Show 104 - 18th December 2012

This week there is a live show and I will continue to keep listeners up-to-date via this blog when I have a show worthy of your attention.

Choral Insight Christmas 2012 Edition

South Devon Choir's rehearsal is where we are this week as they practice for their Christmas concert, a collection of unusual texts some 12th century like Wolcum Yule and That Youge Childe through Shakespeare up to more familiar words like I Saw Three Ships set to music by Benjamin Britten, Geoffrey Bush and Gordon Jacob, the final work was Christmas Fantasia by Vaughan-Williams which sets his famous "The Truth Sent From Above" with more familiar carols to some wonderful music - we hear bits from Britten and Bush and all of the Jacob and Vaughan-Williams, some great solo work accompanied by Grand Piano and Organ.

Hope you will listen in

John

Show 103 - Tuesday 4th December

This week the show is about the Stanborough Choruses rehearsal for their vocal Festival on 3rd November in Kingsbridge.  It listens in as they work through Vivaldi Gloria and Handel Messiah.  A very able ensemble of players and soloists.

john

Show 102 - 2pm Tuesday late October 2012

Sorry about the delay but am unable to do a show again this week so will keep anyone interested up-to-date via this blog
We start back with the Buckfast Big Sing at the end of August, when some 200 singers come together for 1 day, under the direction of Christopher Fletcher. This year they were singing Faure's Requiem and some well known items by other composers, Haydn, Mendelssohn etc.  A diferent way of learning from the weekly rehearsals as there only the one day to get it together.

hope you will listen in when it eventually goes out

John

Show off air till September

Summer break

Show 101 - 2pm Tuesday 3rd July 2012 repeat 1pm Saturday 7th July

The dress rehearsal of South Devon Choir with the professional musicians is where we are this week.  The concert is their summer "Opera Classics" which we have followed during the last month or so at the hall as they have been learning - it was a good run through with the soloist's who sang their bits wonderfully, as you will hear if you tune in.  There is a selection from many well known operas including: Madam Butterfly, Magic Flute, Dido's Lament, Carmen, Macbeth, La Traviata and more.  This is a challenge for a choir used to singing choral works but one they have risen to well, John Hobbs has been slowly introducing this for the last 3 years as they have done some semi -opera on the summer slot for the last 2 seasons.

Hope you will listen in

John

Show 100 - 2pm Tuesday 26th June 2012 repeat 1pm Saturday 30th June

This week we are at the Shaldon Festival's one day choral workshop - the work is Messiah and the Director of Music is Jonathan Watts.  Lots of lovelly Handel choral pieces including the Hallelujah Chorus and some good advice and direction from Jonathan Watts.  As is usual the time for broadcast isn't enough to do this day justice, so bearing in mind I can't play everthing, I think there is a good balance between entertainment and interest.

Hope you can listen in

John

Show 99 - 2pm Tuesday 19th June 2012 repeat 1pm Saturday 23rd June

The show is a live one this week - I got along to The Stanborough Chorus' afternoon rehearsal at Thurlestone Parish Hall before their concert on Saturday 16th June and recorded some very unusual music in a lighter vein - Captain Noah and his Floating Zoo by Flanders and Horovitz with some other choir items such as Old Mother Hubbard and Little Jack Horner set to music by Michael Diak in the style of Handel (very novel) and some original music written for the Queen's Coronation in 1953 and a different Blessing from the usual John Rutter version - so worth a listen in.

hope you will join me

John

Show 98 - 2pm Tuesday 12th June 2012 repeat 1pm Saturday 16th June

There is no live show this week but a recording of a show from September 2010.  It's South Devon Choir rehearsing Gounod's Messe Solonnelle or St Cecelia's mass and The Big noise Chorus at the Mint in Exeter.

It's good to look back at old shows, hope you can listen in.

