I had a choice between two concerts on the same night: either singing Handel’s and Scarlatti’s settings of Dixit Dominus with a larger choir than they were written for in Bristol, or singing Verdi’s Requiem with a smaller orchestra than it was written for, in Gloucester. (This being organ, two pianos and percussion, in the arrangement by Richard Blackford.) I went for the latter.
I’m always up for a performance of the Verdi, but obviously this was rather different. I didn’t really appreciate how much our two pianists did (too busy singing) – even so, I did miss the sustaining quality of orchestral instruments and of course I was a bit spoilt having sung the work with full orchestra only a year ago. Writing this up some weeks after the event, I realise I don’t remember very much about it, and it has merged in my memory with the earlier performance.
I did go to some rehearsals for the other concert, as I’d not sung the Handel for a long time and never done the Scarlatti, so I’ll be prepared if those works come up again soon.