Author Archives: vhk10

You know you’ve just sung the Sea Symphony when…

Posted on January 25, 2016 by vhk10

… you cannot see the ‘Following’ button on Twitter without hearing the end of the Scherzo.

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♥ Olga and Onegin are now friends

Posted on January 21, 2016 by vhk10

Wouldn’t the plot of Eugene Onegin work well as a series of status updates? We went to see it at the Royal Opera House. This particular production was on its second outing here and had apparently been toned down a … Continue reading →

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On the German border

Posted on January 15, 2016 by vhk10

I made two overseas trips in December, both near the border of Germany. First a short break in Aachen. The Cathedral there had a handsome organ, though its unique shape may give it some acoustic peculiarities (I didn’t hear the … Continue reading →

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2015 and 2016’s resolutions

Posted on December 31, 2015 by vhk10

As 2015 ebbs away, I look back on it as a year of progress rather than achievement. It couldn’t really match up to 2014 but there were some wishlist works that I got to perform: Poulenc’s Gloria (twice in a … Continue reading →

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BCS … with bling

Posted on December 31, 2015 by vhk10

I missed Bristol Choral Society’s Messiah last year, so my memory needed a bit of refreshing this time. Our orchestra was the Bristol Ensemble, which meant modern pitch, and the high notes went with a bit more zing. We had … Continue reading →

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Advent and Christmas 2015

Posted on December 31, 2015 by vhk10

Our two carol services, separated by a fortnight, brought some new pieces for me to sing and some welcome reprises. Advent brought Anthony Piccolo’s I Look from Afar, quite a demanding setting of this text, but worthwhile. And my singing … Continue reading →

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Windows for Finzi

Posted on December 7, 2015 by vhk10

A set of 8 stained-glass windows by Tom Denny commemorating Gerald Finzi will be installed in Gloucester Cathedral next June. I was given a flyer at choir practice, but I think this has not been widely publicised and deserves to … Continue reading →

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Schön and Schoenberg

Posted on November 30, 2015 by vhk10

The cinecasts from the Metropolitan Opera have moved beyond the safer options into more daring repertoire, and I made sure to catch the transmission of their new production of Lulu. Lothar Koenigs from WNO replaced James Levine as conductor. The … Continue reading →

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being dropped

Posted on November 24, 2015 by vhk10

I pencilled in a couple of Cathedral weekends in 2016 with a choir I do such things with, only to find that I’m not invited on them. I won’t discuss the reasons in detail here (they are to do with … Continue reading →

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Igor Levit at the Wigmore Hall

Posted on November 24, 2015 by vhk10

I was in London and this looked the most interesting concert. Others in the family had heard Igor Levit at the Proms recently and I got one of the last few tickets for the recital of three works including variations. … Continue reading →

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remembering at All Souls’ tide

Posted on November 8, 2015 by vhk10

It’s the season of All Souls (I sang Fauré’s Requiem at a service), and sadly my thoughts turn to several people whom I got to know through music who have died in the last year. I suppose this will happen … Continue reading →

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Frank Martin in St Edmundsbury

Posted on November 8, 2015 by vhk10

It is a long time since I’ve been to St Edmundsbury Cathedral. In the meantime it’s sprouted a tower, accommodated a visitor centre and joined the trend for installing lifts (rather better integrated with the building than York Minster’s). It … Continue reading →

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