Category Archives: highbrow

Old-Timey Tuesday: Donald the dreamboat

Posted on January 24, 2012 | 2 Comments

Berlin Philharmonie, Berlin, Germany, May 2008

Maybe he looks like an eccentric old dude; maybe he’s oddly tan for a Scot; maybe he kind of has a mullet… I honestly can’t be objective about this man, because I am utterly smitten and all I see is dreaminess. This is Donald Runnicles, the principal guest conductor for the Atlanta Symphony (largely responsible for the chorus’ trips to Berlin to sing with the philharmonic, previously mentioned here) and certainly the most brilliant, inspiring musician I’ve had the privilege to sing for. He’s here in Atlanta this week to lead the orchestra in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, and it took all of two seconds for me (and the whole rest of the chorus) to fall in love with him all over again once he took the podium at our first rehearsal. How can you not swoon over an incredibly charming, sensitive conductor speaking flawless German and Scottish-accented English? Be still my heart!

This was to be the last performance in Donald’s tenure as principal guest conductor, but last week it was announced that he’s staying on through the 2013/14 season. We’re all hoping this means he can take us back to Berlin soon…

→ 2 Comments

Posted in highbrow, music, Old-Timey Tuesday, travel

Old-Timey Tuesday: Opera (wo)man!

Posted on September 6, 2011 | 4 Comments

Berlin, Germany, May 2008

So, this one’s a little out of season, but it’s topical. This Thursday I’m dusting off the ol’ recital dress and taking part in a concert of opera arias with the other staff singers in my church choir. Opera isn’t always my strong suit — particularly the acting part of it — but I’m psyching myself up for it. After all, it’ll be the first time I’ve performed any opera arias in public since my senior recital back in ’05. (Yikes! Can that be true? I’ll have to think on it some more. To my credit, though, I’ve done a lot of concert and sacred and choral repertoire in the interim. Eek.) I’ll let y’all know how it goes!

(Oh yeah, and I was in Berlin with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus to sing at the Philharmonie with the Berliner Philharmoniker when this picture was taken. My illustrious European debut! See? I didn’t waste all those years in silence!)

→ 4 Comments

Posted in concerts, highbrow, music, nerdery, Old-Timey Tuesday, travel

a prelude to end all preludes (and much, much more)

Posted on April 28, 2011 | 2 Comments

So, as we all know, The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is happening tomorrow.  One of my musician friends just shared on Facebook an update to the Royal Wedding Website — there are lots of unnecessary caps in these matters — announcing what the Music for the Wedding Service will be. Traditional brides, take note! There are surely some good ideas in here for your organist — or your full orchestra, should you have one on hand for your wedding.  (Photo at left from Brides.com)

The prelude will kick off with four pieces for organ, followed by seven — seven! — orchestral works. (That right there is a full-length recital in itself.) Then follows a Fanfare and three Processionals (for the Queen, the Clergy and the Bride); three Hymns during the service; a choral Anthem and Motet; the National Anthem; another choral piece while Kate and Wills sign the Register; and another Fanfare from the Fanfare Team (I did not make that up, I promise). Finally, a recessional for the happy couple and a postlude of two pieces, concluding with everyone’s favorite interminable commencement ditty, Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance.

Yowza. If you’re curious about the specifics (that’s you, future brides looking for music ideas), allow me to refer you to this background page on ye olde Royal Wedding Website. All kidding aside, I like to see a service that incorporates so much music — not that it could have been any other way — even if it is all quite conventional and expected. They’ve balanced out the obviousness of the selections by adding in a recent premiere and a couple of pieces commissioned just for the occasion. (We should all be so lucky!)

I’m looking forward to hearing all of the service music, especially the new works — I’m definitely not going to catch much of the prelude, which probably starts at 5 a.m. or so over here. (And I obviously am excited to see Kate’s Royal Wedding Dress and the sure-to-be whimsical millinery in the congregation.) I just hope the wedding wraps up before I have to go to work. Can’t we get the day off too?

→ 2 Comments

Posted in highbrow, in the media, music, weddings