The Choir

I just wonder if it's one series too many?

I am a very poor singer, but I do love to see the enjoyment that others get from singing and am a great supporter of our local gospel choir. I get tremendous pleasure from watching The Choir and doubt if I would ever tire of it. It's ironic really as I rarely listen to music on the radio or CD.

As someone who runs a choir and community choirs events, it is a delight to see people being encouraged to enjoy singing - and you can see how very good it is for them. Singing is for everyone and anything that encourages that gets my vote.

But.......I deeply dislike the competitive element - this is totally unnecessary and is purely for TV producers, who believe that we cannot enjoy something without that. We need to let them know that they are wrong - we are bigger than that.

I also dislike the way he feels the need to have soloists - this too is unnecessary and pointless and it simply a way of adding another competitive element, rather than helping people to pull together to make a beautiful sound and share he joy that this brings.

And his choice of music is pretty banal - I have shelves full of the most wonderful choir music ranging from African chants to Mozart, from Beatles to swing - all of them much better than the pap that he feeds these singers.

But if it gets people singing and counters the idea that choirs are just for the middle classes ad musically educated, then bring it on.

I agree re the competitive aspect. I belonged to one once that was in that kind of scene - but it is not mine. My new one is part of the Natural Voice approach and is non competitive and inclusive. I tried Rock Choir once for a term. They too are keen on soloists and that was quite painful as the individuals bravely giving it a go sang flat and that grates upon my ears like a knife on a blackboard.
But the soloists thing helps to make an hour's TV programme of it.
I liked the one he did in the boys school best of all (ahhhhhh)

I bow to your expertise Mishap
Do you think the soloists are a required element of the competition, and that your vast library of music may be a bit tricky for first timers?
I ask out of genuine interest and not with any criticism of your comments.

I love singing, unfortunately no one loves listening to me

Yes there has to be more to it than this. I think he is getting much tougher on sound quality etc.

He seemed to start off with just getting people singing for pleasure.

I wonder if the producers are scared of tackling the good "classical" choral music repertoire and singing style because it might put off viewers. If so that is a pity. They could probably get a group to a good choral standard if they tried. If you don't challenge people with different music they will never get a chance of liking it.

I don't think much of either soloist. Did that girl really do classical singing training ??
The ex chorister seemed unable to relax to sing in a manner that required anything emotive, which is probably down to his initial training.

I will probably still watch it though. It beats "you've been framed."

The singers in the choir I run and the huge 250-strong choir in the community choirs project are at least 60% non-music readers and all the teaching and learning is by ear. All the music stacked up in my music room is learnable by ear - honest! - it would not be there if it was not easy!

I have no idea why they insist on choosing soloists - it is so divisive. I am guessing that it is thought to give the whole programme more audience appeal. The producers like to build up the tension and hopefully make someone cry!

The Natural Vice (oops, sorry, meant to type Voice!) movement is quite brilliant - and it is for everyone to enjoy even ninathenanna.

Singing is soooo good for you! Releases happy chemicals, improves the breathing, exercises the mind and makes friends - can't go wrong really!

God forbid any one ever asks me again to sing that military wives choir one "Where ever you are" again or "The rose" or "You raise me up".

We have done some quite jazzy ones at our community choir which have been fun. Les Mis is irresitible.

Trouble is with this choir most of the sopranoes should be alto's and only like singing the tune. They get an attack of the vapours if asked to sing in harmony as a soprano.

A very common problem with choirs nellie - a challenge for the director believe me!

I get sad when every programme gets reduced to a competition...."and who is going to be kicked out this week?.........( at least 2 minutes!).....it's so-and-so".....close-up to catch the tears!! oh per-lease!

We need some programmes without this stuff - and Gareth's used to be one of them - but sadly no more.

I am so envious of those of you who can sing, it is such a wonderful talent to have. I can't sing at all and I would love to be able to do it.

Its the talking that bugs me! When she who is in charge is talking to one of the other parts, the sopranos in particular are very talkative. I think it is polite to keep quiet and listen.

I started singing in church choirs and school choirs at the age of 15 and carried on in Germany ending up at my local Catholic church( I am an athiest) because I love to sing. Singing the exquisite Masses of Haydn and Mozart almost brought back my beliefs, but I grew to accept it for the music alone.
I don't like the banal songs in The Choir but he does his best. You can't get a choir to singing Mozart in 4 weeks. His singing brings the people together and some of them need a shake up. Fancy driving to France 5 times a day and never stepping on French soil. What kind of people are they?
At least he will get them singing.
I don't believe the girl soloist has had proper classical training. She couldn't hold the note. If you can't do that then you shouldn't be singing solo.
But she is pretty, and good TV material.

I am with you there yogagran I used to sing in the church choir and loved it, but with hearing loss, I have difficulty finding the notes, let alone holding them, however, as I always said to my un-competitive daughter, you don't have to take part to enjoy something, those who are good at things like to have an appreciative audience, so sit back and enjoy what other people are enjoying doing.

I love watching this and to see people finding not only their 'voice' but the confidence to sing in public.

The jury's still out on Gareth's beard though

Beard? I never even noticed it. I know quite few men with beards, seems normal to me.

I didn't like his beard very much either notso Although nothing against them (my DH has always had a beard since I've known him), just didn't think it suited him and it was so ginger compared with his hair. My brothers beard is ginger although his hair used to be dark, funny how hair and beard can be such a different colour

Its a weird beard and doesn't suit his personality..he's lost that boyish charm - perhaps he wanted to. He seems less sparkly and enthusiastic now.
My choir once travelled to Italy to participate in an international competition. The competition side was unedifying - what was great was the camaraderie, meeting other choirs who shared the same repertoire and singing with them impromptu when we all happened to meet in bars and restaurants; practising our music on the beach. We didn't win and we didn't care..we had a ball.

The beard - now I have to admit my first thought, as the beard is ginger, was to wonder what colour his pubic hair is! - does anyone else have such puerile thoughts?!

Ha Ha, Mishap. I'm not saying

At least it makes him look slightly older than twelve.

Mishap do beards always make you think about pubic hair, or only Gareth's ?

Well - it is intriguing when someone's head hair is a totally different colour from their beard - I once had to interview a vicar who had straight jet black hair and a very bright orange curly beard - I was unable to stop my mind roaming free!

I do not often speculate about pubic hair - honest gov!

I was born with ginger hair, which has faded now. My pubics were bright orange and still are. When my first DD was born they still gave you a shave. The Irish midwives comments where " OMG I have never seen one that colour before"

The Wonderful Man has white hair, but his moustache is still orange. I'm saying nothing about elsewhere!

Jeremy Paxman has recently grown a beard but it's rather disappointingly salt-and-pepper. Mishap, you have set my imagination racing. Now... it's just about time for Newsnight.