Emotional Spillage in Blackheath!
Peter Gritton left our guest conductor, literally jumped in with both feet or rather jumped onto the podium with both feet to make a dramatic start to our choral workshop singing Brahms’ German Requiem. There was a good turnout of ECS singers, delighted to be invited by the Blackheath Choir
to share this opportunity to deepen our knowledge and appreciation of this masterpiece. Peter’s passion was clear from the start as he said he knew the work before he was born with both his parents being musicians with a particular love of it. The passion was infectious as Peter highlighted the unity of the work with the recurring motifs, the mirror image of the first and last movements, the interplay of the orchestral and choral parts and the raw emotion produced by melodic passages filled with original key changes. This is a requiem to comfort the mourners left behind by the departed, reflected so often in harmonic dissonance leading to eventual resolution.
Peter led the day with great humour not least when he lauded us for creating an emotional spillage in Blackheath in response to the choir’s rendition of a particularly visceral passage. There were lots of awe and wonder moments but the best takeaway was an appreciation of the work as a whole.
This can be elusive in 2-hour rehearsals when learning must be very focussed.
A huge vote of thanks to Jane and Blackheath Choir for organising the day and making us feel so welcome. Special thanks also to Pat Williams, their own conductor, for her role and for accompanying the singing magnificently. Finally, blessed are the cake makers who provided delicious
cakes for the lunch break.
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