Hell Week - The Fun Part
You have no idea how many things there are to forget - IMPORTANT things - until 5 a.m. on Tuesday morning of Hell Week.
Hell week is, by definintion, the concert week - last minute rehearsals, last minute publicity, last minute arrangements for chairs, music stands, lighting, recording set up, program printing, piano tuning, radio interviews, picking up artists at the airport, last minute shopping for the right blouse because your usual old favorite has seen its last performance, last minute arrangements for ushers -- and this is the list of things I remembered. God knows what I've forgotten!
This is supposed to be the fun part:
We had a long, hard-working and productive rehearsal in my dining room yesterday. Eighteen people and three dogs, electric piano and chairs for everybody (except the dogs). First run-through with the flute and harpist. First run-through with the baritone soloist... though he has not had a chance to run one of his solo songs in the context of the program, he did sing through the two songs that include chorus. Ten pieces! in the program. We did drop the three piano interludes - much to the gratitude of the pianist who is suffering the onset of arthritis in her wrists and really doesn't need to be banging on the piano any more than necessary. I'm afraid my little yamaha didn't quite meet her standards, either -
Oh, that brings me to the piano! Remember, the Cathedral doesn't have a piano? Well, actually it does - it's an old Steinway upright, which the Cathedral choir director says is insufficient for the standard of the cathedral - nevertheless, negotiations with a local music store were insufficient to make a deal for a 24 hour rental with tuning and moving, so the old Steinway will have to do. At least it stays in tune, and has a certain rustic charm which I believe is perfectly appropriate for some of this repertoire.
Hell week is, by definintion, the concert week - last minute rehearsals, last minute publicity, last minute arrangements for chairs, music stands, lighting, recording set up, program printing, piano tuning, radio interviews, picking up artists at the airport, last minute shopping for the right blouse because your usual old favorite has seen its last performance, last minute arrangements for ushers -- and this is the list of things I remembered. God knows what I've forgotten!
This is supposed to be the fun part:
We had a long, hard-working and productive rehearsal in my dining room yesterday. Eighteen people and three dogs, electric piano and chairs for everybody (except the dogs). First run-through with the flute and harpist. First run-through with the baritone soloist... though he has not had a chance to run one of his solo songs in the context of the program, he did sing through the two songs that include chorus. Ten pieces! in the program. We did drop the three piano interludes - much to the gratitude of the pianist who is suffering the onset of arthritis in her wrists and really doesn't need to be banging on the piano any more than necessary. I'm afraid my little yamaha didn't quite meet her standards, either -
Oh, that brings me to the piano! Remember, the Cathedral doesn't have a piano? Well, actually it does - it's an old Steinway upright, which the Cathedral choir director says is insufficient for the standard of the cathedral - nevertheless, negotiations with a local music store were insufficient to make a deal for a 24 hour rental with tuning and moving, so the old Steinway will have to do. At least it stays in tune, and has a certain rustic charm which I believe is perfectly appropriate for some of this repertoire.
posted by M. L. Place Badarak | 6:25 AM
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