Category Archives: Music

A choral coda

I have been singing with Crouch End Festival Chorus (CEFC) since late 1994 but I have now retired from the choir. The Rachmaninov Vespers on 31 March was my last concert with CEFC as a member. It will be quite … Continue reading

Posted in Biographical, Music | 3 Comments

Creativity – mixing it up

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve had cause to celebrate dramatic creativity in various forms, mixed and mingled. I’ve seen one film and two musicals; two with a biographical bent and one with a (fictional) scientific bent. Hockney Two … Continue reading

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Terrors transcended

On balance, I prefer laughing to crying but I am not afraid to let my tears flow. Powerful drama can do it, so can stirring music. I may cry when I recall events or times in my life when I have been sad. … Continue reading

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Music for love

Today, 14 February, was a day of celebration devoted to lovers and their love. Love remained a mystery to me for many years. Now that its full majesty has been revealed to me I embrace it with all my limbs … Continue reading

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Deeply felt experiences – musical memories

Some pieces of music bring back strong memories. You recall key moments when you have heard the music before, or great performances that you have witnessed or taken part in. Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem is a piece that brings back … Continue reading

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The power of music

Some pieces of music really should carry a government health warning. The first time I saw Wagner’s opera Tristan und Isolde live, the Liebestod scene was unforgettable. The intensity of the music mounted and mounted, receded and then mounted again … Continue reading

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Strength and grace

Tonight I have the privilege to take part in a performance of Mahler’s 8th Symphony at the Royal Albert Hall in London. I will be singing in the Crouch End Festival Chorus, joining the BBC Symphony Chorus, Sydney Philharmonic Choirs, … Continue reading

Posted in Friends, Music | 4 Comments