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"To make divine things human and human things divine, such is Bach
Pablo Casals
"
Choir notes by
Chairman Hutt
Immediately after our
Christmas concert, and subsequently, mainly via emails, I’ve received
lots of feedback, but more of that in a minute. In January 2009 we
consulted members of the choir about items you would especially like to
be included in a Christmas concert. The following received the most
support:
Include a
'key' choir piece e.g. extract from the Christmas Oratorio
Include a specialist performer e.g. trumpeter/organist/singer
Choose some items on the basis that they must be fun/lively/amusing
Involve more young people, perhaps from more than one school/group
Use small instrumental groups, e.g brass and
timpani
Include some candle-lit items e.g. solo first verse of Once in Royal,
The Boar's Head Carol
Include semi-choruses from the choir, perhaps singing from different
parts of the church
More audience opportunities to join in
Make more use of the church organ
So how well did we accomplish what we set out to achieve? Did we
deliver some Christmas magic? Typical comments I received were:
‘My husband and daughter have been coming to HCS Christmas concerts as
long as I have been a member (30+years) and latterly they had started
to feel that they had somehow lost their sparkle. But the latest
production has restored their faith in the HCS's ability to entertain
at the highest level. The positive comments were too numerous to list
out here but I have included a few quotes to give you a feel. I don't
mind the orchestra, but we come to hear the choir and now we can! She's
(the trumpeter) obviously a class act. The wine and mince pies slipped
down easily.’
‘I too really enjoyed the evening as did my guests.’
‘My Dad and sister came down from Scotland to attend and they thought
it was absolutely brilliant ...! It was a fantastic night…’
‘I can only echo what has been written already. It was a huge success,
enjoyed for its liveliness and variety. All our friends who came were
very impressed’
‘Everyone I spoke to said that they had thoroughly enjoyed last night's
concert. I did too!! Thank you Derek for all your hard work!’
‘This was excellent. Virtually everything went well and sounded lovely.
The mixture of accompanied choir, unaccompanied choir, trumpet solos,
school choir and audience items was perfect. The high spot for me was
Mary's Child - beautifully sung, with moving improvisations from Peter.
The Boar's Head Carol worked really well, as did The Echo Carol (but
why is it always the same people in the semi-chorus? Perhaps different
people need encouragement to take part.) Rather to my surprise, I
didn't miss the orchestra, probably because you could hear the choir so
well and Peter's accompaniments were marvellous.’
There were various comments about other
aspects of the concert. For
example, there was a range of views about the coloured shirts and
blouses and many felt that the commentary between items could have been
sharper. Some people clearly come for the communal singing whilst
others don’t especially enjoy it. The look and atmosphere within the
church was universally agreed to be special. Others commented very
favourably on Morgans School Choir and Ellie Lovegrove’s contribution.
Peter, as always, was hugely appreciated. From all the feedback I
received it was clearly an extremely successful event - and of course
lots of especial praise for Derek’s programming and direction. Despite
reducing ticket prices we made a profit of over £1100 and the audience
was our largest for many years. Our charity collection raised £850.
Many thanks to those of you who took the trouble to share your thoughts
with me. As always it made fascinating reading and was very thought
provoking. Meanwhile I hope you all had a really good break and are now
champing at the bit to get cracking on the Bach, but especially that
you and yours have a great year. Keith
Message from Derek
Happy New Year! May 2010
be a good year for you.
Last term seems to have been particularly memorable. Though in the case
of the CD, the memory is there to be played at any time. I hope you,
and all those you have given copies to, have enjoyed listening to the
outcome of our sessions in Watford. I am very pleased with it and do
hope that it will continue to be of interest for a good long time. I
hope every member feels proud of what HCS has achieved, especially as
it is not the normal style of repertoire for such a choir. (See
Initiatives/Recordings for details and order form) how
to buy a CD) I am delighted to have received many positive reactions to
our “Christmas Magic”. As you can imagine, the first paragraph of the
review (see below) is a particular delight to me! We know there is
“room for improvement” but there were many good things about it, not
least the choral singing!
