Dixit Dominus – Handel

As a member of the RCS Chamber Choir I will be taking part in the performance of Handel’s “Dixit Dominus” in a choral concert to be held at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Glasgow on the 8th December 2015.

st marys
St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Glasgow

George Friedrich Handel was born in Germany in 1685 and after studying in Germany and Italy he eventually moved to England 1712 where he settled and lived happily eventually becoming a British subject in 1727.  Handel was considered a brilliant composer whose works covered a wide breadth of music genres such as operas, anthems, oratorios and organ concertos.

George-Frideric-Handel
George Friderich Handel

“Dixit Dominus” is a setting of the Latin text of the “Psalm 110” which Handel completed in April 1707 whilst living in Italy and under the patronage of the Colonna family who were a powerful and influential family in Italy at that time.

Colonna-Crest
Colonna Family Crest

The score was not published until 1867 over 100 years after his death.

Handel was accomplished at bringing both the voice and instrumentation together in his works, this piece is no different requiring five vocal soloists ( two sopranos, an alto, tenor and bass ) along with chorus and instrumentalists.

 

Dixit-Dominus
Rehearsals In Full Swing

Our conductor for the ensemble is Timothy Dean Head of Opera  who is being assisted by James Slimings a fellow student.

We rehearse for two hours each Tuesday evening, initially we practised together but recently we have been split into two groups, male voices and female voices.  This helps us to work on the musical lines within our voice types before bringing it all back together as a single ensemble.

It is great to work with everyone on these projects as there are so many talented singers and musicians here at the Conservatoire.  I can’t wait to see how it all comes together over the coming weeks and should prove to be a fabulous evening for all those that can make it along to the performance.

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RCS Header 2015

The image for the post was taken from a new Facebook header that Pascal Barnier very kindly created for me, based on this being the start of the final and fourth year of my undergraduate degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.  Lots happening I’ll keep you posted :).

 

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My-Garden

Just a quick update, as you can see our indoor garden is flourishing with the exception of the chives which I think we cut back a little too enthusiastically 🙂  So fingers crossed they will continue to thrive as we go into Winter.

 

57 thoughts on “Dixit Dominus – Handel”

    1. Yes my audition went quite well; my sight reading has come on at the conservatoire. Happy with my plants, hope you’re well and getting to lots of musical events this season Peter.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  2. You’re 4th and final year… I can proudly say ‘I knew you when…’ I hope you’ll always keep us posted on your progress and events!!

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    1. 🙂 I’ve time to blog once each week now, and when I’m relaxing I try to get around to reading all my favourite blogs to keep in touch with everyone and different aspects of life. I do love it so I hope I always find time to continue.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  4. We know that Handel was a great composer. But there is a mystery about Handel. Was that hair real or was he wearing extensions? I go with the extensions myself. It’s either that or a wig. I mean, look at that photo. He seems to be thinking, How long can I hold this hair on top of my head? It is a serious subject that I am sure scholars have spent thousands of hours trying to get to the bottom of. Kind of like the Shakespeare question. Did Shakespeare write those plays or was it somebody else named Shakespeare? You know, somebody ought to write an opera about the Shakespeare question.

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  5. Gorgeous setting. It looks like the sort of design which produces fabulous acoustics. Amazing it took so long to publish this one – something they just couldn’t Handel before? 🙂

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  6. Another interesting post Charlotte, following your blog has given me a whole new area of education,👌. I wish I could come up to hear you sing in December but, I will see you over Christmas and keep those plants going 🌱🌷🌺🌹🌾xx

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  7. Very nice article, as usual, good work.
    Thank you for sharing with us.
    Your garden is beautiful. Congratulations!
    Happy to create for you dear Charlotte !
    All the best for you, always!

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  10. I do not have any experience with reherasal of any kind. I think it can help bringing confident and good fun going along till the day.

    Your indoor garden still looks awesome. I am quite certain all the plants will do well in winter.

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  11. What a spectacular setting for this special performance! I know how strenuous rehearsals can be – my brother is first tenor with the NC concert orchestra’s chorale. Seems like he is always rehearsing!

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    1. Yes, I don’t do as much chorale work as others in the Conservatoire because I have several priorities but I always enjoy joining in at least once each year. I didn’t know your brother is a tenor happy to hear he’s busy is it his main career?

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. Thanks Martin. Still finding time to go to support my friends in concerts, Glen and Stephanie did a great job this weekend, and I’m hoping to go to see Carmen this week at Scottish Opera. I’m pacing myself 🙂

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  13. I love Dixit Dominus! I hope you continue to enjoy the rehearsals and best of luck with the performance. The Episcopal Cathedral is very beautiful and your plants look very healthy.

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  14. Hi Charlotte, i love going to works with choir, my sister was in the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra choir, so went to many of their performances, and then a friend in the Johannesburg Bach choir, so went to all their performances. Have just finished watching a performance of Handle’s opera Giulio Cezare, with Natalie Dessay as Cleopatra and Lawrence Zazzo the counter tenner sing tthe part of Julius Caesar, and Emmanuelle Haim conducting. Wonderful. Handel managed to keep himself in work in a most extraordinary way, moving from patron to patron. He worked for the future George the first, while he was still prince with his headquarters in Hamburg, after having a fall out with him, he moved South to Italy where he had a lot of success, but after another fall out, he moved to Britain, where George was now enthroned as George 1, and had immediate success with his operas. Having heard the water music that Telemann had written for George, uninvited he wrote his water music, and presented it to George who loved it, and for the second time he became the court composer, following up the the water music , with the music for the royal fireworks. Not long after this Handel was hit by a double blow, he had another fall out with King George, loosing favor and his job. Secondly opera went into decline in Britain, and his operas were no longer performed. He had heard one of the early oratorios, so wrote one of his own, and took it with him on a tour of Ireland, where it was a great success, news of the success got back to London, where it was performed with great success, so he then started to write oratorios. He came back into favor with the Georges, when one of his works, included God save the King, which was used ceremonially from then on. So he certainly new how to move with the times. The venue looks wonderful, as does your garden, Chives often don’t survive winter. Best of luck, and enjoy your 4th year, blessings, Charles.

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    1. Thank you so much Charles for adding such interesting information to my post 🙂 A musical entrepreneur! I feel better now about the chives, I must find a herb that likes winter, I wonder if mint will be easy to look after?

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

      1. Yes he is said to be the earliest musical entrepreneur. Interesting fellow, there is a very interesting museum put together in the London house that he originally stayed in. Most herbs are seasonal, that is why very early on people started to dry herbs, so they would have them in the winter months. They like lots of sun, and are not that fussy about the soil, as many are pioneers (some are even called weeds!) If they are kept in a warm spot with lots of light, and aren’t watered to much, some of them may go through an indoor winter.

  15. How great it is to see you so busy and in such nice production ~ Handel is great, and I like the process you described about Handel bringing the voices and instruments together and then your director in a sense doing the same with the male & female vocals.

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  22. Hey Charlotte! Seems like you’re thriving and having so many fun projects going on! Yay! And also yay for it being your fourth and final year! \o/ I hope the concert goes well and that you have a marvellous time performing the wonderful music by Händel. He’s one of my favourite composers. 🙂

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      1. Hey Charlotte,
        I’m doing good. I’ve graduated and moved to Stockholm to continue my studies. So I am studying at Stockholm Operastudio now, which is a two year program. 🙂 So lots of stuff going on atm.
        All the best,
        Cecilia

  25. What a beautiful cathedral! Glad you’re having a great time involving in all these singing opportunities. Looks like you’re really enjoying your year! 😉

    Reply

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