Just a quickie

Jan, who was our substitute Aaron (i.e. violinist) in Susice has posted a video of the Five Hebrew Love songs. Woo!

Czech-ing in again.

Well, we are back after a great time in Sušice. Although some are staying on for more Fun Holiday Time In Europe - lucky beggars. Goodness! whoever would have thought that we could have eaten, drunk, sung, laughed and listened to Tennessee Waltz so much.

Our friends in the Czech Republic were wonderful and the concert (OK, so this is probably the key thing to mention guess) went so well that we got a standing ovation of all things. Well there is nowhere else to go in our artistic career so I reckon we should all just retire now. [Chris says: Last time we had such a fabulous concert, the then-Director announced immediately afterwards that she was leaving. Um, please don't leave, Ollie?]

Anyways, I am jet-setting off to NY city today (showbiz eh?) so I might be out of connection though, as hubbie reminded me there will be t'internet in NY... we're not heading for Beirut, though I guess in this day and age even Beirut has a perfectly good connection.

So you will be treated to the delights of our blog editor Christopher who will be posting some of his photos this week. Be warned he has about two (and a half) thousand to sift through - it may take some time. So grab a cuppa (a proper cuppa I mean, in a tea pot, with milk), sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds of Rudsambee in the Czech Republic 2008.

signing out
CSW

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye

Well folks,
This is the final night before we head off to the Czech Republic. Hopefully we have all packed our necessities and are ready to go. We set off at an extremely early hour tomorrow morning so think of us meeting at Easter Road at 5.40 (yes you heard right) in the morning. Tune back in on Sunday night for a quick update and then (probably) throughout the week for some jolly photos courtesy of the esteemed editor.

So a final Czech language class for your perusal.
If you want to 'beat around the bush' in the Czech Republic, you would say 'Chodit kolem horké kaše' which literally means 'to walk around hot porridge'. Genius...what an image!
And with that I bid a fond adieu- 'til Sunday.

CSW

Goodness that was quick: baby watch and some more Czech

Morning all,
Well if you were to find an old wife and ask her to explain the key ways to bring on labour she may well tell you that hot curry works well, or a trip in a mini over cobbles (my mother's chosen method) or a long walk. However, a full day of recording with Rudsambee is the latest way to get that kiddo going. Welcome to the world, our newest affiliate member: Kay had a wee boy on Sunday morning. Just goes to show the power of a quick Tormis number! Congrats lady.

A second installment of our Czech vocab book. I thought I would today provide some useful info if you happen to meet a lovely Czech lady or gentleman:
You are my sweetheart: Jsi můj miláček. (the middle word sounds like 'mu-ey')
Will you marry me: Vezmeš si mě?
You're beautiful: Jsi krásná (the first word drops the 'j')

Well hope that is useful. Tune in tomorrow for our final post before we travel.

CSW

It's all done!

Well, Saturday came and (eventually) went. A very long day but we managed to complete our recording. It may have been sunny outside (at least for part of the day) but St Peter's, as usual, had its own unique climate. In fact if global warming ever gets so bad that Edinburgh is transformed into a desert landscape I really feel that those in the know will congregate in this building to escape the heat. The day started in an interesting way with our recording of 'Geographical Fugue'; one take ended with the exclamation 'oh pants' which is never a good sign but often an appropriate response to this piece of 'music'. Got it sorted eventually though and Susan and I giggled at the thought that we (the two sops) have only ever got this piece completely right twice- the first was the concert at Canongate Kirk last year and the second was the final take on Saturday. We smiled at our diva tendencies to only get it right when it matters ;-)

After a few bum notes, lots of stretching (man, standing up for eight hours is tough on the back) and, most of all, some great singing it was in the can (is that the right expression?...I am new to this recording artist business). Now poor old Helen just has to edit the whole thing...good luck with that! Oh and what are the chances that on the day Rudsambee want to record, a helicopter spends all day flying backwards and forwards over the church. If you were flying this thing beware- you are now on the Rudsambee hit list (otherwise known as the Chris-will-tickle-you-until-you-pass-out list).

