Ain't nothing in this world like singing in a choir. Me, I've been in some type of choral group since ninth grade. Jazz ensamble, professional quartet, barbershop harmony, madrigal singers...the list goes on and on. Last few years, I've been involved with a large (140 member) group at a local university. Half volunteers like me, half students working on music degrees. Every Monday, for three hours or so, we lift our voices in harmonious melodies that ring to the rafters. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Hold it. Count to 7. Now, let it out slowly and keep your eyes closed. That relaxed feeling? Multiply it by 10 and you'll know how I feel during a rehearsal. Tonight we've been working on a Bach motet, "Singet dem Herren ein neues Lied," that gives me shivers, especially when the overtones ring in the upper octaves.
(motet: n. a religious song for a choir in which several voices, usually unaccompanied, sing contrasting parts simultaneously) (German translation: Sing to the Lord a new song.)
And when we basses get down to those low Es, Ds, and Cs, you can feel the risers rattle with the sound. A good thirty minutes of this and the stress just melts away. Three hours? I'm surprised I've not melted into a pile of goo.
2014
11 years ago

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