Sorry for the long gap between posts, things have got on top of me. Which is probably also part of the reason I was in such a very bad mood on Sunday... I had to do loads of work when I got home from the second concert, and didn't get to bed till about 3 a.m., and the thought of this made me grumpy for most of the day. (Why didn't I do it on Saturday when I was totally free, you may well ask? Because I needed a break!)
I've finally finished for Christmas today, though, so I can go to tonight's concert in a slightly more cheerful frame of mind. Maybe the extra things that were increasing my grumpiness might have fixed themselves - but I doubt it! I was repeatedly filled with fury on Sunday. Main causes: 1. that alto note in "A Merry Christmas"; 2. that alto bar in "White Christmas"; 3. the note in the last line of "It Came Upon The Midnight Clear" (at least there was only one harmony verse this time, so the altos could only get it wrong once each concert); 4. the very many mistakes in the programme; 5. the behaviour of some members of the Youth Choir (bringing cups of water on stage and then leaving the empty cups all over the floor was the least of their sins); 6. the whole mess about the foyer carols; 7. people who quote me in newsletters but plainly don't actually read stuff properly (because several of the "Jamieisms" lifted from here were not actually Jamieisms at all!)
(I'm doubly furious with the first three, because (a) they're wrong EVERY SINGLE YEAR; (b) no conductor or chorus master has ever done anything about them (in fact, a previous chorus master, when I asked him, said "oh, no-one will ever notice"!); (c) when I mention it to people, they invariably say "Oh, I know - but at least I know *I'm* doing it right." NO YOU'RE NOT, I CAN HEAR YOU! So I can only assume people either aren't listening to what's going on, or are listening but not hearing. Argh.)
Anyway, I need to run for a train now, but when I get home I will post again and tell you about the things about the carol concerts that make me really happy. It may surprise you to hear that there are quite a few!
Friday, December 22, 2006
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4 comments:
Things which annoyed me:
No-one was responsible for stands and sits so they were all over the place.
Someone doing their first concert was on the end of a row and about to get up and go as she didn't realise the back rows had to go first.
Someone told me the different rhythm in bar 10 in Verse 2 of The Shepherds' Farewell had been changed to match verses 1 and 3 which seemed a bit of a cop out to me.
I guess platform etiquette is relaxed for carol concerts but will there be any reminders before the Mozart or will new people think it's ok to sit with crossed legs, hold folders open or closed at the end depending on how you feeland whoop and whistle from the platform when Jamie walks on?
I must admit I disagree about the stands and sits - as I've said before, I think it looks awful when everyone follows one person. I think everyone should stand and sit together, which they don't when following someone in the middle. I do agree that the stands were a bit sloppy but I don't think it really mattered when the whole audience was standing at the same time.
*Jamie* said, in a rehearsal, that the Shepherds' Farewell rhythm had been changed, so although it *is* a bit of a copout, you should really have known yourself. And Jessica *did* say that the back rows should lead off, and we *did* practise coming on and going off before the last orchestral rehearsal, so maybe the new person missed that for some reason (I did notice that a large number of people were very late for that rehearsal), in which case she should really have made more effort to find out *what* she'd missed.
I *do*, however, agree that the platform etiquette needs to be reinforced before the next "proper" concert, and that the Youth Choir (who were the ones whooping) need quite a few words about behaviour in general.
well i feel that for concerts such as the christmas concerts, where there are blow up horn players and men in drag on stage etc, then the HYC are not out of place showing their appreciation to jamie, after all he puts far more than just the rehearsal times into pulling off these concerts and we are honoured to work with such a wonderful man.
At the end of the concert (for those particular concerts) is fine. At the beginning, less so. I suspect Jamie himself would far rather the appreciation was shown in a more appropriate way.
If you've got the impression from my blog that I have anything other than the highest regard for Jamie, I suggest you try reading all of it, rather than just the bits that talk about you.
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