Hinckley Choral Union will be performing Handel and Puccini on 3rd April 2020 Details
00:39 Kyrie
06:06 Gloria
[10:23 Gratias agimus tibi]
24:25 Credo
37:55 Sanctus e Benedictus
[39:25 Benedictus]
41:49 Agnus Dei
References
1. Wikipedia
Tuesday 18 February 2020
Saturday 15 February 2020
Groundwork - reading notes and chords
Well worth an hour of your time (W-whole step H-half step) Major scale WW H WWW H W Minor scale W H WW H WW
Sunday 9 February 2020
Elgar - The dream of Gerontius
The poem by Newman followed his conversion to Catholicism and follows what is imagined will happen to the soul after death. The poem was written over 22 days. Cardinal Newman was canonised as a Saint in 2019.
Elgar did not wish to stray from Newman’s simple text and holy thought. Encouraged by Novello to make more of the Soul’s encounter with God Elgar grappled how to render the culmination of Newman’s vision of an instantaneous glimpse of God and moment of judgement when what was described by Newman was the tiniest moment of profound silence. Certainly less than a sixteenth of a note!
Music needs time and timing while the subject matter is outside time. In the end Elgar provided suitable impressive chords. Perhaps disturbing the Souls sleep in purgatory.
The first performance in 1900 in Birmingham was a near disaster but a better performance was given in germany in 1901 which satisfied Elgar. Doctrinal differences over the issue of purgatory hampered access to cathedrals and churches. Despite the universalism of the theme the work was not performed much outside the UK from 1914.
2020 sees several UK performances of the work with Birmingham Festival Chorus performing the work in November 2020.
The Work is divided into two parts. The first part is 30 minutes. The second part 60 minutes.
The video starts at 27.56 some of Elgars best.
Philip Langridge - Gerontius Catherine Wyn-Rogers - Angel Alastair Miles - Priest/ Angel of the Agony Andrew Davis conducts BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
The full libretto
Rehearsal tracks on Choralia
The poem By Newman is divided into seven individual "phases".
References
1. The dream of Gerontius (poem) Wikipedia
2. The dream of Gerontius (Elgar) Wikipedia
3. Gerontius companion Best of Me
Elgar did not wish to stray from Newman’s simple text and holy thought. Encouraged by Novello to make more of the Soul’s encounter with God Elgar grappled how to render the culmination of Newman’s vision of an instantaneous glimpse of God and moment of judgement when what was described by Newman was the tiniest moment of profound silence. Certainly less than a sixteenth of a note!
Music needs time and timing while the subject matter is outside time. In the end Elgar provided suitable impressive chords. Perhaps disturbing the Souls sleep in purgatory.
The first performance in 1900 in Birmingham was a near disaster but a better performance was given in germany in 1901 which satisfied Elgar. Doctrinal differences over the issue of purgatory hampered access to cathedrals and churches. Despite the universalism of the theme the work was not performed much outside the UK from 1914.
2020 sees several UK performances of the work with Birmingham Festival Chorus performing the work in November 2020.
The Work is divided into two parts. The first part is 30 minutes. The second part 60 minutes.
The video starts at 27.56 some of Elgars best.
Philip Langridge - Gerontius Catherine Wyn-Rogers - Angel Alastair Miles - Priest/ Angel of the Agony Andrew Davis conducts BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
The full libretto
Rehearsal tracks on Choralia
Part I:
- Prelude
- Jesu, Maria – I am near to death
- Rouse thee, my fainting soul
- Sanctus fortis, sanctus Deus
- Proficiscere, anima Christiana
Part II:
- I went to sleep
- It is a member of that family
- But hark! upon my sense comes a fierce hubbub
- I see not those false spirits
- But hark! a grand mysterious harmony
- Thy judgment now is near
- I go before my judge
- Softly and gently, dearly-ransomed soul
| It is easy to overlook the fact that Newman's poem, which Elgar took as his narrative and shortened as his libretto, had experienced remarkable success in its own right long before Elgar turned his serious attention to it. It was reprinted numerous times during Newman's own lifetime, translated into French and German, and carried by General Gordon whose handwritten annotations were copied by admirers onto their own copies after Gordon's death at Khartoum. |
The poem By Newman is divided into seven individual "phases".
