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Andrew Woode

@andrewwoode.bsky.social

Linguistic, singer, unicyclist..

170 Posts52 Follower87 Folgt
Andrew Woode@andrewwoode.bsky.social · 3w ago

𐀃𐀉𐀮𐀂𐀊 𐀹𐀈 ΟΔΥΣΣΕΙΑΝ ϜΙΔΟΝ - Saw the Odyssey; magnificent visuals and some interesting takes (liked the idea of neglect of sacred hospitality leading to civilisational collapse). Of course not quite as Homer would have seen it, but that's what the original is for. Re-read beckons:

Man wearing a T-shirt with image od dolphins from the Dolphin Fresco, Knossos, next to poster for Christopher Nolan's OdysseyBook seen spine-on, text: HOMER, THE ODYSSEY 1 A.T.MURRAY HARVARD HEINEMANNDouble-page spread showing beginning of Homer's Odyssey; Greek on left-hand page, English translation on right: "Tell me, O Muse, of the man of many devices, who wandered full many ways after he had sacked the sacred citadel of Troy" etc
Andrew Woode@andrewwoode.bsky.social · 3w ago

And the album is out today! orcd.co/hertsparryel... for link to purchase options and to play on streaming services

Hertfordshire Chorus - De Profundis: Parry and Elgar

Choose your preferred music service

orcd.co

Andrew Woode@andrewwoode.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Just listening to the latest CD from Hertfordshire Chorus; It contains Parry’s psalm settings De Profundis (first official recording, though Vaughan Williams considered it Parry’s “finest work “) and God is our Hope and Strength; followed by Elgar’s Snow and songs From the Bavarian Highlands.

An image of sunlight streaming through a barred window forming a CD cover. Text: Signum Classics Parry De Profundis, God is our hope and strength; Elgar From the Bavarian Highlands, The Snow. Sophie Bevan soprano, Dominic Sedgwick baritone, Rufus Frowde piano, London Mozart Players, David Temple conductor.
Andrew Woode@andrewwoode.bsky.social · last mo.

Learnt today through work (long story); one Italian name for the roadrunner, Geococcyx californianus, is Mimì maggiore. Time for a Puccini/Warner Bros crossover to the tune of "Mi chiamano Mimì"? (The cartoon character is actually Beep Beep in Italy).

Andrew Woode@andrewwoode.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Just listening to the latest CD from Hertfordshire Chorus; It contains Parry’s psalm settings De Profundis (first official recording, though Vaughan Williams considered it Parry’s “finest work “) and God is our Hope and Strength; followed by Elgar’s Snow and songs From the Bavarian Highlands.

An image of sunlight streaming through a barred window forming a CD cover. Text: Signum Classics Parry De Profundis, God is our hope and strength; Elgar From the Bavarian Highlands, The Snow. Sophie Bevan soprano, Dominic Sedgwick baritone, Rufus Frowde piano, London Mozart Players, David Temple conductor. CD back cove details; De Profundis, choral works by Parry and Elgar. Parry De Profundis: 1 De Profundis clamavi ad te Domine. 2 Sustinuit anima mea in verbo ejus 3 A custodia matutina usque ad noctem 4 Apud Dominum misericordia/ Et pose redimet Israel. 5 Parry God is our hope and strength. Elgar: 6 I The Snow Elgar From the Bavarian Highland: 7 The Dance, 8 False Love 9 Lullaby 10 Aspiration 11 on the Alm 12 The Marksmen
Andrew Woode@andrewwoode.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Enjoyed a long weekend in Bath finishing up with singing with Herts Chorus in Bath Abbey. Contrasting pieces; Rutter Gloria, Bernstein Chichester Psalms and less familiar (on its second performance) Judge Smith’s prog-rock Requiem Mass with rock band plus brass

Interior of Bath Abbey, looking past temporary staging to stained-glass East window, as musicians gather to rehearse View towards West End of Bath AbbeyPhoto after the concert; composer Judge Smith on left, me on right, another fellow-singer in the middle
Andrew Woode@andrewwoode.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Off to the Hawai’i exhibition at the British Museum; fascinating and informative (including details of the royal visit to the UK) with lots of artefacts; carefully explained where possible but sadly some details are now lost to the modern population.

Ki’i akua- god images in wood. Precise deities unknown. Kapa (tapa elsewhere in Polynesia ) - barkcloth An exhibition case full of various cloaks, capes, lei, pendants, fans etc. Cloaks made with vast numbers of tiny feathers. ‘Ahu ‘ula (feather cloak) in red and yellow and letter seeking British protection sent from King Kamekameha I of Hawai’i to George III. His name is written Tamaahmaah in the letter as the orthography was not yet standardized (the sound written k now is t regionally). The cloak would really have needed a 7- foot monarch…
Andrew Woode@andrewwoode.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Just read Francis Spufford's latest novel, Nonesuch; a great central character in Iris, against a background of early WWII, love, finance, early television; and a plot to change history and angels! Impossible to do it justice in a skeet, but highly recommended (though beware cliffhanger at end...)

