Singing under the Blossom
It was a warm afternoon in early May when Whitsand Harmony sang under the blossom at Cotehele. Perfect blue skies topped an idyllic scene amidst the orchard blossom as an eager audience sat in the sunshine before music filled the air along with the scented blossom.
The air resonated with the rich four-part harmonies of compositions including well known favourites such as ‘You Raise Me Up’, ‘Bridge over Troubled Water’, ‘Hallelujah’, and ‘Thank You for the Music’ as well as a new addition to the choir’s musical repertoire of the beautifully atmospheric ‘The Seal Lullaby’ by Eric Whitacre, a simple setting for the accompaniment of Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘The White Seal’.
The audience were also treated to a charmingly delightful duet from Trish and Neil Asprey. ‘You’re just in love!’ a popular song by Irving Berlin published in 1950 and first performed by Ethel Merman and Russell Nype in Call Me Madam, a musical comedy. Trish and Neil delivered a lighthearted and playful interplay between the two vocal parts. It was lovely to see so many people in the audience enjoying the music, and some tucking into a picnic lunch as well. The choir loved the experience of singing among the blossom at Cotehele, and maybe next year will see them singing again in the sunshine under the blossom.