Tags
Ar Hyd y Nos, arranging, Cadogan Hall, Daily Telegraph, Of All Persons and Estates, Parliament Choir, Radio 3, Slightly Lopsided Harmonies, The Choir, With Thy Might
I must be making it to some kind of level as a composer for I appeared in an article in the Daily Telegraph last week and completely missed it, having forgotten all about the interview. I do so many these days, my dear, it’s easy to forget, ho ho. They described Of All Persons And Estates as having harmonies that were “slightly lopsided”. Upon reflection this is better than plain old “wonky”, so I have decided to take it as a compliment and subscribe to the point of view that it is better to be talked about than not talked about. The article is available online here .
The lopsided Leaning Tower of Pisa
I ran through With Thy Might with the Malcolm Sargent Festival Choir last night, lopsided harmonies and all, and they appear to have taken to it very well. Our first run at it was slow and methodical, but it all began to coalesce yesterday, to the extent that it is beginning to sound lopsidedly good. Having fretted last week that the music was too modern, I am now concerned that it is not modern enough, but I am happy with it as it stands.The next few days are relatively easy for me, an opportunity to get ahead or even finished with the first batch of Korean arranging. This is going to involve several hours in front of a computer screen, for arranging, unlike the majority of my composing, is something I do directly to Sibelius. As long as the sun is shining my composing attic will be nice and bright, and there will no doubt be a cat asleep on my desk at some point, as tends to happen when I my trying to work up there.
A lop-eared rabbit from the side
This weekend brings the broadcast on Radio 3 of the interview I did a couple of weeks ago for The Choir, again with other members of the Parliament Choir, and then – time flies! – next week it is the lopsided Of All Persons And Estates and Ar Hyd Y Nos at the Cadogan Hall, two performances I will look forward to with pleasure.
If you do read the Telegraph article and are inspired to come and hear the Parliament Choir, do remember that, contrary to what they say, the Cardiff performance has definitely been cancelled. Don’t believe everything you read in the papers!
Some of the Telegraph interviewees. Not everybody is watching the conductor...
Nicholas O'Neill 