After quite a long period of variety and relatively easy listening for
our audience, we are now taking on a single major piece – Bach St
John Passion. Even though it tells a well-known story, I
still think it
is right to sing it in English so that it is more readily understood in
performance. Nevertheless it calls for deeper and more sustained
involvement from us as well as from our audience. I wonder whether
there is anything that we can do to help our audience to appreciate the
work? Maybe it’s time to consider something like those Concert
Information Packs that we produced a long time ago. I would appreciate
any thoughts you (whether singer or potential audience) have about
that.
Looking to our summer concert, we shall also be having a short
exploratory session later this month with a small group of steel pan
players. As it is quite innovative, it seems a good idea to try out
some ideas before we decide on exactly what we shall put into the
programme! I hope you will enjoy the rather different challenge that
the Bach will bring and all the other aspects of another
term with HCS! Derek
Concert Review:
CHRISTMAS MAGIC; Saturday 12th December 2009, All Saints’ Church,
Hertford
See the review under
Concerts/Reviews
HCS Beetle Drive Saturday 13 February
7.15 for 7.45 start St
John’s Hall
There will be a licensed paying bar and light supper, but most of all,
good fun for all. Tickets will cost £7.50 for adults, £5.00 for
children. Tickets will be on sale at rehearsals from Tues 12 January.
We do hope you will support this function (maybe we should be calling
it a Blue-Black Beetle Drive!) Sally
Paques
In the bleak
midwinter .....
And so it was, and is. I
am standing at my bedroom window, leaning out (well, but for the pile
of discarded clothes blocking my way) to survey beautiful whiteness,
and brownness too. It is quite revolting what car tyres, slush and mud
do to the scenery.
On Tues evening I had a phone call from lovely
Jessie to inform me there would be no choir rehearsal, our first of
2010, with my introduction to the St John Passion, JS Bach, the Master.
The weather has defeated all of us and we are all quietly relishing the
opportunity to warm our toes by the fire instead! But I would far
rather be on an adventure learning our Easter piece. I was one of
Jessie’s last calls so I advised her to recover with a hot cup of tea.
Myself? A nice glass of Burgundy would suit me. Hopefully the snow will
have gone by next Tuesday evening.
Christmas Concert
2009
This was quite a
logistical experience. Firstly, I am amazed at the willingness of
people to be helpful. When I arrived in All Saints Church I came upon
an extravagant, beautiful floral arrangement, which took my breath
away. I quietly seated myself in a pew whilst a multitude of people
buzzed around building staging and setting up tables, etc. Finally,
Derek’s dais became more stable, and off we went with the final
rehearsal.
We women do giggle! We smiled sweetly through our lesson on safe
lighting of candles. Very wise; listening, that is. Someone sitting
next to me, very pretty and petite, was able to light hers and in the
process drop masses of wax all over everything on the floor nearly
setting light to the church!
Then we were tasked with practising again. Much needed. This time P…..
managed to keep her candles upright and alight but then for some
unknown reason amidst tears and giggles she blew them out again! Well,
we were both done for after that – just like schoolchildren. The effect
of the dimmed lighting, candles lit and our beautiful, melodic sounds
for the concert was warming indeed for The Echo Carol and the jolly
minstrels’ songs. Derek triumphs again.
It was a privilege for me to sing for the first time the pieces from
Vivaldi, the Gloria and Cum Sancto Spiritu, and Handel’s Hallelujah
Chorus. I could have done with another couple of year’s practice but
was encouraged by more than a hundred other proficient voices,
fortunately. The audience really loved the whole experience and so did
I. We all left on a high, choir and audience, so roll on next
Christmas.
I am looking out and snowing it is.
I wish I could say the snow was ‘….. a long, long time ago.’ Vanessa
Calladine
HERTFORD VOICES
HERTFORD VOICES was formed
four years ago as a touring choir, partly so that exchange visits with
the Kantorei (from Wildeshausen, Germany) begun with HCS, could be
continued, but also to visit other places and sing with other choirs.
