Hallelujah

Many thanks to blast for alerting me to the BBC's massed Hallelujah Chorus being broadcast this coming Thursday. 

The orchestral accompaniment has been put together from recordings made at home by BBC Philharmonic musicians, and Radio 4 has invited singers from around the country to video themselves to be included. Yes please!

I first sang the Hallelujah Chorus about 50 years ago and have sung it a few times since but I discovered I had a phenomenal amount of revision to do. I have never before recorded a video of myself singing so there was a bit to learn there too, and it was salutary to hear what my singing actually sounds like. I've always regarded myself as having a solid middle-of-the choir voice rather than a solo voice, but sadly 'solid' was over-optimistic.

I started recording myself 48 times and got to the end eight times. No recording was as good as I wanted it to be but by the eighth it was getting too dark to video myself any more so that's the version I've sent off.

What extraordinary unexpected opportunities Covid-19 is offering us. If I get to be included on Thursday it will be a rare gift.