Concert at St Vincent's

Went to the market earlier today and the guys with the big paella pan were there.  I have heard stories about such big pans, but never expected to see one in use.  Yummmmmmmm.

Yes, the vendor really was THAT animated.

I have plenty of left-overs, so I limited my purchases to some lettuce and fresh tomatoes.  I don't plan on cooking another pot of anything before next market day, this coming Tuesday.  I did see some wonderful chrysanthemums, though.  I remember these from a long time ago--they're yellow and one bloom is big enough for a corsage.  I associate them with football homecoming, but have no idea why.  Here chrysanthemums are going on the tombs in the cemeteries next week for Toussaints.....All Saints Day.

I went to the concert at St. Vincent's today at 4:00.  It was a combined choir concert with organ pieces.  I actually liked the organ part of the program better than the choir portion.  I really did try to just relax and enjoy the concert, but was not entirely successful.  Too many years behind the folder, I guess.  The program was primarily Schutz, Mendelssohn and Handel. 

The place did fill up with a nice turnout for the concert.

In those acoustics, all the consonants, beginning, ending and in the middle, got lost. Maybe that is unavoidable.  These two choirs were combined--one was from Germany and their director was the director for this concert.  Reinhard Seeliger is his name.  It's hard for a choir to sing under a director other than the one they're used to, so the Choer de Saint Louis, the local team, so to speak, was at a disadvantage.  I tried to find some good things as I was writing my comments--and I don't know why I have to do that, either.  I always think I might refer to those programs some time when choosing music for my own choirs.  

Anyhow, they did Mendelssohn's Singet dem Herren ein neues Lied (Sing to the Lord a New Song).  I noted beneath it,  "But learn it first."  I am probably going straight to hell for that.  Fortunately nobody sitting close to me could read English or my handwriting.

They closed with selections from the Messiah.  Don't try to B.S. me on that piece.  I could sing it, and most all parts, if I were in a coma.  You don't learn a piece from Ed Polochick and ever forget it!!!!The choir went up to the organ loft (in the back of the church) to sing these pieces, which would help with keeping the organ and the choir together.  It was only partly successful.  I liked the director's tempos....they were sprightly.  

They closed with the Hallelujah Chorus.  Apparently, in France, it is NOT the tradition to stand for this piece. Who knew?  I was already up, and kept waiting for others to stand. I was the only one in the entire audience of maybe 150-200 people who was standing.   When I realized that I was the only one on my feet, I experienced just a moment's hesitation.  Then I thought, "Screw it, I am going to do this anyway."  It is my tradition and I do try to respect the customs of the place I am visiting,  but I was taught this was a way to honor Handel, his genius and the singers who are singing it. So I stood.  All. Alone. For. The. Whole.Piece.  After a while, I was just lost in the music and didn't give a rip what anyone thought. Oh yes, they were all facing forward, and I was facing backward. So it was kind of hard to avoid eye contact.

After the Hallelujah Chorus--NOW they stand.

After the concert, a whole bunch of people came up to me....it's not like I had been bloody invisible....They were really nice about my tradition. They knew about it, but in France, they don't observe it.  Maybe I was wrong,  but I wasn't trying to be disrespectful.  Several people could see that I was a singer---I was mouthing the words, but not, I swear on the Messiah score, singing along.  One lady wants me to come and join the choir that is local, but I don't know.  I may want to check out a few other ones before I commit.  And I don't want to get locked into having to attend a Catholic church here.  

The organ gleamed.

It was an enjoyable concert, especially the organ pieces.  I wrote, "There must be a room in heaven that sounds like this," under a piece by Pable Bruna---Tiento des Tiples....and Handel's Arrival of the Queen of Sheba was a delight.  I would like to make an entrance to that music.  Who wouldn't?

On the way home, I stopped in the ticket office for the bus system and bought a carnet..10 tickets for 8 Euros.  Because I had no idea what I wanted, there was one great jolly guy who elbowed his colleague, nodded at me and started to laugh.  Finally I said, I want to ride the Number 1 Bus and see where it goes.  I told him that I didn't know where I wanted to go.  But I would go explore.  We all laughed and whooped and hollered.  Yes, it was at my expense, but I frankly don't see it that way.  I got what I came for, I made two wonderful allies.  They won't soon forget me and they were falling over themselves to be helpful to an old broad.  Who actually had the last laugh?

Monday, I hop the bus for my exploration....