The Choral Contrarians

Richard and Eric gather round the old fireplace to chat about a variety of things, including reading a wonderful note from Swedish composer Mattias Sjöberg.  High-back chairs and a roaring fire is a wonderful time to reminisce and celebrate hygge during the dark, winter season.

Eric and Richard ask the question no one is asking (and maybe for good reason): Is there an intersection between the concept of liminal space and choral music?  They discuss this fairly defined aesthetic phenomena and posit if any aspect of it can be seen in the light of music performance.  Oh, and they rank their favorite solfege syllables.  Just riveting in every way.

Richard and Eric dive deep into an article in The Critic, entitled "Have I Seen the Future of Music; On a performance in three dimensions for all five senses," by Norman Lebrecht.  The article largely reviews pianist Yuja Wang's recent collaboration with renowned English artist David Hockney.  The author posits that, through the use of technology and three-dimensional space, this performance hints to not just a navigable way forward for music and music performance, but an exciting possible future filled with multi-sensory elements.  Are there issues to ponder with this type of thinking?  What do we mean when we say the 'future of music'?  What might we think the future of music will really be like?https://thecritic.co.uk/issues/november-2023/have-i-seen-the-future-of-music/

Richard and Eric, after struggling to come up with topics for the pocast, resort to asking ChatGPT for help.  They review and analyze what offerings AI provides, which leads to a much larger discussion of how AI might intersect the fine arts, most specifically choral music.  It is an interesting deep dive into the digital sea.

Richard and Eric look into a quote about art and music that has been making the rounds of social media recently.  Formally attributed to postmodernist/neo expressionist artist  Jean-Michel Basquiat, it reads: “Art is how we decorate space, music is how we decorate time.”  Why does the statement illicit a strong response from those in the fine arts?  What could it actually mean, or does it perhaps mean something that people are misinterpreting, en masse?

Richard and Eric have returned from the proverbial grave!They catch up a bit and then briefly tackle the difficult task of creating a discernible ethic an ensemble can utilize and rally around on a practical level.  They look specifically to a recent movie: "The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse" directed by Peter Baynton and Charlie Mackesy (adapted from a book of the same name by Mackesy) for inspiration.   Are there ground level ideas or simple philosophies that can be implemented 'below' the music making that can effect the entire process for the good?To watch on AppleTV:https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/the-boy-the-mole-the-fox-and-the-horse/umc.cmc.2aenzye90tqkj7iy0131oom9x

Richard and Eric take a look at perfection within the context of our choral experiences.  What actually is perfection as it relates to choral rehearsal and performance?  Is it an attainable goal, or is it actually a shadowy, distant mountain in which the closer we get to it, the farther away it becomes?  How do our individual contexts play a role in our conception of perfection?  Can we be driven so hard by the idea of perfection that it finally becomes either a harm or absurdity?

Richard and Eric make a grand (well, not-so-grand) return to the airwaves after a long hiatus!  They once again, effortlessly, reach the pinnacles of podcasting mediocrity as they catch up a bit and discuss some of the challenges and victories of making music this fall.

With churchwarden pipe in hand, Richard joins Eric in the library by a tended fire to discuss the year and perhaps what the future may hold for those in the choral profession.

Eric and Richard are like or as a couple of professors talking about using words in a way that is like or as similes and metaphors are used.  How can a conductor use similes and metaphors in the context of a rehearsal setting?  Is it useful?  What are potential issues that can arise if used incorrectly or too much?  Join the guys deep in the mine and go spelunking for ways metaphors can be used in ways that are like or as useful ideas are used.

Richard and Eric discuss the slippery subject of transcendence through music and art.  Often referenced throughout their discussions, they take the time to dive more deeply into this difficult concept, deciding if it is something one can grasp for or merely receive.  Is it attainable in our day-to-day lives, or only reserved for special moments?  ...and what is it exactly, anyway?Lewis, C. S. (2001). The Weight of Glory (1st ed.). HarperOne.

Richard and Eric tackle a juicy quote about Herbert Howells from a 1950s Musical Times article composed by Gerald Finzi.  “To some the idiom will appear ‘dated,’ and poorer critical minds attach much greater significance to this word than it deserves.  ‘All only constant is in constant change,’ but too often the generations see only the change and overlook the constancy.  We are, after all, only a link in a chain and each link must, of necessity, lie the opposite way to its predecessor.”  Where are we at today with some of the notions Finzi presents?Finzi, G. (1954). Herbert Howells. The Musical Times, 95(1334), 180-183. doi:10.2307/934754

Richard and Eric are joined by returning guest Dr. Jeremiah Cawley to discuss a special and controversial quote from Fyodor Dostoevsky's "Notes from Underground."  The thought process of the examined quote is guided by a YouTuber "Thoughts on Thinking," and the road leads to some broad and substantial questions about a human's relationship to process, purpose, goals, accomplishment, and despair.  Is  what you think you want not what you want at all?  Is the process of completion a hidden key for satisfaction or a trap?  Does this topic relate somehow to music making?https://www.thoughtsonthinking.orghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC2SfbWrgFA

