In more detail…
With a little more time on my hands today (yesterday), I thought I should go into a bit more detail about a few things we did over the Christmas period. Not all the details however as reading about other people’s over-indulgence can be a bit of a bore so I will leave out some of the more extravagant moments and start with the simple joy of people coming together to have a good old sing.
I put some photos up yesterday showing a few people at the kafeneion and I only have a couple more, but you should get the picture, as it were. This carol singing was arranged in order to raise money for the orphanage in Rhodes – I’ve not heard how much as yet but I hope it will make a difference. The function was due to start at 7.30 and we arrived at 7.45 to find the kafeneion nearly full. A keyboard was set up by one door, with space for the singer (Lena) and the flautist (Dawn) and a guitar (George) with Bob on keyboards. Chairs and tables were arranged around the room, families were there with their children, the mayor was there with his family, and the family who have the kafeneion were all there too, though they gave up their table when another couple arrived a little later. Everyone was accommodated and the singing got underway.
I always find that there’s something a bit worrying about attending one of these things. I am not sure where it comes from but singing in public is not something I have ever really enjoyed. When I was in the church choir in my teens I used to stand by my brother and mime along as I wasn’t too confident about my voice. I only went to get paid. Actually no, I went because if I sang on a Sunday (sometimes twice and sometimes at a wedding on a Saturday – more pennies) I would then have a free one-hour organ lesson from the choirmaster. And please don’t read anything untoward into that. I really was learning to play the church organ -something which is the musical version of driving an articulated lorry in a cab that’s full of all the latest satnavs, gadgets and gizmos: two or more manuals (keyboards) arranged just within your reach, a set of pedals that have you splaying your legs out in both directions, playing on the side of your foot while trying to reach the swell pedal (that’s the large accelerator type thing that makes certain parts of the instrument louder, or quieter), setting up the stops on either side like a computer bank and then having to get your thumbs on your combinations while pulling on your principal and wresting with your rankette, dealing with your 8′ diapason, turning pages and all the time trying not to let your fingers off the keys because, once you do, the sound will stop; there’s no sustain pedal on an organ. Well, there wouldn’t be room for one.
Anyway, where was I? Oh yes. The music started and singing began. After a few glasses of wine the voice becomes so much more flexible, and a little louder. Mind you, I find that carols are always in the wrong key for me. I can start my Ding Dong Merrily quite happily on middle G and get through the first two lines but then it suddenly Glory-Alleluias somewhere in an as yet unexplored register where it’s probably best not to go. So I drop down an octave, which is fine until we come to start on the next verse and I am all over the place. I started singing in a West Country accent just to take the edge off it. I was sitting close to a microphone but apparently no one else noticed; only Neil beside me who was also singing a long ‘Al-dente’, or do I mean ‘Con fuoco’? Whatever, we all sang our way through several carols and Christmas songs, following the handy lyric sheet.
After about 45 minutes of this, during which Jean passed around the collection box for the orphanage, Lefteris and his assistants delivered the drinks and some mezethes, it was the turn of George-the-younger to entertain. I say ‘the younger’ to differentiate him between George the other guitarist who had been playing along with the carols. George-TY took up the singer’s chair, put on his head mic and started on a round of rousing and sometimes angry-sounding songs (in Greek) some of which he had written himself. He added in some witty asides and comedy moments (in English). He’s only about 16 or 17. Amazing talent – from everyone (including the floor show/dancing), much fun was had by all and, as I said, I hope much money was raised. That was the night before the night before Christmas and was a great way to spend a couple of hours and a few quid in the local kafeneion while bringing the community together and raising money for charity. It all happens here on Symi.
