Classical Music for Dummies
by berberis on Sep.13, 2009, under Choir, Concerts, LPC, Rehearsals
Saturday, 12 September 2009, Henry Wood Hall.
Spending 7 hours in an airless room singing with much repetition and hesitation (although not necessarily deviation) may not be everyone’s idea of a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon, but it was a chance to sing some nice cheesy tunes and I’m always up for that, circumstances permitting.
They did, so I arrived at HWH armed with a bag full of music, a frothyventimochafrappaccino and associated brain freeze. We dawdled into the hall just after 1pm and went through the first pieces we we’re there to record. Because that was the point of the day; to record some popular classical music for a CD. A CD rather than a DVD as we didn’t have to dress up. Neville nagged us, we made notes, sang the stuff through, sulked a bit at having to go over it again and again, made some more notes and waited for the conductor.
In the first half we sang O Fortuna, Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves, the Dies Irae from Verdi’s Requiem, and two sections from the last movement of Beethoven’s 9th. I especially enjoyed the Beethoven – the last bit really does get the blood going.
After the LSC left, we stopped for lunch. I eschewed the on site refreshment (the basement eatery in HWH is nice but too dark) to patronise a local shop for local people, thus getting some sorely needed fresh air.
We regrouped to sing the Lacrymosa from Mozart’s Requiem, and the Hallelujah from Handel’s Messiah. The sops recorded Gunoud’s Ave Maria, but that was after the rest of the choir had been dismissed.
The endless repetition was frustrating but, to be honest, more frustrating was not being able to sing the rest of the music, especially the Mozart. I’ve only ever sung it twice, both times at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the ‘Scratch’ series of concerts, and it’s just wonderful. I sang Messiah in the same setting as well, but didn’t enjoy it quite as much. Nevertheless, the Hallelujah was nice and rousing, even if I started a bar before everyone else at one run-through. It would have been even more embarrassing had I come in forte, as indicated.
Pedant of the Week Award goes to the guys monitoring the recording. They had the orchestra play, over and over, the last bar of CotHS, which consists of one note. Still, when it’s only one note, you may as well make it a good one.
