On the night before Christmas ...

Just getting a few last minutes of relaxation in before the church marathon begins tonight.

I've filled a slow-cooker with my home made quick and easy chili recipe (basically, browned ground beef with onions, tomato sauce, bell peppers, corn, beans, salsa and enough chili powder to keep us awake until 2 am), and am currently sitting with one cat on my lap just waiting until my wife gets home early from work.

The services tonight begin at 7 PM and 11 PM, but I have to tune the reeds, practice my postlude (Piece d'Orgue aka Fantasia in G Major), and make sure there are enough hymn sheets, bulletins and music for the choir and guests.

The first service is the family service, complete with the ubiquitous pageant, which this year promises to be different, and "Canadian" (cue up the Huron Carol), then the big service (after eating the aforementioned chili and enjoying a glass of sherry or two, as is tradition) begins at 11:00.

The music scheduled for 11PM contains mainly your standard fair of Willcocks' descants (why would you do any others?) a few communion carols, including the normandy tune of Away in a Manger from the Green Carol Book (C for C I), Infant Lowly, and Harold Darke's "In the Bleak Mid-Winter", which by the way, was voted England's Favourite Christmas Carol.  For a different take on England's favourite carol, I highly recommend this post from one of my favourite blogs.

Tomorrow morning - a very quiet service, postlude will be Bach again, this time, the short "In Dulci Jubilo", then there will be presents to open - if we make it that long.

Wishing you all a peaceful, restful, and blessed Christmas!

Another Messiah in the bag

Last night was the final night of this year's ESO Messiah run, and in many ways, it was a highlight!

The soloists were stellar, the best I've heard in a while, as was the conductor, and I'm not ashamed to say, so was the choir!  This is the second time that i Coristi and Da Camera have joined forces for the annual Christmas production of Messiah, and by all accounts, including comments from the orchestra players themselves, it was one of the best choirs assembled for the production.

It got me wondering - as many choral musicians do, how many performances of Messiah I have done.  I've sung it on and off now for about 25 years, first as a treble in Ottawa, then later a few times as a countertenor, and in the last 10 years, on and off as a tenor, or countertenor (this last production I sang alto, just to add a bit of beef to it - as it can be quite low for most chorus altos - and I tell ya, it's a whole lot of fun!)

So, unofficially, here is the count of Messiah performances I have sung:

from approximately 1983-1997 (while in Ottawa with various choirs) - I'm guessing about seven performances total

From 1997-2008 (Edmonton ) - this is a bit more precise

With Richard Eaton Singers - two productions, five performances

With Pro Coro Canada - three productions, five performances

With Madrigal Singers - two productions, four performances

With Da Camera Singers - one production, two performances

As a conductor - one "sing-along" concert with chamber orchestra - and a choir of ... 600+?

Total - 16 productions, 25 performances of Messiah in the last twenty-five years.

By no means a world record, but not bad for someone who isn't forty yet.  I suspect there will be a few more performances before I'm done.

Unlike some people who have blogged about Messiah in recent years - I'll never tire of it!

For the record:

Number of times I've sung just the Hallelujah Chorus?  Unknown.

Number of times I've sung along, or conducted along, with the Paul McCreesh recording after a few glasses of wine? - Classified.

Advent IV

For Advent IV ....

More J.S.B, and more Tom Koopman - this time conducting the first movement of Cantata 140 "Wachet Auf" ... or "Sleepers Wake!"

Making a joyful noise

Edmonton's Eva Bostrand made the national RRS feed today on CBC with this article.

I've been fortunate to work with Eva on a number of occasions.  She always finds a way to both encourage, and make her students feel valuable in every aspect of singing.  The CBC article is one of these fine examples of her dedication to giving the world a voice!

In a time when the arts is often looked down upon for "wasting" the taxpayers money - this is an absolutely refreshing article.  And I'm so very proud to know the participants! 

Advent III

For Advent III, Gaudete Sunday, otherwise known by the Sunday School as "the day we light that Pink Candle, for some reason" 

I bring you ... well, what else!  "Gaudete Gaudete" as performed by the Libera Boys in 2002.

The Rubbermaid Choral Riser

How many of your choir directors have been faced with having to use these in place of risers?
It seems to be the preferred, cheap and quick method of getting a second row of choristers on a different level in a whole variety of tight and unconventional venues.

I have to admit - I've used them on a number of occasions, and they've been very useful.  I've used them to get a choir closer to an orchestra, or as extension to existing risers with great success.  Many churches for example don't have a good set up for choirs, so these fit the bill in a pinch, plus, you can create a stage anywhere, and in any formation you like.

The problem I have with them is that they look horrible!  I've had at least one complaint after a concert from an audience member about them, and I find the more and more that I see them in a concert, the more I dislike them.  Certainly as a chorister who has had to stand on one (actually I use two, one for each foot) they are probably the most uncomfortable options around, with no ability to "move" your feet.  I also suffer from on stage vertigo, something I picked up a few years ago, and can't seem to find a way to solve, so standing on a plastic stool no wider than my shoulders certainly doesn't help!

My questions is - is there another option?  Should someone approach the rubbermaid company and have them create a stool specifically for this purpose?  Perhaps a larger, yet still stackable portable system that came in a variety of colours to match the stage?

Thoughts?

Advent II

For Advent II - where we celebrate St. John the Baptist, I bring you Orlando Gibbons' "The Record of John" as performed by Kings College Cambridge.  

Probably one of the best arguments for NOT performing early English baroque music at 415 - as it would be impossibly low for a countertenor to sing. This recording I believe is at 440 and I've sung it at this pitch, but I would even prefer it up as high as 460. At 415, a regular tenor could manage it in full voice, but it just isn't as tender.