References
1. The dream of Gerontius (poem) Wikipedia
2. The dream of Gerontius (Elgar) Wikipedia
3. Gerontius companion Best of Me
Thursday 6 February 2020
Haydn Nelson Mass with Nigel Perrin in Pattishall
Morning Tenore
A thoroughly enjoyable day with Nigel Perrin in Pattishall Northamptonshire where he led the Amelcote Come and Sing Day
.
Todays Choral person is Nigel Perrin
http://www.nigelperrin.co.uk/
https://www.runbysingers.org/nigel-perrin-biog
Nigel Perrin’s musical life began as a boy chorister at Ely Cathedral, from where he won a choral scholarship to King’s College, Cambridge, to study under Sir David Willcocks. After a short time spent singing in most of London’s professional choirs, Nigel became well-known as the high voice of The King’s Singers and for the next eleven years he travelled the world on concert tours, recorded some twenty-five albums and appeared in countless television shows with artists as diverse as Kiri Te Kanawa and Cliff Richard. This background and experience formed the basis of his current international career – conducting, directing choral workshops and summer schools, adjudicating and teaching. He is a member of staff at Wells Cathedral Specialist Music School, where he works with young developing voices and trains the Chapel Choir. Having established Bath Camerata as one of the UK’s leading chamber choirs, he is now greatly sought after as an inspiring choral conductor, directing the City of Bath Bach Choir, the Bath Festival Chorus and the Exeter Festival Chorus, and working regularly as consultant and motivator to many other choral groups.
Messiah will be back at Pattishall in February 2024
https://www.hunsburymeadows.org.uk/uploads/messiah-perrin-feb2019-1.pdf
Today we looked at the genius of Haydn. Performed in 1798 the mass coincided with the defeat of Napoleon’s fleet by Nelson at the battle of the Nile. When Beethoven accepted the commission to write a mass that became the Mass in C performed in 1807 he said to his patron how difficult it would be to follow in Haydn's talented footsteps.
1797 was a difficult year for Austria. Four times Austrian forces were defeated by Napolean. Haydn's patron was a military man who had Haydn write a sung mass for his wifes birthday each year. The same year Haydn produced the Creation.
Cum sancto spiritu 13.00
Rehearsal notes. Getting "off book" in the Kyrie is relatively easy.
There is a structure to the movement which is easy to memorise.
An abbreviation is made where the words repeat.
} denotes the end of a phrase, [ ] soloists singing and breathing opportunity.
C minor plus starting notes are in lower case. C major notes in upper case.
Of course you should make your own shorthand pnemonic system, you might like colourful emojis!
This is the one I use
Rehearsal note - Kyrie
Ky-ri-e} Kyrie} e-lei-son} K K K [ ] Kyr-rie} e-lei-son [ ]Chris-te}
KE}KKEE}K}E}EEEEEE}KK}E}K}EEEE
Ky-ri-e} Kyrie} e-lei-son} K K K [ ] KK}E}EEEEEE}
Ky-ri-e}KK}EEEE
dDD}dDD}ddD}ege [ ] AAA}DF AA [ ] BB}
Bc}gded}B}Gg}fedefe}fe}feD{cG}fccc
dDD}dDD}ddD}ege}[ ]A}cd}dddBfg
d}cc}dddA
We can see how tenors are required to sing high g. Note where tenors sing the high g how Haydn where possible makes it easier by having you sing G major followed by g minor. The octave leap makes it much easier. The octave leap is also visible in the D and ds of the opening. This also makes a useful milestone in the piece helping to divide it up into manageable chunks to remember.
Glo-ri-a in ex-cel-sis de-o}GG}GID}GGIID [ ] Et in ter-ra pax ho-mi-ni-bus Repeat
bo-nae vo-lun-ta-tis Repeat Lau-da-mus te Be-ne-di-ci-mus-te Ad-o-ra-mus-te
Glo-ri-fi-ca-mus te te lau-da-mus te be-ne-di-ci-mus te ad-o-ra-mus te glo-ri-fi-ca-mus Repeat te [ ]
Do-mi-ne fi-li u-ni-ge-ni-te Je-su Chris-te Je-su Je-su Chris-te Je-su Je-su Chris-te [ ]
Do-mi-ne-de-us A-gnus de-i fi-li-us Pa-tris Pa-tris [ ]
Mi-se-re-re no-bis Repeat [ ] De-pre=ca-ti-o-nem no-stram Repeat [ ] Repeat [ ]
Mi-se-re-re no-bis Repeat [ ] RRR [ ]
tu, tu so-lus, tu so-lus san-ctus tu so-lus do-mi-nus, tu so-lus al-tis-si-mus} tu, tu so-lus, tu so-lus sanc-tus tu so-lus do-mi-nus, tu so-lus al-ti-si-mus, je-su Je-su Chris-te
A thoroughly enjoyable day with Nigel Perrin in Pattishall Northamptonshire where he led the Amelcote Come and Sing Day
.
