Friday 8 July 2011

'An Sylvia' and other friends



Sylvia, the character in Two Gentlemen of Verona, about whom the two men are 'rapturising' !


I had such a good time at Saltburn Festival at the weekend. It is such a friendly and flexible festival - not afraid to 'shift things around' if needs be, and so the atmosphere for the entrants is relaxed, and not at all intimidating. Just the way I a) like it, and b) think it should be !

There were some big classes especially in the opera and oratorio, which makes it all the more worthwhile. I was adjudicating the Adult Singing, and dear M, my old pupil from Durham, brought 5 or 6 of her youngsters, so including the stalwarts who enter every year, the classes were of a high standard.

I heard a most interesting lady for whom it was a first time, and she sang some very interesting Scarlatti which was quite new to me. I say interesting, because, in one way it shows just how well we perform when we are 'at home' with the music. She began her day with some tricksy Bach, and to be honest I did not feel as though I had heard her voice at all ! As the difficulty level ebbed and flowed so did her sound, so it was like listening to half the aria, with none of the runs ! Thus I did not really think that she was very advanced, or had much experience or technique - then............she sang her Scarlatti operatic aria and was like a singer possessed ! She danced around the runs with ease, and soared up to a tremendous top A in the final cadenza, and I was blown away. During my adjudication I asked her what she felt about the music, and she replied 'I adore it!' - So there you have it.

As amateurs, when our income does not depend upon it, sing what you love!

Sing What You Love !

There was a young lady of around 18 with a deep alto, and a broad Tyneside accent ! When she opened her mouth to sing it was like listening to lava slowly rolling down a mountainside - hot and dense, but not dangerous! Another young lady also of around 18 sang with such intensity, and in such an emotional way, her An Sylvia, which was much slower than I would ordinarily like, made me want to bathe in the gentle shower of sound. I was unable to write a great deal - always the best sign !

I spent a day with my friends J&J at their glorious North Yorkshire home, and relaxed before the journey home.



The path in Saltburn Woods along which my parents and a 6 year old embryonic singing teacher, walked on sunny saturdays carrying a picnic......egg sandwiches, homemade cake, red apples.....


It was the best kind of adjudicating, and thus not nearly so exhausting. A sheer joy to be paid for what was so enjoyable!


The church where the Festival is held.


Am I lucky or what ?!


It could be me circa 1958..............

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