what are they doing?

It's here! The new CD has arrived and is shiny and lovely. This means that everyone should be snapping up tickets for our first concert (Canongate Kirk, 6 December at 7.30) so that you can be first in the queue to buy one. Cheap at £9 each, with a plethora of special offers on the older models - perfect for Christmas!

If you would like to order tickets for the concert or find out how to order copies of the CD, drop an email to info@rudsambee.org.uk.



The tracklist is as follows:

1. Amuworo ayi otu nwa (For unto us a child is born)
2. La, la, la, je ne l'ose dire (la, la, la, I would dare say)
3. Vísur Vatnsenda-Rósu
4. Envoi from Towards sunshine, towards freedom: songs of smaller creatures
5. The Dark Eyed Sailor
6. Hide and seek
Four short songs from Vepsa Rajad (Vepsian Paths)
7. Kiisu-miisu (Pussy-cat).
8. Laulda teile lauluke (To Sing You A Little Song).
9. Taevased kosilased (The Heavenly Suitors).
10. Mis teil tehakse? (What Are They Doing?).
11. Sanctus
12. Lux Aurumque
13. Dindirin, Dindirin from Cancionero de Palacio (15th/16th Century)
14. En une seule fleur from Les Chansons des Roses
Five Hebrew Love Songs
15. Temuná (A picture).
16. Kalá Kallá (Light bride).
17. Lárov (Mostly).
18. Éyze shéleg! (What snow!).
19. Rakút (Tenderness).
20. O magnum mysterium
21. Stray cat strut
Four little pieces based on Gaelic puirt-a-beul
22. Tha bean agam (I have a wife).
23. Chuala mi e (I heard it three times).
24. Còta fad' air Dòmhnull lòm (A long coat on skinny Donald).
25. 'S ann an Ile (On Islay).
26. Ave Maris Stella from Piae Cantiones (1572)
27. Preab san ól (Another round)

Plainchant...impressive stuff in the hands of a Rudsambee expert!

Well in my mind tonight was dominated by Jen's musical pyrotechnics. Our new (although it better hadn't be too new as we are performing it in a week and a half) Tallis piece asks for a bit of plainchant. Actually a lot of plainchant. In fact there is time for the rest of the choir to go for a mince pie and some punch. However, Jen has stepped up to the plate (Ooo is that a wee nod to our American friends there) and is doing it as a solo which is a great relief to her fellow Rudsambee-lets. It is surprisingly difficult for a choir to sing the same tune at the same time. Generally it sounds like a Brownie singsong. Anyways, Jen took a deep breath and sang almost the entire sequence without taking another breath. 'Blimey' we all said! Lungs of steel!

So... it was a long rehearsal proceeded by our shortest warmup. Ol asked us to shake our right foot and then we were straight in though I must admit, I number of us shook our left foot too just for synchronicity. Christmas song after festive ditty was the way of the evening. In fact so much singing that we were all whacked out by the end of the night. Hence the brevity of this blog this evening...which you might, of course, count as a blessing.

My second highlight of the week was new Oliver's face as we bashed through Immanúel os i nátt, our dangerous Icelandic piece (remember this from last year? It was the one we looked scared throughout) and 'O Morganstern' with its two keys in one song madness. It reminded me how terrifying Rudsambee is when you first join! Suffice to say our new guys are showing us up largely and are obviously well capable of dealing with any dumb tuning adventure or ridiculous Gaelic word we through at them. Good job boys!

Can I remind all readers to get their tickets for the Christmas concerts. They are going to be great events and we'd love to see you there. Come along to Canongate and you'll even get a mince pie, though if it is a sell-out we might have to cut them into slices-a quarter piece anyone?

Anyways, I am off to Bedfordshire for forty winks. Enjoy the week ladies and gents. I am off to 'Mary Poppins' on Monday night and I'm very excited. Musical joys just dominate my life.

CSW

Gaelic, German and...growly...well...basses

Evening and kindest felicitations (see I got it in the right place this time) to all. Well, another Wednesday night and another blog post from me. Just come back from a night of Christmas music so am feeling a little like Dad after Christmas lunch- full of festive cheer and slightly sleepy. However...

