On Tuesday we started by running both of My Heart is Inditing and Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened. Both consist of three pieces and strangely, with both, two out of the three sounded really good, the other one, not so much. Thankfully we've still got a couple of rehearsals to get things sorted. The other pieces for the concert are getting there too, we just need to enunciate more and get some more shape into things.
To whet your appetite for the concert, here's one of the pieces we're doing - and hopefully we'll sound just as good...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr469TmBVoo
If you'd like tickets for the concert on 16th June at St. Paul's Church, Shipley, please go to the website or see any member of the Chorale.
Saturday, 26 May 2012
Friday, 11 May 2012
Get ready for the Jubilee, Hooray, Hooray!
Hello again!
Sorry for the radio silence, I've been on holiday.
So a brief update on what's been happening. The concert on the 21st was a great success, with so many people turning up on the night that we ran out of tickets! All the reports I've heard said that it went very well and both audience members and members of the Chorale really enjoying performance of the Requiem.
Onwards and upwards to the June concert, which is on 16th June at St Paul's Church in Shipley. The concert is titled 'Anniversaries' so includes Coronation Anthems by Handel 'My heart is inditing' and 'Let thy hand be strengthened'. Thanks to the Chorale's website (check it out for more details on the Chorale) I've also learnt that 2012 is the 150th anniversary of Edward German, and the 100th anniversary of the death of Samuel Taylor-Coleridge, so the concert programme also includes some of their works.
Rehearsals are going well, as ever, for a newbie like me, the first few rehearsals of any new piece is very much a case of hanging onto the tune for dear life, but having done Messiah, the Handel stuff isn't quite so white-knuckle as usual. More of a tea-cup than a roller coaster. My new favourite though, is the Samuel Taylor-Coleridge piece 'The Viking Song' - it's completely daft, but makes a nice change.
Sorry for the radio silence, I've been on holiday.
So a brief update on what's been happening. The concert on the 21st was a great success, with so many people turning up on the night that we ran out of tickets! All the reports I've heard said that it went very well and both audience members and members of the Chorale really enjoying performance of the Requiem.
Onwards and upwards to the June concert, which is on 16th June at St Paul's Church in Shipley. The concert is titled 'Anniversaries' so includes Coronation Anthems by Handel 'My heart is inditing' and 'Let thy hand be strengthened'. Thanks to the Chorale's website (check it out for more details on the Chorale) I've also learnt that 2012 is the 150th anniversary of Edward German, and the 100th anniversary of the death of Samuel Taylor-Coleridge, so the concert programme also includes some of their works.
Rehearsals are going well, as ever, for a newbie like me, the first few rehearsals of any new piece is very much a case of hanging onto the tune for dear life, but having done Messiah, the Handel stuff isn't quite so white-knuckle as usual. More of a tea-cup than a roller coaster. My new favourite though, is the Samuel Taylor-Coleridge piece 'The Viking Song' - it's completely daft, but makes a nice change.
Sunday, 15 April 2012
Webpage cannot be displayed
Apologies for the delay, we've got internet issues at the house, so my access to the World Wide Web is sporadic, at best.
Tuesdays rehearsal went well, despite the relatively short notice (the Chorale normally have a week off after Easter) there was a fair number gathered to rehearse for the April concert. We ran two movements of the Faure Requiem, which seemed to go well, needing only minor tweaks. Our French and German is also improving and both Gott ist mein Hirt and Cantique de Jean Rancine are sounding far better than they were when we started. Just as well, as the concert is now less than a week away.
As ever, you can apply for tickets through the Chorale's website, or see any member of the Chorale.
Tuesdays rehearsal went well, despite the relatively short notice (the Chorale normally have a week off after Easter) there was a fair number gathered to rehearse for the April concert. We ran two movements of the Faure Requiem, which seemed to go well, needing only minor tweaks. Our French and German is also improving and both Gott ist mein Hirt and Cantique de Jean Rancine are sounding far better than they were when we started. Just as well, as the concert is now less than a week away.
As ever, you can apply for tickets through the Chorale's website, or see any member of the Chorale.
Friday, 6 April 2012
Hallelujah!
Saturday's concert of the Messiah was a triumph! Many thanks to all those who turned out to support both the Chorale and the Reg Vardy brass band, I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.
