When I was a choir director…
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    … I always made the men wear veils.

    It’s a little unconventional, but at least then I had all my basses covered.
    Thanked by 7Liam NihilNominis sdtalley3 CHGiffen bhcordova PaxMelodious cesarfranck
  • Carol
    Posts: 851
    Har-dee- har- har!
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  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,735
    Har-dee-hair-har
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  • francis
    Posts: 10,678
    Hairy Darey Ho Hum
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,735
    A friend of mine was directing a rehearsal working on chant, and he casually quipped,

    "Angels don't breathe when they chant, and neither should you."
    Thanked by 2tomjaw bhcordova
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,955
    I would have replied: "Angels definitionally are incorporeal, so they have no lungs with which to breathe. You are welcome to find some to sing for you."
    Thanked by 4tomjaw Jeffrey Quick Carol PaxMelodious
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,735
    It was both intended and received in humor.
    Thanked by 3Liam tomjaw Carol
  • francis
    Posts: 10,678
    My greatest regret. I never had enough steady SATB choralists to have a “choir”. And as a composer whose most favorite idiom is composing sacred SATB music, that has been the most difficult obstacle of the creative soul.
    Thanked by 4ServiamScores LauraKaz kenstb cesarfranck
  • Diapason84
    Posts: 75
    I don’t miss directing choirs. I got tired of folks not committing their time and coming to practice only when they felt like it, but expected to be treated with kid gloves and not be given the least bit of constructive criticism. This seems to be more common in NO parishes than TLM. Either you’re in the group, or you’re not. I haven’t been a choir director in over ten years and don’t miss it the adult babysitting a bit.
    Thanked by 2ServiamScores francis
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,735
    You are welcome to find some [angels] to sing for you.

    Oddly enough, we invite the heavenly choirs to sing with us when we pray as a choir. I suspect they sound better than we do.
    Thanked by 2tomjaw kenstb
  • francis
    Posts: 10,678
    Wish they would sing louder and help the humans blend better…
    Thanked by 3Diapason84 tomjaw ServiamScores
  • JonathanLCJonathanLC
    Posts: 74

    "Angels don't breathe when they chant, and neither should you."


    Staggered breathing works a treat... just please don't stagger-breathe at the same time.

    I never had enough steady SATB choralists to have a “choir”.


    I have always wondered what a set of trombones would sound like on the lower parts as a substitution. Something like the serpents in the old days. Anyone tried this or something similar before?
  • GerardH
    Posts: 414
    I have always wondered what a set of trombones would sound like on the lower parts as a substitution. Something like the serpents in the old days. Anyone tried this or something similar before?

    I've used sackbuts to double or replace vocal parts in concert before. Organ would also be a legitimate option.
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,735
    Re: Gerard’s observation—
    Apparently it used to be common practice in convents (particularly female convents) to sing SATB motets with the organ covering whichever parts were out of range for the women. This has always intrigued me since I learned of the practice at a conference two years ago. Now that my choir is utterly imploding (lost three to college, another two to age, had someone move away, etc.) I’m thinking we are going to have to experiment with this out of genuine necessity.
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  • dad29
    Posts: 2,218
    what a set of trombones would sound like on the lower parts as a substitution


    Roger Wagner used a cello or bass fiddle for the "B" part when necessary.
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  • dad29
    Posts: 2,218
    I don't miss being in the cross-fire when Change of Pastor comes around, and certainly do not miss instructing priests on how choirs work AND on what is church music and what is dreck.
    Thanked by 5francis Diapason84 CharlesW cesarfranck tomjaw
  • kenstb
    Posts: 369
    What I miss the most is men who sing. In my first choir, I had tenors and baritones. Nowadays, I pray for more men to actually come to mass, much less the choir. But thank goodness, the ladies are dedicated and there are no issues regarding egos or anything else. God is good.
    Thanked by 2cesarfranck Carol
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,709
    @kenstb
    We are short of women... they have a habit of getting married and moving away.
  • jcr
    Posts: 132
    The greatest problem for today's choirmaster is the complete loss of the willingness to prepare. I'm reminded of Bear Bryants' comment that the desire to win was nothing; everyone wans to win. The willingness to prepare to win is what counts.
    I don't miss the lackadaisical mentality of most choristers. Following one aspiring chorister's declaration that she might not want to sing with a particular choir because she wasn't sure it was good enough for her, I suggested that if one wanted to bein a fine choir one had an obligation to be the kind of singer of which fine choirs are made. She never returned to choir activities there again.
    Thanked by 2ServiamScores LauraKaz
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