There are around forty members including singers from HCS and other
local choirs. In 2008 they visited Ghent in Belgium and last October
sang in Mirepoix, near Carcassonne, France. These are always relaxed,
fun weekends A Singing Day is planned for Saturday 8 May – date and
details still to be confirmed but if you are interested please watch
this space (or talk to Harold Chaplin, Trish Goldsmith, John Roberts,
Dave Benson or Colin Howard). In October there will be a visit to
Wildeshausen.
Tickets for March
27th concert
Tickets for March
27th concert will be on sale for members at rehearsals from Tues 19
January. The HCS Box Office for the general public will open on Sat 30
January. In Jan and Feb members will be able to reserve tickets for up
to 3 weeks. If the tickets have not been paid for they will then be
returned into the general ticket sales pool. In March we shall not be
retaining tickets without payment, as we do not always find it possible
to resell late returns even for popular concerts. This March will
probably be another popular concert for our supporters.
We hope to follow a similar pattern of sales for all concerts: tickets
on sale for members from the second week of rehearsals, followed by the
public box office opening 11 days later.
Just to remind
you……..
Whether you are new to
HCS or have been singing with the choir since it began, there are a few
things, which seem to cause confusion. Please forgive us for mentioning
them again:
YOUR PART REP is your first
point of contact if you have a question or
problem. Please phone him or her if you miss two consecutive rehearsals
and let him or her know the reason, because if you miss three
consecutive rehearsals with no explanation you are considered to have
left the choir!
S1 Jessie Hopkins 01992 550802
S2 Mary Cole 01992 442187
A1 Jenny Lee 01992 500626
A2 Sheila Mander 01992 420114
T Hugh Parry 01992 874329
B Brian Coe 01992 582388
REHEARSALS begin at 7.30 and
end at 9.45pm. You need to attend 75% of
the rehearsals to gain a place in any concert. Your part rep will be
able to advise if you are unsure, as he or she keeps a register of
attendance. Obviously if you arrive or leave at the break you will be
given half a mark for attendance – but did you know that if you arrive
later than 8pm you are given only half a mark? There may be special
circumstances. If this is the case, tell your part rep.
MUSIC is borrowed from the
library (unless you sign up to purchase your
own copy). Music hire is costly so we agree to return it within a few
days of each concert. If you are unable to sing in a concert, you MUST
return your music BEFORE the concert.
Please try to be responsible for
your own music – the librarians have enough to do without having to
ring around after each concert to trace missing music. If we fail to
return music, we are fined. We feel it not unreasonable to pass any
fine on to the member who has failed to return his or her music.
Bach’s
St John Passion
The last time HCS sang
the St John Passion was in 1993.
The soloists included Ian Bostridge and Emma Kirkby
* * * * * * * *
The last time I sang the St. John Passion was with Mark Padmore! (and a
few others). In March 2002 the English National Opera was putting on a
staged production of this work for a few nights. As a Friend of ENO and
someone who had attended some of their singing days, I was invited to
join in singing the chorales from the boxes in the Coliseum. ‘Yes,
please!’ What a chance! However, the response from fellow sopranos was
overwhelming, and I was unlucky in the ballot. So I booked an audience
ticket as usual so as not to miss the work and to see the finished
result.
Many weeks later, in fact after the dress rehearsal, I
received a phone call; was I still available, as some people had
dropped out? Luckily, I could do that night and the last one. No, I did
not need to bring my score; singers were supplied with music. Just
report at 5.30pm wearing autumn colours.
At the Coliseum, everyone seemed very quiet, conserving his or her
strength. First came the warm up with Mary King. (You may have seen
this dynamic lady on TV, judging or commenting on singers). It was a
revelation. Amongst other things, we had to wobble like jellies, whinny
like horses, blow raspberries, make weird faces and say some wicked
tongue twisters fast and repeatedly. Next we moved to the boxes, voices
mixed, for a run-through of the chorales. Two initial problems for me
here (apart from three over-assertive altos (sigh – altos! – ed) who
insisted that they had to be side by side and at the front to be
heard): firstly, music may have been distributed originally, but after
the many rehearsals most had attended, singers were now expected to
sing from memory, which this explained the earlier concentration. That
wasn’t too bad, as I knew the work well, and had looked through it, but
exactly in what order did the chorales come? At the raised baton we had
to come in with the right notes and words. Secondly, a berry-red top I
was wearing was not deemed autumnal. Did I have anything more subdued?