Unfortunately, I had to miss the afternoon rehearsal, so was slightly apprehensive about singing Messiah through with a brass band for the first time on the night, but I needn't have worried, it all sounded brilliant, especially our wonderful soloists. I did get a bit confused when Paul (our director and man-in-charge) turned to the audience and gestured for them to stand for the Hallelujah chorus. Apparently its a custom that dates back to the London premiere of Messiah, when according to belief, George II stood for the duration of the piece (thanks Sheila). Having never been to a performance of Messiah before, the sight of 197 people rising (some uncertainly) to their feet took me rather by surprise!
On Tuesday we were given our concert notes, mostly good (Hurrah!) and cracked on with preparations for the April concert, now only three weeks away!
The concert, which will consist of Faure's Requiem, Allegri's Miserere and other works, is on 21st April at St. Paul's Church in Shipley. As always, tickets are available from any member of the Chorale, or visit the website to order online.
Happy Easter!
Unfortunately, I had to miss the afternoon rehearsal, so was slightly apprehensive about singing Messiah through with a brass band for the first time on the night, but I needn't have worried, it all sounded brilliant, especially our wonderful soloists. I did get a bit confused when Paul (our director and man-in-charge) turned to the audience and gestured for them to stand for the Hallelujah chorus. Apparently its a custom that dates back to the London premiere of Messiah, when according to belief, George II stood for the duration of the piece (thanks Sheila). Having never been to a performance of Messiah before, the sight of 197 people rising (some uncertainly) to their feet took me rather by surprise!
On Tuesday we were given our concert notes, mostly good (Hurrah!) and cracked on with preparations for the April concert, now only three weeks away!
The concert, which will consist of Faure's Requiem, Allegri's Miserere and other works, is on 21st April at St. Paul's Church in Shipley. As always, tickets are available from any member of the Chorale, or visit the website to order online.
Happy Easter!
Thursday, 29 March 2012
It's the final countdown...
Final rehearsal for Messiah went really well on Tuesday. We had a reverse run-through - starting at the end and working forward - and the majority of pieces sounded really good on the first run through. The only problem we had were some timing issues with 'Let us break their bonds' where we sounded a bit like we were trying to catch a train that had already left. It took us a couple of goes, but we got there in the end and it sounded great. I'm really looking forward to hearing the Reg Vardy Brass Band in full swing - once we all get together I think it'll sound amazing!
There are still some tickets available for the concert (though not many) so if you find yourself at a loose end on Saturday night, come along to Bradford Cathedral and indulge in a bit of culture.
See you there!
There are still some tickets available for the concert (though not many) so if you find yourself at a loose end on Saturday night, come along to Bradford Cathedral and indulge in a bit of culture.
See you there!
Friday, 23 March 2012
Back Where You Started From
Louise (the Chorale's publicity guru) has sent me the piece on the Chorale that appeared in one of the local magazines a couple of weeks ago, this time with added pictures!
(Photograph of ‘The James Ashworth Singers’ taken in 1976 at Thornton Parish Church )
(Concert at Bradford Boys Grammar School c.1980/81 under Douglas Robinson OBE)
(Christmas Concert with the City of Bradford Brass Band in aid of The Lord Mayor’s Charity: Marie Curie Cancer Care, Bradford Hospice. December 2011 at Victoria Hall Saltaire)
Kathleen
Sharp has been a member of The Bradford
Chorale since its formation. Here she gives a brief, personal history of
‘Our Choir’.
‘The
inaugural meeting of the choir took place of January 6th 1976 in the
church hall of St James, Thornton, Bradford. The lady seated at a table by the
door took my name/voice and handed me several pieces of music. The hall was
quite full, being small, I found a place near the front.
There
were to be no auditions, everyone had been personally invited by James
Ashworth, the young man who was to be Musical Director and Mentor. He explained
his ideas and ambitions for the choir, he hoped we would be able to give a
performance around Eastertime. We would be known as ‘The Ashworth Singers’,
rehearse every Tuesday in the hall, and pay a modest weekly subscription to
defray costs.
We then
sang through the pieces. I had not sung with such a large group of mixed voices
before – it was very exciting! On my way home I determined, that whatever
efforts I had to make, I wanted to sing with this choir.
The
first concert was held on Maundy Thursday in St James. We sang ‘Ave Verum
Corpus’ (Mozart), ‘Ave Maria’ (Bruckner) and ‘Requiem’ (Faure). I was on Cloud
Nine! ‘NEW CHOIR MAKES FIRST CLASS DEBUT’ was the verdict of the local press.
