Hello, Goodbye.

(Actually the other way round but that’s not a song title

(As far as I know))

OK, I’m sorry my optimism was so misplaced the week before last but I don’t suppose you were fooled for a minute, were you?

And haven’t I just been a busy little bee today?  Mostly, it has to be confessed, doing things I should have done yesterday and couldn’t be bothered to, but these ‘things’ involved housework of various complexions and, really, can you blame me for procrastinating?   It has been like Downton Abbey round here, too, let me tell you.  My vacuum cleaner is broken or on strike or something – no suction at all – so this-morning I was to be witnessed on hands and knees cleaning the stair carpet with a dustpan and brush and then attacking the sitting-room carpet (BIG room, BIG carpet) with my sweeping brush, stirring up more dust than I was removing.  Which reminds me... dusting.  Forgot. Still to be done.  Darn.  Wouldn’t last long at the Abbey, would I?  On the streets I’d be, quick sharp and, to be honest, at my age I wouldn’t have much luck there, either.

Just as well it’s 2011 and I am who I am.  Even if I’d rather be dressing like Lady Mary.  (I don’t even watch the programme and I know all about it.  Is this what they term ‘osmosis’?)

To Wednesday evening and not before time you will say.  But I do like a chat.

It was all very relaxed.  Susan was away and so there was no one there to chivvy us into singing.  Firstly we had a chat (which I do like) and then Ollie talked us through the programme for the Poetry Library which at first glance made me feel as if we should warn away people who are inclined to snore when napping – HOWEVER.... after studying it more closely I noticed items such as Desh and Fog Elna Khel on the menu and there’s nothing dull about them.  Also we did a fair bit of work on one of the Gaelic pieces I was struggling with and now it sounds really quite jolly and I am becoming less inclined to moan about it – which will be a great relief to all.   After that we talked about starting Christmas music next week and only doing a little more work on the SPL concert pieces a bit nearer the time of the performance.

We spent quite some time practising O Lux Beatissima, a new piece but very easy and rather lovely, which we will be singing at both the above mentioned and the Christmas concerts.  There were a few people who’d not set eyes on it before but, as I mentioned in a recent blog, even I managed to sight-read this straight off so it presented no problems for other more able choristers.  We sang Grabmedoodlewhoosits but without Robin’s solo as he has hurt his back and was unable to move let alone come along to sing.  (Hope it is better soon, Robin.  Kisses.  Eurch – he won’t like that!)  Douglas, who used always to sing this solo but who will not be singing with us at the Poetry Library – why not?  Don’t ask me – filled in for R (very nicely, as ever) and we worked on getting some colour into the accompanying parts.  It became quite like a rainbow.  Ahhh. 

Ae Fond Kiss: no Helen for the solo, so Kay – being the only true soprano Scot – was volunteered for the job, which she accepted somewhat reluctantly.  Helen, btw, was not the least bit Scottish.  Just thought I’d mention it.

We headed through to the piano room – that does sound grand, doesn’t it?  Really it is the dining room with a piano in it.  Some might find that quite grand, too, if without a dining-room or a piano.  Why we went through I forget but once there I know we practised Amazing Grace. Only, however, after lengthy discussion and decision-making.  This piece, as sung by us, was arranged by former – and, indeed, founder – Rudsambee leader, Sheena Phillips, who I am quite sure was feeling particularly wicked on the day she did it.  It is not hard to sing as long as you can avoid the jazzy bits in verses three and four (which, being incompetent, I can); if you can’t avoid them, well... good luck - but it’s quite a challenge to work out who’s supposed to be doing what where and it took the Lord and Master a fair bit of time to get through to his (rather slow) minions just what the complicated requirements are.  Add to that the fact that we were rather short of sopranos and as well as the jazzy bit, split two ways, there is a descant somewhere or other and, voila! a recipe for confusion and disaster if ever I heard one.  I think (only think, mind you) that I know what I’m supposed to be doing and when I’m supposed to be doing it and that is all I care about.  So there.

And speaking of being short of sopranos, we are soon going to be rather short of altos, too.  Anne is having to take a break from singing to rest her vocal cords and Natalie announced on Wednesday that she will be leaving the choir after the Poetry Library concert.  She has left before and returned and may well do so again once she has finished her studies but her going now will leave us in a bad case for Christmas music, especially if Anne is still unable to warble with us by then.  As you know, Harriet is not going to be around for Christmas either, though I believe that Helen is going to join us – but that still leaves us one sop short as Anna Lauren won’t be returning just yet awhile.  I feel some recruitment coming on [yep!]... but I felt that before not long ago and nothing happened.  Ollie announced that we would be singing quite simple music at the Christmas concerts as there will not be enough of us to sing pieces with lots of splits in them.  A great shame but – what can you do?  There’s quite a lot we didn’t get to do last year because of cancelled performances so we’ll be revisiting what of that is suitable and I’m sure the programme will be lovely whatever happens.

So, having contemplated an imminent farewell we were contemplating a coffee when who should appear at the door of the piano/dining room but the afore-mentioned AL complete with well wrapped baby Evangeline.  What a gorgeous little creature, to be sure.  She was very taken with Luke and very patient with the huge, cooing faces that surrounded her.  The baby behaved well, too.  I felt obliged to warn Anna Lauren that we had to sing Happy Birthday to Arno and AL said it was fine because Evangeline likes music.  This is all very well but Rudsambee singing Happy Birthday could never be regarded as music.  Perhaps Arno got away with a slightly less ear-piercing rendition of the song thanks to baby-awareness because Evangeline did not cry.  Of course this could simply mean that she is tone deaf but I’m sure not.  Not with Anna Lauren for a mother.  I did try to persuade AL to return to us before Christmas but I had no luck there.  She is going to take her time and I am sure this is the right thing to do.  (But pretty please, AL???????)

Sorting out my music file so that I have the concert stuff in good order I was somewhat puzzled by several missing pieces, Desh and Fog Elna Khel and Contre qui, Rose for example.  Where could they be, I asked myself?  What have I done with them?  I then remembered the phantom music thief of the Ensign Ewart.  Those pieces was nicked, guvnor.  Note to Christopher: Please, Sir, can I have some more?

Must dash.