Author Archives: vhk10

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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sung once before, long ago (3): the Chichester Psalms

Posted on June 29, 2017 by vhk10

Bristol Choral Society’s final concert of the season was a programme performed to a large audience in Bristol Cathedral. I didn’t know Eric Whitacre’s Five Hebrew Love Songs, an early work originally written as solo songs for his future wife, … Continue reading →

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avoiding the Prayer Fayre

Posted on June 24, 2017 by vhk10

The Cathedral Chamber Choir sang at Wells Cathedral for the weekend of Trinity Sunday. Well, sort of, as on the Sunday afternoon we made way for a ‘prayer fayre’ in the Cathedral and decamped to St Cuthbert’s Church, together with … Continue reading →

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Not for dancing

Posted on June 19, 2017 by vhk10

We didn’t get to very much in this year’s Bath Festival, though the programme was good. In fact apart from ‘Party in the City’ and the Kingswood gig in Green Park Station, it amounted to me going to a couple … Continue reading →

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three more funerals in May

Posted on June 9, 2017 by vhk10

I sang at four in all this month. I have already mentioned the first – the second was that of an old friend back in Cambridge. We sang Byrd’s four-part Mass, and I heard a voice from heaven by Tomkins, … Continue reading →

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music for Royal occasions

Posted on June 9, 2017 by vhk10

This was the theme rather loosely applied to the Erleigh Cantors’ concert (with interspersed readings) in St Peter’s Caversham, where we’ve returned after some years decamping to Earley. We included some pieces from recent Cathedral visits such as Jonathan Dove’s … Continue reading →

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A benefit concert

Posted on May 27, 2017 by vhk10

I had a twofold reason for going to the benefit concert for Bath Minerva choir: I have sung with the choir and know many members and it was held in the theatre at the children’s school. The conductor of the … Continue reading →

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Walking with YouTube

Posted on May 15, 2017 by vhk10

Last week I sang Handel’s ‘Where’er you walk’ at a graveside ceremony for a member of my husband’s family. I shan’t write more about the occasion here, but instead talk about my use of recordings in preparation. This aria used … Continue reading →

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sung once before, years ago (2): Bach’s St John Passion

Posted on April 28, 2017 by vhk10

For years my friend from Merton days Sally Mears has been trying to involve me in musical ventures she organises in the Oxford area, and finally I was able to join for a performance of Bach’s St. John Passion in … Continue reading →

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The Spiked Drink

Posted on April 25, 2017 by vhk10

This has been suggested as a translation for the title of Le Vin Herbé by Frank Martin. I was curious about this rarity, and after hearing it on Radio 3 I decided to go and see WNO’s staging of it … Continue reading →

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