Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

And today was the Tallis Scholars. Wow. What an INCREDIBLE experience. I have NEVER felt so uplifted as I did during that concert. There has only been one other concert that had even close to the effect this one had on me. Oddly enough, it was actually a folk rock concert by a band called “The Swell Season.” You may know them from the movie “Once” - they did the soundtrack for it and won an Emmy for best original song from a film. Anyway, I saw them in November in SLC and they were terrific. Best show I'd ever been to. I left feeling SO good! It was just such a great time and the music they write and play is simply wonderful. It was really fantastic.

This concert was beyond words. There were only ten people in the ensemble and I've never heard a more in-tune, in-synch, together ensemble in all my life. They were simply extraordinary. They sang the Pope Marcellis Mass by Palestrina, as well as some other pieces, but that was the main piece on the program.

Each member of the ensemble knew exactly where he or she fit in the group and filled his or her part so very well. The two high sopranos impressed me most. There was one who had a HUGE voice, but blended it well most of the time. She was a bit overpowering at times, but her control was incredible. I loved hearing her soar on her high notes. However, I think her partner impressed me more. She was so very free and open, yet matched the color of the rest of the ensemble just a bit better. I was also quite impressed with the high tenor of the group. He had a certain sweetness to his voice and had a sonority to his voice that comes only when everything is completely open. However, there was a time in the concert when he sang with three other women and he closed down a bit too much for my liking and consequently, did not blend as well as I had hoped he would; it sounded just a little too manly, so to speak.

What overtones! There were times when I had to remind myself that the notes I was hearing could not possibly be sung by a human and that the group obviously wasn't singing them.

Gah. What an AMAZNG concert. It is at THE top of my list. If you EVER have a chance to see this ensemble, DO IT. You won't find anything better in the choral world.

We had a really wonderful afternoon. Jessica Jardine, Scott and Michelle and I went to the National Army Museum over by Sloane Square (close to the venue for the concert, which had INCREDIBLE acoustics, by the way). It was great! I loved reading all about the different wars G.B. Has been in and especially what it was like for the people here during World War II. They had a totally different experience than our country and it was so intriguing to learn how they dealt with their challenges and other such situations that naturally accompany war. And beside that, it was a really great museum. And it was free.

We then went to a quaint cafe where they had really wonderful, uniquely flavored food. I got a pesto pasta dish that had pistachios, spinach, and a whole lot of herbs I couldn't identify. It as DELICIOUS. And best of all was the dessert we shared amongst the four of us. It was a crepe with some really famous English whipped cream, toffee, bananas, strawberries, some DELECTABLE chocolate drizzle and Swiss chocolate ice cream. We thought we were going to die.

And then we went to see the Tallis Scholars and did die. We all feel like we've been translated.

I love this.