First day of the new teaching year done and dusted. It is always a climb for students to come back after a long break, especially since many have been in the show, which is such a 'high'. Learning new music and starting over can be for some, a real low, and the ability to refocus on the unknown repertoire can feel like a huge mountain to climb. For others, even the thought of new and exciting music brings them bounding into the music room raring to go! If I am honest, on reflection I think I may have leaned more towards the first category rather than the enthusiastic ' hurrah, lots of new songs' brigade!
Analysing that and reaching the conclusion stated above, was something of a shock. I suppose it is so long since I was in that position, I had long forgotten the feelings I had in those heady days of yore! Perhaps I was lazy, or maybe I was reluctant to take on the challenges of new repertoire ? I can't answer that at the moment, I need to contemplate the question.
I had one of my tinies today who was positively champing at the bit for new songs, and I gave her the delightful 'Callers' by Caryl Brahms. This is the sweetest little song and young J loved it. Her first song which has 5 pages ! That number being more impressive than the tune itself I fear ! The song is about an Edwardian household which has a cook whose great friend called Emily pops into the kitchen via the back door, and tell the household all the local gossip. It lists all the folk important enough to come through the front door, including Dr Nicholson, Miss Mulberry and Miss Moore as well as various Aunties. They all stand ringing at the great front door. Such a delightful picture and a world away from today's children and their lives.
Young J fully understood the situation and likened it to the house which she would have lived in as a daughter of the Major General in Pirates ! Clever girl, thought I !
My day finished with alto M, to whom I had given the gorgeously comforting aria by Handel, Return O God of Hosts from the oratorio Samson, and finally D my pianist, who is very typically male in his reaction to regular practise. All or nothing ! Agh !
A nice start to my term.
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Cook's friend Emily who's 'fraud of growing fat, pops in the back way and has a little chat
Posted with Blogsy
I learned this song as a 5 year old on an island that was once a British colony. It is a quintessentially English song which evokes a time and place that doesn't exist anymore. And it's sung from the pov of a child in the household. A lot like the poem 'The Lamplighter' by Robert Louis Stevenson. Thank you for bringing back a charming memory!
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