November 5, 2017

1969

We were singing at the York Festival, with countertenor James Bowman making his sole appearance with the group. We had an arrangement of “There is No Rose” by Simon Preston, which started off with a lovely slow section consisting of complex and lush harmonies, before we launched into the (very) fast middle section in 5/8. We set the rhythm and then James came in with the tune – but precisely one quaver (quarter note) out of time! Miraculously we managed to adjust to him within a bar, but it was a close-run thing…