I saw this scene late this afternoon, and found myself grabbing my camera- not because this photograph will win any photography awards, but because it was so remarkably reminiscent of a scene from almost eight months ago. If you’re curious, look in the blog archive and find the entry for September 1, 2007- “O master let me walk with you.” The shot was of Weston Noble and James Ripley making their way down to the choir room for Mr. Noble’s very first rehearsal with the Carthage Choir, the night before New Student Convocation. I was so struck by the sight – and filled with the tingling anticipation of the Great Unknown which was ahead for him – for me – and for the Carthage Choir.
Here we are, eight months later, and this new adventure is already in its twilight, just as Mr. Noble and the choir have begun to fall in love with one another. Not that there aren’t moments when the gold sort of turns to brass; there are times when he pushes them too hard or too far – or moments when members of the choir fall into spells of inattentiveness. I even had to give a harsh glare to a soprano yesterday who was chewing gum. (I told her later that I was doing her a favor by catching her eye and shaming her into disposing of it before Mr. Noble himself noticed it.) So this has not been one gigantic Hallmark Card of Affection and Admiration and Uninterrupted Excellence. But mostly – and I mean Very Mostly, if such a phrase existed – it has been a miraculous experience. The choir as a whole has grown immensely- and most of the individual choir members have grown splendidly as musicians. Mr. Noble himself has grown as well, which is a wonderful thing to say about someone who is 85 years old- or should I say 85 years young?
What is especially gratifying to me is how he is not beginning to emotionally pull away from the choir – nor going into a “coasting” sort of mode. He is working hard- putting all of his heart and soul into this. At least every other day Mr Noble sends the choir a lengthy email in which he shares something about the previous rehearsal or perhaps something which he experienced while away on one of his long weekends as a clinician. He is bringing into his office various choir members who seem to be struggling or are absent – talking with them, listening to what they’re going through. He is even calling parents from time to time if he is worried about a student or if he wants to pass on a word of praise for good work being done. In other words, Mr. Noble is in no way shape or form just leaving the choir in a holding pattern. He is not just showing up at 345 and beating time. He is leading this choir in the most profound sort of way, because he really cares about them. And vice versa, I’m glad to say.
The choir is undertaking a very special piece of music, right now- John Rutter’s “Mass for the Children.” It’s a gorgeous work and challenging as well, and the kids seem to love it. And I have a feeling that this music is being imprinted on their souls in the same way that Kathy describes with John Windh when she was in the Carthage Choir. Kathy (and Polly as well) can still sing basically every note of every song they sang under Dr. Windh because they learned the music and loved the music simultaneously – because he loved it so much and took such profound joy in sharing it with them. I think this experience with the Rutter is turning out to be a similar sort of joy for the choir, and my guess is that many of them thirty years from now (that will be 2038 – wow! – and I’ll be 78 years old) – will still have certain exquisite phrases from this work reverberating within them. I wonder if Mr. Noble thinks very much about that – and about the special immortality which is his. Again, I do not presume to say that every one of the members of the Carthage Choir grasp what they have experienced this year; I am certain that there are at least a few singers who are just showing up and don’t really have a clue about this master conductor and the world of wonder which he wants to open up to them. I try not to think about them too much. I would rather think about the Zach Wolfs and Sean Knudsens and Marna Larsons and Shannon Burkes in the room who realize how blessed they are to be in the presence of such a master on a nearly daily basis. . . and who realize that the time of that blessing is soon over.
pictured: Dr. Ripley and Mr. Noble after today’s band rehearsal. Mr. Noble is conducting the Carthage Wind Ensemble for an upcoming performance. Mr. Noble was the director of the Luther Concert Band for a quarter century and my most vivid memories of him from my childhood in Decorah is not from Nordic performances but rather from band concerts he conducted. So I am delighted to see him in action with a band again.