(This from the TV producer, as two performances were being filmed, the
best to be shown on BBC2 a week later). Fortunately I had a
long-sleeved brown blouse that I could put over it.
Then came the actual performance. The production was a real success;
all the cast singing marvellously, with apparent religious conviction
and Stephen Layton as conductor helped us acquit ourselves well. The
whole event was emotionally moving. I smiled as I read in the programme
later, ‘English National Opera thanks the members of the Community
Chorus, who, following workshops and training led by ENO Bayliss, sing
the chorales from the boxes on either side of the proscenium’. Lynette
Wilson (S2)
‘Sunset
Song’ a fund-raising concert in memory of Matt Stuart.
I would like to thank
everyone in HCS who supported this event in Cambridge on 26 September.
The evening was a great success with around 300 friends and family, as
well as staff from Addenbrookes, coming to enjoy the words and music
and a drink or two in his memory.
One of the undoubted highlights of the
evening was a contribution from the BRAS, (back row altos and sopranos)
of HCS! Their offering, Joyful Noise by Joyce Grenfell and Donald
Swann, both of whom were among Matt’s favourite performers, would have
much amused him! Over the 22 years that we were partners, he was a
loyal, if occasionally reluctant supporter of HCS and was always
present at the many ‘outings’ to the Royal Albert Hall, which of course
as many of you will know, is the subject of this hilarious ‘Grenfell’
song, so it was particularly appropriate!
It’s hard to believe that a year has gone since Matt and I were
together celebrating our recent marriage, as well as the festive season
for the last time. We knew that his life was nearing its end, but
certainly not that the journey would be over so early in the new year.
The total raised for the Planned Short Stay Unit at Addenbrookes is
£5000. This unit, which does such great work caring for people like
Matt needing treatment to make life more comfortable during their
illness, rarely gets any money raised for them, so they are delighted
that such a substantial amount is coming their way.
He would have been amazed and touched that such an event would have
been organised in his memory, and grateful thanks for making this
happen are due to my daughter Lucy, who put an enormous amount of care,
time and energy into planning such an unforgettable evening for us all.
Christine
Stuart
Some of the (slightly changed) words of Joyful Noise
by Joyce Grenfell
Three lady choristers, members of the Hertford Choral Society, singing
eagerly but with piety all the oratorios. Coming long distances to
rehearse, fully familiar, chapter and verse, with all the oratorio.
Three lady choristers, silver voices all; some are sop who sing on top
and some are alto who sing contralto at the Albert Hall. We sometimes
sing in churches and at the BBC. We sometimes sing ffff and sometimes
ppp but we are at our happiest when we hear the call as long as its
oratorio – at the Albert Hall.
The
2009 HCS Christmas Concert
The 2009 HCS Christmas Concert was
a great success but it was not necessarily predestined to be so.
For many years it has been traditional that the choir join forces with
the Hertford Symphony Orchestra to present a Christmas concert. It
seems logical that the town’s two leading musical organisations should
come together for this seasonal celebration and over the years there
have been some truly memorable concerts. For Christmas 2009, however,
it was decided to experiment by presenting a concert featuring the
choir alone, relying on the twin pillars, Derek and Peter, plus a solo
guest spot. The results justified the Trustees’ decision and I think
the organizers can feel well pleased with their efforts.
Having missed all rehearsals, I had the opportunity to test the WAE
(aka the Whole Audience Experience). My first impression on entering
the church was the warm, relaxed atmosphere. The extra lighting
directed up into the roof produced a cathedral like effect (money well
spent). The decorations and Christmas trees were beautiful. Crucially,
the church was full to capacity.