Andrew Woode@andrewwoode.bsky.social · 6mo ago

If you are looking for an alternative saint's day to celebrate than the obvious one, how about Sts Cyril and Methodius, inventors of literacy in Slav languages? (Probably with the alphabet in the second image, the Glagolitic, rather than the first one, now named after Cyril).

Two clerics holding a scroll between them containing the Cyrilllic alphabet as used for Church SlavonicA list of the letters of the Glagolitic alphabet accompanied by transliterations
Andrew Woode@andrewwoode.bsky.social · 7mo ago

What does 'The Ruum' mean to you? A robot which has been taking specimens of animals of a given weight since the time of the dinosaurs? Or an Indonesian coffee shop (based on a recent trademark)? I think I would be reluctant to risk a visit to the latter just in case...

Andrew Woode@andrewwoode.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Two weeks to go before I sing in Elgar's Kingdom at the Festival Hall - two choirs joining forces, one (CEFC) on the back of a recent CD release, the other (HC) has previously enjoyed rave reviews for live performances of it. But we intend to improve on both of those versions...

Crouch End Festival Chorus joins Hertfordshire Chorus and four world-class soloists to perform one of Elgar’s great choral works, The Kingdom, in a concert to celebrate its landmark recording. 7.30pm Thursday 29th January 2026 Royal Festival Hall London SE1 8XX Francesca Chiejina soprano Dame Sarah Connolly mezzo-soprano Benjamin Hulett tenor Ashley Riches bass Crouch End Festival Chorus Hertfordshire Chorus London Orchestra da Camera David Temple conductor In 1906, following the success of The Dream of Gerontius and The Apostles, the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival commissioned Elgar to write a third large oratorio for its festival that year. Conceived as part of a trilogy of oratorios, The Kingdom continues the narrative started in The Apostles. Elgar focuses on the lives of Jesus’ disciples and the Holy Women, in particular on Peter, John, the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene in the days surrounding the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and on the work of the early church community. The followers of Jesus are portrayed as down-to-earth ordinary men and women who encounter extraordinary events. The Kingdom is considered by some to be Elgar’s greatest choral work. A mixture of gentle conversational sections and astonishingly dramatic choral passages, The Kingdom also features some of Elgar’s finest orchestral writing. Three of the soloists from Crouch End Festival Chorus’ recording of The Kingdom will join the choirs in this concert, which includes the hauntingly beautiful soprano solo, ‘The sun goeth down’.
Hertfordshire Chorus@hertfordshirechorus.org.uk · 8mo ago

Last Chance TODAY to get a 20% early bird discount on our HUGE concert at the Royal Festival Hall on Jan 29th when we perform Elgar's masterpiece, The Kingdom. With 235 singers from TWO of the UK's finest choirs, this will be POWERFUL Promo Code 'HERTS' at the start of booking, link in comments

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Andrew Woode@andrewwoode.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Recording session at St Jude’s, Hampstead Garden Suburb with Hertfordshire Chorus; singing Hubert Parry’s 12-part De Profundis (his best work according to Vaughan Williams) and his double-choir God is our Hope and Strength. This will be the first proper recording of these neglected works

Interior of St Jude’s, Hampstead Garden Suburb, with Hertfordshire Chorus plus guests and London Mozart Players ready to record. Looking towards back of church and stained-glass window. Exterior of St Jude’s on an overcast day
Andrew Woode@andrewwoode.bsky.social · last yr.

Linguistic though; HMP works for both Her and His Majesty’s Prison. But Welsh CEM (as seen on sign for Berwyn last night) surely can only mean the former? So if they don’t update the sign should Welsh-speaking prisoners be released on grounds of grammatical invalidity?

Andrew Woode@andrewwoode.bsky.social · last yr.

Neithiwr es i dros y ffin i Wrecsam am y Gymanfa Ganu yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol - yn mwynhau canu’r holl harmonïau, gan gynnwys gwaith o gyfansoddwyr lleol fel Caradog Roberts o Rosllannerchrugog/

Eisteddfod choir ready to sing in the Pavilion, view from my seat looking towards the stage
Andrew Woode@andrewwoode.bsky.social · last yr.

Hertfordshire Chorus at Holy Sepulchre, Holborn; Paul Patterson’s Magnificat followed by Judge Smith’s prog rock Requiem Mass, getting its first live performance a mere 50 years after composition (I suspect it will get more outings soon). Both works heavy on brass. A very hot day for performing!

View of east end of Holy Sepulchre Church, Holborn, with Hertfordshire chorus (dressed informally) on staging in front of the window
Andrew Woode@andrewwoode.bsky.social · last yr.

So yesterday I ended a rainy working week by flying nine hours to a warm and sunny country… yes, I was flying back from Mumbai to London after a business trip. Not much opportunity for sightseeing but a few pics:

Mumbai skylineMumbai skyline from office window Multilingual “welcome to Mumbai” at Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport