05 December 2007

putting it all together

This week's been the last few rehearsals before our Big Concert on Thursday. We're singing "L'Allegro, Il Penseroso ed il Moderato" by Handel, a solid few hours of music with a little bit of everything- grandeur, speed, solemnity, frivolity, every pairing of vocal range, large and small ensembles, and a passel of Baroque instruments. It's so very much like all those times in high school when we finally put everything together- wriggling teenagers, and musicians that the director had somehow managed to pull from the fields and forests of southern Vermont to create a proper orchestra. So thrilling, the chorus risers, the clutter of music stands, the bows of the violins rising and falling together, the un noticed staffs and measures on our music books below the choral lines so very alive and vibrating through the long room. Here in Iceland it's all very much the same- the people may come from the lava rather than the forests, but there seems to be a sort of Universal Baroque Musician look- the hair, the fleece, the sensible shoes, the emphatic eyebrows on the male version. It's a comforting thing to see.

These rehearsals with the instruments are sometimes better than the performance itself- hearing how the phrases are fine-tuned during practice after practice, the rush of that first time when what had been one person playing piano becomes a twenty-piece orchestra, the director's commands shouted over the music to different sections. It'll all be over too quickly but until that time I'm enjoying every minute of it, and I'm so glad to be here this year instead of abroad like I was for last year's concert.

*and if you rvk dwellers have nothing else to do on Thursday, come on over. It'll be swell

7 comments:

Maya said...

Hi E, I am almost sure I have left a comment on your blog before--I am an avid reader of it and I really enjoy your writer voice. Have you read the book Cook Until Desired Tenderness by Cleo Papanikolas (it's not a novel, it's an art book, so the author has a lot of her paintings etc. in it.) Your blog makes me think of it in terms of the way the writing makes one feel very cozy and happy. Hope you have a great concert!

tsduff said...

Wish I could go - you've brought back my own memories of high school choir.. (what an excellent line... wriggling teenagers LOL!) and a fine bunch of memories they are too. I love Handel - I'm sure it WILL be swell :)

Brenton Eccles said...

Gosh, the fun you have. :D

Anonymous said...

Hey, do you know for us outside of RVK, if there is anyway it can be recorded and put on the www?
I'd LOVE to hear/see it!

hexe said...

Have fun! Sounds like a wonderful way to get into the spirit of Christmas.

ECS said...

maya: I don't see that you have commented before, but thanks for doing so! I haven't read that author but I'll have to see if I can find it now. Sounds cool.

tsduff: it was swell, and the party after was also really fun. Perfect pre-Christmas coziness.

brenton: sounds pretty nerdy but it was fun.

sirry: they did record it as far as I can tell but I have no idea who was recording or where it was destined to go.

hexe: 'twas fun. It's a pretty musical place in the wintertime here.

Anonymous said...

oh!!!
le 5 décembre, c'est mon anniversaire!... bon anniversaire Linda... je sais pas quand est ce que c'est le tiens... mais bon anniversaire quand même... christophe du glacier de l'année dernière