Mad Mid-winter Scarf Sale

At last week's rehearsal we made heaps of money for the Choir Sales Table with our Mad Mid-winter Scarf Sale. Everyone enjoyed the evening of singing some of our old favourites like movements from Mozart's Requiem and also Beethoven's Choral Symphony - Ode to Joy. Then a nice cuppa tea or coffee and a lovely supper so generously provided by a handful of members.

Everyone was so relaxed and happy, yet excited about the success of the Belshazzar's Feast concert the previous weekend, and having fun with the scarf sale! Just have a look at the happy faces.

How Great Thou Art

City of Dunedin Choir will be singing 'How Great Thou Art' at the opening of the Forsyth Barr Stadium on 5 August, at 7 am in the morning.



- sung here in English and Maori by Sir Howard Morrison.

The tune of Whakaaria mai is the hymn How Great Thou Art, which was written in 1886 by a Swedish pastor, Carl Boberg, after he was caught in a sudden thunderstorm while out in the countryside.

Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

Then sings my soul my savior God to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
Then sings my soul my savior God to Thee
How great Thou art how great Thou art.


Whakaaria mai (pr. fa-kar-r'ya my)
Tōu rīpeka ki au
Ti-aho mai
Ra roto i te pō
Hei kona au
Titiro atu ai
Ora, ma-te
Hei au koe noho ai

O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings

George Frederic Handel - 'O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion' from "Messiah" Performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus.

Argentinian National Anthem

Argentina National Anthem Lyrics

First Part
Oid, mortales el grito sagrado
libertad, libertad, libertad

Oid el ruido de rotas cadenas,
que responde a la noble igualdad.
Ya su trono dignisimo abrieron,
Ya su trono dignisimo abrieron,
las Provincias Unidas del sur,
las Provincias Unidas del sur,
y los libres del mundo responden
al gran Pueblo Argentino, Salud
al gran Pueblo Argentino, Salud !

Y los libres del mundo responden:
Al gran Pueblo Argentino, Salud !

Second Part
Sean eternos los laureles
que supimos conseguir,
que supimos conseguir !
Coronados de gloria vivamos
Oh, oh, juremos con gloria morir
Oh, juremos con gloria morir,
Oh, juremos con gloria morir !!

English Translation
Mortals! Hear the sacred cry;
Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!
Hear the noise of broken chains.
See noble Equality enthroned.
The United Provinces of the South
Have now displayed their worthy throne.
And the free peoples of the world reply;
We salute the great people of Argentina!
(repeat)

And the free peoples of the world reply;
We salute the great people of Argentina!
(repeat previous two lines)

CHORUS
May the laurels be eternal
That we knew how to win.
Let us live crowned with glory,
Or swear to die gloriously.
(repeat three times)

Lyrics: Vincente López y Planes, 1813
Music: Blas Parera, 1813
Adopted: 1813

Ode to Joy

"Ode to Joy", Beethoven's 9th Symphony, performed by the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Orchestra conducted by Volker Hartung. Live from Lee Foundation Hall in Singapore.




"Ode to Joy" (German: "An die Freude" in D major, first line: "Freude, schöner Götterfunken") is an ode written in 1785 by the German poet, playwright and historian Friedrich Schiller, celebrating the brotherhood and unity of all mankind. It is best known for its musical setting by Ludwig van Beethoven in the final movement of his Ninth Symphony (completed in 1824), a choral symphony for orchestra, four solo voices and choir.

The Beethoven setting was adopted as the Anthem of Europe by the Council of Europe in 1972 and the then European Community—since 1993 the European Union—in 1985; the tune was also used in the anthem of Rhodesia. It has been used in a number of other contexts: notably in Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film A Clockwork Orange and in the Die Hard film franchise. It is also the basic melody for the song "A Song of Joy" by Miguel Ríos, and "Road To Joy" by Bright Eyes.

City of Dunedin Choir will perform this work together with the NZSO on Wednesday 28 September, 6:30pm, Dunedin Town Hall.

From the archives: Lacrimosa

'Lacrimosa' from Mozart's Requiem

Conductor: Ryusuke Numajiri

City of Dunedin Choir and Auckland Choral Society combined choirs, with the Southern Sinfonia.
1 October 2005, Dunedin Town Hall, New Zealand



Browse our Youtube Channel for more examples of our big sound!

