A somewhat smaller group this time, with some excellent singers. We had a rocky first half hour, then we seemed to get into a groove.
We were doing well enough that I decided to take a chance and when it was my turn started us off on Worcester by Abraham Wood, one of my favorite First New England School tunes. It went surprisingly well. It probably helped that I was leading the tune as well as singing bass, because the bass line really drives the whole piece so I could set the tempo just by singing (it also helped that Jerry, an excellent musician with rock-solid time, was also singing bass). It also helped that I chose a moderate tempo, about 112 b.p.m.
Jerry then led Billings’ Easter Anthem. Here again, the bass line can drive the whole piece. He started us at about 120 b.p.m., and when all four parts came in the tempo would gradually slow to maybe 112, but then in the duets or bass solos, Jerry could pick up the tempo again. Interestingly, the recitatif at measure mm. 77-81 seemed to me to stay at tempo without slowing noticeably.
There were lots of other successes tonight as well — those two just happen to stand out for me. It was really the best music making I’ve yet done online.