Anyways, only two more sleeps until we hit the Czech Republic. A few of our number have left for the continent today (hope you are having a great time guys!). So I thought I would update the blog each day before then with a few Czech phrases and points of interest that might help. So a couple of phrases...

Nice to meet you: Těší mě (jeshi m-na)
I'll have a beer please: Dám si jedno pivo prosím (actually this sounds exactly as you would imagine. Good on the Czechs for simplifying where needed!)
Would you like to dance?: Smím prosit?

But I couldn't finish this post without mentioning the difference between British and Czech underground/subway announcements. In Britain (actually I'm basing this observation on London) a polite lady tells us to 'please mind the gap' and to 'please mind the doors'. In the Czech Republic apparently the announcer says something like this...Ukončete výstup a nástup, dveře se zavírají! which means 'Finish exiting and boarding the train, the doors are closing!' So much more direct than we are! Basically 'stop dilly-dallying around you fool and get off before you lose a body part in the closing door'. Fabulous- I love it.

Anyways (this is the final 'anyways') must just mention Kay who is due to have the baby sometime in the next week. She amazingly managed nearly the whole recording session. I'm pretty sure this baby will come out with the rhythms for 'Hide and Seek' already down! Much love and all the best for the next couple of weeks Kay. We'll miss you. Of course she isn't the only member of our group to be expecting. Rachel and Jake are also waiting on a wee one so I'll add a 'baby watch' entry when we have news.

Over and out until our second Czech culture report tomorrow
CSW

p.s. in answer to Chris' (my esteemed editor's) inserted comment of last post, no this diva will not be setting fire to any tables...sadly...barring any accident...

Looking forward to Susice!

Well folks, our friends at Shrewsbury Cantata Choir (incidentally, Anne surpassed herself with our new tour 'plan-of-action' and is at least as organised as that of her Shrewsbury equivalent: apparently we are leaving Susice at 10.17 on Sunday morning... I kid not - this is the time on my programme!) sent us a lovely report of the recent time with Svatabor so I thought I'd share a wee bit with the blogging world.

"If you stay in Prague, they sell a cocktail named B52 (Kahlua, Baileys and Absinthe) which is served with a book of matches. Our Soprana Suprema managed to set light to a table in a bar off Wenceslas Square!"
[Chris says: I wonder if our Diva Mrs Warden will do something similar?]

I can't imagine that anyone in Rudsambee requires such a beverage. We don't want any dancing on the tables and Jenny and fire would be a potent mix I should think. Czech tour countdown is on!

Saturday is our final day of recording so remember us freezing in a chilly church desperately trying to sing one version of 'Dindirin' that doesn't have an ambulance/birdsong/the screams of excitable football fans in the background- showbiz eh?

Signing out
CSW

Pretty in Pink

Good evening gentlefolks.

A short (I hope) post just to let you know about the current uniform crisis to hit Rudsambee. For anyone who has been involved in the group over the years you will be well aware of the 'uniform controversy' which actually caused a number of people to almost loose their sanity. What indeed should Rudsambee wear for concerts? Well we've tried "Citrus and Honey", tartan accessories, blue and green, red and green (Christmas only- the yuletide tree look is very in, don't you know) and some rather fabulous t-shirts. As a result we have ended up with a Rudsambee wardrobe that is considerably bigger that our own everyday collections. I myself have three blue shirts of various styles including a shiny turquoise one that Chris likes.

Recently (after the longest discussion ever - I am eternally glad that we do not have to solve the crises of the world) we have moved to black with red accessories for the ladies (note to self - I really must buy a 'red something' that isn't my usual scarf for our Czech tour - wool is all very well for Rosslyn in Winter but for Susice in Summer?) and red shirts for the gentlemen (dyed I seem to remember by either Jenny or Susan [Chris says: thanks a bunch, I spent weeks on those bloody things]). Of course our tenors and basses always look very dashing but gradually the shirts have faded and Ollie in particular is now sporting a very fetching shade of pink. In fact they are so pink as to draw the attention of Scotland's premier newsreader David Robertson who we shared a stage with in Glasgow at Christmas. I seem to remember he made a sarcastic (but sadly accurate) comment about pink and girls. He even sniggered as I recall. We would re-dye the shirts but the company no longer make the right shade and the cost has gone up. So for the foreseeable future our gentlemen will continue to wear pink. I for one think they look really rather marvellous :-)

CSW

'I don't bother chasing mice around'

Well, another Wednesday, another Rudsambee rehearsal and as always much to report.


