La Chorale Rinascenza
The Chorale Rinascenza has been singing since 1993 and since Easter 2002 I have been in the back row of the sopranos or altos (as a mezzo soprano I avoid soprano parts going higher than E!)
Until 2004 we sang in a converted cellar in the house of the conductor, Dominique, in the village of Molières.
The repertoire was medieval and Renaissance music. I particularly like the medieval stuff and find this a whole new world that existed before the polyphonic sound to which I am more accustomed. In 1993 Dominique resurrected an instrumental group - an assortment of flutes, old oboes and cromornes, a couple of fiddles, and a cello (me). I enjoy this, even though I think that sometimes it drowns the pure sound of what was unaccompanied singing.
The choir is a great mix of people and includes several 'éducateurs' (people who work with the young, often those with problems), teachers, a home help, a dry-stone wall builder, a bee-keeper, several farmers, and a few retired people like me. They have certainly enriched our circle of friends here.
Summer 2004. We entered a new era: sadly, Dominique has moved to the north of France. Our conductor is now Louis Nègre and the repertoire has moved on to baroque and Russian.
Dominique and Louis couldn't be more different, but each has brought his own qualities to our idiosyncratic group. Our rehearsals and concerts are more disorganised, but at the same time, there is more emphasis on the interpretation of the libretto.
Membership is changing. As with most amateur choirs, we could do with more tenors...