Duel Requiem
Apr. 9th, 2006 08:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pegkerrThere was a concert at my church this afternoon, put on by the Masterworks Chorale of Augsburg, presenting the John Rutter Requiem and the Gabriel Faure Requiem. I had missed the part of the announcement in church this morning that mentioned the ticket price. When I got there and discovered, unexpectedly, that I had to shell out $12, I balked at that, since the budget is so abominably tight, but I did want to hear the concert. So (*blushes*) I snuck upstairs to the former choir loft, above the sanctuary. Since the construction to add a narthex, this choir loft had been walled off and is no longer in use, other than as a storage area, so I could not see the musicians, but I could still hear pretty well. The first half was the Rutter. I had no program, but I knew the words. During my stints in various choirs as a first soprano, I have sung a number of Requiems (the Mozart, the Poulenc, one by Bach, etc.).
After the intermission, I went downstairs and sat in the sanctuary for the Faure portion of the program, and so was able to see the musicians. I have sung portions of the Faure and in fact had considerable difficulty in preventing myself in subvocalizing and thus annoying my neighbors. The Sanctus, in particular: we sang that on several occasions, once during the St. Olaf Christmas concert. I felt the hairs rise up on the back of my neck as the french horns came in, followed by the tenors in glad exultation: "Hosanna in excelsis deo," the prayer repeated by the first sopranoe, "in excelsis deo," the notes wafting up, sweetening, floating in pure ethereal pianissimo . . ." Mmm, mmm, mmm. Lovely.
I loved the guest soprano's solo next, Pia Jesu. Both the baritone and the soprano soloists did a wonderful job.
I really do miss singing in a very good choir.
Kij called me just after the concert ended. I hadn't realized that my cell phone was on. Oops. Thank heavens she didn't call me during the concert itself. *facepalms*
After the intermission, I went downstairs and sat in the sanctuary for the Faure portion of the program, and so was able to see the musicians. I have sung portions of the Faure and in fact had considerable difficulty in preventing myself in subvocalizing and thus annoying my neighbors. The Sanctus, in particular: we sang that on several occasions, once during the St. Olaf Christmas concert. I felt the hairs rise up on the back of my neck as the french horns came in, followed by the tenors in glad exultation: "Hosanna in excelsis deo," the prayer repeated by the first sopranoe, "in excelsis deo," the notes wafting up, sweetening, floating in pure ethereal pianissimo . . ." Mmm, mmm, mmm. Lovely.
I loved the guest soprano's solo next, Pia Jesu. Both the baritone and the soprano soloists did a wonderful job.
I really do miss singing in a very good choir.
Kij called me just after the concert ended. I hadn't realized that my cell phone was on. Oops. Thank heavens she didn't call me during the concert itself. *facepalms*
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-10 03:21 am (UTC)When I was in London in September, I got to hear the Rutter Requiem performed in St. Paul's, conducted by Rutter himself. It was marvelous, and I'm sure my mother and my aunt got very tired of hearing me sing bits and pieces of it over the next couple of days.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-10 04:01 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-10 06:34 am (UTC)I'd've had problems not singing, too.