Signs of life

 

As I start this post, Mary is practising the cello downstairs.  This has been one of the most constant musical sounds of the past 18 months here, and it is particularly noteworthy (no pun intended) since she has little to sustain her efforts beyond her own interest and commitment.  Lessons and chamber music are about to start again in Vauvert.  Meanwhile, the Bach choir I belong to is also struggling to emerge from the difficulties of Covid, which has created difficulties in rehearsals as well as leading to the postponement or cancellation of many concerts (as of course it has for almost every musician from amateurs like us to the top professionals.  The choir will need a lot of luck and effort if we are to continue.

But last weekend we went to an excellent concert, our first live for many months.  Our friends Karen and François-Xavier are baroque specialists but with a very broad spectrum of interests and repertoire, and their programme with the Sétois singer Max was of the chansons of Georges Brassens.  His music needs little introduction for French people, especially those from this part of the south of France where his name is familiar from many local concert buildings including the Salle Georges Brassens in Lunel.  In short, his words and music are part of the everyday ability to sing along for locals, but we know it far less well.  However, he combines attractive memorable tunes with a rich popular poetry, and combination of well-turned phrases and an earthy side.

Our friends, and their excellent singer, added a very individual touch to the already appealing music  by their choice of baroque instrumentation and by the combination of instrumental interludes from the baroque repertoire which blended seamlessly with the songs.  On a beautiful September evening in a recital room in the impressive château in Lavérune the effect as the sun went down was really impressive and enjoyable.  But despite our improving grasp of the French language we found it hard to catch the often allusive language of the songs, and I'm looking forward to searching out the words and re-listening to songs which some of our neighbours were humming under their breath as they listened, so familiar are they!

Music continues to provide a daily backdrop to our lives through the medium of recordings, whether broadcast of on other media.  Not the kind of music usually referred to in quizzes like Pointless which we watch regularly on BBC tv (competitors regularly score well in music round which leave us clueless), but the wide world of  'classical' music, particularly baroque and early 19th century music which has been the ostinato of our musical lives for 50 years.  We look forward to more opportunities to play chamber music with friends as we often used to do, and meanwhile Mary's cello takes her into a rather wider repertoire of romantic music and opera as part of the groups she plays in.  We are very lucky, even now, to have access to good music to listen to - we hope the opportunities to play and sing will gradually re-emerge.  The dogs sit patiently through it all in the sunshine!