[Magdalen] humorous aside

[Cantor03 at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/12/2015 9:41:17 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
lesleymdv at gmail.com writes:

It was  almost as if she could not hear the difference that her voice  made.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 
 
The lead choir soprano ("Big Red" after her height and red hair') used  to
say the same thing about the alto cipher in the Christ Church Choir.
 
I guess that self-awareness is not automatic.  Yet being aware of  one's
own voice blending is intrinsic to good performance of choral music.
 
One of the best ways for achieving choral blend is to sing a lot of
plainchant.  The absence (mostly) of any accompaniment is conducive 
to listening to the individual voice and the blend.
 
There was just an article in The Living Church (Yes; I know it's  often
a reactionary periodical) written by a true basso profundo and his  more
than half century experiences singing in Episcopal choirs.  He is 
currently singing in a San Diego, CA choir where they do not allow  the
women to sing the plainchant Proper.  This is unhistorical, for  women
sing plainchant very well and get the same benefits in blending out  of
this singing.  Plainchant is not a male dominion.  However men  and 
women should not sing the chant together except occasionally for
emphasis.
 
 
David Strang.