The challenge was what to programme, bearing in mind the extra singing
time now available. There needed to be a blend of the traditional
(which is really what a Christmas audience wants to hear) and the
unfamiliar. A splendid balance was struck by excluding the unfamiliar.
Derek is to be congratulated on successfully negotiating this changed
Christmas format.
Guest spots were filled by Bob Harding-Jones as compere, Eleanor
Lovegrove as solo trumpet, the Morgans Primary School Choir and, of
course, Peter on organ and piano (not at the same time). Eleanor played
two well-known solos to the audience’s delight. The children’s choir
were very good, obviously well rehearsed by their teacher, Carrie
Gilham. I greatly admired the apparent lone boy among the 30 girls
(maybe he will get his reward in a few years’ time). Peter was
excellent in his crucial role, as we have come to expect from our
much-loved accompanist.
The choir was in good voice. Joy to the World, The Zither Carol,
Rejoice and be Merry were well sung. The Calypso Carol was great fun
too (the children in the audience joined in noisily). The Wassailers
and Boar’s Headers did a great job and The Echo Carol was most
effective as usual (…. as usual). Extracts from the Messiah and from
one of Vivaldi’s Glorias were sensible inclusions, giving the programme
some substance. The Messiah pieces were particularly lovely. In the
Vivaldi the singers were torn between the tempo of the conductor and
that of the trumpet. The baton lost narrowly on points. There was also
sufficient audience singing to offer relief from pew fatigue.
A tremendous amount of background work went on, as usual. Hilary and
her troops *(aka Tom) worked tirelessly to produce interval drinks,
which are much appreciated, and to ensure that the whole church
atmosphere pleases the audience.
I have to confess that for me the WAE
was marred by the choir’s dress, multi-coloured shirts and blouses.
This is distracting. The ladies individually all looked lovely, of
course, but they should present a ‘corporate’ image. It’s important to
look as though they’re all on the same team. They have the uniforms to
do it. As for the men, men simply don’t look their best in
shirtsleeves. In fact the caravan site image made them look a mess. I
recall our Watford concert with the BBC Concert Orchestra last
Christmas when the orchestra’s manager commented on the quality of the
choir’s singing, adding “and didn’t they look smart!” (black
tie/DJs/black blouses etc). Not this time they didn’t.
That niggle apart, though, this was a splendid occasion, one of which
Trustees, choir members and Derek can all be proud. Alan Cropp
*the
following from Hilary - with thanks
'Hilary's team' is not only Tom but a
myriad of helpers. Alan and Lorna were around only afterwards when Tom
& I were refilling our cars with empty bottles etc, so had not
realised that we were at the end of the effort of others. ALL the team
leaders and their helpers need to be recognised: the decorators worked
from Thursday through Friday and Saturday too. The many candles were
lit at 6.40pm (takes ages). Colin did a great job with smoother
lighting and sound effects; not easy in that church. Ken calmly coped
with all the requirements of the staging and had organised lots more
scouts, s that many weren't exhausted by the time the concert started -
and could have a normal Sunday start too. The wine washer-uppers are
much loved by me, as the load is shared so well. Gone are the days when
I would race to wash the hired 450 glasses before Tom returned from the
barn, when we then drove around Hertford returning the glasses to 3
supermarkets - as one branch never had enough for us. It has improved a
lot. The publicity must have been sound to fill the church and Debbie
did a splendid first run with the tickets selling.
The much-appreciated
mince pies (thanks to very many of you) started multiplying like the 5
loaves and we had enough to supply the whole of the Scout group, who
dismantled the staging and restored the church to Sunday order, as
well. The rest went to a Crisis at Christmas Lunch.
The
Basses
To be successful as a musical director,
especially one who is primarily involved in conducting mixed choirs, it
is helpful (but not imperative) to have one or more of the following
qualities:
• An ego the size of Wales
• The patience of Job (on tranquillizers)
• A sense of humour worthy of Morecambe and Wise.
And why?
Because these conductors have to cope with a section of the
choir/choral society known as “the basses”.
