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November 30, 2007
Biebl Ave Maria
I got to sing the Ave Maria by Franz Biebl last night for the first time. What a joy! I have loved this piece for years and have sung along to countless CDs, but have never sung it with a group. It calls for 7 men's voices - a trio and a quartet. At the monthly gathering of the Schütz Secret Singing Society, we sing simply for the joy of it. (Repeat that sentence out loud, quickly, five times, at your own risk!) It's a group of about 15 - 20 people (some more regular attenders than others), and we have a wonderful evening sight-singing new pieces and re-experiencing old favorites. Last night we did some Christmas stuff - my first inkling that the season is approaching. But the Biebl was a huge treat and made the evening for me. I think it affected all of us the same way. The women had already departed to begin experiencing the wonderful food and wine our hosts had put out, but we men just kept singing away. The Biebl is a signature piece of both Chanticleer and Cantus, two favorite groups of mine. But there's nothing like singing it yourself. Here is a YouTube of Chanticleer performing it. Happy holidays!
Posted by hgroteva at November 30, 2007 8:23 AM | Choral Music