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Derek Chester wrote (July 3, 2005):
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File : /Benedictus from Bach mass in b minor Derek Chester tenor.mp3
Uploaded by : derekchestertenor <derek.chester@yale.edu>
Description : Benedictus from Mass in B minor sung by Derek Chester, tenor, with period instruments at a performance at Trinity Church in Worcester, Mass. www.derekchester.com
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Leonardo Been wrote (July 3, 2005):
[To Derek Chester] Thank you. Great pleasure to listen to.
Cara Emily Thornton wrote (July 4, 2005):
[To Derek Chester] What an interesting coincidence - I just sang the same piece for my ensemble's most recent performance at St. Martin's Lutheran Church in Krakow! So I was interested to find out what you did with it. I see you opted for a relatively fast tempo. There is a 'Baroque purist' in my ensemble who often complains that I want to take things too slowly, that it's 'too modern'. What is your take on this? How do we balance keeping it properly 'alive' with having enough time to really do something with the phrase?
Another thing - I had not expected to hear such a delicate tone quality from a tenor. In the end, I decided to sing the aria without transposition, admittedly striving for a more robust 'tenorish' sound - which is quite a change for me (supposedly I'm a soprano). The placement was a little off at times, so in spots I ended up sounding like a teenage boy whose voice hasn't quite finished changing - so I'll have to re-record it sometime. (Then I can upload it).
What I am driving at here is that now I see one can get away with leaving in at least a bit more sweetness of tone quality, without sacrificing authenticity from a musical standpoint. Thanks for your contribution!
Neil Halliday wrote (July 4, 2005):
[To Derek Chester] I find this gentle, smooth, flowing performance of this music to be absolutely delightful.
The voice and instruments seem to match perfectly in the environment of a pleasing acoustic; the voice itself is very pleasant on the ear; the flute is magic; and the continuo is just right, with a clear cello part and the right amount of harmonic colouring from the organ, all presented without excessive mannerism.
Thank you.
Derek Chester wrote (July 4, 2005):
[To Cara Emily Thornton] Thanks for the comments. It was a tough sing for me all at baroque pitch and at the end of the mass, as most of it was done one on a part, I was very vocally tired. I wish i could have gotten a fresher take. THere would have been a little more brass to it. This aria is easy to sing too sweetly. Did you sing this as a soprano? I'm not sure i'm following you.
Cara Emily Thornton wrote (July 4, 2005):
[To Derek Chester] Do I understand from your comments that you have absolute pitch? Or that the low E is difficult in Baroque tuning? Yeah, I bet you were tired if you were trying to sing that after doing the rest of the mass OPPP. However, I doubt there are many tenors out there who would say that it is *easy* to sing this aria too sweetly. Only ones who have a large natural dose of sweetness in the first place...
When I mentioned singing it 'without transposition', I meant 'as a tenor, not as a soprano'. With a corresponding shift in placement, and thereby, in tone quality. (My old voice teacher in Philly would be horrified - he used to forbid me to sing below middle C. Needless to say, I no longer comply with that restriction...).
Chris Kern wrote (July 4, 2005):
[To Derek Chester] That was good! Now when do we get the rest of the Mass? ;-)
Derek Chester wrote (July 4, 2005):
[To Chris Kern] Thanks alot. Domine Deus from the same performance is on my Yahoo web group: http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/derekchester/
I haven't got the ok from the others to post the stuff. Just the conductor and the soprano. There are a few other Bach tracks there on the web group including Frohe Hirten from Xmas oratorio and a something else which i can't remember now.... When i get my real web site going I'll be able to upload some files with better bitrates as yahoo groups won't upload anything larger than 3mb and space runs up quickly.
Dereck Chester wrote (July 4, 2005):
[To Cara Emily Thornton] Well, I'm still in the process of builind up my stamina, and after a long sing, my low range is the first to be effected. I don't have perfect pitch, but my relative pitch (where things feel in my voice as compared to where they are on a staff) was screwed up for the first couple of hours of rehearsal, but that might just be me also being rusty with the mass choral parts. I got to the site of the gig and was then informed that if would be on period instruments at A415. I had sung the mass as a chorister twice already at 440 and it's uncanny how certain notes and runs stick in your "muscle memory" in your larynx. I can always hear/feel the first note of the credo, and strangly enough the top G in the Qui sedes from the Poulenc Gloria (both times tenors start on the downbeat.
Maybe I should say schmaltzy rather than sweet- over-sentimental.
Chris Kern wrote (July 4, 2005):
Derek Chester wrote:
< Thanks alot. Domine Deus from the same performance is on my Yahoo web group: >
Hey thanks -- Domine Deus is my favorite movement of the whole work. Good job; the soprano has a nice voice too. |
