All,
Further to Lesley’s email at 16.00 today, please note that the Albert Hall Scratch concert will be using the Novello Prout score, NOT the score referred to in Lesley’s note which is the one we have previously used (the Novello Watkins Shore version).
The Prout score is widely available – I bought mine on Amazon Prime for £7.95 and it was delivered the next day! If you are searching for it online, it has a red cover and is smaller than the orange cover version we used in Salzburg.
It is absolutely essential to buy the Prout version, as there are some important differences in the versions and we will also need to use the Prout version for the rehearsal on 12 November.
Virtually all of you singing at the Albert Hall now have your ticket and singers’ notes (these are also available on the Scratch concert website).
Please take the time to go through the singers’ notes and mark up your scores in advance as there are some movements we will not be singing, etc, and there is no rehearsal in advance of the Albert Hall performance (except for ours on 12 Nov).
Some of you have inquired whether there are still tickets available for the Scratch concert. There are not, but I am in touch with the organiser who tells me there are usually returns on the day, if you are prepared to come along on spec (you can always get an audience ticket!)
As Lesley confirmed today, Chris is kindly organising a special Messiah workshop at the church from 1.30-5.30 pm on 12 November. Most of you attending the Albert Hall have confirmed already that you are attending this – on the day I will be collecting £5 per person to cover the extra cost of this practice.
Just a reminder that the Albert Hall Scratch concert starts at 7 pm and we have to be seated 10-15 minutes beforehand. There are various bars and restaurants in the Albert Hall and I might suggest we meet in one of those for a drink before the concert starts (but we can discuss that nearer the time).
Dress code for the Albert Hall concert is explained on the website as follows:
Ladies normally wear dresses or skirts, and Sopranos should wear something including blue (aim for a ‘mid-tone’, please—not too pale or too dark or too green!) and Altos something with red. Gentlemen should wear dark suits and ties or dinner jackets with black bow-ties.
The main thing to remember for sopranos is the blue top, and for the altos the red top, as this is about all the audience will see!
Hope all is clear – see you all next week at choir practice.
Sue Eustace
sue.eustace@blueyonder.co.uk