Make-up rehearsal at St Paul’s went very well last night. Of course, I was as pleased with the fact that I had stamina to see it through, as with the musical result.
Had a lot of fun reading two Tomás Luis de Victoria scores which were new to all the choir (the Ave Maria, which is in Rutter’s edition of European Sacred Music, and the Agnus Dei from the Missa O magnum mysterium) . . . and then (by way of relief for them, almost) the of-course-familiar motet O magnum mysterium, itself. Both the Agnus Dei and the Ave Maria need more work, but we have another evening rehearsal before ‘prime time’.
In order to let them ‘cure’ in the choir’s consciousness, we read a couple of my pieces which we’ll use for Good Friday and Easter . . . I stripped away the ‘big noise’ organ-&-brass-quintet accompaniment from Pascha nostrum to leave an unaccompanied SATB setting. And a setting of Psalm 145 which is too long for use on a regular Sunday service, but will I think be a good sing during the Adoration of the Cross on Good Friday. Good Friday will on the whole be a modester affair musically than it has been the last few years, with the music program a bit unsettled.
But lest the choir feel underutilized, I’ve scheduled a choral Evensong for Sunday March the 19th. Still thinking about what to sing for this, though I should probably decide soon. I had a momentary fantasy of hiring a couple of trombonists for this, but I don’t know.
[ 26 Jan 2006 ]
At the time I was recovering from a cold, hence the pleasure at stamina holding out through the rehearsal.
The Psalm 145 too long for use on a regular Sunday service was the Exaltabo te, Deus, currently in consideration for FCB in May.
The ‘big-noise’ [original] version of Pascha nostrum made a reappearance last year. Each year, I send the piece to someone. Not just anyone, I don’t mean . . . but there’s a choir director somewhere, every year, inquiring after a brass-&-organ Easter piece. Someday, this piece could make my fortune . . . .
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