Blogetteer = Stoic!

Yes, truly. I am a paragon.

Or something.

Absolutely no voice whatsoever – you may think I mean I was croaking but, oh no I don’t; croaking would have been quite an advance on my vocal capabilities – still would, to be honest – ‘no voice’ means not even a squeak and yet I went to choir rehearsal this week in order to listen and learn and to pick up any exciting tit-bits of gossip or chat for you, my dear and faithful blog-follower/s.
Was this a waste of time? Quite possibly, yes. I did listen. I did learn (though no doubt I’ve forgotten everything by now) and I did keep my ears open for anecdotal diamonds but – suffice to say it was a quiet week. Once again Kay managed to be Kay and cause much amusement – particularly to herself and Jenny – but all the rest seemed to be work.

So it’s conceivable that I went along only to spread around my lurgi – whatever it may be – and that next week everyone else will be voiceless and I’ll be yodelling away on my own (only, my husband informs me that everyone he knows who has had this has been affected for at least two weeks so, if that is the case and I have indeed infected the others, Rudsambee rehearsals may be somewhat disrupted for the foreseeable future which does not bode well for Christmas - oops!). I have to say that, having been without the power of speech since last Saturday night, I’m pretty sure I wasn’t infectious by Wednesday or I wouldn’t have gone so let’s all cross our fingers and hope that I was right. And if I was wrong let’s all cross our fingers and hope that the constitutions of Rudsambee members are such as to render the germs impotent.

Anyway – what did the others do this week while I sat and listened? I have to say here that some of it sounded lovely. It is very impressive what 17 or so voices can do in terms of sound – even if Ollie had to ask them to try not to shout. It was very tuneful shouting.

Veni, Veni, Emmanuel – reprise from last year. Must remember to sing eh-mahn-oo-el rather then ee-man-yew-el. There’s a bit of hopping about between parts as the tenor line gets rather high and so the manly women have to take over.

Another go at Apple Tree Wassail. Got the stamping right – those who know there should be stamping but the newbies haven’t been told about this yet. I hope they’ve realised by now or they must be wondering what’s going on when the olduns start jigging about – so far rather unenthusiastically, it has to be said. No clapping introduced as yet – either everyone has forgotten or the feeble stamping is all they can manage for now. Daresay it’ll all be in place (quite probably the wrong place) by the time concert season is upon us.

The joy of Deck the Hall, again a reprise from last year, but there is every indication after Wednesday that – all being well on the laryngeal front - I will be able to sing it properly this year and without look of abject terror when we get to the ‘swing’-y bit. Worked closely on this problematic little section and I begin to see the light. Was delighted to notice that new and very competent members seemed rather concerned about this PLS, too. Excellent. Shall feel less like a total eejit in future.

More work on the new African song; still mighty tricky as to words, especially as there are several places where they don’t fit the music and have to be squashed in – and, to be honest, as to tune - for the tenors, at least, but – hey! what’s new? (tee hee). There is a bar where the notes for the tenors and basses have been replaced by little crosses on sticks….”What do we do here?” asks Luke. “Speak it?” suggest several people. “On these notes?” asks Luke. “That’ll be singing then,” says Kay. Queue grand hilarity and K unable to speak or sing for quite some time.

That was it, really. Some discussion about possible visit to Poland next year. There is a choir there we could do an exchange with and they have sent a recording so we can decide if they are the sort of choir we’d like to sing alongside. I presume we’ll send them one too so that they can make an equal judgement. Not averse to a trip to Poland – let’s hope Ollie approves them. And they us, of course but how could they not???

Now I am freezing (no heating which isn’t helping the vocal situation one bit; also ingress of water from flat upstairs so a little damp around here at the moment – are you feeling sorry for me yet? (again). Also – to add to my woes – we seem to have lost access to the internet as completely as I have lost access to my voice so how I am going to get this to Christopher to get to you, I just don’t know BUT... I ‘ave done me duty. I ‘ave writ what needed to be wrote. I ‘ave done me best in spite of hadversity. Can definitely claim status of stoic.

Off to wrap up in layers and large duvet…

See ya.