We began this evening with a jolly warmup from Maestro Boy which included something to do with a rubber chicken (the link was a little complex) that nearly meant that Kay was welcomed by a smack across the face by a flailing bass arm. We also did that African round again though Jen thought it sounded quite Hawaiian - queue grass skirts and fruit on head... it doesn't take much to get us going.

Exciting news of the night is that Rudsambee are once again tentatively venturing from their a cappella roots and this Christmas will be performing with brass instruments. I hasten to add that we will not be putting our own lips to aforementioned trumpets and (I hope) trombones. No, we aren't getting the Sally Army in, we have found some brass players to help us out. I am hoping for a euphonium- the only musical instrument that could also be a permanent dwelling for a small person. However, more exciting still (can you stand it fans) our own Mrs Anne Grindley will be playing the clarsach. Hoorah! She is accompanying us during the Gaelic song Táladh Chriosda (sp?). We did consider having a verse of just voices before Anne came back in on the strings but decided (actually witty Robin decided) that Anne might go sharp during our solo verse. Ha, sharp indeed!

Well, there's the Gaelic of the title. The German was provided by Süßer die Glocken nie klingen for which Sebastian provided the Deutsch . Queue much laughter from Jen - German is apparently quite a funny language. The translation of this piece was also fairly entertaining, concluding with bells that clobber (Anne's word) the Vater, Mutter and Kind on the head. Or at least that it what we think it means.

As an aside, classic comment of the night was from Natalie and Anne.

Natalie: "I've got an f there. Should it be fortissimo?"
Anne: "Well I've got a p"
Natalie: "Oh, what should it be?"
Anne: "A p I think... although that might just be for me. Perhaps everyone else should be f"

For anyone who knows how Anne so adeptly leads us at times, this conversation should cause a wee smile!

Anyways, we carried on with our Christmas music, spending quite a lot of time on the new Lauridsen, which sounds like the old Lauridsen... not, I hasten to add, that that is a problem. We managed 'Bog Off' through without music and, though we are still slowing down, it is perhaps a little quicker than we had done it previously. We also enjoyed Run, Toboggan, Run and I tell you what, the ending is something special, though it does require a little 'jazz hands'.

During this evening's jollifications, I noticed that the basses can sing very low. I realise that this isn't a revelation that will change the world or anything but to hear our wonderful bass trio (generally quartet) hit those bottom notes is a sight... no, a listen to behold. The ground rocked... I am seriously concerned about the foundations of chez Wexler.

I'm off for a snooze ladies and gents before organising Scottish politics at work tomorrow. I hasten to add (and you'll be glad to know this) I am not actually making policy. But photocopying takes a bright mind don't you know. Get well soon to A-L who wasn't feeling too well tonight and heads up to Rach, Jake and Bel... just cause I like giving them a mention every once in a while.

Funniest email of the week goes once again to the Beeb who, not content with inviting Rudsambee to that choral comp they did, is now asking us to participate in Battle of the Brains. Sadly due to time restrictions we are unable to take up this kind offer... however it did get me thinking. Robin could take science; Maestro boy, music; Christopher, the skills of tickling; Jen, well, Jen could take a number of subjects couldn't she. The possibilities, as always at the end of a Rudsambee rehearsal are endless.

Stay safe and happy this week folks
CSW

"There are just so many notes..."

... or so says Douglas during warmup while staring at the Casio keyboard in a confused manner. He is right of course... there are a lot. Well, folks sorry for the delay in posting this. I am busy running Scotland at present (well, nearly... at least I can do online filing after today's course) and have only just had chance to put pen to paper, or, er, finger to keyboard.

Last night was a jolly evening of Christmas tunes. It began with a small group preparing for a wee Scottish concert that took place this evening. As I am skiving this one I can't tell you how it actually went so... I'll make it up..."Rudsambee brought the house down with their Gaelic songs and traditional Scotch tunes. A standing ovation was met with humble thanks from the valiant choral members." Accurate enough guys? Hope so! [Chris says: pretty close. We did have the shortest introductions in history due to the hubbub, though. My favourite was, and I quote, "Amazing Grace!"]