I have been singing in mixed choirs, from small (12) to large (100+),
both at home and abroad, for more than 50 years. In that time, evidence
has been piling up (confirmed by friends and colleagues) that there
must a gene in some men called “the bass gene”, which manifests itself
by a total devil-may-care attitude which seems to separate them from
the rest of relatively law-abiding choristers.
In any analysis there are exceptions to the rule, and I apologize to
those who strangely do not possess this gene, but these are some of the
observations I have made over time.
• They are the last section to find the place in the music when we are
about to sing.
• They sing at their own pace until forced by the conductor, after
several attempts, to conform.
• They unashamedly make fun of their shortfalls. Is this being called
“laid back”?
• They need several prompts to mark their copies for
dynamics.
• Sits and stands for concerts are hastily marked in the Saturday
rehearsal (if at all!). If there is more than one piece of music, this
is also when it’s “sorted into order”.
• Folders – what are they?
• They usually come up trumps for the final performance, staggering the
rest of the choir.
You get the gist?
Recently, I was beginning to feel I had been unkind
in my assessments but at the next rehearsal Derek, began a run through
of a Messiah anthem with the instruction to take it at a “steady pace”.
Off the basses went like an express train, leaving Derek flapping his
arms trying to keep up, much to the amusement of one and all.
Which
brings me to perhaps one of the most lovable qualities of basses in
general. They’re loadsafun! That’s why I try hard to go to workshops,
and performances outside of Hertford, because then one can mix freely
with this happy-go-lucky group. I remember well a recent workshop, when
one brash new bass had the temerity to claim that Derek’s pitch was not
always spot on. Now did Derek march across to said bass and punch him
on the nose? Not a bit of it. He smiled sweetly, as the rest of the
choir gasped then tittered. At the earliest
opportunity, Derek gave said bass a part in the semi-
chorus in the summer concert!
My husband (bless him) claims he can’t sing for toffee, though he seems
to enjoy singing the carols at the Christmas concert and knows all the
verses of The Blaydon Races, a requirement when we get together with
our Geordie friends on all too rare occasions now. He has a low
register voice, and I believe if he could be trained to stick to the
same key for the requisite number of bars, he could well be a candidate
for “the basses”. Maybe that’s why our marriage has lasted 50 years?
Name and
address supplied
(note to basses – you do have the right to reply….ed)
Christine’s
epic ride
Christine Muskett’s final tally raised
from her Land’s End to John O’Groats bike ride in July was a
magnificent £6,601.90 (minus some admin costs) for Changing Faces, a
charity supporting people with disfigurements.
All went according to a
carefully devised Master Plan throughout the three weeks. Family,
friends, and colleagues met her along the way; there were only a few
days when she didn’t see someone she knew. Having just pushed my bike
up the slight slope of my road, I was shamed when Christine said that
she succumbed to the hills only once – and very reluctantly. It was on
a ‘particularly vicious, tightly wound hill up out of Crackington Haven
(east of Boscastle) when I felt the bike practically tipping over
backwards. So I swallowed my pride and walked about 150 yards.’ Only
150 yards pushing in over 1000 miles! That’s true grit and
determination and awesome. She said ‘both the bike and the body stood
up very well. There was no time when I questioned whether I would
survive physically (or questioned her sanity - ed). Training paid off
and the bike was fantastic – the pre-trip service was well worth it. I
didn’t even need to pump up the tyres or get a puncture. I was blessed
with a tail wind for much of the journey. Would I do it again? Yes!
This really is a very ‘green and pleasant land’. Thank you to all those
who sponsored and supported me.’ ed
In
Memoriam
Barbara Woodhall 29.04.37 –
26.09.09
Barbara (sop1) sadly died in September.
Her funeral was at Hertford Methodist Church on 8 October. Some members
of HCS attended.
Apart from joining the congregation to sing the hymns, they sang
Mozart’s Ave verum Corpus.
It was Barbara’s wish that this should be sung.
Do you remember Rodney Ranzetta in the
basses? He was a member of
Hertford Choral Society for many years but, some years ago, he joined
Stevenage Choral Society. Sadly he died on 27 Dec. Thanksgiving Sat 16
Jan at Watton at Stone.
