December 16, 2006
hmm...
You know, sometimes a guy just needs to sing. That's what I am thinking. This afternoon I rehearsed the Christmas Oratorio by Saint-Saens. Nice stuff...romantics slowly making their way to the modern have to make a pit stop at Saint-Saens. We also suggested that the entire work could be entitled "Homage to the Leading Tone." Heh. It is fun.
What is more fun is singing...actual singing. It is good to reacquaint myself with my own voice. Strange perhaps for a preacher to say. But there it is. Someone reminded me recently what advocate means...or could mean: to give voice. I guess that is a more literal translation. Who can help me here? My Latin is miserable.
The breathing...the tone, the playing with dynamics...and my most favorite, blending. You know, working your voice into those around you so that its individuality simply contributes to a whole...not that it vanishes per se, though it can seem to do that. But in listening to the voices around me, I can slide in and find where my bass-baritone can hide out or support or, if needed, add something needed at the right time. Thus, the low-c's. Not that the Saint-Saens asks for that end of my range, but there you go.
I love singing. God appears when I sing...in the "loss" of adding my voice to those around my own.
And, yes, I make a lousy soloist. Ha!
Tomorrow at Community Church we will sing in stead of the usual sermon. This is the shared sermon of the choir. Lovely. In the evening I will preach at Reconciler. It is Gaudete Sunday...the joyful Sunday. Lovely. So tomorrow I will speak about joy, Russian hermits, and Taize. I so love the Church.
Posted by tripp at December 16, 2006 07:58 PM