Nicholas McGegan on Vivaldi's "Gloria"

This evening, I will have the pleasure of singing Vivaldi's "Gloria" at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, with Nicholas McGegan, director of San Francisco's Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, on the podium. McGegan is a sprightly, slightly pudgy British man that reminded me of a hamster on steroids, with a grin so broad it almost spreads into sneer. And he's possibly the wittiest man I've ever worked under.

At the risk of some of these having been funnier in the moment than in print (in the "you had to be there" category), here are a few of his wittier comments about Vivaldi's "Gloria," which he clearly does regard very highly and definitely doesn't take too seriously! We laughed almost the whole time, and still we managed to get out on time. That's good direction.

I've never cared much for this piece, but McGegan made the rehearsal process a lot of fun.

Of the Gloria in excelsis:

“Chorus, it’s beautiful, but you all look so glum! It’s all right to grin ”“ it wasn’t illegal in Venice to smile in church. Of course not much was. Remember, this is a piece of religious music written by a reprobate priest with a French mistress. And she was a mezzo! Take from that what you will.”�

“Remember to keep the smile going. It’s not an especially well-written piece, but still, sing ‘Gloria’ as if it’s the first time you’ve met her, every time!”�

“The grand pause before the end will be embarrassingly long, so wait for it. It sort of falls off as if he ran out of ideas, doesn’t it?”�

Of the Et in terra:

“Chorus, this is in a rather glum key, but the text isn’t glum, is it? B-minor is for contrast. (looking very mock-serious) You all have your ‘we’re singing counterpoint’ faces on. You look as if you’re all about to give someone a parking ticket. Or get one.”�

Of the Laudamus te:

“Orchestra, this needn’t be too polite. It’s all about that little hiccup pickup, and the donkey braying (sings) haw hee haw, haw hee haw”¦you see?”�

Of the Gratias agimus:

“Chorus, smile as if you just got paid! (grins maniacally)”�

“This is an absolutely dreadful fugue, but that shouldn’t stop you from having fun with it.”�

Of the Domine fili:

“This should sound like...Winnie the Pooh going shopping.”�

Of the Domine Deus:

“Chorus, watch that first entrance. Don’t be late. Glum”¦and passionate!”�

(to the Mezzo) “It’s lovely. Nice and glum. In the whole 18th Century, there was nothing more glum than an unsuccessful castrato”� (referring to castrati who couldn’t make it on the stage being relegated to the church).

Of the Cum sancto spiritu:

“Of course, Vivaldi didn’t actually write this. It’s a double fugue for 8 part chorus and double orchestra by a chap named Ruggieri that Vivaldi just smashed down - and everybody in Venice would have known it...even Ruggieri.”�

Miscellaneous, at yesterday's choral run-through:

“I just received an e-mail from the mezzo, who will be joining us later. She’s been in Seattle doing a Ring Cycle ”“ God knows what Vivaldi will be like after that, but we’ll see ”“ and she sent a photo of herself in full Rhine Maiden costume with the caption ‘Something Fishy.’”�

Originally posted by J. Lee Graham@Aug 9 2005, 04:20 PM
[b]Of the Domine fili:

“This should sound like...Winnie the Pooh going shopping.”�

Hahaha, amazing.

Heh. Sounds as if he's a real character!

He is, I can tell you.

Just before we began the Vivaldi "Gloria," he grinned at us maniacally to remind us not to take the piece too seriously...and the "conductor cam" was on him at the time, so all 10,000 people at the Bowl saw him do it and had a good belly-laugh. What a fun gig!

I get to do it again tonight!