Todays Choral person is Nigel Perrin
http://www.nigelperrin.co.uk/
https://www.runbysingers.org/nigel-perrin-biog
Nigel Perrin’s musical life began as a boy chorister at Ely Cathedral, from where he won a choral scholarship to King’s College, Cambridge, to study under Sir David Willcocks. After a short time spent singing in most of London’s professional choirs, Nigel became well-known as the high voice of The King’s Singers and for the next eleven years he travelled the world on concert tours, recorded some twenty-five albums and appeared in countless television shows with artists as diverse as Kiri Te Kanawa and Cliff Richard. This background and experience formed the basis of his current international career – conducting, directing choral workshops and summer schools, adjudicating and teaching. He is a member of staff at Wells Cathedral Specialist Music School, where he works with young developing voices and trains the Chapel Choir. Having established Bath Camerata as one of the UK’s leading chamber choirs, he is now greatly sought after as an inspiring choral conductor, directing the City of Bath Bach Choir, the Bath Festival Chorus and the Exeter Festival Chorus, and working regularly as consultant and motivator to many other choral groups.
Messiah will be back at Pattishall in February 2024
https://www.hunsburymeadows.org.uk/uploads/messiah-perrin-feb2019-1.pdf
Today we looked at the genius of Haydn. Performed in 1798 the mass coincided with the defeat of Napoleon’s fleet by Nelson at the battle of the Nile. When Beethoven accepted the commission to write a mass that became the Mass in C performed in 1807 he said to his patron how difficult it would be to follow in Haydn's talented footsteps.
1797 was a difficult year for Austria. Four times Austrian forces were defeated by Napolean. Haydn's patron was a military man who had Haydn write a sung mass for his wifes birthday each year. The same year Haydn produced the Creation.
Cum sancto spiritu 13.00
Rehearsal notes. Getting "off book" in the Kyrie is relatively easy.
There is a structure to the movement which is easy to memorise.
An abbreviation is made where the words repeat.
} denotes the end of a phrase, [ ] soloists singing and breathing opportunity.
C minor plus starting notes are in lower case. C major notes in upper case.
Of course you should make your own shorthand pnemonic system, you might like colourful emojis!
This is the one I use
Rehearsal note - Kyrie
Ky-ri-e} Kyrie} e-lei-son} K K K [ ] Kyr-rie} e-lei-son [ ]Chris-te}
KE}KKEE}K}E}EEEEEE}KK}E}K}EEEE
Ky-ri-e} Kyrie} e-lei-son} K K K [ ] KK}E}EEEEEE}
Ky-ri-e}KK}EEEE
dDD}dDD}ddD}ege [ ] AAA}DF AA [ ] BB}
Bc}gded}B}Gg}fedefe}fe}feD{cG}fccc
dDD}dDD}ddD}ege}[ ]A}cd}dddBfg
d}cc}dddA
We can see how tenors are required to sing high g. Note where tenors sing the high g how Haydn where possible makes it easier by having you sing G major followed by g minor. The octave leap makes it much easier. The octave leap is also visible in the D and ds of the opening. This also makes a useful milestone in the piece helping to divide it up into manageable chunks to remember.
