Last night was our Christmas Priestfield concert which is always a very jolly affair. A good few Rudsambeelets were running a little late last night (including Maestro Boy so he couldn't even give us a row!) and I now remember why I don't wear high heels regularly, after running from University to Dalkeith Rd. However, the rehearsal went off without a hitch.
There are two particularly jolly things about singing at Priestfield. 1) the people are just so friendly - they always smile at us (in an encouraging 'we like what we are hearing' sort of way rather than in sympathetic pity) and 2)there is always a cup of tea at the interval. In fact the interval at Priestfield is always so chilled out (there are even biscuits!) that generally the Rudsambeelets have to forcibly gear themselves for the second half!
The whole concert went rather well I thought, though you'd have to ask the audience. It is always a laid back affair (mostly due to the sweetness of the audience) and there is lots of laughter on and off the stage. Particular hilarity reserved for Deck the Hall (singular) yesterday...wait 'til Saturday night!
Oh, did you catch Leith FM on Monday night? Blogstress and Maestro Boy were live across the airwaves for all of ten minutes. I think we managed to say everything we needed to, once we'd worked out which Saturday night we were singing - we could hear Anne screaming (not literally of course, her voice isn't that loud - Balerno to Leith is a fair whack!) "this Saturday, THIS Saturday!"
You'll get another post on Saturday/Sunday/whenever the Blogstress has a spare moment, to fill you in on the concert at Augustine's. Do come along if you are free. If you saw the St Giles' concert then come to this one too. Not only will you have the pleasure of hearing O Magnum Mysterium again, but you will also have the chance to hear the Rudsambeelets sing in Polish, do a bit of modern American jazz, attempt a 'seat-of-your-pants' Vitoria number and enjoy a new piece called Trees of the Field which, as Kay pointed out in her introduction last night, is a song "about trees in... a field". [Chris says: And don't forget the two Divas' special!]
Until then
CSW
Thursday, 10 December 2009
Sunday, 6 December 2009
A Night at St Giles
Evening blog fans. It's a Sunday and I'm writing a fantabulous post for Relative Pitch, so it can only mean that we had a concert tonight. So it was the first in our Christmas series - St Giles at 6.
As always we had a great audience. In fact the place was packed and we even sold two CDs before the concert! The couple bought the recording on the basis of our 4pm rehearsal. That's proper showbiz - only the big bands sell merchandise before the gig. Lots of familiar faces in the audience including the entirety of the blogstress' family on the first three rows.
But as always it's the behind the scenes goss that the blog fans really want. So, I realised at 11pm last night that I was missing two whole pieces of music! Susan, of course, saved the day by bringing a couple of new copies. But, you ask, who made the biggest mistake of the night? Did Angus forget to bring the right shirt again? Did Maestro Boy lift his eyebrows a little too frequently (see numerous earlier posts)? Well, the culprit was Rudsambee's resident Whitacre wannabe Jen who brought the regulation black shoes... but two completely different black shoes. Genius!
So how did the concert go? Well, I must say very well. We even managed to crack the jazzy bit of Deck the Hall much to Maestro Boy's evident surprise. His face was an absolute picture - such pride... and astonishment! Everyone clapped a lot (after the whole concert not just for Deck the Hall...even though it was great) which I always think is an encouraging sign.
If you are a Rudsambee groupie (and who, I ask, isn't?) you can even hear us on the radio tomorrow night. Check out me and Maestro Boy as we become the radio stars that video certainly didn't kill. 9pm on Leith FM. Fantastish! Our second concert is Wednesday night at Priestfield Church on Dalkeith Rd. And then, of course, we have the full shebang (not just the abbreviated version you got tonight, folks) next Saturday night at Augustine Church on George IV Bridge. Blimey, how can you keep up! Apologies, btw, for performing at three venues where parking is virtually impossible. Not intentional.
Do check us out at some stage this Christmas. Oh, and a CD makes an excellent Christmas present - compact, easy to wrap, provides entertainment beyond boxing day and won't make you fat. Brillig.
CSW
As always we had a great audience. In fact the place was packed and we even sold two CDs before the concert! The couple bought the recording on the basis of our 4pm rehearsal. That's proper showbiz - only the big bands sell merchandise before the gig. Lots of familiar faces in the audience including the entirety of the blogstress' family on the first three rows.
