I feel the need to blog about Vaughan Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem that we are learning to sing in choir at the moment... it is dire not to put too finer point on it. It is written in mind of the terrible terrible pain and crude carnage of the first world war, and that is very, very clear from the music. I find, however, that spending 2 hours singing...
For the son is brought with the father,
In the foremost ranks of the fierce assault they fell,
Two veterans, son and father, dropped together,
And the double grave awaits them.
...to be quite wearing and tiring actually. I cannot imagine that anyone should choose to pay to hear us singing this discordant cacophany.
On the other hand, I find the journey through the whole piece from the Agnus Dei through into the war poetry and then back to the quiet, peaceful ending; dona nobis pacem - have mercy on us, to be quite moving. I would rather be singing something rather more harmonious, though. We are also singing Schubert's Mass in G, necessary for a little light relief I think.
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2 comments:
As a fellow Chorister Emma, I can relate to having to sing some dire music: mostly the stuff by Britten and Howells that we have to sing at the Priory. Give me Tallis or Bach any time!
Thanks for the comment, Matt. I campaign for more enjoyable music! Lovely laptop by the way!
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