[Magdalen] It Trittico Opera Stuff.

[James Oppenheimer-Crawford]

I am not paid, so I sing what I want.  Several years ago our local choir
director volunteered us for a Donizetti opera. I looked at the choir part
and found it was nothing than the old Dum ti Dum ti Dum ti Dum ti (ad
nauseam) and I never went to another rehearsal. I suppose the audience
likes it, but I want to sing something of quality, not just a rhythmic
accompaniment.

I find the only stuff that really pleases me is the early music, and some
carefully drafted music such as the Faure or Rutter requiems (or my own,
for that matter). The Brahms Deutsches Requiem is a rare exception. But
Brahms was director of choruses, and actually knew how to write for the
voice, and his music is both very thoughtful and beautiful.

I've sung the Beethoven, and I actually like it.  I think many dislike it
simply because they have a lot of trouble comprehending it.  It's not easy
reading, and most singers don't read music well (to put it kindly). I had
no idea how lucky I was to have an instructor in high school who ran us
through a very highly structured sight-singing program. I was extremely
fortunate to have that experience, and it opened a lot of doors for me that
many folks outside the conservatory don't get an opportunity to open.

James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
*“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved,
except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy

On Thu, Oct 8, 2015 at 1:15 PM, Cantor03--- via Magdalen <
magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:

>
>
> In a message dated 10/8/2015 12:44:21 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> oppenheimerjw at gmail.com writes:
>
> Yes. It  is interesting how people can love serious music and still not
> care
> much  for opera.  I too can enjoy the occasional aria, but just don't  care
> for all of the opera at once.
>
> There are some folks who are the  opposite, in that they love those long
> things and are actually turned off  by a program of short pieces.  I recall
> someone saying pretty much  that on this list a while back.>>>>>>>
>
>
>
> I needed early on to get used to the style of singing, not so much from
> the
> principals as the opera choruses.  The classical opera chorus style  is
> really the antithesis of what I have sung through most of my singing
> "career,"
> which has consisted of polyphony and plainchant.  Relatively  unadorned
> clean and vibratoless singing in those mediums don't work in opera  and
> vice versa.
>
> Somebody needs to inform the Vatican Sistine Choir about this.   They
> too often come off as a second rate grand opera chorus.   Benedict
> tried, but I don't think he had much success.
>
> The old adage about "vibrato you can drive a Mack truck through"
> comes to mind when hearing the Sistine Choir.
>
>
>
> David Strang.
>
>
>
>
>