Author Archives: vhk10

aimez-vous Brahms?

Posted on March 25, 2004 by vhk10

I read the novel of this title recently, though Brahms’ music doesn’t really feature in it except as a chat-up line. Last Saturday I sang in his German Requiem in Bath Abbey. For this the Chantry Singers joined forces with … Continue reading →

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Mid-Somerset madness

Posted on March 19, 2004 by vhk10

Actually, there wasn’t very much madness about it, but it makes a good headline. I competed as planned in the Mid-Somerset Festival yesterday, in two classes: the Handel aria class (where I performed Cara Sposa from Rinaldo) , and the … Continue reading →

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playing at services

Posted on March 15, 2004 by vhk10

While our organist has been away, I’ve had to play at some services at church. As I’m not an organist, this has usually meant playing hymns on the piano (and conducting unaccompanied mass settings) but I did play our small … Continue reading →

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Master of the Queen’s Music

Posted on March 10, 2004 by vhk10

At last it’s been announced that Peter Maxwell Davies will hold this post for the next ten years. I met him once (at least, we were in the same room!) when he was director of the Dartington summer school. For … Continue reading →

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the missing chamber choirs of Manchester

Posted on March 2, 2004 by vhk10

In the mid 1990’s I lived in Manchester, and moved there with high hopes of lots of interesting singing possibilities. Looking back on that time now, I am still baffled and dismayed by the fact that, fresh from a choral … Continue reading →

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Britten and Duruflé for Holy Week

Posted on February 25, 2004 by vhk10

I’ve accepted invitations to take part in in a couple of concerts in Holy Week. On Palm Sunday I shall be singing Rejoice in the Lamb for the first time in over a decade. I remember it accurately enough, but … Continue reading →

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memory

Posted on February 20, 2004 by vhk10

This year, for the first time, I’m entering the Mid-Somerset Festival. I am competing in two classes, singing a Handel aria and a song by Copland. I took part in a similar event years ago, and didn’t enjoy it, perhaps … Continue reading →

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which composer are you sitting on?

Posted on February 16, 2004 by vhk10

We’re buying a new sofa and found that several models in a local shop were named after composers. (We think that it may have been the same shop which used to have on sale – quite without irony – an … Continue reading →

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things I’d like to sing (2)

Posted on February 12, 2004 by vhk10

A sequel to my earlier posting of anthems etc. I feel overdue for singing. Now for some of the larger scale works. In some cases the reason I haven’t done them is clear; I’ve been in small chamber choirs rather … Continue reading →

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singing at the nursery

Posted on February 6, 2004 by vhk10

Yesterday I repeated something I did a couple of years ago and went to my son’s nursery to lead the children there in some singing. They like parents to come in and do things for the children from time to … Continue reading →

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secular gringing

Posted on February 3, 2004 by vhk10

This item of news appeared on the BBC website yesterday. Of course it’s not really news because organists have been sneaking secular themes into their improvisations for as long as they’ve been able to improvise in church. I once spent … Continue reading →

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a large interval

Posted on January 29, 2004 by vhk10

Not the musical kind (though there are quite a few of those involved), but the length of time since I last performed Brahms’ German Requiem, which I am doing with the Chantry Singers this term. The only other time I … Continue reading →

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