Anyways, on to the rehearsal of last night. Christmas music is now in full swing and it makes us all feel jolly. We began by sight singing a new piece called 'O Nata Lux'. It is basically Lauridsen's 'O Magnum Mysterium' (a classic Rudsambee tune from last year) with different words - big, slightly clashy and a couple of fab top sop notes that make your head spin round if you don't take in enough breath! As 'Magnum' was my Mum's favourite from last year and as I know she now reads this blog (and called it "racy" no less) this one is for you Mum. Suffice to say, it sounded really quite good by the end. It'll be cracking in St Giles.

Our second new piece was in German. It is called 'Susser die Glocken nie klingen' (sorry folks, my computer is struggling with Deutsch vowels but you get the general idea) and sounds, surprisingly enough, like clinging bells. It is pretty straight forward until the end when it all gets flat-y and sharp-y. The sops get to stay on a 'G' (composer Gundermann knew Rudsambee's limitations! I joke of course; sops are magnificent) while the other parts dot about all over the shop. The bass line makes the whole final section sound like a musical interlude in a Victorian melodrama... you know the bit where the villain comes in, twirls his dastardly moustache and kidnaps the girl from her wussy male companion. The trouble with me writing this stuff on a Thursday is that I have way too much time to think about it, hence the involved mental images. Anyways this song will be very jolly.

We finished off with 'Bog Off' and 'Apple Tree Wassail', both by heart though we missed Jen for the final moments of the latter. Clare had to do it on her own - she did, on a more positive note, manage to remember the amount of bushel baskets (see the past, like, four blog posts for this ongoing saga!). We have now nearly memorised these two pieces! Still slowing down in 'Bog Off' but give us time...

The major source of contention and debate this week has been the CD cover and tag lines and stuff. We are just increasing your anticipation in the run up to the general release at Christmas. Anne expressed some concern that her roof may sag with all the old CDs stored in her loft. Of course, it is a well-known fact that when a band's album goes platinum everyone wants to buy their back catalogue. So we live in hope that Anne's loft will be emptied by eager E-bay fans paying £20 a copy by next year (£30 if signed by members).

It also must be mentioned that Sebastian had a bit of shindig at his house last Saturday to watch the Susice DVD which Mirren directed (Ridley Scott has nothing on Mirren's epic theatrical cinematography). I sadly missed out but everyone seemed to have a brilliant time. The general feeling was that the Jazz Wars were a particular highlight. I am yet to see this, though I do have a copy waiting for a spare place in my busy taking-over-Scotland schedule. I await it with anticipation.

Here's an excerpt from the notorious DVD, though nothing too racy. This was Svatobor's half (well, third) of the concert:


Anyways, I am off to plan world political domination beginning with Scotland's electronic procurement system (I can buy coffee online). See you next week folk and folkesses.

CSW

Cheesy wotsits take two...

As I was leading warmup tonight we began again with the Cheesy Wotsit song. What larks! We even did a combat physical warm up which involved four moves. Just so we didn't fall over laughing we all closed our eyes. When I opened my eyes (a little before everyone else - hey I was leading after all) there were the delightful Rudsambeelets in all their glory at various angles with legs akimbo and arms in the air. Hilarious! A visual treat for all the family.

Anyways, before going on, I should like to clear up an important misunderstanding from last week- biscuits should never be dunked in herbal tea. Ever. No, not ever... not even a Hobnob, and particularly not a pink wafer. Pink wafers are the wussiest of all the biscuit genre: not only are they pink (the colour of girls) but they are made of wafer and therefore disappear upon contact with liquid. Anyways, I digress. Just find yourself a proper cuppa for dunking.

On tea and pink wafers:


Tonight was, as usual much fun. We are continuing on our Christmas theme. Worked out it was less than a month 'til the Canongate concert. Robin made an exploding face! It all seems to be going quite well though. We danced our way through Amuworo tonight... yes, that African one again. Just as Woody Harrelson knows, white men can't jump; neither, apparently, can they dance to a rhythm. I include the ladies in this, btw. Getting the proper timing of this tricky little blighter is much easier if you move to the music. Susan's dance was best. She even had a wee arm movement which I liked very much. If Eurovision isn't a goer (see last post) then Strictly Come Dancing it is.

