Big Sing, Big Choir 1985-2000
I come from work life of chemical smells, benches and test tubes
Moving back to Cambridge, my next challenge was to find something just as musically stimulating. Huntingdon Philharmonic filled that challenge in the last year of Chris Brown’s time as Musical Director. Chris is something of a legend in Cambridge circles, with an illustrious career that started as a chorister in Westminster where he sang at the coronation of the Queen Elizabeth. The audition wasn't too difficult as by this stage I was becoming more accustomed to singing solo in front of people.
Opening bars of Handel's Messiah
David Lawrence lifted the baton from Chris and it was via his efforts that we were invited to join 600 other singers in the Albert Hall for a wonderful performance of Mahler’s 8th Symphony, a piece of music that is true to the fact that you can never have too much brass. The rehearsals were arduous but the result so exciting.
African Sanctus by David Fanshaw was the challenge that Eiron Bailey took on. The Latin Mass is juxtaposed with live recordings of traditional African music, which Fanshaw recorded over several years while journeying up the Nile to Lake Victoria. The work blends field recordings from Egypt, the Sudan, Uganda and Kenya with choral elements from the western Catholic mass.
African Sanctus by David Fanshaw was the challenge that Eiron Bailey took on. The Latin Mass is juxtaposed with live recordings of traditional African music, which Fanshaw recorded over several years while journeying up the Nile to Lake Victoria. The work blends field recordings from Egypt, the Sudan, Uganda and Kenya with choral elements from the western Catholic mass.
|
|
Performing this piece is not for the faint-hearted. The Musical Director not only has a large choir and small orchestra to conduct but they also have to follow a ‘click-track’ track with the recorded sounds to ensure the rock band can come in at the right time while the tympani count the correct number of bars rest. Listening carefully it is possible to discern the music of rain and frogs. It’s perhaps one of the most exciting concerts I’ve ever been involved in.
|
|
Such a litany of sound - Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus
We saw the army above - Dominus Deus Sabaoth Heaven and earth celebrated - Pleni sunt cæli et terra gloria tua And so the choir sang a glorious - Hosanna in excelsis We are blessed to be so happy - Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini And so we repeat in joy - Hosanna in excelsis |