The weekend (the nice bits)
I think I have a couple of posts to write, of widely varying nature. There's the bouncy squeeing post that you were all expecting me to write a couple of days ago, but that brilliant ray of sunshine has been recently obscured by some darker clouds. I am therefore trying to derive some emotional stability and clarity of thought from the Tao of Nnyng, by the expedient of having Gown on my lap. I think it would be sensible to divide the posts into two. Those who want the happy one can continue here, and the other stuff is behind a cut here. Pick and choose.
Now to the squee. I can safely say that Saturday's concert was one of the more satisfying events in my life from both a musical and emotional standpoint, with the sole reservation that I watched with what difficulty Mother hobbled her way to her seat. More about that in the other post.
Handel's oratorio Saul is one of his more dramatically intense; the first king of Israel goes gradually bananas with envy as David gets a better press than he does. This manifests itself in a variety of musical devices - the famous Carillon Scene, with the 18th century's equivalent of lift muzak, or perhaps an earworm, and later some searing accompagnati in which we move into keys as remote as C# major. The singers we brought in did it complete justice. You couldn't wish for a better main three than Andrew Foster-Williams' incandescent Saul, Charles Daniels' straightforward Jonathan and Robin Blaze's radiant David. The chorus (24 singers - 8, 5, 5, 6, so ALL of us made a difference) take the role of the people of Israel, and offer sometimes searing commentary on what's going on - "Envy, eldest born of hell, Cease in human breasts to dwell" (mmm, breasts). A lot of javelins seem to be thrown and miss. In fact, Saul's lack of skill with a javelin (the score describes him throwing a javelin 3 times and missing on every occasion) may well be one reason why David slew ten times as many of the uncircumcised as he did.
Well, this first alto enjoyed the experience of standing behind some of today's foremost players and singers immensely. I also enjoyed being generally helpful - e.g. setting up harpsichords, talking to the vergers (whom I know, since it's St Albans Abbey we're talking about) and, best of all, engineering a meeting between celebrated high tenor Rogers Covey-Crump and one of the basses. They were trebles in New College Choir 40 years ago. And this little mole tapped Rogers on the shoulder and said "excuse me, Rogers, I believe I have someone who'd like to meet you..." :D. Of course, I did the same for miss_next and her hero, Mr. Daniels. Finally, I had a chance to observe at first hand just what a nice man Robin Blaze is. We had a number of animated conversations, and after the concert - in which he sang like an utter genius - he said "You know, you've got quite a nice voice too." This from the Royal Academy's Professor of Singing... :DDD. Also, my general usefulness did not go unnoticed by the conductor and his harpsichordist/soprano wife, and I'm hoping to go round theirs to do some singing sometime soon. A photo of me in post-concert afterglow, taken by miss_next, is here:
.
I do hope there are reviews somewhere - or even that some bright spark has recorded it...
Sunday saw us off to Harlington to see wellinghall and Creatrix at their very nice, and sparklingly tidy, house. Clangers, interesting veggie lasagne, apricot wine, general (but quiet) insanity and tj_pantera being chased by a Nazgûl, who was of course instantly christened Angy following the ancient CTS tradition. Angy was a crap Ringwraith, and didn't catch anyone at all. And arguments about LotR Trivial Pursuit.
Now to the squee. I can safely say that Saturday's concert was one of the more satisfying events in my life from both a musical and emotional standpoint, with the sole reservation that I watched with what difficulty Mother hobbled her way to her seat. More about that in the other post.
Handel's oratorio Saul is one of his more dramatically intense; the first king of Israel goes gradually bananas with envy as David gets a better press than he does. This manifests itself in a variety of musical devices - the famous Carillon Scene, with the 18th century's equivalent of lift muzak, or perhaps an earworm, and later some searing accompagnati in which we move into keys as remote as C# major. The singers we brought in did it complete justice. You couldn't wish for a better main three than Andrew Foster-Williams' incandescent Saul, Charles Daniels' straightforward Jonathan and Robin Blaze's radiant David. The chorus (24 singers - 8, 5, 5, 6, so ALL of us made a difference) take the role of the people of Israel, and offer sometimes searing commentary on what's going on - "Envy, eldest born of hell, Cease in human breasts to dwell" (mmm, breasts). A lot of javelins seem to be thrown and miss. In fact, Saul's lack of skill with a javelin (the score describes him throwing a javelin 3 times and missing on every occasion) may well be one reason why David slew ten times as many of the uncircumcised as he did.
Well, this first alto enjoyed the experience of standing behind some of today's foremost players and singers immensely. I also enjoyed being generally helpful - e.g. setting up harpsichords, talking to the vergers (whom I know, since it's St Albans Abbey we're talking about) and, best of all, engineering a meeting between celebrated high tenor Rogers Covey-Crump and one of the basses. They were trebles in New College Choir 40 years ago. And this little mole tapped Rogers on the shoulder and said "excuse me, Rogers, I believe I have someone who'd like to meet you..." :D. Of course, I did the same for miss_next and her hero, Mr. Daniels. Finally, I had a chance to observe at first hand just what a nice man Robin Blaze is. We had a number of animated conversations, and after the concert - in which he sang like an utter genius - he said "You know, you've got quite a nice voice too." This from the Royal Academy's Professor of Singing... :DDD. Also, my general usefulness did not go unnoticed by the conductor and his harpsichordist/soprano wife, and I'm hoping to go round theirs to do some singing sometime soon. A photo of me in post-concert afterglow, taken by miss_next, is here:
.
I do hope there are reviews somewhere - or even that some bright spark has recorded it...
Sunday saw us off to Harlington to see wellinghall and Creatrix at their very nice, and sparklingly tidy, house. Clangers, interesting veggie lasagne, apricot wine, general (but quiet) insanity and tj_pantera being chased by a Nazgûl, who was of course instantly christened Angy following the ancient CTS tradition. Angy was a crap Ringwraith, and didn't catch anyone at all. And arguments about LotR Trivial Pursuit.