New
members were auditioned and on at least one occasion the whole choir, which
produced some interesting results. One lady admitted that she couldn’t sing a note;
she came to keep an eye on her husband!
When
James decided he needed to concentrate on his personal singing career, an
advertisement for a new conductor was placed in several local papers. In a
short time several applications were received but the secretary thought that
special attention should be paid to the one which included a reference from Sir Georg Sölti!! Thus Douglas Robinson
(Robbie), retired chorus master of Covent Garden and lately of Huddersfield
Choral came to us. As a result of a poll taken by the choir we became Bradford
Chorale. Douglas ran a tight ship, Sunday afternoon extra rehearsals were
scheduled when necessary. His last concert was a performance of ‘The Messiah’
for which he, the choir, and musicians were afforded a standing ovation.
Since
then we have had a number of conductors of varying ages, each with different
ideas of performance. A few were gems, and we have such a one now. Paul has the
vigour and daring to lead the choir down new and exciting paths. The future is
bright, see our Future programmes leaflet.
I know
of no better antidote to life’s woes than music making. So if you can, come and
join us. If that is not possible, come to a concert and give us a hearing.’
Forthcoming
concerts:
Handel's
‘Messiah’ in an arrangement for brass band and choir with the
championship-winning Reg Vardy Band.
7:30pm,
31st March 2012, Bradford Cathedral.
A
concert of European sacred music culminating in Fauré's beautiful setting of
the ‘Requiem’.
7:30pm,
21st April 2012, St. Paul's Church, Shipley.
Further details from: www.bradfordchorale.org.uk
Sunday, 18 March 2012
Wrong again
At this week's rehearsal we were running music for the April concert, not Messiah. Though thankfully I'd taken all my music to rehearsal or I would have been really stuck.
First though, we had the Chorale's AGM. It was the first AGM that I'd ever been to and I have to admit, I spent a lot of it trying to work out what was happening. By the end, we'd voted on everything that needed to be voted on and agreed everything that needed to be agreed, so I assume it went well.
Musically, progress was also made. Having run Requiem last week we spent this week concentrating on the other pieces for the April concert, including Gott ist mein Hirt and Cantique de Jean Rancine. Gott ist mein Hirt sounds really good notes-wise and the German is getting better, thanks to some teaching from Katharina, a native German speaker. To uneducated ears (mine) we're not mangling it quite as badly as we were, although whether it'll make any sense to those who do speak German remains to be seen. Cantique de Jean Rancine is also getting easier, though I still think it's strange that its taken me so long to get to grips with a language I thought I (vaugely) knew. We also had some linguistic gymnastics with the Latin verses of Miserere, too many consonants to fit in, but it's getting there.
Fingers crossed Messiah is also getting there - I realised that the two rehearsals I missed mean I've only been to half of the rehearsals for the March concert and I'm mildly concerned that come next week, I won't be able to remember any of it!
Tickets for the Messiah concert are going well, if you haven't got any yet, contact any member of the Chorale, or click on the link to the Chorale's website and order online.
First though, we had the Chorale's AGM. It was the first AGM that I'd ever been to and I have to admit, I spent a lot of it trying to work out what was happening. By the end, we'd voted on everything that needed to be voted on and agreed everything that needed to be agreed, so I assume it went well.
Musically, progress was also made. Having run Requiem last week we spent this week concentrating on the other pieces for the April concert, including Gott ist mein Hirt and Cantique de Jean Rancine. Gott ist mein Hirt sounds really good notes-wise and the German is getting better, thanks to some teaching from Katharina, a native German speaker. To uneducated ears (mine) we're not mangling it quite as badly as we were, although whether it'll make any sense to those who do speak German remains to be seen. Cantique de Jean Rancine is also getting easier, though I still think it's strange that its taken me so long to get to grips with a language I thought I (vaugely) knew. We also had some linguistic gymnastics with the Latin verses of Miserere, too many consonants to fit in, but it's getting there.
Fingers crossed Messiah is also getting there - I realised that the two rehearsals I missed mean I've only been to half of the rehearsals for the March concert and I'm mildly concerned that come next week, I won't be able to remember any of it!
Tickets for the Messiah concert are going well, if you haven't got any yet, contact any member of the Chorale, or click on the link to the Chorale's website and order online.
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