The Choir (1995– )

This mini-series, based on Joanna Trollope's novel, explores the internal politics and scandals of a British cathedral choir school. It features the singing voice of first-time actor and ... See full summary »

Stars:

David Warner, James Fox, Richenda Carey

Cast

Series cast summary:
David Warner	...	Alexander Troy (5 episodes, 1995)
James Fox	...	Hugh Cavendish (5 episodes, 1995)
Richenda Carey	...	Bridget Cavendish (5 episodes, 1995)
John Standing	...	Bishop Robert Young (5 episodes, 1995)
Nicholas Farrell	...	Leo Beckford (5 episodes, 1995)
Cathryn Harrison	...	Sally Ashworth (5 episodes, 1995)
Anthony Way	...	Henry Ashworth (5 episodes, 1995)
Peter Vaughan	...	Frank Ashworth (5 episodes, 1995)
Bill Britten	...	Martin Chancellor (5 episodes, 1995)
Claire Cox	...	Ianthe Cavendish (5 episodes, 1995)
Christopher Good	...	Canon Tom Oddams (5 episodes, 1995)
James Hopkins	...	Chilworth (5 episodes, 1995)
Edward Hughes	...	Wooldridge (5 episodes, 1995)
Nicola King	...	Sandra Miles (5 episodes, 1995)
Oliver Milburn	...	Nicholas Elliott (5 episodes, 1995)
Michael Fitzgerald	...	Canon Neil Patterson (4 episodes, 1995)
Robert Flemyng	...	John Godwin (4 episodes, 1995)
Daniel Flynn	...	Roger Farrell (4 episodes, 1995)
Jane Asher	...	Felicity Troy (3 episodes, 1995)
Mike Eastman	...	Organ Builder 1995 (3 episodes, 1995)
Su Elliot	...	Cherry Chancellor (3 episodes, 1995)
Caroline John	...	Janet Young (3 episodes, 1995)
David Sterne	...	Jim Woodcote (3 episodes, 1995)
Pamela Cundell	...	Mrs. Monk (2 episodes, 1995)
Peter De Jersey	...	Mike (2 episodes, 1995)
Mark Drewry	...	Peter Radcliffe (2 episodes, 1995)
Tracy Gillman	...	Tracy Butler (2 episodes, 1995)
Richard Keen	...	Cosmo Cavendish (2 episodes, 1995)
Paul Nicholson	...	Ron (2 episodes, 1995)
Rob Spendlove	...	Dennis Thornton (2 episodes, 1995)
Carole Walker	...	Mayoress (2 episodes, 1995)

Storyline

This mini-series, based on Joanna Trollope's novel, explores the internal politics and scandals of a British cathedral choir school. It features the singing voice of first-time actor and boy treble soloist Anthony Way, a real-life student at the St. Paul's Cathedral Choral School in London.

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Plot Keywords:

cathedral | choir | singer | tv mini series | based on novel

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Details

Official Sites:

PBS [us]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 March 1995 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), WGBH

Technical Specs

Runtime:

250 min 250 min (5 parts)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

User Reviews

But what about the music?

"The Choir" is a lovely mini-series (5 episodes) about the survival of a cathedral' school choir, with a top-notch cast that makes it all too believable how local politics in church and council alike can be poisonous to the extreme. James Fox, David Warner, Cathryn Harrison, John Standing, and Anthony Way (in real life a famous boy treble in his days) and a host of others deliver the goods and it's certainly fun to watch..

It is a solid-made series but with a dangerous high level of soap (especially the last episode). I could forgive this all were it not for the music. Or rather, lack of it.

It is a bitter irony that Gloucester Cathedral provided the magnificent backbone of the series, and when the choir sings you remember that England has indeed a very rich and very long choir tradition. But the overall background music of the series - in which music does play an important role! - is a general let-down. The composer, Stanislas Syrewicz, does know his stuff, but here we're invited to join the worst of pompous Victoriana 19th century music sounding a bit like Vaughan Williams on a very bad day, topped with a 'Panis Angelicum' which was sung by an angel, sure, but the bread was stale and it all sounded like an over the top orchestration by Stokowski.

For a mini-series involved in so much music that's a real let-down.