Choir Concentration

We have missed valuable rehearsal time due to bad weather and Ash Wednesday. Tonight we must hunker down and work hard, not waste a single moment, no time for socializing. The upcoming pieces are not easy reads or familiar oldies. This will require sweat and perhaps even tears.

We meet in the small warmup room because the Fellowship Hall where we are still worshiping due to the sanctuary renovations is too vibrant and echoey. We cannot hear ourselves much less the other parts. Even though the piano is not in tune or of good quality, it is still better to be able to hear ourselves.

I know going in that I am going to change Sunday's piece, but I do not know what we will sing. I am leaning toward a hymn that we know. The pastor's series is on forgiveness. It should be easy to find something appropriate. Next week's piece is the one we focus on. I tried this one last year, but could not find a cellist to accompany us.

This year, the husband of our evening building supervisor has offered to play. I am excited because this is a piece I want to do for my master of church music recital. The text is appropriate to the series - Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy. We go after the parts tooth, hammer and tong as the saying goes. By the time we end, we are in a good place. A bit of polish and we can easily have it ready next week.

But this week's piece (Franck's Father Most Merciful aka Panis Angelicus) cannot be conquered in ten minutes. I suggest we look in the hymnal. They find a title to a favorite anthem listed in the forgiveness section and we pull the piece. They read it in a snap. Yes, they do know it well. How great is that? And the text fits well. Now all I have to do is go home and learn it myself. Better me than the whole choir! Good job.