Singing in a choir, even if you’re not much of a singer, is a fine thing. Even the slog of woodshedding the notes is rather rewarding, but when the performance is two days away, and the fiddlers and trumpeters and oboists show up for rehearsal… then everybody gives a bit more; gives, perhaps, his best.
You more or less know the notes at this point and now you can think about how to “sell” it.
I’m a gruff second bass and this year my choir, the Canterbury Choral Society, has an excellent bass section, bolstered by some fine professional singers who keep the rest of us duffers on the straight and narrow. When we get down to the wire like this, and they’re giving it their best – the pro’s, I mean – one really feels that one is runnin’ with the big dogs. Very exhilarating.
Just the physicality of it: standing up, taking a big belly breath, planting the pole and vaulting to that high E-flat. Tenor country, where basses have no business, but that’s what the composer wrote. So one hiccups up into falsetto and does Alvin and the Chipmunks. The real singers don’t have to do that, but I do.
Amateur singers like me feel a bit out of our depth with this stuff but it’s also pretty exciting.
Anyway, for those of you in New York: Sunday the 19th, 4 PM, Church of the Heavenly Rest (dumbest name for a church ever, I know). Fifth Avenue & 90th Street. A bargain ticket, by New York standards, at $25.
Bach’s splendid little Magnificat in D – familiar, but it never ceases to charm, and it’s the best text in the whole Bible. Deposuit potentes! And Camille Saint-Saens’ “Oratorio de Noel”, a very fine, jewel-like piece that nobody has ever heard but I bet you will like.
Oh how I wish I could be there to hear you and your excellent choir tomorrow ! I identify with and understand your experience with trepidation and frustrations. Been singing in choirs and choruses for over 60 years, and still find myself riding that same roller coaster in the final lead ups to every concert. My current chorus in central VA is 140 voices with a 20 voice ensemble. As first soprano in the ensemble I know those range stretches can get dicey with some composers. Last Sunday was our fall concert. The lead first soprano (a true professional) in the ensemble became ill on Friday night. So the crescendo leap and sustain to C above high C for two loong full measures with the other solid first soprano matching with A above high C became mine. How could this 75 year old voice possibly hit that baby?! All I can say is fervent prayers were definitely answered. I was stunned. May you find the art and joy tomorrow that only music can bring !
you should have sung "come sweet death". and played the 'danse macabre'.
going on 6 months now of long covid, i guess i picked a bad plague to quit drinking.
it's not like eugenics via covid is state policy or anything. who said the disease isn't making us all stupider?