Chronique nostalgie...
(English version below)
L'autre jour, en écrivant sur la musique de Noël, en mentionnant le fait de ne pas avoir inclus de disques francophones, je me suis rappelé d'un concert de Noël auquel j'ai assisté avec ma famille. C'était à l'auditorium Dufour, avec l'orchestre symphonique du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean et un choeur quelconque (celui de la cathédrale?). Parmi les chansons, il y avait bien sûr le fort ordinaire "Royaume du bonhomme hiver" (traduction de "Winter Wonderland"), mais pas l'incontournable "Minuit, chrétiens", au grand dam d'une vieille madame qui ne pouvait pas s'empêcher de commenter tout au long du concert. À la fin, frustrée par l'absence du très populaire cantique de Noël, elle s'exclama: "Si j'avais été un homme, j'aurais crié 'Minuit, chrétiens'". À l'époque, j'étais trop jeune et trop poli pour dire à la vieille peau de se fermer la yeule.
***********************
Just a random bit of nostalgia. The other day, while writing my review of good Christmas music, I remember this little anecdote from my younger days. My family and I had gone to a Christmas concert at l'auditorium Dufour (the one in the Cégep de Chicoutimi, the other one, the "auditorium Beauchamp", is at the hospital (now stupidly named "centre hospitalier de la Sagamie") somehow, and I can't remember the name of the auditorium at my cégep alma mater, salle François-something, Pelletier?? was it? I can't remember *after verification, it's François-Brassard, must have confused it with Wilfrid-Pelletier*). The Orchestre Symphonique du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean was playing, with some choir (le Choeur de la cathédrale maybe?). Among the many pieces played was the crummy translation "Au royaume du bonhomme hiver" of the equally insipid "Winter Wonderland", but noticeably absent was "Minuit, chrétiens" (the über-popular "O Holy Night", except in its original French). This omission greatly irritated one old lady who kept commenting all throughout the performance. In the end, exasperated, she exclaimed (freely translated, but I do believe I am a decent translator, otherwise I wouldn't have been hired or asked to translate things on numerous occasions, but I digress): "If I had been a man, I would have yelled 'Minuit, chrétiens'!". Back then, I was too young and too polite to tell the old hag to shut her trap.
L'autre jour, en écrivant sur la musique de Noël, en mentionnant le fait de ne pas avoir inclus de disques francophones, je me suis rappelé d'un concert de Noël auquel j'ai assisté avec ma famille. C'était à l'auditorium Dufour, avec l'orchestre symphonique du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean et un choeur quelconque (celui de la cathédrale?). Parmi les chansons, il y avait bien sûr le fort ordinaire "Royaume du bonhomme hiver" (traduction de "Winter Wonderland"), mais pas l'incontournable "Minuit, chrétiens", au grand dam d'une vieille madame qui ne pouvait pas s'empêcher de commenter tout au long du concert. À la fin, frustrée par l'absence du très populaire cantique de Noël, elle s'exclama: "Si j'avais été un homme, j'aurais crié 'Minuit, chrétiens'". À l'époque, j'étais trop jeune et trop poli pour dire à la vieille peau de se fermer la yeule.
***********************
Just a random bit of nostalgia. The other day, while writing my review of good Christmas music, I remember this little anecdote from my younger days. My family and I had gone to a Christmas concert at l'auditorium Dufour (the one in the Cégep de Chicoutimi, the other one, the "auditorium Beauchamp", is at the hospital (now stupidly named "centre hospitalier de la Sagamie") somehow, and I can't remember the name of the auditorium at my cégep alma mater, salle François-something, Pelletier?? was it? I can't remember *after verification, it's François-Brassard, must have confused it with Wilfrid-Pelletier*). The Orchestre Symphonique du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean was playing, with some choir (le Choeur de la cathédrale maybe?). Among the many pieces played was the crummy translation "Au royaume du bonhomme hiver" of the equally insipid "Winter Wonderland", but noticeably absent was "Minuit, chrétiens" (the über-popular "O Holy Night", except in its original French). This omission greatly irritated one old lady who kept commenting all throughout the performance. In the end, exasperated, she exclaimed (freely translated, but I do believe I am a decent translator, otherwise I wouldn't have been hired or asked to translate things on numerous occasions, but I digress): "If I had been a man, I would have yelled 'Minuit, chrétiens'!". Back then, I was too young and too polite to tell the old hag to shut her trap.
posted by PJ at
9:15 pm
2 Comments:
Hecklers. >:(
The only acceptable audience response allowed in an orchestral concert should be either clapping and standing ovations, or awkward silence and the odd cough.
By
Eugenie, at 12/06/2006 09:42:00 pm
Ah, the odd cough is a requirement for any classical concert!
By
PJ, at 12/06/2006 09:43:00 pm
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