I have to say that my first impression was that they didn't look 100: well, not many of them, anyway. Mind you, neither does Holy Trinity, and it is, by some margin. ECS is ever generous with its programme notes, and on this occasion provided a local newspaper report of the original performance they gave, at the same venue, back in 1908. (Tangents have an irresistible attraction for me, and the cut-out of that 1908 newspaper report showed alongside the concert report, the report of a 'society' wedding. As well as listing all the participants, and how they were dressed, it actually listed the presents and who gave them, distinguishing clearly between those which were silver and those which were electro-plated! I wonder how that would look in the News Shopper nowadays?)
I cannot quite mange the sycophantic fulsomeness of that reporter 100 years ago, but this repeat was pretty good. I enjoyed it, and everyone else seemed to. The choir was at its best and the visiting soloists were right up-to-scratch. So if you're free July 2108, I guess we should ask them to do it again.
At the beginning of part two, the soprano produced a delicious, momentary tremble as she soared into the first line of her aria. I looked hurriedly down at the program notes to try to remember where we were, so I could comment on it the more effectively. To my astonishment, the aria appeared to be entitled 'On Mighty Penis'. Well, you can imagine that distracted me more than a little. Although essential to any act of creation, I did not expect such frankness in an 18th century religious work. Anyway, good Christians always refer to that as 'pro-creation'. "Probably one of these modern trendy translations", I thought. I remarked on this to an acquaintance at the next interval. He thought I was mad. So I got my glasses out, and in the better light, now saw 'On Mighty Pens". Well, that wasn't as rude: but it wasn't as clear either. I know pens can be creative (that's what I'm doing at the moment) but that's not what Haydn was on about. The ever-generous program notes elsewhere revealed the full text of the aria: 'On Mighty Pens uplifted soars the Eagle aloft'. Ah! Pens, feathers, there must be some etymology there. I must look that up later (not least because the mistake made me seem mad).
'Looking things up' is a lot easier than it used to be. No more trekking off to several specialist libraries. No more risking a hernia lugging huge books off dusty shelves. Nowadays, a quick 'google' (which doesn't even need those quote marks any more) reveals enough for the Walter Mitty edition of the interval conversation.
It's a bad translation, that's what it is. When the Baron Gottfried vanSwieten penned (sorry about that) the original words, in German, he felt he was up to producing the English version as well. And, frankly, I'm informed, despite having lasted in common usage for 200 years, it's not very good in places. The late, great American choral conductor Robert Shaw took it on himself, in the 1980's, I think, to produce a new libretto. And he has that line as 'On Mighty Wings …'.
So if you're still out there, still thinking I'm mad, I, like Hilary Clinton, mis-spoke: what I meant to say was that last paragraph: OK?
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