not too much

CAMRA, the Canberra Academy of Music and Related Arts, a community music society that that performa in our parish church at St. Philip's. Many of our parish members also are members of CAMRA and my singing teacher, Pat Forbes and her husband, Colin, are its musical directors.

On 17th and 18th September 2005, CAMRA will combine with St. Philip's to perform, Ordo Virtutum by Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) in English translation, to coincide with Hildegard's feast day.

It is a mystical morality play, set to music, about the Virtues, the Soul and the Devil. Arguably, it is the earliest morality play ever written. Hildegard von Bingen was a German abbess who was an extraordinary visionary, poet, scholar and composer. She exercised a wide influence, numbering emperors, kings, prelates and saints among her correspondents. She stands out as a model for the role and influence of women for all time.

I will not be singing in Ordo Virtutum. My first ever outing as a choir member will be in CAMRA's performance of Handel's Messiah on 9 and 11 December. After a quick run-through of the bass part of the Hallelujah Chorus, Pat and Colin reckon that my baritone voice will manage the bass parts of the choruses (they're scored for soprano, alto, tenor and bass).

It will be great fun. So I've dragged out and begun studying a battered copy of the Schirmers's full score of The Messiah that I bought (new) for $1.75, thirty five years ago. They're still going for as little $US2.00 on Abebooks and $US7.50 on Amazon

Enjoy singing the Messiah! There are some truly beautiful pieces from that work. I think I may join a group that performs it this year, too.

Singing in a choral group is great fun, no matter what. You do get close to the people, because you’re all working hard to produce something beautiful. Have a great time!
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