With our Christmas concert just around the corner we asked Richard Whitehead, who sings in our bass section, to give us his thoughts on this year’s repertoire. Here’s what Richard had to say!
There’s no getting away from it, it’s a busy time of year! The announcement of our Christmas repertoire is always an exciting time - will it be met with “that’s a favourite”, “I’ve always wanted to do that” or “this looks hard”? Greg’s choices definitely end up in the first category.
At a glance A Festival of Carols by Frank Ferko looked daunting. The first pages have an unusual notation and it certainly makes finding some of the notes interesting! But it’s fun to sing with the styles ranging from homely to churchy. There’s some rhythmic fun thrown in for good measure too! Knowing the usual version of Go, Tell It on the Mountain is no preparation for the changing rhythms and metres of this one. Despite the challenges it’s an enjoyable sing.
We will also be singing Jonathan Dove’s I Am The Day, which you may have heard us sing before. This certainly makes it easier but I’m always amazed how the upper parts make the rapid crisp diction, busy phrases and sudden changes sound so easy! The basses only sing in a little over half the pages so I’ve plenty of opportunity to appreciate the singing of my colleagues and enjoy the piece’s atmosphere. Listen closely and you’ll hear the strains of that beautiful old hymn Veni Emanuel in the final moments of this piece.
In the “I’ve always wanted to do that” category is most definitely Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols. Written for treble voices, I thought my chance to sing it faded many decades ago. I’d come across There is no Rose in an SATB edition but I didn’t know that Julius Harrison had arranged the whole set. It’s going to be interesting to have a harp in performance, though Alex does everything bar reaching inside to pluck the strings to make the rehearsal piano convincing.
There’s so much variety within the carols but for the sheer excitement my favourite is This little Babe. The opening is a breathless forward torrent in unison but the fun hasn’t started. Britten being Britten repeats the melody with two then three parts chasing each other. As a bass I get what I think is the best part, following the altos one beat away on the same tune. It’s wise to avoid a festive glass of mulled wine before this.
As an occasional composer I’m intrigued how three treble parts sound so convincing arranged for SATB: at one point we divide into ten parts! For me, singing a work like this, often of deep beauty and significance, can cause concentration problems as the heart takes over from the head and I’m affected by the music (isn’t that what it’s for?) and it’s hard work to remain fully focused.
Having supposedly retired from teaching and examining music my diary is full of practices and performances with an amateur orchestra, a wind band, even some choral conducting to cover an inter regnum and SBC. The last is by far the most enjoyable.
Nadolig Llawen!
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