There has been a running theme of nursery rhymes during warmups over the past few weeks. Tonight was no exception as Ollie led us in a rousing rendition of This Old Man and Michael Finnegan... combined... in a round! Some dispute over the lyrics to the latter: apparently there are multiple verses. Goodness, I never realised that these old rhymes were so multi-faceted... wouldn't surprise me if they were constructed in a weird time signature. 14/8, perhaps?


Anyways, we continued with our preparation for the recording. We have a big day coming up on the 14th June when we are back to St Peter's for our final day 'in the studio'. Rather frighteningly we are starting the day at 9.30 with Ernst Toch's Geographical Fugue - now that's a wake up call! If you don't know this piece then check it out! Why haven't MTV cottoned on to this! We are loving the video especially.



The title of the blog post is taken from the rather brilliant Stray Cat Strut. Generally this song is sung late at night usually after some of the members of our group (who should know better) have had one a few too many shandies. Hence it is, more often than not, a shambles; we are trying to get a bit more accuracy into it for the official version.

Our evening finished off with two key insights into Rudsambee life. Firstly, to Japanese beans (I know, that wasn't what you were expecting huh?) which Helen described in brutal detail... I think mucus came into it somewhere... not literally of course (although...). Ollie was persuaded that they would taste 'rather like the smell of a fart'. Well that really gets you thinking! We are nothing if not educational at Relative Pitch. Reminded me of parma violets which taste like the smell of old ladies' soap [Chris says: Parma Violets taste of old ladies!]

Secondly, Ollie proceeded to tell us about his week's 'phone problems. He was trying to ring a friend and only ever connected to the O₂ lady (imagine, if you will, if you had embarked upon a disastrous relationship with said lady which ended tragically. Every time you rang a friend who was out you would be connected to the dulcet tones {Moment of pondering: what else is described as dulcet? Hm.} of the one who broke your heart... gutting! You'd just never get over it. I guess it could be a similar problem for the exes of the speaking clock man, or the station announcer, or the young lady who gives the recorded safety advice on RyanAir - this musing is from an original idea by our illustrious Director, who has had far too much time to think in the last week apparently). Well anyway, Ollie was trying to ring a friend. Now the English language is a funny old thing which led us to consider what would happen if you tried to wring your friend. Mangles are now out of fashion (due I think to the advent of the tumble dryer... a mangle is surely the Al Gore option in this day and age) but it left us with an interesting, if potentially painful, image.

Anyways, it is late and this wee blogger needs to get some rest. Prog-rockers Yes may have cancelled their tour due to illness this evening, but Rudsambee are counting down the days until their Czech gig!


CSW

Belgian Waffle

This rather brilliant title should be attributed to my intelligent hubbie. This week, you see, I have been at a conference in Ghent, Belgium and therefore (shock horror) missed the rehearsal on Wed. So far as I can see from Jen's copious notes (good one Jen!) this week our illustrious choir was mostly learning how to breathe quietly.


This is particularly important for a rather jazzy piece of 'popular' music (another shock horror) we are singing called Hide and Seek. Of course being quiet when playing hide and seek is rather important- nothing worse than getting caught due to husky inhalation...or indeed exhalation. Anyways, if you would like to hear how this piece sounds then check it out on YouTube with the rather wonderful Imogen Heap on lead (actually only) vocals. It won't allow the Official videos to embed here, so here's a rather fabtabulous live version of one of her other songs, Just for now:



Am back in sunny (!?) Blighty now so hopefully we'll have another post on Thursday as per usual.

greatest felicitations
CW