Poetry
corner
Why people sing
The joy of singing
When the bells are ringing
Is because they have a lovely chime
All the beats
Are always neat
If you sing them right on time
When the music plays
There's all different ways
To make it sound great
With alto's, soprano's, bass and tenor
All put together on the same plate
Singing is a joyful thing
Because of what it has to bring
Music is relaxing
And not too taxing
So that's why people sing
Clare
Brittain aged 9 (daughter of Pam)
The recording
‘Twas on a Saturday morning,
As autumn leaves were falling,
We all assembled to meet the bus
Quite early in the day.
We dared not to be late, you see,
‘Cos Derek couldn’t wait to be
Dashing away from the podium,
Dashing away from the podium
To check the sound was Okay!
And on that Saturday morning,
As autumn leaves were falling,
St. Luke’s was bathed in sunlight
But alas, we have to say,
The sight lines took them unawares
So all the men played musical chairs,
As Derek stood on the podium,
As Derek stood on the podium
To check the sound was Okay!
ow on that Saturday morning,
As autumn leaves were falling,
You could have heard a pin drop
In the stillness, as they say!
We sat in silence, afraid to speak
Till Derek developed an ominous creak,
Dashing away from the podium,
Dashing away from the podium
To check the sound was Okay!
Sheila
Dorling
Remembrance Sunday 2009
As we stood in silent remembrance
The breeze in the fields far away
Breathed a song through the trees
As it played in the leaves;
And poppies on white crosses lay.
But our songs were way out of season,
“Welcome Summer” we sang - in November!
Just one mobile phone filled the air with its drone
As we struggled our notes to remember.
But now as the season changes
Peter sees in his dreams, thinking back,
Nine lovely ladies all turning his pages
Resplendent in ‘long nighties BLACK’!
Sheila
Dorling
Ask Auntie Di
Di: Iris, my dear, you look
worried
I Stedford:
I’ve got this friend who likes singing. She came to our Christmas
concert and says she’d like to join HCS. Shall I just bring her along
one week?
Di: Of course but please
let Maureen Freeman, our Membership Sec.,
know beforehand.
Iris: What difference will
that make?
Di: She’ll get a proper HCS
welcome; a new member’s pack, an introduction to her part rep, and some
music (which could be useful!). Oh, and ask her to come asap so she
gets the magic number of rehearsals to sing in the concert.
Iris: OK, I’ll bring her along
next Tuesday....and I’ll ring Maureen and let her know. I also know a
man who might be interested.
Di: A good-looking tenor
perhaps?
Iris: Might be
Di: Forget Maureen –
definitely my department; bring him along at the earliest opportunity –
I’ll give him a proper HCS
welcome.
Iris:Er.....just a
thought..... if someone just came along without telling anyone and sat
in the back row of the basses....well, they could be there for weeks
trying to sing without any music....is that possible?
Di: Quite likely...... it
might explain a lot!
(Sorry basses but please see above)
Happiness
is like a butterfly, which, when
pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly,
may alight on you. Nathaniel Hawthorne
Ed:
June Crew with some help from Victor. Thanks very
much to all contributors; what would I do without you?
Please note email address has been changed to
mang@junecrew.plus.com
26 St Davids Drive, Broxbourne, Herts EN10 7LS
HCS website www.choral-society.com
Past Newsletters
>>
HCS
Newsletter
Number 100 (September 2009)
>>
HCS
Newsletter
Number 99 (April 2009)
>>
HCS
Newsletter
Number 98 (Jan 2009)
>> HCS
Newsletter Number 97 (September 2008)
>>
HCS
Newsletter
Number 96 (April 2008)
>> HCS
Newsletter Number 95 (January 2007)
>>
HCS
Newsletter
Number 94 (September 2007)
>> HCS
Newsletter Number 93 (April 2007)
>>
HCS
Newsletter
Number 92 (December 2006)
>> HCS
Newsletter Number 91 (September 2006)
>>
HCS
Newsletter
Number 90 (April 2006)
>> HCS
Newsletter Number 89 (January 2006)
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