I am writing this sitting in the Costa Coffe shop at the Premier Inn at the North Terminal at Gatwick Airport. I flew in very early this morning and will be enjoying a special evensong service for recipients of the Order of the British Empire, at St Paul's Cathedral London. The lovely things just keep rolling on ! I will update this evening as to the service itself......
Another heavy week and a long Monday and I feel as if I am on holiday, even though I left the house at 3.15am, drove to Inverness, boarded the first plane of the day and finally arrived in Gatwick at around 8.30am..........I have also, and rather miraculously written the concert programme and emailed it to I, our man who takes care of all things administrative. Never been known to have it almost two weeks before the concert ! It is virtuous I feel.
The exam recitals are really coming to their peak. I am so pleased with the way they are going, and the work done by the ladies, who affectionately call themselves 'Ann's Ancients' for Heaven's sake, has been exemplary ! Each recital has been honed, cut about a little, timed to within a second of it's life, and now needs the final stamina and polish which will allow the finished product to shine brightly.
A little of the music crosses over between the four singers, but largely the repertoire has been chosen to fit the voice, the temperament and current technical ability of each lady. Thus, there is a very wide plethora of styles and genre. From Mary Poppins and a delightful 'Practically Perfect' complete with nanny pinafore, to Deh Vieni non Tardar, resplendent with shawl to hide Susanna's face, via a heartfelt Lass from the Low Countree and a gentle and warm Maria Wiegenlied. The only song which crosses three recitals is the ever wonderful An die Musik by Schubert. It is one of those songs which fits all sizes, voices and temperaments. It is also the most perfect miniature German Lied I know. Miniature in length only, NOT I hasten to add in depth of feeling or sentiment, and it needs a very solid technique to allow Schubert to pierce through the practicalities of singing the song.
It is also a perfect song for any recital.......
...You Holy Art, I thank you.......
First leg of the day.....
All those years ago when I commuted to London, fatigue often got the better of one, especially when Victoria station at commuter hour was a heaving thick mess of blinkered humanity. Very occasionally if my working day started a little later than the usual dark watches of the night, I would retire through an old wooden and iron door directly from the hellish station into the calm, cool and rather beautiful foyer and lounge of the Grosvenor Hotel, resplendent with chandeliers and thick carpets, but most importantly, the most luxurious deep velvet sofas and armchairs - infact a real 'set' straight from the Downton Abbey crowd on a London jaunt. Here I am seated waiting for a light lunch just a little reminder of that life - and why I don't ( and couldn't!) do it anymore.
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