Friday, April 16, 2010

Looking ahead to Fall 2010

Hello Choirs!  This may be a bit premature, but I've started plans for the fall.  The MHC Adult Choir, Girls' Choir, and Children's Choir are going to bring Medicine Hat a fantastic 2010/2011 concert season!  We are going to start off with a Halloween concert.  I know, I know - you're worried.  But you shouldn't be.  It is going to be light-hearted, accessible, and a ton of fun.  Check out the tentative program:

MHC Halloween Concert (please send suggestions for a better title...)
Saturday, October 30, 7 pm (TENTATIVE)

MHC Adult Choir

  • Harvest Hymn - Ryan Taylor - I like the text in this piece.  It may be a stretch for a Halloween concert... we'll see...
  • A Halloween Quodlibet - Ryan Taylor - this is a piece that will continue teaching us how to have fun with choral music.  A quodilbet is a group of songs that can be sung at the same time.
  • Ho, Ho, Ho, Dido & Aeneas - Henry Purcell - Purcell is a famous English composer and he just happened to write an opera with a scene full of scary witches, perfect for Halloween.  We will do part of a scene from this opera.  These are the chorus parts:
    • Score 1 
    • Score 2 
    • Score 3 
    • Recording (this recording includes the recitatives, and duets which happen between each chorus part - we will do the entire scene as heard here.  If you're interested in seeing the scores for the other sections, click here)
  • Deamon Irepit Calidus - Gyorgy Orban
    • Recording (the tempo in this recording is quite slow, but it allows for you to hear each part better.  We'll go as fast as snot.  Check out other youtube videos to see how differently each choir does this song!)
    • Score - this piece is relatively new so it is not available in the public domain and therefore I cannot link to it.  You'll have to wait until September to see the score for this!
    • Translation:
    • Daemon irrepit callidus
      Allicit cor honoribus;
      Daemon ponit fraudes inter laudes, saltus, cantus
      Quidquid amabile daemon dat
      Cor Jesu minus aestimat.
      Cordis aestum non explebunt, non arcebunt, Daemon!

      The demon sneaks expertly,
      Tempting the honorable heart;
      He offers trickery amid praise, dance, and song.
      However amiably the demon acts,
      it is still counted less than the heart of Jesus.
      Poor, passionate, undisciplined demon!
MHC Girls' Choir
  • Old Abram Brown - Benjamin Britten
  • Witches Chorus, Macbeth - Giuseppe Verdi
    • Score (pages 8-16)
    • Recording
    • Translation:
    • Che faceste? Dite su!
      Ho sgozzato un verro!
      E tu?
      M’è frullata nel pensier
      La mogliera d’un nocchier
      Al dimòn la mi cacciò
      Ma lo sposo che salpò
      Col suo legno affogherò
      Un rovaio io ti darò
      I marosi io leverò

      Per le secche lo trarrò
      Un tamburo! Che sarà?
      Vien Macbetto. Eccolo qua!
      Le sorelle vagabonde
      van per l'aria, van sull'onde
      Sanno un circo lo intrecciare
      Che comprende e terra e mar.

      What did you do? Say now!
      I’ve slaughtered a boar,
      And thou?
      To me fluttered in thought
      the wife of a sailor
      she cast me out to the devil
      But the spouse who sailed
      with his ship, I’ll drown.
      I’ll give thee a north wind
      The billows I will raise

      I’ll drive him onto the shoals
      A drum! What will it be?
      Hail now, Macbeth!
      The sisters vagabond
      go through the air, go on the waves
      They know a circle how to weave
MHC Children's Choir
  • The Fate of Gilbert Gim
  • A Tragic Story - Benjamin Britten 
This concert will be a great chance to hear what the other MHC choirs are up to!  You'll also get a chance to share some fun music with your peers, friends, and family.  Stay tuned for the tentative Christmas concert program!!!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Congratulations Adult Choir!

The Music of the Americas concert was a great success!  It was an incredible journey!  Thanks to the choir for working hard and playing hard!  A special thanks to all the soloists: you sounded great!  And thanks to the audience for coming out and supporting us!

The MHC Adult Choir is finished for this season.  Our next choir rehearsal is:

Tuesday, September 14, 2010; 7 pm
Choir Room, Cultural Centre

EVERYONE IS WELCOME: returning members, new members, scared members, everyone!

See you in September!  Have a great summer!  Oh, and keep checking back here for updates on next semester's repertoire, concert dates, and other incredibly interesting info!

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Music of the Americas

MHC Adult Choir Spring Concert
Tuesday, April 13; 7 pm
Fifth Avenue Memorial United Church

This high energy concert features folk songs and spirituals from North and South America and is easily accessible to all audiences.  Come be inspired and leave whistling one of these catchy tunes!