Tallis Scholars

May 11, 2010

I was up so late last night. I had such wonderful intentions of going running again, but when my alarm went off at 7:30 I just wasn’t ready to get out of bed since I’d only just gotten in at 2:30. I was up in time to be ready for class. Class was really great today. We had some wonderful discussion with Dr. Staheli about some really important choral works. We discussed Byrd’ Mass for 5 Voices and compared it with Palestrina’s Pope Marcellus Mass. Both were written at about the same time. There were some interesting differences. I totally enjoyed the discussion but got a little frustrated by the end of it. Dr. Staheli has a definite preference for Byrd. So, most of the comments by the students went in that direction until, when they arrived at the extreme, Dr. Staheli gave a little reproach because Palestrina should not be so easily discarded. The comments that followed then began to support Palestrina. I probably shouldn’t use this blog as a platform to complain. I’m not complaining too much, but I think that a little more thought should be put into the comments that get made rather than simply following the opinion of the professor. Personally, I agreed with many of the points that Dr. Staheli made, but I certainly disagree with others. It was a great discussion though. After class was over, I came back to the flat to make some lunch and get ready for the rest of our exciting afternoon and evening. I went with Michelle, Logan Bradford and Jessica Jardine to a really neat museum for the British Army. They had an entire history of all the wars Britain has fought since the first Norman King. They had so many neat artifacts and the history behind them. We spent a few hours there. Michelle and I enjoyed some of the hands-on stuff especially, like dressing up as red coats. It was really interesting to read about the American Revolution from the point of view of the British. They kept referring to the colonists as the “rebels”. There was a slightly different tone than we get in the States, obviously. We had a special treat planned for the evening. But we wanted to get something to eat. We finally found a really nice café where we ate. I got a butter squash filed with roasted veggies and feta cheese. I ordered for Michelle and didn’t do so well. I ordered a Coronation Chicken Crepe. It had yellow curry in it and was pretty strong-flavored. She didn’t really say so, but I don’t think she liked it much. She probably won’t let me order for her anymore. Luckily there were still things to look forward to and get past the terrible curry crepe. First of those was dessert. We all shared a crepe filled with toffee, clotted cream, strawberries and bananas. Oh, and it came with some delicious ice cream. We scarffed it down though because we were running a little late. It was oh, so delicious though. We needed to arrive at Cadagon Hall in time for a concert put on by the Tallis Scholars! I can honestly say that I heard some of the best singing tonight that I have ever heard in my life. It was incredible. Dr. Staheli had given us a challenge before the concert to try to find ways to describe the physical, bodily reactions to in-tune singing. It was amazing to think about that as I sat and basked in the sounds. The thing that kept coming to my mind was the rest my body was able to enjoy because of the intonation. There were no barriers keeping me from total relaxation which enabled me to receive the music from their souls into mine. This sounds a little goofy maybe, but it’s the honest truth. As a performer I seek to open my heart and ‘put it all on the line’ and ‘let it all hang out’. They did that completely. But, because they did that upon the vehicle of immaculate intonation, there were no hold-ups, no distractions, only a peace and tranquility that allowed me to receive what they were giving. I am usually a harsh critic, but I couldn’t help but give a standing ovation to one of the most fulfilling concerts I have ever attended. It was not without its peculiarities though. Watching their conductor, Peter Phillips, was a unique experience. It was difficult to decipher how his movements were translated into the sound of the music. Besides keeping time, which he does with a distinctive flip of his wrist on the upstroke of his conducting, the other gestures were difficult to understand. Despite this, I can’t help but dismiss it because the sound was so glorious. The vowels were so perfectly matched. I noticed that their tall vowels were not a product of an unnatural dropping of the jaw that is so often observed in choirs in their attempts to match vowels. I’ve long been of the belief that the mouth really doesn’t need to open so much to form tall vowels. Vowels aren’t formed with the jaw, but in the back of the mouth. This is the reason that ventriloquists are able to accomplish their craft. Opening the jaw too much causes muscle tension through the jaw and can be transferred to the tongue and other places too. It was fun to see my ideas about vowel formation in action in the Tallis Scholars. I noticed that two of the men singing in the choir were also members of the Westminster Abbey choir that we heard just a few days ago. I’m not sure if others of them sing there too, those were just the ones I recognized. After the concert, I had lots more nuts and bolts of life to take care of. Unfortunately clothes don’t clean themselves and blogs don’t write themselves and girlfriends don’t kiss themselves. j/k, but seriously. We’ve actually been really good to not be exclusive with our time and to abstain from PDA. It’s been good. I don’t think anyone has been uncomfortable with the two of us here. I have no idea why I’m posting this, but there it is out there for all to read. I should probably just go to bed though.