But as always it's the behind the scenes goss that the blog fans really want. So, I realised at 11pm last night that I was missing two whole pieces of music! Susan, of course, saved the day by bringing a couple of new copies. But, you ask, who made the biggest mistake of the night? Did Angus forget to bring the right shirt again? Did Maestro Boy lift his eyebrows a little too frequently (see numerous earlier posts)? Well, the culprit was Rudsambee's resident Whitacre wannabe Jen who brought the regulation black shoes... but two completely different black shoes. Genius!
So how did the concert go? Well, I must say very well. We even managed to crack the jazzy bit of Deck the Hall much to Maestro Boy's evident surprise. His face was an absolute picture - such pride... and astonishment! Everyone clapped a lot (after the whole concert not just for Deck the Hall...even though it was great) which I always think is an encouraging sign.
If you are a Rudsambee groupie (and who, I ask, isn't?) you can even hear us on the radio tomorrow night. Check out me and Maestro Boy as we become the radio stars that video certainly didn't kill. 9pm on Leith FM. Fantastish! Our second concert is Wednesday night at Priestfield Church on Dalkeith Rd. And then, of course, we have the full shebang (not just the abbreviated version you got tonight, folks) next Saturday night at Augustine Church on George IV Bridge. Blimey, how can you keep up! Apologies, btw, for performing at three venues where parking is virtually impossible. Not intentional.
Do check us out at some stage this Christmas. Oh, and a CD makes an excellent Christmas present - compact, easy to wrap, provides entertainment beyond boxing day and won't make you fat. Brillig.
CSW
Thursday, 3 December 2009
"There are some questions not to ask 2 days before a concert" (A Grindley)
I realise that recently I have begun a number of posts with an inspiring word from Anne. Well last night, given that Maestro Boy was sunning himself on a beach somewhere (actually I don't know where he was but in this grotty Edinburgh weather I felt that it would be understandable if Our Great Leader was soaking up the rays) Anne took over the reins. While the cat's away...
So this blog post will mostly be an ode to Anne as she really is most quotable. So!
"You have lots of men behind you" - how nice! Anne addressing the problem of loud basses, I think.
"You had your own 'D'" - Anne to the tenors in the 'Huron Carol'
"We'll take a quick run through St Giles" - sweatbands on ladies and gents!
Brilliant! Anne did a wonderful job of leading us and we behaved ourselves even though the supply teacher was in. So it was onwards and upwards as we had our last rehearsal before the Christmas season. It all went rather well really. A few issues here and there. We confirmed the long-held assumption that Rudsambee-lets, a) cannot dance and b) have no rhythm, by rehearsing the stamp in the 'Apple Tree Wassail' which caused great hilarity all round. We are 'bish!
Sunday is our next stop so please join us at St Giles at 6 for a fun and free 40 minutes or so. Always a great concert. So see you then.
I've just finished my final teaching of the term (and indeed at Edinburgh) so I'm off to have a cuppa to celebrate. See you later.
CSW
So this blog post will mostly be an ode to Anne as she really is most quotable. So!
"You have lots of men behind you" - how nice! Anne addressing the problem of loud basses, I think.
"You had your own 'D'" - Anne to the tenors in the 'Huron Carol'
"We'll take a quick run through St Giles" - sweatbands on ladies and gents!
Brilliant! Anne did a wonderful job of leading us and we behaved ourselves even though the supply teacher was in. So it was onwards and upwards as we had our last rehearsal before the Christmas season. It all went rather well really. A few issues here and there. We confirmed the long-held assumption that Rudsambee-lets, a) cannot dance and b) have no rhythm, by rehearsing the stamp in the 'Apple Tree Wassail' which caused great hilarity all round. We are 'bish!
Sunday is our next stop so please join us at St Giles at 6 for a fun and free 40 minutes or so. Always a great concert. So see you then.
I've just finished my final teaching of the term (and indeed at Edinburgh) so I'm off to have a cuppa to celebrate. See you later.
CSW
Friday, 27 November 2009
"When I didn't look at the music it sounded fine" (Mrs A Grindley)
Another classic opening quote from Anne there. Lots of funny little moments on Wednesday night actually - it was comedy night chez Wexler. So the small group spent some time on Ms Fardell's 'Shepherd's Call' (we so have Miserere down - more rehearsal time entirely unnecessary!). The men have a wonderful line - "we are fearless men" - except that they sang it at first like wussy men. A bit of umph added and the Rudsambee men really did sound "fearless" (scary?). Ms Fardell also noted a small piece of poetic license - the line is as follows (ahem): "they are honest shepherds protecting their sheep, why torment them as they sleep". Sleeping shepherds protecting sheep? Hmm...
