Posts tagged with “singing”

4 September

Categories of Engagement

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It is not too often the personal intrudes on this blog (I hope!) But today I would like to indulge myself a little.  Anyone who has been here before will perhaps notice that there are a couple of new categories creeping in here.

One is cycling - and the tandem features (Now enhanced with lights and super bell and ready to roll!).

The other is marriage - and this is because I am now engaged to be wed, I have plighted my troth!  It will be a long engagement, but if any matters come up which I think I can talk about here (or even if I read anything which seems connected) then I may post to this category.

On which subject my fiancee thinks this blog would reach a much wider audience and I can see what she means (though am uncertain I really want the world and it’s brother to be reading this - my hosting could not cope for a start!).  BUT I have decided to see if I can register the domain “eclectic.me” as a possible alternative.

UNLESS anyone has any better ideas for the name of this blog?  AND YES; I do realise the heading banner and design would be due for a complete overhaul as a result, then again I am quite keen to improve the site’s accessibility and so should not mind this.

A post should be forthcomng to review the book “Chicago” soon and not sure what will follow from that, perhaps a thrilling account of the first tandem tour involving panniers and distance!

 

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23 December

Isabel raps

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This is my best beloved daughter doing her thing…

what I should like to know is if this is derivative or her original work (I suspect she was put up to it by her elder sister, the eponymous “sdkjackson” who marked my linkback down as spam!)

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2 April

Harmonium

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I have read many more books since my last post, but this is far more worthy I think for a long overdue post.  From my earlier blogging you may know I sing with a Choral Society.

For our next concert on July the Fourth we shall be adopting an American theme, and this has led us to the piece “Harmonium” by John Adams. The poetry he adopted to go with this “choral symphony” will mean a good deal to me, as you can read below.

Apparently he had much of the opening of the piece already in mind and then the poem slotted into place.  I do think the result is striking - these poems are powerful enough in themselves but set to music can add another dimension, perhaps? (I have mixed feelings on that score, but then again the music stands by it’s own merit also).

 

Negative Love or The Nothing

 

I never stoop’d so low, as they

Which on an eye, cheek, lip, can prey.

Seldom to them, which soar no higher

Than virtue or the mind to admire.

For sense, and understanding may

Know what gives fuel to their fire:

My love, though silly, is more brave,

For may I miss, whene’er I crave,

If I know yet, what I would have.


If that be simply perfectest,

Which can by no way be express’d

But Negatives, my love is so.

To All, which all love, I say no.

If any who deciphers best,

What we know not, our selves, can know,

Let him teach me that nothing; this

As yet my ease and comfort is,

Though I speed not, I cannot miss.

- John Donne


Because I could not stop for Death,

He kindly stopped for me;

The carriage held but just ourselves

And Immortality.


We slowly drove, he knew no haste,

And I had put away

My labor and my leisure too,

For his civility.


We passed the school where children played

At wrestling in a ring;

We passed the fields of gazing grain,

We passed the setting sun.


We paused before a house that seemed

A swelling of the ground:

The roof was scarcely visible,

The cornice but a mound.


Since then ‘tis centuries; but each

Feels shorter than the day

I first surmised the horses’ heads

Were toward eternity.

- Emily Dickinson


Wild Nights—- Wild Nights!

Were I with thee

Wild nights should be

Our Luxury!


Futile—-the winds—-

To a Heart in port—-

Done with the Compass—-

Done with the Chart!


Rowing in Eden—-

Ah, the sea!

Might I but moor—- Tonight—-

In thee!

- Emily Dickinson

 

This concert will have tremendous personal resonance for me.  A couple of years ago when I started singing I had just been jilted by a wonderful Canadian woman, who had given me many things.  Not least among these were a renewed passion for poetry (John Donne among our favourites), a brief awakening of youthful passion before I seem to have settled into middle age proper, and in her parting the idea to sing.  So now to be singing of love and these poems almost feels a dedication to her.

The first evokes our relationship so very much for me, since my parting words to her were that she had “given me the greatest gift, myself”.  The middle one has more to do with how I feel now, with the brevity of life weighing on me.  The last brings back fond memories of just how passionate our relationship was whilst it lasted.

Singing has been quite a challenge to me, but a rewarding one.  On an amusing side note it felt quite peculiar when I joined the society because one of the Alto singers was strikingly familiar to the lady who I had just been rejected by!  To this day I find myself awkward if I have to talk with her!

If you get a chance to listen to the Harmonium you’ll realise it is not the easiest piece to do justice to… I hope I can.  I think you can see from this that it would mean a lot to me.  I am still feeling very much in love with this woman and if there is an opportunity for me to lay this ghost to rest then perhaps this is it… Or perhaps I have to carry my love for her to the grave.  I can think of worse crosses to bear!

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13 November

Elgar really was quite the man

04:41 PM
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Another day of synchronicity and luck - too many to mention.

Must be the full moon.  In any case it has led me to find a CD with some Elgar and his third (unfinished) symphony recorded there.  Also to sell a fifth ticket for my performance on Sunday!  It will be highly unusual but quite pleasant to have not only my daughter, but grannie and two cousins plus her mother in the audience!  I wish I had a little more time to practice - but shall make the very best of it.  I had to catch myself singing passages like “Glory to him” when I was out shopping, at least I managed to hold back on the FFF parts!

I am so very impressed with the scoring by Elgar.  Although the poem on which the “Dream of Gerontius” is based becomes a little turgid in the middle parts the musical arrangement never does!  I am so looking forward to this if we have good soloists.  Stefan has assured us they are excellent and no reported illnesses (unlike Matlock, where the soprano dropped out) so all looks set.  Final rehearsal today before the last on the day.

This piece is by far the most difficult I have had to sing to date, but also the most rewarding.  I recommend it to anyone with an ear for singing and any choristers especially.

At the Matlock concert in the pub after someone asked why it seems as if the Jews have the best jokes and the Catholics the best music.  I think I know… It took a while to think about it over a number of pints then inspiration struck!  They are the ones that had the money to build the cathedrals and holy spaces with the cool accoustics and sheer scale to hous orchestras and choirs - so anyone wanting to put on a big show got an “in” if their piece fitted with Catholic ideals - and there we have it.  If anyone wants to chip in on that - feel free to comment!

PS I say again - comment on Blog Action Day reprise below - I shall add this PS until it drops off the page… or if no more comments come there I shall also count any others on the page at closure for the amount I donate… so any comment on or above that post will work; speak up and help the poor!

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