Where and what do (or did) you sing?

Dorsetmike

Member
My most enjoyable time singing was with a group of about 25 - 30 called the Uxacona Singers in east Shropshire, we did mostly Elizabethan and baroque, I've posted some of the pieces I fondly recall in another thread in Choral forum, in particular Weep O mine Eyes by Bennett; we also did things like Haydn's Nelson mass, and a Bach passion each Easter, once did the Messiah, hard work with less than 30. We gave 4 or 5 concerts a year.

We also had a one voice per part sub group, SSATB one of the sops could manage to make it SAATB if ever needed. We did Purcell's Bell anthem, "Rejoice in the Lord alway" among many other works.

At the same time as singing with that group I also sang in the local CofE church choir and a group at the local community college, with the latter the repertoire was much more varied, including Gilbert and Sullivan, Britten and even musical comedy.

My range was from about C3 to G5 in my 20s, dropping to E5 over the years by age 40 after which circumstances forced me to give up singing.
 

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
All throughout school I either sang in the choirs or was the accompanist. I am a Tenor and have a range of C3 to A4, staying in chest tone.

(I lost my falsetto voice [head tone] years ago as a result of smoking for 39 years - I quit [cold turkey] 7 years ago, but what is gone is gone, unfortunately)

I still sing to this day - as alternate Cantor for church services (play and sing at same time), and add to the Tenor section on A'capella anthems in church.
 

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Three cheers for Br. Mike's excellent thread topic. Well, being a Basso Cantante my range is from C2 to G above middle C, but I wish I could reach F1, like some of my colleagues in the cathedral choir - talk about Organ Bass!!! We call them BassOktavists. Anyway, its a 9-part choir(1st and 2nd soprano, 1st and 2nd alto, 1st and 2nd tenor, baritone, bass, bassoktavists), for a total of 45 singers. We focus primarily on Russian Choral Music but we also do JSBACH in concert settings - Russian singers LOVE JSBACH!!! There is a joke about trombonists that equally applies to the baritone, bass, and bassoktavist section(aka bass-section) of our choir: conductors shouldn't really look at the trombone or bass section, he'll only encourage them!!! ; - D

Up in the choir gallery it can get REALLY SCARY LOUD - Sometimes our "Maestro" looks at us in the bass section and does the "trombone slide movement" with his right arm - we all know what that means - At times I almost pee in my pants because the sound intensity and volume is so overwhelming - The choir gallery figuratively "EXPLODES" with musical sound - Not a blasting sound but pure intensity - the harmonic colors produced by the whole choir at FFFFF just dazzles the mind!!! And in a reverberant space where the sound "dances around" for 9 seconds, well, it is nothing less than exciting.

It is thankful to sing for a conductor who knows the Choral Instrument that can mimic the Organ, the Orchestral String section, and the Brass section.
 

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
Boy, how I envy you, CD ... what a thrill to sing in such a wonderful environment, and for a director who appreciates what his choir people are doing, another plus for sure.

If the choir ever has anything on YouTube, be sure to let us know - we'd all love to hear that group :).
 

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Dear Krummhorn,

The conductor has a most singular focus and vision in what sound canvas he wants - And the choir members readily respond to his vision. Most of the members have read and understood what Pavel Chesnokov, the great choral composer, conductor, educator, and director of the cathedral choir wrote in his most authoritative tome entitled: "The Choir; and how to conduct it. There he shares how to build up the choir and work with it - It is the "Master Recipe"!!!!!!!!

Hopefully one day "someone" will Youtube-post something that we do on a regular basis - We have our regular 1.5 hour Repertory Run-Through on Saturday afternoons before Vespers. That takes care of Saturday evening Vespers and Sunday Morning Divine Liturgy. Everyone in that choir is a terrifically excellent sight reader - Its as if we are ready for showtime on-the-spot!!!!!!!!
 
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