Low Notes 15
By David Ward
April 2020: David Ward suggests what to do as a relief from chasing non-existent supermarket delivery slots.
We are all very sorry that our two concerts have been lost and that all our preparatory work has, for the time being at least, been lost. We are going to miss our Tuesday nights and the sheer joy of singing together. I will have a lasting memory of the final practice before the great cut-off when Monteverdi’s Beatus Vir took wing.
But if we can’t sing together or physically be together, we can perhaps share something together. So here is an idea, a bit of fun.
We’d like you to come up with five Corona Island Discs: five pieces of music of any type and in any format that mean most to you and that perhaps offer joy, comfort and hope in these trouble times. Five pieces that you think other choir members might like to explore. Five pieces that might be very well-known or perhaps loved only by a few cognoscenti.
Something you first heard as a child; something you learned to play or sing; something that is a renowned masterpiece by one of the great composers; a hymn; something from a musical; folk; country and western; rock, rap, grime. (What is grime?) Anything that means something special to you. Add YouTube or other links if you can.
Responses will be presented in the next newsletter.
And even though you may have blockaded yourself, barricaded the front door and painted a red cross on it, you can still join a choir, singing from your bedroom, sitting room, kitchen or even coal shed.
Details of Gareth Malone’s Great British Home Chorus can be found at
https://decca.com/greatbritishhomechorus/
It all happens on YouTube. Sign up, follow the links and you can download amongst others an SATB arrangement of You Are My Sunshine, a number I’ll always associate with my wife singing to our first grandchild. YouTube rehearsals are at 5.30pm every day and have already started but they are all available to catch up. The arrangement seems straightforward: sops get the tune and the rest of us sing ooh rather a lot. When I joined, about 80,000 people had signed up; by now that number will have probably doubled. Once rehearsals are complete, you record your part (videoing it if you wish) and send the file to Malone working in the rather nice studio in his garden.
After registering using the link above, you will receive an email asking you to confirm your registration followed by a welcome email with instructions. You then receive an email each Monday explaining what is happening that week. Currently the repertoire includes Ordinary World (Duran Duran), I’m still standing (Elton John) and Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again, as well as You are My Sunshine.
I also joined the STAY AT HOME CHOIR (www.stayathomechoir.com) to sing the opening chorus of Vivaldi’s Gloria. I downloaded the score (which had only four bars to each page) and a prompt track – an electronic bass singing in my ear. When ready, I had to sing along with Electronic Man. My wife videoed the performance and I sent it off. (I couldn’t bear to look at or listen to it.) All these digital singings were combined in a performance accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic. I can’t wait to see it. Here’s the result: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0t2ni2QwY8&feature=youtu.be
The stayathomers are now working on a new project with the Kings Singers. Details on the website (above).
That’s it. Stay well; stay singing. And, as someone once sang, we’ll meet again.
David