Author Archives: vhk10

how to commemorate 370 people

Posted on November 20, 2017 by vhk10

I sang Fauré’s Requiem at an All Souls’ Day service and was told afterwards that some 370 of the faithful departed had been commemorated by name at it. All Souls’ Day does seem to have caught on in the Church … Continue reading →

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hearing your own choir

Posted on November 16, 2017 by vhk10

I dashed over to Colston Hall from Wells to Bristol Choral Society’s concert. I didn’t arrive in time for the first half (Schumann Lieder) but went for the second half – Brahms’ German Requiem. I had had a nasty cough … Continue reading →

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a rub from Pangur

Posted on November 11, 2017 by vhk10

This autumn seems relatively empty musically. I think this is partly in comparison with last autumn which was exceptionally busy, with three concerts over and above what I’d usually do. By contrast, this year there is one event fewer, because … Continue reading →

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Constructivism but no umbrellas

Posted on October 25, 2017 by vhk10

Suddenly realising that we were on the point of missing WNO’s Khovanshchina performances altogether, we grabbed tickets, leapt in the car and drove off to Cardiff to see it (as often with more ambitious repertoire, it wasn’t coming to Bristol). … Continue reading →

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Gloomy Mahler (2) – Kindertotenlieder

Posted on October 13, 2017 by vhk10

The Bath Philharmonia and Jason Thornton brought Mahler back to St Swithin’s Church. For the conductor, Jason Thornton, this marked the point at which he had conducted all of Mahler’s orchestral works We had Mahler’s orchestration for strings of the … Continue reading →

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Gloomy Mahler (1): Prom 72

Posted on October 1, 2017 by vhk10

I happened to have a ticket to London on the day the Vienna Philharmonic under Daniel Harding were performing Mahler’s Sixth Symphony. Just that – the need to fit a 2-hour concert later in the evening meant that even with … Continue reading →

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the season begins

Posted on September 12, 2017 by vhk10

I don’t normally have much of a ‘close season’ for singing. Erleigh Cantors at the end of July are followed by Cathedral Chamber Choir towards the end of August, and then church choir and Bristol Choral resume in the first … Continue reading →

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my Proms début

Posted on August 16, 2017 by vhk10

I don’t take occasions like this for granted. After many years of going to Promenade concerts I was finally on the other side of the stage in the choir stalls as an ‘extra’ with the BBC National Chorus of Wales. … Continue reading →

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#purcelgar

Posted on August 5, 2017 by vhk10

Acknowledgement to Dave Alkan for the hashtag, too good not to take over. When I get to sing in the Prom on Wednesday I expect I’ll want to write about the experience rather than the repertoire, so here are some … Continue reading →

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Bax and Josquin in St Davids

Posted on August 4, 2017 by vhk10

The Erleigh Cantors started out doing day-trips from Reading but have gradually ventured further afield. St David’s was definitely the furthest we’d been, though there are rumours that the choir’s next step might be to conquer the North. And then … Continue reading →

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Durham ups its game

Posted on August 3, 2017 by vhk10

On the Friday night of our visit to St David’s, many of the Erleigh Cantors went to hear the choir of University College, Durham give a recital of ’20th and 21st century music’ in the Cathedral. I was rather expecting … Continue reading →

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I sell my soul to a Prom

Posted on July 15, 2017 by vhk10

I have a long-standing ambition to sing at a Promenade concert, and one of the things that attracted me to Bristol Choral Society was the occasional involvement of its members in these concerts (most recently in 2016 and before that … Continue reading →

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