There was much mention of Moog synthesisers which delighted the blogtress who was reminded of a good Moog in action from Oliver Wakeman (yes, it is his son) at the Yes gig last week. Maestro Boy wanted us to all come in as if we were Moogs - I'll leave that to your imagination. We also did a bit of work on breathing. Sebastian's best comment of the night? "I can hold my breath". Well done son, you can now attempt your 50m swimming badge and you can even try it without armbands.
Back to 'Hey Hey Lily' last night as well. Now, have you ever noticed how similar this piece is to that Music Hall classic, 'Oh I do like to be beside the seaside'? Separated at birth methinks. This is the one with "rock the baby" though this year we are aiming for a slightly less vigorous 'rock' than in previous years.
We also sang through 'Oh Little Town of Bethlehem'. Now, this is such a well-known song that we can have a tendency to just bash through it without much thought. So Maestro Boy encouraged us to think about what we are singing. Sebastian's slightly overblown yet highly emotive performance (with hand movements no less) brought a new perspective to this Christmas carol. As it is my last Christmas with Rudsambee I get to do anything I want (within reason of course, no lasers or guitar riffs I don't think...although...) so am singing the descant - huzzah!
On so on to Maestro Boy's comment of the night (the much coveted 'comment of the night award' was shared this week): "for runs you need to make your nose vibrate". What on earth!? That one certainly doesn't need any further explanation.
And so I am off to sunny (one hopes) Lincoln this weekend. Don't try to rob the house - I've left a large Scotsman in charge!
CSW
There was much mention of Moog synthesisers which delighted the blogtress who was reminded of a good Moog in action from Oliver Wakeman (yes, it is his son) at the Yes gig last week. Maestro Boy wanted us to all come in as if we were Moogs - I'll leave that to your imagination. We also did a bit of work on breathing. Sebastian's best comment of the night? "I can hold my breath". Well done son, you can now attempt your 50m swimming badge and you can even try it without armbands.
Back to 'Hey Hey Lily' last night as well. Now, have you ever noticed how similar this piece is to that Music Hall classic, 'Oh I do like to be beside the seaside'? Separated at birth methinks. This is the one with "rock the baby" though this year we are aiming for a slightly less vigorous 'rock' than in previous years.
We also sang through 'Oh Little Town of Bethlehem'. Now, this is such a well-known song that we can have a tendency to just bash through it without much thought. So Maestro Boy encouraged us to think about what we are singing. Sebastian's slightly overblown yet highly emotive performance (with hand movements no less) brought a new perspective to this Christmas carol. As it is my last Christmas with Rudsambee I get to do anything I want (within reason of course, no lasers or guitar riffs I don't think...although...) so am singing the descant - huzzah!
On so on to Maestro Boy's comment of the night (the much coveted 'comment of the night award' was shared this week): "for runs you need to make your nose vibrate". What on earth!? That one certainly doesn't need any further explanation.
And so I am off to sunny (one hopes) Lincoln this weekend. Don't try to rob the house - I've left a large Scotsman in charge!
CSW
Friday, 20 November 2009
Back at Priestfield
Afternoon bloggets.
Oh the weather outside is frightful but a couple of minutes reading Relative Pitch is so delightful. Ain't it just? So a quick run down on Wednesday night. As the post title would suggest we returned to Priestfield to bash out Lauridsen sans soft furnishing.
The warm up was a very jolly affair led by Claire 2. Looking rather like to tragic aftermath of a battle scene, the Rudsambeelets lay on the floor (attempting to subtly move away from those with sweaty feet) and rested with some breathing exercises. How nice!
This evening Maestro Boy asked us to imagine we were singing to the "humunculi" (his word, not mine) at the back i.e. the sweet deaf little old ladies. Helps with projection don't ye know.
So onwards and upwards with Christmas music. Lots of wassailing last night. An admission on my part - I have never, ever got this song right yet...and I must have performed it a good 4 times. I endeavour to break the rut this year. John made a comment about the ox and Jenny laughed a lot so my assumption is that Monsieur Wexler made an unintended statement of intent and Jennifer managed to find a smidgeon of innuendo...that is my guess.
Had a funny old moment with 'Deck the Hall'. One of the sopranos always sings of multiple halls and, of course, the 's' is very obvious. Even yesterday we greedily requested enough 'bells and holly' to deck a number of halls. Cue exasperated lifted eyebrows all round. It doesn't help that Maestro Boy continually gets it wrong!
