Rehearsals, Day 1

posted by Henry Lebedinsky

17 February 2009

2:00 a.m.

Scenic Hartford, Connecticut. My home town, I guess. I miss New England in winter. Down home in NC, the trees are flowering, the crocuses are blooming (and being eaten by my chickens) and it's pushing 60 degrees every day. Up here, it's in the 20s. Bracing, wonderful cold.

Tableau is rehearsing at Asylum Hill Congregational Church on Asylum Ave. in Hartford. The recession is hitting the area hard. It makes me sad to see the empty buildings and general urban malaise. We're in for it, it seems. Inside, we escape from it all with our music. Ian and Michael met for the first time, and sang beautifully together. 

A German baroque cantata by Johann Schelle and Italian duets by Steffani and Handel were on the menu, with extra virgin olive oil, freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, and prosciutto. Handel's 'Quel fior ch'al alba ride' was the source material for the Messiah chorus 'His yoke is easy.' The music makes much more sense with the Italian words, especially the rippling, jovial melisma on the word 'ride' (laughs) 

Perhaps a nice chianti?

I'll take Guinness.