Sunday, December 05, 2004

What I really meant to say was...

Okay, I should explain. I didn't mean to diss our director, who actually programs some wonderful concerts (like last year's Christmas concerts). It's just that this year's songs were chosen because we had limited time to work on them after the Brahms "Requiem" concert in November. That I can understand, but it's just so hard to work up much enthusiasm about the songs we are doing. I'd almost rather do something that's at least slightly challenging, even if we have to push a little harder to get it in shape by the performances.

Not that they're all dull seasonal cliches. The Pinkham "Christmas Cantata" is fairly neat, even if every choral group in the state is singing it this year. We also have an arrangement of "O Come All Ye Faithful" with brass that's rock-the-house cool. I should like "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing-day" more than I do -- turns out John Gardner wrote it.

We rehearsed with the brass tonight, which helped us all get into the idea of putting on a concert. The French horn, the tuba, and the second trumpet players performed with us last year. I didn't recognize the trombone or first trumpet. (The second trumpet talked with Greg last year about performing one of his pieces after hearing the song we sang, but Greg didn't have anything for brass.)

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