Greetings, dear GCS,
Many of you will know the highly-suspect tradition that the month of March ‘comes in’ and ‘goes out’ under opposite weather conditions, i.e. ‘In as a Lion’ – ‘Out as a Lamb’. With the pace of news these days – and with today’s rather nastier weather, it may be pretty hard for you to remember the relatively nice weather we enjoyed last Wednesday March 1st, but from it the old adage would describe March 2022 as having come in as a Lamb (you may make your own forecast as to the likely ‘Lion-ness’ we can expect on Wednesday March 30th).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCnYdL_co6Y
Some of you will remember our using so-called ‘score video’ to record some virtual videos last spring – because until this afternoon we were planning to get together with musical scores in our hands to learn and sing music I have hastily selected this setting of William Blake’s ‘The Lamb’ (from his Songs of Innocence and Experience, a set of illustrated poems published in 1794) by the late English composer John Tavener (1944-2013). Tavener’s ‘The Lamb’ is perhaps the best-known of his many beautiful choral works. This performance with the moving score of Tavener’s music is by the Erebus Ensemble under Tom Williams.
Again, because we are unable to get together for our long-awaited rehearsal tonight, please take some time to watch this video through once or twice and try to sing your own voice part along with the music you see. The work is an interesting combination of the twisted, tonally ambiguous “A Section” and the sublimely transcendent “B Section” – perhaps a bit like March’s weather! It is NOT on our current plans to attempt this piece (Blake’s take on the Biblical analogy of Jesus as the Lamb of God leads church choirs often attach it to Christmas or Easter), but perhaps one day we will. For now, let’s just get our eyes, voices and musical minds working.
Stay as safe and happy as you can! If you haven’t been for a while visit the Georgetown Choral Society website, Facebook Page and YouTube Channel – where you can subscribe to stay connected.
Our plan now is to commence bi-weekly rehearsals next week on Monday March 14th. Those wishing to attend in-person should pre-register by e-mailing Alyson Arsenault at peanutkokomaggie@gmail.com, and should arrive early to pick-up paper copies of the music. Choristers will sing masked and be seated socially-distanced. PDF copies of the music are attached to this e-mail for those who wish to look at it in advance, or who would like to use them to join this live-stream to sing along from home.
To join the livestream from 7pm of any Monday rehearsal beginning next week, use this link: https://youtu.be/4Qy_JSz810s
Enjoy another Monday evening at home, and take care of yourselves and those around you. Brighter days lie ahead.