We moved on to the delights of In Dulci Jubilo. We spent a bit of time on the octet which sounded much better. It is actually sounding like a piece of music with dynamics now. What larks! After that we sang through the Tallis which has a pretty impossible tenor line. Maestro Boy asked the sops to sing with the tenors and the altos to sing with the basses. It became obvious pretty quickly that the tenors had drawn the short straw as we bumbled along being more of a hinderance than a help and Anne led the basses (who, respect where it is due, probably didn't need leading anyways). We soon were all singing the tenor line which has an irritating descending fourth of all things. Descending fourths are like the bullies of the choral world- everyone is scared of them, no one can bring themselves to be friends with them but there is always a grudging respect. Oooh an extended metaphor.

We sang both 'Bog off' and 'Apple tree' (with the prescription three bushel baskets I hasten to add) by heart and nearly got them right. We slowed the 'Bog Off' down so we could get the words in but that's a small price to pay for pronunciation excellence. And with that we concluded the evening's rehearsal. As I am starting a new job tomorrow (the heady world of governmental office beckons - watch out Obama!) I didn't stay for the general chit chat upon conclusion. However we did do a rendition of 'Alice the Camel', an exciting, multi-faceted piece of musical satire. No doubt the Editorial King (aka Christopher) will put it up at some stage. [Yep!]


Good to see ill folks back tonight (they were less ill btw) and 'hey ho' to those who weren't with us this evening. Particularly 'howdy doody' to Rach, Jake and Bel the Beautiful. We miss you Rach!

Heads up on Christmas concerts btw. Get your tickets. They will be on sale soon and Canongate will be spectacular. Trust me, don't miss it whatever you do. Invite your friends, family, enemies etc. Details on the website.

Regards on this chill and frosty eve
CSW

In Dulci Jubilo- Rudsambee Christmas begins in earnest...or rather begins in mirth.

Good evening merry friends and welcome to another blog post for your general informed enjoyment.

Another Wednesday another carol. Tonight we began with the 'Apple Tree Wassail'. For anyone who attended a yuletide concert last year, this was the one with stamping (or rather stomping), clapping, and discussions of a farmer's old cow and the problems of milking her. What larks! Well, it must be said we largely remembered it quite well, although we do have a tendency to make up the words when we are swinging along. As you may recall, it finishes with Jen and Claire 2 doing a Macbeth-three-witches impression (or rather two witches): 'three bushel baskets/ little heaps under the stairs' (for anyone who hasn't heard this piece, I am quite sure that my description sounds bizarre to say the least- come and watch us and you'll see what I mean). Except that Claire 2 struggles to remember how many 'bushel baskets' there are; three? forty-seven? Anyways, as Helen so eloquently put it, 'there is something creepy under the stairs'.

Our brains were tested again trying to remember 'In Dulci Jubilo'. Last time we sang this was in front of Richard Wilson and Carol Smillie no less, and we were fairly impressed that we had recollected any of it. We even thought about dynamics. Goodness! The first time Robin sang the trio (I nearly said triplet then, but singing a single triplet isn't quite as impressive as singing a whole trio) he apparently managed to sing about 'nasty tashes'. The mental images on that one are really endless... and horrid! Suffice to say, the piece requires a little more work but at least we don't have to do that painful note bashing malarky (sp?).

While we were on a roll, Maestro boy decided that a quick sing of the old 'Lux Auremque' was in order. Poor Helen has probably heard this piece more often than the illustrious composer due to her valiant work on the CD. Nevertheless, her solo note still sounded beautiful. As a second soprano, I am constantly amazed by our Diva duo (Helen and A-L) who stay on the same note for about half an hour. I could go away, make and drink a cup of chamomile tea, eat a chocolate Hobnob (there's a biscuit for dunking [Chris says: But not in herbal tea, surely!]) and do a short Irish jig while singing my current favourite folkie song, 'She moved through the fair', and come back, and the Diva duo would still be smiling and holding on to that note. Impressive stuff!

