22 April 2025
Dear Singers,
Thank you once again for a very productive rehearsal this week. It was intense, full of concentration, and covered a lot of fine detail for the choruses and sections listed in the last notes (see 09.04.25). We didn't cover the Hummel 'Crucifixus' section as promised (my oversight!) and will look at it next week.
WHAT WE WILL DO ON 29.04.25
Sort out concert seating positions. On arrival, please check Ted's (last 🙁) seating board and sit in the right sections. It will be S - A - T - B from left to right (NOT T&B behind).
Hummel: Run whole work (30 mins)
Look at Crucifixus as necessary (p36-40) 10 mins
Mozart: Run whole work (35 mins)
Tickets: We have sold about 100 and capacity is 200 so buy buy buy next week!
LOOKING AHEAD......
It has been (IS being!) a real pleasure to have welcomed so many new members this term, and for the choir generally to be making such good progress, well done and thank you. I hope everyone will continue in September.
Next term's programme is taking shape - In addition to the Navidad Nuestra (see notes of 09.04) we will sing the Fantasia on Christmas Carols by Vaughan Williams (last sung by ECS in 2016) and other seasonal fayre.
For May 2026 I am considering Verdi's Requiem in a recently new orchestration for two pianos, organ and percussion. Here is the Dies Ila on Spotify to whet your appetite...
https://open.spotify.com/track/60u1rcPsAJbzFZdFKdkyQU
Requiem: IIa, Dies Irae (orchestrated for two pianos, organ & percussion by Richard Blackford) - song and lyrics by Giuseppe Verdi, Iain Farrington, Anna Tilbrook, Philip Scriven, Peter Fry, David Hill - Spotify
Giuseppe Verdi, Iain Farrington, Anna Tilbrook, Philip Scriven, Peter Fry, David Hill · Song · 2023
open.spotify.com
Finally this week - a moment of inspiration
In our warming up this week we sang a short exercise using the text 'Shall we gather at the river' to experiment with different tone qualities. They come from a fabulous American gospel folk song which I first heard sung by Voces 8 and Barbershop group The Ringmasters. Have a listen, the ending is stunning....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmM1ATJgQE4
See you next week
Peter