More sacred music

I just got back from the Royal Albert Hall, where I saw Handel's Messiah . Thanks to Janet (from Tuesday Class) who had a spare ticket, I joined her and some friends for a wonderful evening of music. It's maybe 10 years since I was last in the RAH and I have never heard the whole of Messiah, although I had sung the 'Hallelujah Chorus' at school 25 years ago, and loved it. The venue looked amazing, as you can see even from the quick snaps above, and the choirs were excellent, as were the orchestra. The sheer volume, intensity and expressiveness of the Bass soloist, Brindley Sherratt, put the other solo singers somewhat in the shade, for me. I may have to track him down again, as his voice was wonderful, and could be heard unamplified from where we sat up in the gods at the back of the hall.

Perhaps the audience was full of tourists there on spec, or maybe folks aren't used to concerts any more, but since I last attended the proms 10 years ago, I was amazed at how noisy and inconsiderate many folks now are, both to each other and to the musicians. There was so much coughing, folks chatting and texting... Perhaps I am turning into an old lady before my time after all. It's not so hard to sit still quietly, I thought, but then I remembered that I sit and stand still and quiet a fair bit more than average, as does Janet. Anyway, the music was again tremendous, so a big thank you to Janet for enabling me to go along.

What with the carols and early music played by the English Baroque Choir and Brandenburg Brass at St Martin's in the Fields with David the other day, added to Wagner and Handel, I have enjoyed more live classical music just this week than in the last decade. On Wednesday I will be going to see the incomparable singer David Hurn, who used to be on my old record label Day Release Records, so it'll be a real change, but just as good. I find people singing in harmony tremendously affecting, and tonight was no different. I am drawn to groups where at least a couple of folks sing, or albums where there are many vocal parts. The world music I love includes Georgians men's singing, Bulgarian women's close micro tones, Welsh male voice choirs, Appalachian harmony singing. The feeling of all those souls breathing and resonating together, whether I am singing along or in the audience, really touches me.