Anyways, we concluded our evening with our usual intellectual chat and banter. A brief rendition of 'Little Green Frog' was in order and with that, and an animated discussion of what indeed was happening at the Pleasance next Friday (I'm not sure that we came to any conclusion on this one even though it is written in the communal diary, so if anyone knows an answer then please do leave a comment), we were done.



Just enough time to send best wishes to all those in our Rudsambee family who are feeling a little under the weather right now. There seems to be so much illness about. Get well soon to all and 'break a leg' (not literally ladies, especially with your track record!) to the Wild Myrtles who are off to blow Ireland away with their great sounds.

Apparently Rudsambee received an email about doing Eurovision. Well... the possibilities are surely endless! Definitely skirts you can whip off, the tenors doing some sort of tribal-infused dance sequence, the basses doing their best didgeridoo (honestly can't be bothered with the spelling of that one) impression, Maestro boy in a sparkly suit... oh goodness, this one is going to keep me up at night.

And with that merriment, I bid a fond farewell to all readers for this week.

felicitations (that should probably have gone at the beginning- Ooo cyclical blog posts, how very Modernist! The beginning that could be the end, an end that could be a beginning... agh my tiny mind is imploding).

CSW

Decking Hall(s) and a bit of Tallis

Morning people of the blog

Hope this finds everyone well this morning. Judging by last night's patchy rehearsal attendance, there are lots of folks who aren't feeling well this wet Edinburgh morning. Take echinacea, vitamin C and sleep lots - my suggestions. Anyways... the lowdown on all things Rudsambee is here -- the perfect cure!

We began last night with an African round ably led by Maestro boy Ol. This after a small group rehearsal of Noel Nouvelet, a tunelet we did last year as a small group and this year are singing as a slightly larger group. With the additions (John, Susan and Claire 2) the whole thing sounded much brighter and less 'light on top', as Helen put it. The previous year Helen, Jen and I had battled against 5 boys in a sort of musical gladiators. Adding a couple more women (and John of course) has helped a great deal. We then bashed through the 'Bog off' again, a piece that is sounding better now we are getting the Russian into our heads.

Then, despite Maestro boy's protestations to the contrary last week, we began to note bash 'Deck the Hall'. Note the singular 'hall' here which shows it is a carol for our credit crunch age. Btw I really had to concentrate not to put an 's' on the end of hall - surely we can do more than one hall? We have tinsel, I can fetch more holly from the garden, all the basses can dress up as Santa - we can have four grottos! Anyways, it is a jolly version with some of the funniest notations I have ever read. At one point the sopranos are meant to be 'teasing' (I'll leave that to your imagination, discretion being the better part of valour), the altos 'inviting' (as always), the tenors 'persuasive' (?) and the basses 'bullying' (which is entirely out of character may I say). Later the altos have to be 'hysterical' which, to be honest, was worryingly easy for Jen, Claire 2 and Anne, though it is only supposed to be a bar of hystericalness (is that even a word?) - it's stopping them that is the problem! At present we haven't done the final page and finishing abruptly on a 'la' is perhaps fun for Rudsambee, but less satisfactory for an audience. Apparently the cadenza can be omitted or the conductor can write his own. Come on Maestro boy, I want an interesting piece of wackiness (with at least four key changes and the addition of panpipes) for our finale!

We moved on the a new bit of Tallis which just means you have to count... a lot! It will be lovely at St Giles. It has a long bit of plainchant which we did at double quick time with Anne as plainchant is pretty dull to rehearse though, hopefully, nice to hear.

Our final conversations focused on the CD (as always, though a decision has now been made and I'm sure fans will be suitably impressed by the artistic wonderment), promoting the Canongate concert (it is in Edinburgh, has nice acoustics and, most importantly, it is a darn sight warmer that Roslin) and Ecclefechan tart which is like an Eccles cake except, well, 'fechaned'. Anyways, we finished with a rousing rendition of Little Green Frog and Alice the Camel, and chatted about the importance of a work/life balance. And with that serious, self-helpy final suggestion, I bow out for the week.


Alice the Camel:
DISCLAIMER: This is not us, nor do we sound like this!





Keep feeling Christmassy folks!

CSW