Tuesday 29 September 2009

A SCALED DOWN (AND UP) DAY.

For various reasons, to do with The Mod, sunny climes, grandchildren and home maintenance, our group was small in number today: nevertheless we learned a new round _ a "DOO-BE-DOO" by Wolfgang Hartmann, an Orff teacher who worked for many years at the Orff Institute in Salzburg and now travels the world giving seminars.
Moving on to the instruments after that, we had a really good practice, 'crossing over' with the beaters and playing scales, up and down. We did make those xylophones sing!
We followed this with CONNEMARA LULLABY - practising the words to become more comfortable with them and enjoying the repeats: flute-song-flute.
Although the high voices were missing today for SONG OF THE SOUTH, Irving Berlin's arrangement of WAY DOWN UPON THE SWANEE RIVER, we sang the melody which gives scope for concentrating on good, round tone on the long notes.
FAREWEEL TAE TARWATHIE was our final song, started by Don singing verse one in a low key then raising the pitch, all joined in for the rest of the verses.

Tuesday 22 September 2009

THE CALL OF THE SOUTH

Returning to BIRDS FLY SOUTH today, we sang the four part round in perfect togetherness, the bass ostinato giving just that little bounce to keep the birds going so that the soprano improvisation on names of the big, solitary birds _ osprey, eagle, sparrowhawk, falcon_ was able to soar above the music of the flock.
This good ensemble continued in CONNEMARA lullaby, the melody played today on two flutes, an octave apart, which gave a fine, full sound. The original words of this melody being lost in time, we sang a new text written by one of our members which fitted perfectly both the music and the mood of the melody.

CONNEMARA LULLABY
Words: Ruth Mills
Tune: Irish, Traditional

On peaceful shores the waves are lappng
And calling me to tarry awhile.
I walk beside the sparkling water
And all my cares wash away on the tide.

A gentle breeze embraces me softly,
A gentle breeze is leading me on
To tranquil pools I see before me ,
My cares are washing away on the tide.

Next. we sang through THE CALL OF THE SOUTH, an Irving Berlin arrangement of the Stephen Foster song, Way Down Upon A Swanee River, which features a melody for soprano which complements the main tune. This gives scope to the fine soprano voices in our group and will be interesting to hear next week when they've learned it.
We ended the morning with FAREWEEL TAE TARWATHIE, giving the first verse to our bass singer, in a low key, accompanied by quiet humming from the others. Raising the pitch after that, we enjoyed singing the rest of the verses.

Tuesday 15 September 2009

ONE FLUTE FOR CONNEMARA

BIRDS FLY SOUTH was again a good warm up song, now more relaxed and even sounding 'fluttery' in softer voices and four parts.

Moving on to THE CONNEMARA LULLABY, we sang the tune by heart this time before picking up the beaters to play the instrument parts, glocks and upper xylophones playing two note chords. By the time Diana added the flute melody, it was really impressive how everyone was listening intently, slowing or speeding up to follow her and keeping the ensemble intact to give a really sensitive and musical rendering, __ a pleasure for us all. We look forward to hearing this piece next week with the whistle and perhaps another flute.

After the coffee we picked up the golfing song CARMEN ANTISPHAERISTICUM, which we'd promised to help Gordon with, ready to sing the choruses after his three verses. We were completely unprepared and amazed at the lovely tones that flowed and the confident singing Gordon gave us. As a result we sang with gusto and declared him well ready to sing at the golfing dinner in Troon.

FAREWEEL TAE TARWATHIE the song of the Dundee whalers, collected by Ewan McColl with its lovely slow three beat metre, recalling perhaps quiet reflective nights rocking on a calm sea, was our last of the morning __ five verses and a good sing.

Wednesday 9 September 2009

OUR NEW SESSION BEGINS.

The seasonal round, 'Birds Fly South' _four parts with bass ostinato, was a good start, going at a brisk pace and opening up the voices.
But following that burst of energy we could wait no longer to hear from our new member who'd brought along his concertina. To see such an instrument, far less hear it played these days is rare and we appreciated every note of the two tunes, sensitively played.

Lucky then that our next piece was The Connemara Lullaby, arranged by Orff and Keetman for flute and instrumental ensemble. We began by learning the distinctive melody, in Dorian mode, singing it many times until our concertina player declared "I can play this!" and went off to practise in the next room.
Meanwhile, we picked up the sticks to tackle the parts for the barred instruments.

Finally coming together for the whole piece, the Lullaby, played softly on this fine rosewood framed concertina, sounded beautiful accompanied by the xylophones, glocks and metallophone. Next week, we hope to hear it on flutes and tin whistle as well.

'Beautiful Africa' was a good sing to finish off our morning.