For about fifteen years now Sile has been singing in Madrigallery a local choir here in Waterford.
I am a great fan of this superb choir and have even been officially adopted as the choir’s official groupie.
Chorallen, a ladies choir from Lubeck in Germany, were known to Petra, one of the choir members, and she organised them to come to Waterford on a visit.
We all agreed to put them up for the week end they were here.
Our two wonderfully amiable house guests were Diana and Yvonne.
(Included in the photo is an impressive close up of Petra’s thumb)
They gave a most impressive concert on Saturday in the library, I was particularly taken by a song they sang from the 20s called Mine Kleiner Gruner Kaktus. But more of that later.
They gave another concert in Christchurch Cathedral on Sunday and were even better, this time Madrigallery also sang and they gave a most moving performance.
Their Crucifixus by Lotti is, by this critic, one of their best ever songs.
After lunch we took some of the choir to the Hook Lighthouse on the eponymous peninsula in Wexford.
We even climbed the lighthouse which gave us a great view of the rocks and stacks of the coastline there.
After the climb we went for a closer look at them
And discovered that the sedimentary rocks here were just teeming with fossils.
Note the neatly perfect scallop shell in this one.
We also did a small detour to the nearby fishing village of Slade to see a cottage we had rented for a holiday about 20 years ago.
(It’s the one with the Red Door-I think)
The Choir’s trip was finished in typical Irish style by a sing-song in The Munster Bar.
There Micheal and Tony did a fabulous Barber Shop “Adeline”
Cha O Neill, Waterford’s Lord Mayor, gave us a song also.
But the stars of the show were Teresa from Madrigallery and her twin from Chorallen who excelled in the Kline Gruener Kaktus.
This song became a symbol for the whole terrific week end and has wormed itself into my ear.
I even found the original version of it sung by the Comedian Harmonists here.
I am now starting a campaign to get Madrigallery to learn a version of this by our-hoped for- visit to Lubeck next year.
Post Scriptum.
Now a moment to eat humble pie.
Having been so rude about Petra’s finger in the picture I have found that the photos she took in the Munster are way superior than mine, so I have swapped hers for mine.
Thanks !
Comments
Petra
on May 3, 2007Many thanks for the enthusiastic and very flattering write-up, Martin! But do me the favour and physically envisage someone, anyone, even the most accomplished contortionist putting their THUMB onto the lense of a camera while taking a picture… It is of course a close-up of my forefinger we’re talking about! Let’s just consider it an artist’s signature – or a long overdue mark of protest against ridiculously tiny digital cameras;-)
martin
on May 3, 2007OK Petra, I concede. Its your finger.
Yvonne
on May 5, 2007Liebe Sile, lieber Martin. Da mein schriftliches Englisch noch schlechter ist als das sprachliche, hier ein paar Zeilen auf deutsch in der Hoffnung, dass Petra oder Google es übersetzen können: Ich habe mich riesig darüber gefreut, von unserem Choraustausch auf deiner web site zu lesen. Die Bilder lassen Erinnerungen an eine sehr schöne und unvergeßliche Zeit bei Euch aufleben. Vielen Dank für Eure Gastfreundlichkeit und das leckere Essen. Ich freue mich auf ein Wiedersehen
Diana
on May 6, 2007Dear Sile,dear Martin. Thanks for the nice time and for your report at the website. I rememberd often at the time at irland. I`m happy about a visit in Lübeck. Sorry for my bad english….;-) see ya
Karen
on May 7, 2007Thank you Martin for your wonderful pictures and your joyfull comment. We´d love to sing “Mein kleiner grüner Kaktus” to you again. Next Year in Lübeck, just convince Madrigallery to come, and don´t forget to bring Teresa, cause she has to sing with us!!
Karen (who took Petra to Ireland the first time)
martin
on May 10, 2007Thank you Chorallen for coming and singing to us in Waterford, particularly for the Kleiner bloody gruner!
I’ll bring them to Lubeck if I have to carry them all.
Doro
on May 10, 2007Dear Martin,
thanks for this great show on your website! It was really a great pleasure to come to know you all during this couple of days and find such lovely friends. We will always keep you all in mind and hope to see you all (and the choir Madrigallery of course with his groupies…) in Lübeck, the sooner the better…
Best wishes, Doro
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