Irish composer Michael McGlynn once again joins Eric on the podcast, this time to wander deep into all things composing.  Having an extensive international career as a celebrated choral composer, Michael shares stories and thoughts on the composer's voice,  distillation, the current landscape of composition, and the rich wide ocean of song we all swim in.  Pieces by Michael McGlynn (sung by Anúna) included:"Salve Rex Gloriae""O pia virgo""Midnight""Victimae"www.michaelmcglynn.comwww.anuna.ie

Richard and Eric take a look at a 2017 Australian research paper that correlates openness to experience and binocular rivalry.  The researchers found some very interesting perceptual outcomes, including a connection to inattentional blindness (made famous by the 'Invisible Gorilla' experiment), but does anything found have anything to do with our musical practice (especially for conductors)?  It is seen to be true that openness to experience, wonder, and awe are linked to perceptual awareness — how does this play out in teaching and the ensemble experience?  Will we miss the guy in the gorilla suit?Antinori, A., Carter, O. L., & Smillie, L. D. (2017). Seeing it both ways: Openness to experience and binocular rivalry suppression. Journal of Research in Personality, 68, 15–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2017.03.005Goldhill, O. (2017, June 6). Being open-minded literally changes the way you see the world. Quartz. https://qz.com/997679/open-minded-people-have-a-different-visual-perception-of-reality/Smillie, L., & Smillie, L. (2017, August 15). Openness to Experience: The Gates of the Mind. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/openness-to-experience-the-gates-of-the-mind/

Richard and Eric venture out to tip over a most beautiful sacred cow: choral blend.  What are people actually talking about when they ask for "blend?"  Though being slightly more ambiguous than conductors would like to admit, it remains a top priority for many.  We all want the choirs we hear to sound good, but what could we all be missing if we focus on "blend" too much, or put it above other aspects of the music-making experience.  Are there potential alternatives or perhaps different ways of getting at what "blend" is, perhaps even creating a more vibrant, unified musical experience?  https://blog.chrisrowbury.com/2018/04/the-7-elements-of-vocal-blend-and-how.htmlhttp://www.markdavinobenza.com/2012/07/choral-blend-better-way-to-get-it-with.htmlhttps://www.classicalmpr.org/story/2015/07/27/weston-noble-the-legacy-of-an-american-choral-giant

Eric sits down to chat with one of Ireland's preeminent composers and musicians: Michael McGlynn.  They speak about the early days of Anúna, what the group has grown into, and its global influence over the course of its illustrious 33 year history.   They also spend some time speaking about how "Sean-nós" singing has directly, and indirectly, effected the model Anuna and Michael's own choral philosophy.   What exactly is "Sean-nós"?  Does integrating this concept into a choral paradigm challenge certain established norms believed by a good many choral conductors?  Is there something beautiful and powerful that Anúna is tapping into that would be worth to dwell on and pursue?Pieces by Michael McGlynn (sung by Anúna) included:"Salve Rex Gloriae""Amhran na Gaoithe""Quis Quis""The Rising of the Sun"www.michaelmcglynn.comwww.anuna.ie

Richard and Eric dig into listener emails to answer some questions and comments.The short-form topics and questions covered are 1) CPDL (Choral Public Domain Library) and attribution, 2) publishing houses and their domination of reading sessions, 3) DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) recipients and their perceived preparedness in certain choral styles/eras, and 4) the choral world's general relationship with composers who are considered luminary or celebrity.Thanks for the emails, questions, encouragements, and comments.  Please keep them coming!

Richard and Eric discuss the moment and some psychological ramifications that have developed over the recent months, both individually and collectively within the choral arena.  They land on a word not often used, but perhaps necessary for the times: "trudge."

Do you constantly feel like an imposter, just waiting to be found out to be the fraud that you think you are?  For their first episode of Season 3, Richard and Eric take a peek at the real-life phenomenon known as "imposter syndrome," as well as the five types of ways this is seen to manifest in individuals.  During the covid-19 season, this particular psychological pattern may be more prevalent than ever. For those that struggle with this periodically, or habitually, they land on something to dwell on that may assist.They also welcome a very important new sponsor: The "Louis XV Cravat Facemask".Abrams, A. (2018, June 20). Yes, Impostor Syndrome Is Real. Here’s How to Deal With It. Time. https://time.com/5312483/how-to-deal-with-impostor-syndrome/Langford, J., & Clance, P. R. (1993). The imposter phenomenon: Recent research findings regarding dynamics, personality and family patterns and their implications for treatment. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 30(3), 495–501. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-3204.30.3.495