Archive for the ‘Stories from the Choir’ Category
Verdi requiem – a choir member’s perpective 3
VERDI REQIEM…..October 2010
I am perpetually fascinated and amazed at the experience of life being like a jig-saw puzzle with pieces being fitted into place each day, adding to the wonder and colourfulness of the whole picture as it builds with purposefulness towards an eventual completion.
The Cape Town Symphony and Philharmonia Choirs joint venture in the performances of the Verdi Reqiem proved to add specially lovely pieces to mine and Jean’s joint and individual puzzles:
For over 50 years now Jean and I have derived immense pleasure from attending orchestral rehearsals and concerts in the City Hall. And so it was with a sense of deep gratitude that we were able to sing together for the first time on the City Hall stage with the orchestra under Maestro Victor Yampolsky. Read the rest of this entry »
Verdi Requiem – a choir member’s perspective 2
VERDI MESSA DA REQUIEM
Twice in the last few years our choir has sung major requiems very soon after the deaths of significant persons in my life. We sang the Mozart requiem under the baton of Richard Cock just a few weeks after the death of my father and now we sang Verdi’s one quite soon after my mother-in- law’s death. So I started thinking about the concept of requiems in general. Read the rest of this entry »
Verdi Requiem – a choir member’s perspective 1
VERDI REQUIEM – SO THIS IS HOW IT HAPPENED!
By Nadia Essop (October 27, 2010)
It’s Wednesday evening. After 3 hours of rehearsal with the orchestra, soloists, and combined choirs, my spirits are in need of a lift. I cannot move beyond the question: What am I doing here?
The Cape Town City Hall’s labyrinth of passages and spaces have a faded aura. The resident phantoms could add cachet to the scenario, but other than blocking the toilets, they too seem ready to abandon the cause. Perhaps Le Fantôme senses the prevailing mindset seeping through the cracks: apathy, and the celebration of mediocrity.
I am aware of the musical pecking order I have volunteered myself into. First there is the conductor, in this case visiting Muscovite, maestro Victor Yampolsky. The conductor, also known as the musical director, is permitted (and forgiven) everything! He is forgiven for wearing red sneakers with pink socks (wow!), he is allowed to lose his temper, or throw a tantrum if he wants to. It is best to stay on the good side of the conductor. Laugh at his jokes – it’s the right thing to do. More importantly, do exactly as he instructs. Capiche? Read the rest of this entry »
VERDI REQUIEM – By Hilary Bassett
The low-down on the highest quality singing you’ll hear in Cape Town!
Any opportunity to hear the massive choral masterpiece Verdi’s Requiem sung live by a massed choir is not to be missed by music lovers. It’s a glorious treat, a rich operatic counterbalance to the mindless thumping that pounds our ears from cars and taxis every day whether we will or not. But there are several special reasons why the performances coming up at the City Hall in October are worth attending. First, it’s being performed by not one but two superb choirs, singing together for the first time in many years – for which time lapse there is good reason. The Philharmonia Choir, directed by Antoinette Blyth is one of the choirs; with its 120 members and long history it is much loved and needs little introduction to Cape audiences. Read the rest of this entry »
The Romance of Brahms – and Clara?
By Hilary Bassett
The Romance of Brahms – and Clara?
It is 7.30 Wednesday night, and the last few stragglers walking up the road to the Rondebosch United Church hall can already hear some beautiful notes being sounded as the Symphony Choir of Cape Town warms up for an evening of hard work. With a concert of beautiful Brahms’ Liebeslieder on May 23 to prepare for there is no time to lose.
Alex Fokkens is the musical conductor of the Choir and Margaret Foxcroft, his concert pianist wife, accompanies us and helpfully adds a playful note when its 52 members fail to live up to her husband’s exacting standards. After a rousing Happy Birthday to one of the members, sung in stylish harmony, the choir settles down to work. Breathing exercises stretch the lungs, then we are off, going through painstaking note bashing before all four sections of the choir are note-perfect and can let loose the lilting rhythm in full voice. Aah! What a wonderful sound! Read the rest of this entry »