Glo-ri-a in ex-cel-sis de-o}GG}GID}GGIID [ ] Et in ter-ra pax ho-mi-ni-bus Repeat
bo-nae vo-lun-ta-tis Repeat Lau-da-mus te Be-ne-di-ci-mus-te Ad-o-ra-mus-te
Glo-ri-fi-ca-mus te te lau-da-mus te be-ne-di-ci-mus te ad-o-ra-mus te glo-ri-fi-ca-mus Repeat te [ ]
Do-mi-ne fi-li u-ni-ge-ni-te Je-su Chris-te Je-su Je-su Chris-te Je-su Je-su Chris-te [ ]
Do-mi-ne-de-us A-gnus de-i fi-li-us Pa-tris Pa-tris [ ]
Mi-se-re-re no-bis Repeat [ ] De-pre=ca-ti-o-nem no-stram Repeat [ ] Repeat [ ]
Mi-se-re-re no-bis Repeat [ ] RRR [ ]
tu, tu so-lus, tu so-lus san-ctus tu so-lus do-mi-nus, tu so-lus al-tis-si-mus} tu, tu so-lus, tu so-lus sanc-tus tu so-lus do-mi-nus, tu so-lus al-ti-si-mus, je-su Je-su Chris-te
Novel Coronavirus Aromatherapy Guide:
Coronavirus is now with us and in the public eye. Ships and whole cities are in
quarantine. The virus is contagious and
transmitted in the same way as colds and flu.
People are becoming ill with respiratory shortness of breath and dying including
some of the medical staff who treat them.
As to which essential oils I look past the articles claiming essential oils are all conquering or a waste of time. There is plenty of scientific research on PubMed and in the aromatherapy literature demonstrating essential oils have anti viral and anti biotic properties. Literally scientists can watch the bugs die and we should not doubt the evidence of their eyes.
I am exposed to viruses all the time. We all are. But the show must go on.
Personally in the last seven days I have sung Brahms,
Beethoven, Vivaldi, Mozart, Orff and Haydn.
This may seem a strange way to start an article on Essential Oils and
Coronavirus but bear with me.
The point
is in our daily lives we are in close contact with many others. Personally I
have sung in the presence of hundreds of other people in just the course of
last week. During the day I work in a
busy office. Papers and people come in
and out. Were some people I met at work
or play sneezing or coughing? Of course they were. Could someone have sneezed
around those papers in the last day leaving bacteria or viruses on those papers?
Of course.
Part of
the way I manage the risk of this exposure is by taking vitamins particularly
Vitamin C. Also having a positive
mission in life helps minimise the risk.
For example usually doctors who treat patients do not themselves tend to
succumb to disease. It’s a measure of
the seriousness of the matter that the doctor who alerted the world to the
issue of Coronavirus has died. Clearly
prevention is better than a cure.
I shower
daily and wash my hands. Daily hygiene
routines help me stay free from microscopic pathogens. I eat a varied diet to maintain a healthy
immune system and I exercise. Not as
much as I should but I exercise.
Part of the way I manage the risk of this exposure turning
into an infection for others is being responsible. If I have an active cough or
a sneeze I stay at home and work in bed until I feel better. Not everyone is able to do this of course.
We all depend on people showing up even with
a cough or sneezing. For example the
soprano soloist on Saturday sang bravely and beautifully even with an evident
cough in rehearsal. It is even more
imperative at work to carry on and ride public transport. People depend on us and we depend on them. I don’t tend to wear a facemask when I go out but clearly
that is a habit we may all have to get into.
I keep myself informed.
A starting point is Wikipedia online.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus
I have qualifications in science so the strange
looking words don’t confuse me I know what I am looking for. I quickly see there is presently no vaccine.
So for the time being the matter is serious and deserves our attention. As ever
prevention is more important than a cure.
Besides coughing and sneezing the symptoms include a shortness of breath.
I see that the virus is transmitted in the same way as colds and flu by
respiratory droplets. I would most
likely breathe in the virus to become infected.
Do I diffuse essential oils with an atomiser in the home and
at work? Yes I do. A room spray adds water droplets to the atmosphere and that
seems a bad idea. In fact running a
dehumidifier seems a sensible precaution. The oils are volatile and will
diffuse in the air themselves or with the aid of an atomiser.
As to which essential oils I look past the articles claiming
essential oils are all conquering or a waste of time. There is plenty of scientific research on
PubMed and in the aromatherapy literature demonstrating essential oils have
anti viral and anti biotic properties. Literally scientists can watch the bugs
die and we should not doubt the evidence of their eyes.
So which essential oils do I use? Lavender, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus
oils and Lemon. You only need a few drops at a time so the bottles which are
inexpensive will last a long time. Do
read the precautions on the bottle label and if placing on the skin dilute with
oil like olive or sunflower oil. A
particular cautionary note I would add is to only use fresh and genuine
essential oils.
Peter Ian Brealey
References
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