directed by Noel Edison. Noel Edison is the organist and music director at St. John’s Elora and directs the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. The link will skip the initial work and begin with the motet, but if you don’t stop the video three minutes later (at 6:15) you’ll hear a good part of a concert presented at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Toronto. The motet is an a cappella work, but in case you listen to more of the video the organist is another distinguished Anglican church musician, Michael Bloss, the Director of Music Ministries at Christ Church Cathedral in Hamilton. Two of Poulenc’s “Quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence”, FP 97 have been recorded by the Choir of St. John’s Elora, directed by Noel Edison, on one of their several Naxos discs. Michael Bloss is also the organist on that CD and both Paul Halley and Matthew Larkin have also recorded with the Choir of St. John’s Elora and Noel Edison. Our own Kirkland Adsett hails from Fergus and was an assistant organist at St. John’s Elora in his teens.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 16:45:00 +0000