I’d been meaning to go to an Exultate Singers concert for a while, and missed a couple including one with a new cantata to commemorate Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s anniversary. I hope that this contained lots of suspensions, especially as it was performed in Clifton!<\/p>\n
But what I got to hear in the end was a programme of music for Holy Week and Easter in St. James Barton church. Much was familiar to me, indeed I’d sung some of it with the choir, but there were pieces I didn’t know including a motet by Roxana Panufnik.<\/p>\n
On Friday I was performing in Wells Cathedral with an expanded Bath Camerata. I’ve already written about the languages<\/a> I had to sing in. I was also expected to sing more quietly than I’ve had to do for some time! These skills get rusty if you don’t use them. I also sang in Tavener’s Svyati<\/em> and Messiaen’s O Sacrum Convivium<\/em> and the concert also included music by P\u00e4rt and Howells. Svyati<\/em> was new to me, but very characteristic of Tavener – perhaps he is writing what seems like the same piece lots of times, in order to perfect it.<\/p>\n Socially it was better than last time<\/a>, though I suspect few in the current choir could name me. When I sing at these events I realise just how many ex-Camerata singers there are around in the Bath area who for one reason or another don’t sing regularly with a choir at the moment.<\/p>\n Both concerts were well attended and there must have been some overlap in the audience. It would be interesting to hear in particular from anyone who heard the Good Friday concert (since I don’t attempt to evaluate here performances I took part in).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I’d been meaning to go to an Exultate Singers concert for a while, and missed a couple including one with a new cantata to commemorate Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s anniversary. I hope that this contained lots of suspensions, especially as it … Continue reading