Choir Shenanigans
May. 10th, 2003 02:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ciroccojWent to the choir rehearsal for the 20th Anniversary Reunion concert this morning. I was simulateously reminded of why I loved and why I loathed choir.
"First song: by local composer-" oh god not this for the Love of God I thought. And sure enough: an unsingable, pretentious, steaming pile of pooh. Scintillating lyrics, really. Made me want to walk right out again.
Anyway. Then two more good, singable ones, very pretty, much fun to sing. Then "When the Saints Go Marching In," in an arrangement that had all of us sort of bopping to the beat in our seats. A real joy to sing it - you could actually 'get' why some people would feel high going to church sometimes, if this was the kind of thing they found there. None of this mournful trite crap that passes for inspirational music at so many churches. This actually felt like Somebody up there telling His children to have a great time and celebrate!
So we finish that, we're all happy and jazzed, and the director tells us the current choir has to go rehearse something for another concert while this guy teaches the choir alumni the 'encore' ditty. Dubula something.
It's in some African language. Totally confusing. Not only that, but we're supposed to do movements to it, swaying back and forth, clapping, and miming shooting some bird.
Riiiight.
With a huge dollop of skepticism and a feeling that we were being filmed for Candid Camera, we alumni start trying to get our mouths around the words and our bodies into the moves. Amid much laughter and merriment and bewilderment, we finally managed something resembling music and dance. By the time the current choir came back, we were into the groove. And when they joined us, it was pretty cool :)
Looking forward to tonight. We'll be sitting in the audience for the first half of the concert, then called up to the stage for the last four songs. Looks like it's going to be fun.
A brief selection:
Let all our voices be raised, join in the jubi-i-leee
Wonders of music praise, feel the comrade-ereee...
Beauty and tenderness do us inspiire
Igniting our passions with e-mo-tion-al fiiire
I'll spare you all the rest. Aren't I nice?
"First song: by local composer-" oh god not this for the Love of God I thought. And sure enough: an unsingable, pretentious, steaming pile of pooh. Scintillating lyrics, really. Made me want to walk right out again.
Anyway. Then two more good, singable ones, very pretty, much fun to sing. Then "When the Saints Go Marching In," in an arrangement that had all of us sort of bopping to the beat in our seats. A real joy to sing it - you could actually 'get' why some people would feel high going to church sometimes, if this was the kind of thing they found there. None of this mournful trite crap that passes for inspirational music at so many churches. This actually felt like Somebody up there telling His children to have a great time and celebrate!
So we finish that, we're all happy and jazzed, and the director tells us the current choir has to go rehearse something for another concert while this guy teaches the choir alumni the 'encore' ditty. Dubula something.
It's in some African language. Totally confusing. Not only that, but we're supposed to do movements to it, swaying back and forth, clapping, and miming shooting some bird.
Riiiight.
With a huge dollop of skepticism and a feeling that we were being filmed for Candid Camera, we alumni start trying to get our mouths around the words and our bodies into the moves. Amid much laughter and merriment and bewilderment, we finally managed something resembling music and dance. By the time the current choir came back, we were into the groove. And when they joined us, it was pretty cool :)
Looking forward to tonight. We'll be sitting in the audience for the first half of the concert, then called up to the stage for the last four songs. Looks like it's going to be fun.
A brief selection:
Let all our voices be raised, join in the jubi-i-leee
Wonders of music praise, feel the comrade-ereee...
Beauty and tenderness do us inspiire
Igniting our passions with e-mo-tion-al fiiire
I'll spare you all the rest. Aren't I nice?
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no subject
Date: 2003-05-10 05:55 pm (UTC)We sang one song called Chili Con Carne which was a capella and INCREDIBLY difficult. We did goofy actions to that, too but you know I think it really makes the performance that much better.
And I agree, we sang one negro spiritual... god I can't even remember what it was called and I sang the descant. Anyway, it was THE most powerful song I've ever sang with Lacrymosa coming a very close second. You really feel the love when you sing those spirituals - and I'm not even religious, heh.
I miss singing, now that I'm talking about this. Those were very good times.
no subject
Date: 2003-05-10 08:25 pm (UTC)I truly believe that there is some kind of karmic balance in every country. Ours got glorious vistas, hilarious comics, powerful athletes, great beer, and an extremely comfortable way of life. In return, to balance out the cosmic scales, we had to agree to live with Canadian composers, Canadian TV, and poutine. Cause you just can't win 'em all.
At least, that's what I told myself as I cringed through that bloody song.
We got a standing ovation after the African thingy, too. In part because it was the end of the evening, but also in part because Chris said it was so obvious that we were all really cracking up, up there. Most of us were giggling as we mimed this silly thing. Good times, though. Lots of fun. So glad I went :)