It turned out that we were three tenors (if only!!), one of whom was the intrepid Shirley Cooper. I was asked to sing the second tenor line. Sandwiched between an enthusiastic Dutch alto and Alan Fawcitt’s bass tones I found it difficult to get to grips with three things at once: following the notes; reading the Latin text; following Geof Cryer’s demanding conducting.
Geof was very kind to me, largely ignoring what I was doing and the longish blocks of silence as I wondered where we were. As we progressed it became easier to keep up, but clearly we could do with a few more experienced voices at our end.
Genevieve struggled manfully with the capricious organ and we all were continually distracted by competing “heavenly muzak” being piped over the church’s sound system, to no avail as there were virtually no visitors on such a cold afternoon. By 4pm despite Geof’s willingness to continue most of us were too cold to go on and departed with the advice to “find a performance on YouTube, learn your part and come back next week prepared”. No pressure, then.
The actual performance, in tribute to the victims of the Paris attacks, is scheduled for Sunday, 13th December, time to be confirmed. If you are a member of a local choir, especially tenor, baritone or bass, why not contact Geof. The music is beautiful, not too difficult and the occasion demands a good performance.
Listening last night to Janet Baker singing “When I am laid in earth” with its haunting refrain “remember me”, I could not help thinking that some 120 families will be remembering loved ones this week and a requiem is the least we can do.
comments to taglines82@gmail,com
