Easter Concert 2024 - Handel Samson
Practice notes and resource links
REHEARSALS Thursdays 7.30pm - 9.30pm, starting 4 January, with a half term break.
They will be held in Old Village Hall, Charles Close, Old, NN6 9RQ.
Bring a pencil!
CONCERT at Rothwell Church, 7.30 on Saturday 16th March (to be confirmed). Click here for more details, and here for posters to email round or print out.
We have a page of resource links, to free aids to learning many choral works.
Samson parts are available at CyberBass - click here.
You can also find recordings on YouTube.
Here is a list of all the choruses in the edition we are working with. We may not sing them all.
Number / page / title
3 / 8 / Awake the trumpet's lofty sound
16 / 24 / O first-created beam
26 / 45 / Then shall they know
31 / 52 / Then round about the starry throne
36 / 60 / To dust his glory they would tread
55 / 80 / To man God's universal law
63 / 99 / Hear, Jacob's God
66 / 104 / To sond and dance
67 / 110 / Fix'd in his everlasting seat
71 / 124 / With thunder armed
76 / 136 / To fame immortal go
79 / 143 / Great Dagon has subdued our foe
85 / 153 / Hear us, our God
88 / 159 / Weep, Israel, weep
93 / 163 / Glorious hero
96 / 173 / Let their celestial concerts all unite
Rehearsals week by week
4/1/24
We sang through all the choruses listed above.
11/1/24 - No rehearsal this week
As mentioned above, there are practice aids for Samson on CyberBass. You might like to try those at home during these two weeks.
18/1/24 - No rehearsal this week
25/1/24
We sang through chorus numbers 3, 5, 16, 26, 31, 36, 55, 63, 66, 96
1/2/24
Note that the concert venue has been changed from Rothwell to Brixworth.
Sang choral numbers 71, 76, 79, 85, 88, 93, 67.
No. 71: The phrase "With thunder armed, with thunder armed", when it is made of dotted quaver - semiquaver groups: should also start with dotted quaver rest, then semiquaver "with".
The phrase "Or Israel's champion dies" should be dotted the same way, even when (leading up to figure B) it is written with straight quavers.
No.67: The idea is that ATB are Israelites (team Jehovah), S are Philistines (Dagon). Basses sing Manoah part, but not Harapha.
8/2/24
Sang choral numbers 36, 44, 55, 63, 66, 85, 88.
No. 66: In view of the current war in Gaza, the words here are a bit delicate. Instead of "And sweep this race from out the land", we shall sing "And keep this place for our own land."
15/2/24
Sang through numbers 76, 79, 85, 88, 93, 96.
22/2/24
Sang through numbers 3, 5, 16, 26, 31, 36, 55.
29/2/24
Sang through all choruses.
7/3/24
Sang through all choruses.
Ian also went through which solo numbers would be included, and where we should stand up and sit down. Click here for a list.
14/3/24 - Old village hall as usual.
Rehearsed the following numbers (in decreasing order of improvability!):
55, 60, 63, 71, 44, 67, 66, 79, 85, 88, 93, 16, 26, 31, 3
Concert Saturday 16/3/24
Rehearsal at church starts 3.00.
The rehearsal will end by around 5.00. Then you can either go home to change or use the community hall.
The concert is at 7.30. Please arrive by 7.15 for a photo.
Dress: gentlemen - black bow tie & dinner suits
ladies - white top (jumper/shirt), black trousers/skirt
4/1/24
We sang through all the choruses listed above.
11/1/24 - No rehearsal this week
As mentioned above, there are practice aids for Samson on CyberBass. You might like to try those at home during these two weeks.
18/1/24 - No rehearsal this week
25/1/24
We sang through chorus numbers 3, 5, 16, 26, 31, 36, 55, 63, 66, 96
1/2/24
Note that the concert venue has been changed from Rothwell to Brixworth.
Sang choral numbers 71, 76, 79, 85, 88, 93, 67.
No. 71: The phrase "With thunder armed, with thunder armed", when it is made of dotted quaver - semiquaver groups: should also start with dotted quaver rest, then semiquaver "with".
The phrase "Or Israel's champion dies" should be dotted the same way, even when (leading up to figure B) it is written with straight quavers.
No.67: The idea is that ATB are Israelites (team Jehovah), S are Philistines (Dagon). Basses sing Manoah part, but not Harapha.
8/2/24
Sang choral numbers 36, 44, 55, 63, 66, 85, 88.
No. 66: In view of the current war in Gaza, the words here are a bit delicate. Instead of "And sweep this race from out the land", we shall sing "And keep this place for our own land."
15/2/24
Sang through numbers 76, 79, 85, 88, 93, 96.
22/2/24
Sang through numbers 3, 5, 16, 26, 31, 36, 55.
29/2/24
Sang through all choruses.
7/3/24
Sang through all choruses.
Ian also went through which solo numbers would be included, and where we should stand up and sit down. Click here for a list.
14/3/24 - Old village hall as usual.
Rehearsed the following numbers (in decreasing order of improvability!):
55, 60, 63, 71, 44, 67, 66, 79, 85, 88, 93, 16, 26, 31, 3
Concert Saturday 16/3/24
Rehearsal at church starts 3.00.
The rehearsal will end by around 5.00. Then you can either go home to change or use the community hall.
The concert is at 7.30. Please arrive by 7.15 for a photo.
Dress: gentlemen - black bow tie & dinner suits
ladies - white top (jumper/shirt), black trousers/skirt