John

Show 97 - 2pm Tuesday 5th June 2012 repeat 1pm Saturday 9th June

This week we are back with the South Devon Choir as they rehearse for their concert on 30th June at Central Church Torquay, it's called Opera Classics and they work on 5 items this week from 2 rehearsals over the last 3 weeks - some from Mozart, Purcel, Leoncavello and Verdi.  things have begun to take shape so there isn't so much note bashing and we get a better idea of the music.

hope you can listen in

John

Show 96 - 2pm Tuesday 29th May 2012 repeat 1pm Saturday 2nd June

Today's show is from a show September 2010 when there was a gathering at Buckfast Abbey of 200 singers to sing Mozart's Requiem and Haydn's Little Organ Mass,  the day is oraganised by Ashburton Rotary and is directed and conducted by Christopher Fletcher.


The same venue as last week but a year earlier, hopefully we will hear this years when it happens.


John

Show 95 - 2pm Tuesday 22nd May 2012 repeat 1pm Saturday 26th

Today's show is from a show last September when there was a gathering at Buckfast Abbey of 200 singers to sing Handel's "Messiah",  the day is oraganised by Ashburton Rotary and is directed and conducted by Christopher Fletcher.

I tell you more on the show (repeat from show 63)

John

Show 94 - 2pm Tuesday 15th May 2012 repeat 1pm Saturday 19th

No live recording again this week, I've been busy else where and have not been to any rehearsals so it will be good to catch up with progress soon.

This week I am playing something by an Italian composer called Luigi Cherubini, as usual there is more to the story - you'll have to tune in to hear and find out more.

John

Show 93 - Tuesday 8th May 2012 repeat Saturday 12th

This week we listen to Hiawatha's Wedding Feast by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, from Longfellows poem.

John

Show 92- Tuesday 24th April 2012 repeat Saturday 28th

No show next week as there is a voice only day at the studio back to normal the week after - there will be a repeat show on Saturday though.

5 more opera classics to listen to this week as the choir tackles them for the first time - will tell you more on the show.

John

Show 91- Tuesday 17th April 2012 repeat Saturday 21st

This there are a couple of Easter themed tunes to start from a choir in Torquay, which is about 10 minutes.
 Then we listen to the first rehearsal of the opera classics from South Devon Choir - Handel, Purcell and Bizet feature this week.   Last week was the final practice with the soloists and musicians at the venus, this week is the other end of the spectrum, lots of wrong notes and note bashing but you can hear it taking shape.  They have lots to learn in the coming weeks so i hope you will listen in with them leading up to their concert at the end of June.

John

Show 90- Tuesday 10th April 2012

This week, as planned, we hear a selection of the solo parts from the Petite messe Solonnelle by Rossini, which we have been following.  As there aren't quite enough to fill the time we will also hear the same soloists singing the solos from Rosini's Stabat Mater when they sang with South Devon Choir in 2010.  I'll tell you more on the show.

Hope you can listen in.

John

Show 89- Tuesday 3rd April 2012

Back to normal service (I hope) for tomorrow.  It's Monday night - I've just finished preparing the recording I got of Rossini's Petite Messe solonnelle on Saturday afternoon at Central Church, Torquay and have more material than I can put on this show, so it will cover two weeks.  This week we will listen to all the choir items, which all include the soloists in some way or other and next week I will play the wonderful solos that were performed by the pro's.  I hope you may have become familiar with some of the pieces and will enjoy to hear them in the finished form.

I hope you can listen in - if not the show will be going in the "listen to Past Shows" section of this blog on Wednesday for you listen to at a future time.

John

Show 88 - Tuesday 27th March 2012

Next repeat is a look back at some of the choirs that have featured on the show.

Show 87 - Tuesday 20th March 2012

A repeat as the studio has the work done - Glorious Chorus premier at St. John's , Totnes.

Show 86 - Tuesday 13th March 2012

To balance last weeks show we hear the other parts of the Petite Messe Solonnelle (Rossini)  beginning with the Sanctus - then we hear the Credo, but this time both parts or really three parts - the opening Credo then the Et Resurexit which of course ends with the fugue to the words Et Vitam Venturi so it's sort of three under two titles - and to finish we have the Sanctus.