So on we go to Christmas. I have a candle lit in the house and I'm going to make hot chocolate this evening - it must be winter! As an aside (and because I always sneakily slip in my music choices) we saw the wonderment of Yes last night at the newly painted Usher Hall. My verdict on the new improved building? The toilets are odd. They resemble that corridor in Orwell's '1984', you know, the one where Winston is tortured. Very weird indeed. Gig brilliant!
Until next week
CSW
Oh the weather outside is frightful but a couple of minutes reading Relative Pitch is so delightful. Ain't it just? So a quick run down on Wednesday night. As the post title would suggest we returned to Priestfield to bash out Lauridsen sans soft furnishing.
The warm up was a very jolly affair led by Claire 2. Looking rather like to tragic aftermath of a battle scene, the Rudsambeelets lay on the floor (attempting to subtly move away from those with sweaty feet) and rested with some breathing exercises. How nice!
This evening Maestro Boy asked us to imagine we were singing to the "humunculi" (his word, not mine) at the back i.e. the sweet deaf little old ladies. Helps with projection don't ye know.
So onwards and upwards with Christmas music. Lots of wassailing last night. An admission on my part - I have never, ever got this song right yet...and I must have performed it a good 4 times. I endeavour to break the rut this year. John made a comment about the ox and Jenny laughed a lot so my assumption is that Monsieur Wexler made an unintended statement of intent and Jennifer managed to find a smidgeon of innuendo...that is my guess.
Had a funny old moment with 'Deck the Hall'. One of the sopranos always sings of multiple halls and, of course, the 's' is very obvious. Even yesterday we greedily requested enough 'bells and holly' to deck a number of halls. Cue exasperated lifted eyebrows all round. It doesn't help that Maestro Boy continually gets it wrong!
So on we go to Christmas. I have a candle lit in the house and I'm going to make hot chocolate this evening - it must be winter! As an aside (and because I always sneakily slip in my music choices) we saw the wonderment of Yes last night at the newly painted Usher Hall. My verdict on the new improved building? The toilets are odd. They resemble that corridor in Orwell's '1984', you know, the one where Winston is tortured. Very weird indeed. Gig brilliant!
Until next week
CSW
Sunday, 15 November 2009
Happy 100th birthday to Relative Pitch
Yes, to to blow my own trumpet for a moment, this is indeed the 100th post on 'Relative Pitch'; that's 100 moments of sartorial brilliance and unexpected randomness...or something like that. So Wednesday night was a run through a number of pieces we are doing for our Christmas concerts. By now the Rudsambeelets are beginning to wander around in comedy Santa hats and beginning to write their wish-list letters to the Big Man.
And so it was back to 'Deck the Halls' which we are attempting properly this year. Maestro Boy encouraged us to (and I quote) "make it sound ridiculous". We never need to be asked twice of course. The aim was to give it a bit of life. This version of 'Deck the Halls' is a bit of a comedy take on an old favourite anyways. As I have probably mentioned before (there have been 100 posts you know) each part is encouraged to sing in peculiar ways e.g. 'teasing', 'inviting' etc. We decided to make our own Rudsambeelet versions so the basses need to be 'beery' and the tenors should be 'coarse'. The men, of course, did admirably.
We also returned to 'Susser de Glocken Nie Klingen' which led to Rachel's humorous and, indeed, insightful comment, "what is the final chord supposed to be?" A question that, I must admit, took about four hours to answer. The sopranos have a very easy final sequence i.e. even easy by soprano standards i.e. one note, the same note. So, to be honest, we didn't really appreciate the horrors of the final chord for the rest of the Rudsambeelets. It is very tough indeed but, as usual, we cracked it before the end. Huzzah!
And so we press on with Christmas excitement. Tickets are now out and are selling only slightly less quickly than those for the last U2 concert. Get them quick fans. We are going to do Mrs Fardell's 'Shepherd's Call' with dynamics and everything this Wednesday. What larks!
CSW
And so it was back to 'Deck the Halls' which we are attempting properly this year. Maestro Boy encouraged us to (and I quote) "make it sound ridiculous". We never need to be asked twice of course. The aim was to give it a bit of life. This version of 'Deck the Halls' is a bit of a comedy take on an old favourite anyways. As I have probably mentioned before (there have been 100 posts you know) each part is encouraged to sing in peculiar ways e.g. 'teasing', 'inviting' etc. We decided to make our own Rudsambeelet versions so the basses need to be 'beery' and the tenors should be 'coarse'. The men, of course, did admirably.