'Feast' takes ears by storm

Belshazzar's Feast
Dunedin Town Hall
Saturday, July 16

Belshazzar's Feast, the rather unique oratorio composed by English composer William Walton in 1930-31, was performed on Saturday evening in the town hall by Southern Sinfonia with City of Dunedin Choir, conducted by Dane Lam.

Lam has said that Belshazzar's Feast is "big and noisy" and he certainly pulled out all the stops to get the very best from his musicians, interpreting the pagan rituals, worship of false gods and triumphant partying that is all part of this work. The music's unpredictability surprises the listener throughout, with its underlying traces of jazz, heinous irregularity of beat and sudden eruptions of outrageous sound.

Certainly a rare experience to hear this work live. Well done to all, though at many times I longed for an extra 100 voices to "conquer" the Sinfonia, revelling in their rich jagged orchestration and strident outbursts.

Internationally acclaimed New Zealand bass/baritone Paul Whelan, in the role of narrator, advanced the sectional plots. His unaccompanied Babylon Was a Great City was a stupendous delivery, with fervent tone and pristine diction.

The concert's opening works were hugely contrasting.

There's nothing quite like a good strong overture to open an orchestral event, but instead we were given Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, a string work of peace and serenity, somewhat loosely presented, with many soft entries tentative rather than gentle.

Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring (1944) with its strains of American melodies and Shaker tunes, particularly Lord of the Dance, was well defined and an enjoyable lead-up to the main work, but it would have been such a bonus to have heard Whelan (1993 Cardiff Singer of the World) perform in the first half of the concert.

- Elizabeth Bouman

Source: ODT Mon, 18 Jul 2011

Feedback from the audience

The highlight, although not the best piece of music, came after the interval, and everyone ended the performance covered in glory. I've heard the choir sing ff, but last night you got to ffff with nary a trace of distortion. Everyone near where I was sitting was wrung out at the end of the concert. It was a wonderful evening. My only regret is that I shall never again be able to listen to several cherished CDs of "Belshazzar's Feast".

- a Friend

I heard from some in the audience not all related to me) and also orchestra members. They all said how much they enjoyed the performance and that the choir 'pulled it off'. The orchestra had been worried that we wouldn't put enough energy into it but they said we certainly did on the night. The audience also commented on the energy in the choir and that the Walton was the highlight of the concert.

I haven't done any singing for about 17-18 years but I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the choir and realised how much I missed it! I'm sorry, but I'll be back.

- Mary Jane Sneyd

My friend - who used my Sinfonia subscriber's pass as he thought the tickets were too expensive (cheapest upstairs was $52) was so thrilled, he said he was going home to listen to a recording of the piece again. Apparently once was not enough.

Another friend, a fellow chorister from another choir, and long-time CoDC watcher, said it was the best and most vigorous performance he could remember seeing from the City Choir in 10 years.

Several orchestra members commented that the choir seemed to improve with every one of the week's rehearsals so that, by the performance night, the choir was totally focussed and "amazing".

- Scott Blackwell

I was in the audience and felt that the choir sang very well. I was so excited and wanted to burst in with you several times. Your faces were very expressive and it was obvious that everyone really was fully engaged with both the conductor and the orchestra for the whole of the performance. Well done everyone.

- Judy Tucker

I was so glad to be in the audience on Saturday and not have to concentrate on finding the right notes! I had found the music very difficult to get used to and wasn’t able to be at enough practices. I fully expected to dislike Belshazzar’s Feast – noisy and full of discords, and was amazed to be bowled over by the exhuberance and electrifying effect of the live performance.

Where the orchestra was not in full throttle, the words came over very well, especially the men’s entry and practically everyone actually watched the conductor for the whole work. A larger soprano section would have been good. Well done, everyone, especially David.

- Stella Cullington

As I edged through the crowded Town Hall foyer after the concert, I heard a lady in front of me say to her neighbour: "That was magnificent."

- Helen Edwards

We love feedback

The Choir would love to hear from you if you were in the audience on Saturday. Please leave a comment here or email us at info@cityofdunedinchoir.org.nz

Thank you for your support!

Final rehearsal

This afternoon at the final rehearsal before tonight's performance of Walton's Belshazzar's Feast:

The Southern Sinfonia players tuning their instruments under the watchful eye (and ear) of Sydney Manowitz, concert master.

City of Dunedin Choir listening attentively to announcements at the start of the rehearsal.

We hope the good citizens of Dunedin will brave the cold this evening and come and hear this performance - it's a once in a lifetime opportunity to hear this work performed live in Dunedin!! Even if we say so ourselves - it's going to be good!