The whole family is home this weekend, and getting to know the kittens. Clyde is very friendly and curious, but Bonnie is still very shy. We shall see if she warms up to having additional people in the house. Duncan has already learned the trick that ignoring her while reading a book encourages her to come and say hello, so I hope that she will become more sociable with more time and patience.
I had my general rehearsal on Friday afternoon at 14h, and then was free to kick around Brussels for a bit over the next couple of hours. The concert in memory of Monsieur Jacquet took place at 18h, and it started with a Bach violin concerto. This was followed by an organ concerto, and then the concert closed with the solo Ich habe genug cantata.
I enjoyed listening to the violinist and organist play their concertos while waiting backstage with the oboist, and as always I am amazed at the technical refinement of such excellent musicians. But I was ready to go when it was my turn, and it was really extremely satisfying to finally sing this monumental solo cantata. I had performed the 2nd and 3rd movements twice before, but never the whole thing, and it is about 21 minutes of extremely challenging music. Fortunately I had a sympathetic conductor and a really top-notch orchestra, and the oboe soloist was great too. There were new discoveries to be made for me in the moment of performance itself, and as always when one is working with a group that one trusts, it's possible to let go a bit and try something a little different if the mood strikes in the moment, with an audience "in the house".
On the topic of doing things a little differently in the moment, it's intriguing to observe the "switch" that gets thrown between a rehearsal and a performance. It's hard to explain. I guess that in a rehearsal, even a general rehearsal, the focus is on making artistic decisions, communicating them back and forth between colleagues, and having a last crack at solving technical issues.
In a performance there is the audience, asking to be shown something, and the experimentation phase is over; it's sink or swim. Some people might find this off-putting, but for me, it's energising and empowering. I have the audience right there in front of me, and they are waiting for me to say (or sing or act) something. For them, in that moment there is nothing more important than transmitting the intention of the composer.
It all went extremely well, and I am happy with my first performance of this cantata. The artistic director was very pleased and immediately confirmed that they would like me to sing in December both Part IV of the Christmas Oratorio, and another Cantata BWV 40, which speaks about how the Christ Child has now arrived, to destroy the works of the Devil. Within this Cantata there there is a great operatic bass aria about a Hell-serpent which is going to be a riot to sing... I feel very happy and already have the scores...
In a performance there is the audience, asking to be shown something, and the experimentation phase is over; it's sink or swim. Some people might find this off-putting, but for me, it's energising and empowering. I have the audience right there in front of me, and they are waiting for me to say (or sing or act) something. For them, in that moment there is nothing more important than transmitting the intention of the composer.
It all went extremely well, and I am happy with my first performance of this cantata. The artistic director was very pleased and immediately confirmed that they would like me to sing in December both Part IV of the Christmas Oratorio, and another Cantata BWV 40, which speaks about how the Christ Child has now arrived, to destroy the works of the Devil. Within this Cantata there there is a great operatic bass aria about a Hell-serpent which is going to be a riot to sing... I feel very happy and already have the scores...
Right after the concert I headed out to Waterloo to meet Maggie as her bus was arriving after their Switzerland trip. By all accounts it was a good one, but she is happy to be home after 800 kms on the road!
I didn't stay home on Saturday, but went to Brussels in the afternoon for a very challenging rehearsal for the Monteverdi programme on October 23rd. We spent a lot of time on the Gesualdo but really it was necessary to take as much time as we could to get it right. The crunchy clashing harmonies are really tricky to learn, but once well sung into memory, they are deeply satisfying. I am really loving this music very much, and it's going to be a great concert.
Afterwards I stopped by Ben's guitar shop, to change out the pickup covers on my SG. I think it has more of a traditional 1970's look with the black ones, while the Les Paul looks nice with the original Gibson cream covers. Of course the sound is the same!
Sunday is quiet, but this week there is more rehearsing, as well as some physiotherapy classes for the ankle. I have booked 8 am appointments on Mon/Wed/Fri for the next three weeks and am looking forward to getting going on the recovery phase of this injury...
Afterwards I stopped by Ben's guitar shop, to change out the pickup covers on my SG. I think it has more of a traditional 1970's look with the black ones, while the Les Paul looks nice with the original Gibson cream covers. Of course the sound is the same!
Sunday is quiet, but this week there is more rehearsing, as well as some physiotherapy classes for the ankle. I have booked 8 am appointments on Mon/Wed/Fri for the next three weeks and am looking forward to getting going on the recovery phase of this injury...
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