Take me away, and in the lowest deep there let me be.

Well, I feel totally wiped out today, and I don't think it's just because of a whole day of Gerontius yesterday, although that's certainly a factor. It was a very fun day, though - always good to spend a prolonged amount of time working on one of my favourite pieces. And useful, too - I think there were a few notes which some people had never realised they'd been singing incorrectly, until yesterday!

Anyway, a few things to share with you:

Sanctus and Osanna 1 from Vaughan Williams Mass in G minor
O Clap Your Hands - alto 1 part only (with click track)
O Clap Your Hands - alto 2 part only (with click track)

(The two Gibbons alto parts are by request - it was a 1st alto that asked, but I couldn't do something for the 1st altos and not the 2nds!)

Some Whit Friday photos: Cheshire Constabulary


Musik Frohsinn Oberburg (from Switzerland)


Wardle High School Intermediate Band


Here are the Whit Friday Saddleworth results, and Whit Friday Tameside results

And a short video of the Cheshire Constabulary band marching. The video quality isn't very high, because it's only from my phone, but you'll get the idea. This is the band that won the deportment prize at Friezland (where this was filmed) although I actually thought that both Wardle High School Intermediate Band and Rochdale Borough Youth Band were better. I'm a sucker for a band whose mace-bearer throws the mace in the air, and the Wardle band countermarched - the only band that did so all evening (although I couldn't stay till the end, due to train times, and I assume that the Wardle High School Senior and Junior bands, both of whom were waiting to play when I left, will also have countermarched - the Wardle bands usually do).

Oh, and three final things - a radio programme to tell you about, a question, and an offer.

The radio programme: Joan Armatrading's Favourite Choirs, every afternoon this week at 3.45pm on Radio 4. Looks intriguing, and it's only 15 minutes each day.

My question: I should know this, but I don't, and I spent quite a while looking through books and online last night trying to find a definitive answer with no success. In Regency times (think Jane Austen settings - round about 1815) when singers performed at private recitals and assembly room concerts, would they have included folk songs in their programme? e.g. The Minstrel Boy, or O Waly Waly? I think they would, but I can't find any definitive proof one way of the other. I need an answer fairly urgently (I'll explain why later!) and I'm not sure when I'll have time to go to the library to consult sources I don't have access to at home.

And finally, my offer: i know that lots of you are in other choirs or groups. I'm wondering whether you might ever need any bespoke musical arrangements? For example, a choral arrangement of some standard work but for a choir with 3 separate soprano parts, 2 altos, one tenor and no basses. Or an a cappella SATB version of something by the Arctic Monkeys. Or an arrangement of the Wedding March for a clarinet, a guitar and a recorder. Or a wind band arrangement of the finale from Beethoven 9, but specially tweaked so that it's easy enough for beginners. ... You get the idea. You see, I'm quite good at stuff like this, and I've been hoping to make some money from doing it, but this plan isn't working out too well so far, so I thought I'd try approaching it from a different angle - i.e. you! So, if you need anything arranging and are prepared to pay a small amount, please email me. And I hope you don't think I'm cheeky for asking!