We also returned to 'Susser de Glocken Nie Klingen' which led to Rachel's humorous and, indeed, insightful comment, "what is the final chord supposed to be?" A question that, I must admit, took about four hours to answer. The sopranos have a very easy final sequence i.e. even easy by soprano standards i.e. one note, the same note. So, to be honest, we didn't really appreciate the horrors of the final chord for the rest of the Rudsambeelets. It is very tough indeed but, as usual, we cracked it before the end. Huzzah!
And so we press on with Christmas excitement. Tickets are now out and are selling only slightly less quickly than those for the last U2 concert. Get them quick fans. We are going to do Mrs Fardell's 'Shepherd's Call' with dynamics and everything this Wednesday. What larks!
CSW
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Visits from old friends
Evening all (as the policeman said). Well, Mirren, Peter and baby Aiden came to visit last night. Just like old times...except with the added small boy. Lovely to see you folks. So, of course, the Rudsambeelets were highly distracted all evening. My ultimate favourite moment of the night was when Mirren placed baby in Maestro Boy's arms for the photograph. Cue hilarious, slightly hysterical panicked look from our Great Leader.
Well, I was doing official notes last night so the blog notes were slightly less extensive than usual. However we did have a very enjoyable, self-help warmup from Maestro Boy who led us in a breathing chant..."I am a strong, confident woman". Very entertaining and said with particular vigour by our strong, confident men.
The general consensus last night was that it is virtually impossible to ever leave Rudsambee (I'm going to try and prove that wrong come January but that is a story for another day). Angus pointed out that one could commit suicide... which seems a little dramatic. Maestro Boy's top comment of the night was to the small group singing 'Noel Nouvelet' when he asked us to sing 'p-ish'. Obviously he meant quiet-ish but it did leave us wondering.
One person who was singing very 'low-ish' last night was Monsieur Wexler who sings an incredible note in 'Run Toboggan Run'. The very foundations of Chez Wexler shook. We also sang 'Deck the Halls'. We've tried this before... I emphasise the word 'tried'. Last night it began to sound like a real piece of music and we even started to sort out the jazzy, syncopated bit. We have decided against the cadenza which brings a new meaning to the word 'cheese'. So currently we just stop without any resolution and leave it hanging in the...
Momentous moment? We sang a new piece by a certain J Fardell Esquiress. It's all about shepherds and is very jolly and a little clashy... intentionally clashy, I mean. Just note bashed it last night but it'll sound great when we've cracked it. I have great hopes for this up and coming composer. Remember you heard the name here first folks.
And so Christmas rehearsals continue and I am tempted to hang a bit of tinsel out, or at least place a snow globe strategically on the mantlepiece.
Have a marvellous weekend.
CSW
Well, I was doing official notes last night so the blog notes were slightly less extensive than usual. However we did have a very enjoyable, self-help warmup from Maestro Boy who led us in a breathing chant..."I am a strong, confident woman". Very entertaining and said with particular vigour by our strong, confident men.
The general consensus last night was that it is virtually impossible to ever leave Rudsambee (I'm going to try and prove that wrong come January but that is a story for another day). Angus pointed out that one could commit suicide... which seems a little dramatic. Maestro Boy's top comment of the night was to the small group singing 'Noel Nouvelet' when he asked us to sing 'p-ish'. Obviously he meant quiet-ish but it did leave us wondering.
One person who was singing very 'low-ish' last night was Monsieur Wexler who sings an incredible note in 'Run Toboggan Run'. The very foundations of Chez Wexler shook. We also sang 'Deck the Halls'. We've tried this before... I emphasise the word 'tried'. Last night it began to sound like a real piece of music and we even started to sort out the jazzy, syncopated bit. We have decided against the cadenza which brings a new meaning to the word 'cheese'. So currently we just stop without any resolution and leave it hanging in the...
Momentous moment? We sang a new piece by a certain J Fardell Esquiress. It's all about shepherds and is very jolly and a little clashy... intentionally clashy, I mean. Just note bashed it last night but it'll sound great when we've cracked it. I have great hopes for this up and coming composer. Remember you heard the name here first folks.
And so Christmas rehearsals continue and I am tempted to hang a bit of tinsel out, or at least place a snow globe strategically on the mantlepiece.
Have a marvellous weekend.
CSW
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