Ute Deseniss-Gros: My Annual Choir Experience

My Annual Choir Experience

Ute Deseniss-Gros

Rümmingen, Germany

On Sunday night, 26 January 2020, over 400 people were attending our Epiphany concert in the 500 year old Laurentius Church at Binzen. As our conductor gently directed her baton to end the orchestra’s tones, the last word and musical notes were still resounding in the air. Then absolute silence filled the church. The longer the silence lasted, the more the audience absorbed the music which carried them off to another sphere. These few seconds were magical, and as always in such moments, I was exceedingly happy.

When the generous applause sets in it transports you back to reality with mixed emotions. First, you are proud, because all went well. The pain in the legs from the long standing was not in vain. But then you are also a bit sad, because you will have to wait for a year before the next Epiphany concert.

During performances in the church year we sing a capella or we are accompanied by an organ. For the Epiphany concert we are accompanied by an experienced orchestra and soloists in the 4 choir voices. When the trumpets, drums, and kettledrums start and evolve in the nave, I feel a shiver run through my body. My eyes are focused on our conductor awaiting the start sign for the GLORIA DEO or HALLELUJAH or KYRIE, depending on the cantata or mass we have to sing.

Then we are in a different world, only the music counts. The singers build a community with the conductor, the instrumentalists and the soloists.

Music in Germany is a discipline in all schools and at all levels. In addition, most villages and towns have choirs for women and men. My mother also sang in a church choir and when they were practicing for their Easter concert, I was asked to join.

During my student days in Heidelberg, I sang in an American church choir. In addition, when working for UNESCO in Abidjan, 1974-77, I joined the choir which my French Canadian boss had started. He favored the Canadian and French chansons and choir parts of great musicals.

I joined the choir to meet people and get integrated into the Abidjan community through the weekly rehearsals. A concert with our choir was the highlight each year at the French Cultural Center.

During my 20 years at UNICEF, I could not join a choir due to lack of time. Workload, later family obligations, and field trips made it impossible to sing in a choir.

After my retirement in mid-2002, I became a choir member of my local Protestant church. In Germany, nearly all Christian churches have a choir that performs during the ecclesiastical year, supporting the liturgy and celebrating important church holidays through congregational singing. Thanks to my clear soprano voice, I was already part of the lyceum choir.

Indeed, it is important to sing for others, rather than just for yourself. It is also a good motivation to strive for a better performance and better understanding of the music and the composer’s intentions when creating that piece of music. Attending rehearsals regularly, letting your voice melt in with the voices of other singers, learning the exact starts and the nuances in the “p” and “pp” parts, in comparison to the measures with the “f” and "ff” signs in a music sheet, are in my view of paramount importance.

My favorite choir music is baroque music: Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, etc.

The nearly 2 hour long concerts are free, although we take a collection at the exit, since we must pay for the soloists and musicians playing in the orchestra. They like to perform with us and have already been committed for next year.

After a concert, we sit together, enjoy our success while eating home-made bread and cake and - as we live in a wine producing region - drinking homemade wine.

Although likely too long to hear the entire, you may enjoy listening to the first work, Bach's Wachet ! Betet !

Click here for a recording of the entire concert (1 hour 42 mins)

Try also the recordings of the same pieces by other choirs and orchestras:

J.S. Bach: Wachet!  Betet!  Cantata BWV 70

W. A. Mozart:  Konzert für Flöte Harfe und Ochester kv 299

Carl Maria Weber: Mese in Es-Dur J 224

Gabriel Fauré: Pavane Op 11

Gabriel Fauré: Candique de Jean Racine

Here is the programme flyer for the concert.