The thrill of a High C

and I'm not talking about one of those little packets of coloured crystals in health food shops which claim to provide all the vitamins you need in one day.. I'm talking about the heady heights you reach when you produce a sound - seemingly from out of nowhere, but, somewhat improbably, from two folds of flesh vibrating in your throat - that matches the note you get when you hit the key on your piano representing C.. above C.. above middle C. For anyone unfamiliar with the piano keyboard, that's very, very, very high..

Now I'm not one to gloat about being a soprano. I wouldn't say I play it down exactly.. but anyone who has been in a choir will be familiar with the jibes about sopranos having the easiest time, only having to 'sing the tune' after all. No doubt other, less generous (and perhaps unprintable) things have been said about our kind, and on the whole I have tended to keep my head down, play humble and generally avoid being sucked into any heated, inter-voice warfare, but tonight I was proud, AM proud to be a 'sop'! Fearlessly we opened our Verdi Reqiuem scores at the final movement, knowing there could be no turning back, and that we must prevail, or risk bringing shame on all our sisters. As the movement rose in intensity, we approached the final ascent, and with a fresh gulp of air in our lungs for our only support, prevail we did, on high C, for two and a half, LONG bars. It was an incredible feeling! In fact I can't remember singing a high C (or even attempting one) since I last sang the Verdi Requiem with the Bryanston Choral Society when I was about 15. I was elated still to be able to reach it. Far from flinging rotten tomatoes, the rest of the choir actually applauded. Perhaps we sopranos will be able to hold our heads high a while.. at least until the Christmas carol season is upon us, when we will be carrying the inevitable 'tune' once more :)


My university campus last week, in the Autumn light