I'm back in York! And it's all sunny and nice and it's good to be back. The lake is completely filled with the most adorable baby ducklings and the black swans have cignets and they're soooo cute! I'm going to go ahead and put in a couple of pictures so you all realise how cute they are and how much I want one for myself. I'd call it Alfred and I'd love it forever.
In other news we got sent a review for the concert I sang in last term:
The Seasons, York University Choir / Northern Sinfonia; York Minster
4:20pm Thursday 11th March 2010
By Martin Dreyer
Though it has never enjoyed the popularity of The Creation, its sister
oratorio, Haydn's last completed work The Seasons brings more of his
prodigious genius into play.
That was the irresistible message from Wednesday's often enthralling
performance in the original German, conducted by Peter Seymour.
The true tints of the changing year, seen in Haydn's cameos of country life,
come through most richly in his orchestra. Here Seymour had a hugely
reliable ally in the Northern Sinfonia. Whether in the thrilling horns of
the hunt, the bold fanfares at spring's close, the shepherd's trilling oboe,
or the crack of the sportsman's rifle, we had primary colours at every turn.
The strings, often in perpetual motion in the choruses, added sterling
support.
The soloists took rather different approaches to their rustic roles. Matthew
Brook applied his bass, with increasing success, to Simon's homespun humour,
most notably in his spaniel aria.
The Enlightenment moral of the final aria proved well-suited to his operatic
treatment. Adrian Thompson's twitchy tenor made a townie of Lucas, never
really at ease. But soprano Mhairi Lawson, phrasing stylishly, was always
the country lass whether cavorting or musing. Her folksongs were witty, her
evocation of sunrise creamy and her mezzo-tinted late-autumn cavatina
exquisite.
The choir, weighing in only slightly lighter than usual at 230 voices,
proved surprisingly light on its feet - once it had despatched its clunky
opening to 'gentle' spring. Clarity marked the fugal chorus-endings, and the
sopranos soared fearlessly above the stave. Teamwork triumphed.
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The original is here http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/leisure/music/5057002.The_Seasons__York_University_Choir___Northern_Sinfonia__York_Minster/
Which is all quite exciting since I've never had a proper review for something before and it was quite a positive one over all.
The other day we went to Whitby for the day. It was a monst fun day out. We went to the beach, and made a fantastic sandcastle, which we populated with people made from babybel wax, and we saw the abbey and this lovely old church, and many many goths. We took the bus there, which took us past Flamingo Land, which looks worth a visit but quite expensive, and the village they film Heartbeat in (which is a soap opera, in case you were wondering.) We had a picnic lunch, and ice-cream, and fish and chips for tea. And it was all together quite marvelous.
Everyone is getting back to York now, and I'm surrounded by people stressing about exams, while I have almost no work to do, just a little bit of reading and lots of lazing around in the sunshine. It's rather fantastic.
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