At the Festival Hall tonight, during the Lacrimosa in Mozart's Requiem, I realised with delight that my plastic water botttle was tuned to exactly the same note as the lower timp. I feared to sip a drop of water, and I am sure that the timpanist saw me looking at him in awe and amazement. Then I started panicking - was it merely the water in the bottle, or was it also where and how my hand held it, was the way I rested it on my thigh of any significance?
If I had tried to tune my water bottle to a timp, I would never had succeeded!
As for the rest of the concert, it was the Philharmonia and the Bach Choir under David Hill, with soloists Carolyn Sampson (soprano), Catherine Wyn-Rogers (mezzo), James Gilchrist (tenor) and Michael George (bass).
The programme was Brahms' Alto Rhapsody, Beethoven's Christus am Ölberge and Mozart's Requiem.
I had never heard the Brahms before. As I was listening to the first half, sung by the mezzo, I thought it a bit dull, but then the male choir voices came in and I heard a little bit of magic.
As intimated below I was excited and nervous about the Beethoven. The orchestra was very very beautiful. The final Chorus of Angels caused goosepimples of ecstasy, which don't happen with the CD. The bass was okay - although it is only a small part. I didn't like the tenor very much. He kind of spolt it for me by a very weak entry on the first, powerful phrase, "Jehova, du mein Vater!" And he was less than impressive in the Terzetto, which is my favourite bit of the oratorio. I did think that he would be better off singing nice little Leider about flowers, lambs and falling in love.
I found the soprano Carolyn Sampson very interesting. She only looked young - in her twenties maybe - and her biography seems to support this "She currently studies with..." Her voice was not big (she sometimes was barely audible over the orchestra in the Mozart), but it was beautiful, to the extent that I am now considering booking for Monteverdi's Vespers at the Proms and Semele at ENO in order to hear her. I was really wowed by the sweetness and clarity of her voice in the Beethoven.
I also found it fascinating watching the orchestra - despite the many times I have played my CD over the past few weeks, I had not realised the extent of the timpani part. Also, sometimes when I'm listening, I get confused between clarinets and bassoons, and between French horns and trombones, so it's good to see the live performance.
And even with the poor acoustics of the Royal Festival Hall, it is still a thrilling experience to hear the music live.
The Mozart was gorgeous. I especially liked the Bach Choir. I gazed on them with envy. I would so love to be able to sing in a choir (they are all amateurs, but very good). Also, the tenor and mezzo were more impressive - more confident? - and the bass was solid.
In a way it's such a familiar piece, and it's nice to know exactly what phrase is coming next. Having heard so many different interpretations over the years, it is also much easier to retain an open mind, which is healthy, I think.
And in the audience I spotted John Sergeant. I'm afraid I glanced just a little bit too long as he was walking in (I was already in my seat). He went bright red. He's not so ugly in the flesh.
Back to my Beethoven CD. God, I'm sad...
Or off to bed. I'm tired. I have to go to the doctors tomorrow, and in a stroke of genius planning, I have another concert to attend.
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