Hello friends…we had a wonderful playing session in February. So many wonderful faces and we worked hard together. What a beautiful sound we made. We did not get to play all the music that I brought, so this month we will continue with a review and finish off the rest of the music from last month. I will also bring a couple new pieces to work on sight reading skills. It will be fun. If you printed the music last month, you don’t need to print it again.
Like the variety of instruments, I enjoy a variety of music and musical styles. For this March meetIng we will do just that. We will begin with a warmup on a piece or two from the Susato dance books (if you have them, bring them). Exploring our deeper sounds, we will revel in the warmth of Nicolas Champion’s, De Profundis Clamavi ad te (from the depths I cried out to you). It is a two-movement piece so be sure to grab both prima and secunda pars. The chords are so luscious and the word paintIng superb. A few tricky rhythms but nothing we cannot overcome together. Print the score and the part you want to play.
We liven up the session with some Klezmer music. I have two very good friends that are excellent Klezmer clarinetIsts, and I just love the sounds they can make. We may not be clarinetIsts, but we can make some rousing klezmer sounds with our instruments. We will be using tunes from The Klezmer Recorder Band by Hope Ehn (1984) and the score, Desire (Sehnsucht) by Uwe Heger (2008). Get your fun fingers ready because it will be a ride!
Earlier I introduced Near the Green Woods by Lance Eccles. Let’s bring that back so we can get another chance at all those chromatIc scales! Feel free to try another part or keep picking away on the same line.
So, you see, there is something for everyone. “Variety’s the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavour.” William Cowper, The Task, 1785.
I hope you will come join us for an afternoon of music making. The sessions are open to all instruments and levels. We meet from 2:00 – 4:00 pm at Saint David of Wales, 2800 SE Harrison St., Portland. There is plenty of parking in the parking lot. Enter through the red doors on the west side of the building.
Bring your instruments, music, pencil, music stand and during these winter months a stand light is highly encouraged. Please email me if you have any questions.
See you at Saint David’s! Laura
Music for the March 2025 PRS playing session:
This music is for the use and enjoyment of this particular workshop and may be
protected by copyright. The music is for educational purposes only. Please do not
distribute this music outside this workshop. You only need to print out the parts you want to play.
• De Profundis prima pars, Champion
—Score
—Parts SATB, recorders and viols
• De Profundis secunda pars, Champion
—Score
—Parts SATB, recorders and viols
• The Klezmer Recorder Band
—Desire Score
Portland Recorder Society 