So how did my personal favourites get on in the Evensong Anthems World Cup? We were invited to suggest our favourites, and I sent in all but one. Here’s how they got on. There was a preliminary round to reduce entries to no more than two per composer, a qualifying round which eliminated half of the 128 anthems, then the competition proper, with 6 rounds.
Gibbons, O clap your hands. Lost in the 2nd round (round of 32) to Christus factus est by Bruckner.
Gesualdo, O vos omnes Didn’t compete. There weren’t many places for anthems by ‘overseas’ composers.
Purcell Jehova, quam multi sunt hostes mei. Breezed through the preliminary round against other anthems by Purcell, but in round 2 of the main competition (round of 32) it lost to Parry’s I was Glad. But would probably have gone out in the next round to his own Hear my prayer even if it had got through.
Blow, Salvator mundi. Lost in the first round (round of 64) in the main competition, where it met an eventual semi-finalist Parsons Ave Maria. Still prefer it!
Wesley, The Wilderness. Preliminary round. This anthem, not frequently performed because of its length, has really gone out of fashion recently. It doesn’t get broadcast these days and the only time I’ve sung it was back when I was a student. Probably many of those voting in the cup didn’t know it.
Parry, Hear my words, ye people. Preliminary round. Probably lost for the same reasons as the Wesley.
Vaughan Williams, Lord, thou hast been our refuge. Qualifying round. Lots of people had nominated it to compete, but it had the misfortune to be in a ‘group of death’, where it lost out to Howells’ Take Him Earth (fair enough) and Bairstow’s Let all Mortal Flesh (undeservedly, in my opinion).
Poulenc, Videntes stellam. Didn’t compete. Ineligible – there will be a separate competition later for Advent/Christmas/Epiphany anthems.
Walton, Drop, drop, slow tears. Didn’t compete. Walton was represented by Set me as a Seal and The Twelve.
Finzi, Lo, the full, final sacrifice. This lasted longest, making it to the quarter-finals where it lost to Purcell’s Hear my prayer, a worthy victor.
What this seems to show is that while my tastes in earlier anthems are shared, my preferences among those from the last 200 years are on the whole minority ones. Some of the most popular of all (puts on flameproof clothing), including both finalists, are ones I actually don’t care for very much!