Live broadcasts are on hold for two weeks from monday 19th March, which begins next Tuesday for me - Choral Insight will go out but as repeat shows, we will try to pick interesting or entertaining shows to fill in for the two weeks.

Upon the return of live shows The South Devon Choir will have performed Rossini's Petite Messe Solonnelle so we will hear it in all it's glory.

hope you will stay tuned

John

Show 85 - Tuesday 6th March 2012

Staying with the South Devon Choir we hear them rehearsing 3 pieces from the Rossini - Petite Messe solennelle, which is a sign they are getting more familiar, that we haven't heard for a while.  The Kyrie, Cum Sanctu and Agnus Dei, the Cum Sanctu being the other fugue - we've heard the Vitam Venturi and now they are working on this one.  Soon we will be able to hear it all in one rehearsal.

John
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Show 84- Tuesday 28th February 2012

Back with South Devon Choir as they continue to learn Rossini's Petite Messe Solonnelle for their next concert on 31st March, at Central Church, Torquay.  Three parts this time and all from the first half of rehearsals - Credo, Vitam Venturi and the Sanctus - so not so much time needed on each to address the problems, things are beginning to gel.  Worth a listen.

The second half of rehearsals are now being used to look at the June concert of opera classics - maybe over the next few weeks I will get a chance to slip a couple in before the March concert, if not they will be the next series of shows after the March Concert as the choir learn some well known choral opera classics...

John

Show 83- Tuesday 21st February 2012

This week we have a break from South Devon Choir again, which will hopefully give them time to learn a little more before next week, when we will be back with them.  We are going to re-visit show 58 which is the "Glorious Chorus" in concert last year at St. John's in Totnes when they premiered their "One World" concert programme.  Great music, hope you can listen in.

John

Show 82- Tuesday 14th February 2012

This week we are back with the South Devon Choir as they continue to work on the Rossini - Petite Messe Solonnelle - they are working on the Et Resurexit, well, the end of the peice really called Vitam Venturi Saeculi, which is the difficult part, a fugue with lots of amens moving in every part.  It is beginning to take shape.

hope you can listen in.

John

Show 81- Tuesday 7th February 2012

Having spent the last 3 weeks with the South Devon Choir I thought giving them a week off would give them time to improve and us a break, so I'm playing a repeat show from June last year, it's a look back with 12 or 13 different choirs featured on it which have all featured on the show at some time since the start back in December 2009.  A very diverse mix and worth a listen.

hope you can join me.

John

Show 80- Tuesday 30 January 2012

Staying with the South Devon Choir, as seems to be the norm for me these days, we hear them rehearsing from the Rossini again, this time it's the Kyrie and Sanctus - so no Amens this week (the fugal movements) it was their AGM so they had a short practice - we will hear it all and parts are really taking shape.

Hope you can listen in.

John

Show 79- Tuesday 23rd January 2012

Today I continue with South Devon Choir as they rehearse the Rossini Petite Messe Solonnelle, only the second rehearsal.  We hear the Credo and Vitam Venturi as both we and they get to know the work leading up to the performance at the end of March - I will give more details on the show.

hope you can listen in.

John

Show 78- Tuesday 17th January 2012

As I said in klast weeks blog entry we are with South Devon Choir for their first rehearsal of Rossini's Petite Messe Solonnelle - so lots of learning for us all.

John

Show 77- Tuesday 10th January 2012

Happy New Year.

Hopefully the first show of the year will be a repeat as I am unable to start this Tuesday, I will be back to start the new season next week - 17th Jan - I'm sure the producers will choose a good one to play this week so it will be a surprise.

Next week we will begin with South Devon Choir as they begin rehearsals for Rossini's "Petite Messe Solonnelle" a truly marvelous work and there is nothing petite or solemn about it, will give you the details then.

Looking forward to starting and hope you can listen in.

John