Photo: Alan manton
Boldly going where no choir has gone before….
The Choral Cruise is currently visiting Norway! Brandenburg Artistic Director Bob Porter is sending us daily updates.
Captain’s Log – Stardate 18.06.26
Day one of this exciting trip started for me with a quiet, direct train journey from Portslade to Southampton – not really very far but seemingly stopping a hundred times. It didn’t really, but my excitement made it feel like that. A short taxi ride to the port and then into the Cruise terminal. Check-in was friendly, smooth, quick and efficient and I was very soon having lunch by the pool.
Our two Canadian ladies had a close call. Having flown to Heathrow without incident, their coach to Southampton was mysteriously cancelled and the replacement further delayed - they made check-in by 15 minutes. PHEW! Then one of our group, having boarded and settled in was taken ill so had to leave the ship hurriedly before it sailed. What a shame. We are waiting to hear how she is.
We are a large bunch of around 80. Some regulars know each other, many don’t – but that will change quickly. We are quite a mixed group with singers from America, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Mallorca and Australia (and all parts of the UK)! Our Welcome Drinks Reception was fun – loads of potential new friendships starting to fall into place, and that was followed by our first rehearsal.
We don’t sound brilliant yet – BUT WE WILL!
An early night for most as Day 1 is always tiring.
Captain’s Log – Stardate 19.06.26
Day two and we really start to settle in. On sea days we can have two rehearsals and some serious progress was made. By the end of the day, we have (more-or-less) learned:
Mozart: Ave Verum Corpus
Fauré: Cantique de Jean Racine
Kander & Ebb: New York, New York
Rachmaninov: Bogoroditse Devo (bit sketchy atm)
Nothing really polished yet, but definitely in a good place to fine tune the details going forwards. We had a Russian pronunciation lesson from Michael and some hints on French pronunciation from Sandy. I broke the choir 15 mins early so that the Bass section could learn a special contribution to show off to the others the following day (more of this tomorrow).
The evening was devoted to the Captain’s cocktail party and Formal Night in the restaurant – and it was clear that the Brandenburg contingent set the Dress Code bar pretty high. The food has so far been excellent – last night I had an exquisite seafood salad, Filet Mignon for main and some delicious coconut ice cream – which I finished off with a glass of Jamiesons. YUM.
Captain’s Log – Stardate 20.06.26
Day three, and the second sea day as we continue to steam North.
In the morning session we welcomed a large number of non-Brandenburg passengers and they had fun joining us for the traditional Cruise round (music Tallis – lyrics Porter) and then the up-tempo New York, New York. Later on, we introduced the funky bass section to the rest of the choir as the rhythm section of the Camila Cabello number Havana. In the Pentatonix version there is wonderful beat boxer providing the rhythmic pulse – so as I anticipated we wouldn’t have a beat boxer, the bass section takes on that responsibility with body percussion.
Yes, it started with a bit of an element of dad-dancing but the groove is growing and it will be fab!
The ship continues to be a joy with seemingly every possible luxury available.
No major mishaps, but I was furious with the Cruise Director who scheduled a Wine Tasting just before the evening rehearsal. One of the sopranos actually dropped off to sleep!
We hit land tomorrow in Olden – hurrah!
Captain’s Log – Stardate 21.06.26
Day four, and we hit land today for first time in Olden – a tiny village which serves as a jumping off point for glaciers, sky lifts and zip wires. Some folk did exciting things, some mooched about and relaxed. I actually went to the little “pub” next to the dock and had a lovely glass of locally brewed beer.
Rehearsal in the evening went really well.
We are about halfway through the week and the musical report is as follows:
Bruckner Locus Iste: Not started yet. We will run it tomorrow. I’m sure it will go well.
Cabello Havana: Slightly outside most people’s comfort zone but the vibe is growing and the hips are starting to sway!
Fauré Cantique: Learning the techniques of lyrical singing – we are starting to make a really beautiful blended sound in this
Kander& Ebb Noo York, Noo York: Luck to have Susan who flew from the States to take part and is coaching us on a transatlantic accent - and we are swinging just a bit.
Mozart Ave Verum: The most pre-known of the list for most people. Our studies of melodic shaping are really paying off here.
Rachmaninov Bogoroditse Devo: Not easy but shaping up well with the bonus of Michael’s coaching on Russian pronunciation
Rogers & Hart Funny Valentine: My arrangement from Brandenburg Camino days. I had forgotten how tricky the jazz harmonies are so we do still have some work to do here to pull it off
Whitacre Seal Lullaby: Started in today’s rehearsal, not as familiar as I expected but he writes such simple lines it will fall into shape quickly.
Captain’s Log – Stardate 22.06.26
Day four, and we’ve boldly gone where many cruise ships have gone before: Bergen!
The ship is suspiciously quiet today. Not because anything dramatic has happened — unless you count the mass exodus of passengers chasing the legendary Flåm Railway, giant waterfalls, and those adorable little fishermen’s huts that look like they were designed by someone who really loves crayons.
Meanwhile, I have discovered that Bergen is basically Seafood Disneyland. If it once swam, splashed, or looked at plankton funny, it’s on a menu somewhere. I’m currently enjoying a gloriously rich fish soup that could probably power the ship if poured into the engine.
Musically, however, today is the scary day. Earlier in the week, rehearsals stretch ahead like a long, calm fjord… but now? Now we’ve hit the “countdown to concert” phase. This is where every note suddenly becomes VERY important and everyone pretends they haven’t forgotten that tricky bit on page 7.
There’s still plenty of polishing to do, but the finish line is in sight, morale is high, and no one has mutinied yet — which I consider a strong indicator of success.
We started the rehearsal with a rousing recording of Happy Birthday for the triplet sons of one of our German singers, Rolf. We sincerely hope that Claus, Casper and Christopher had a brilliant birthday — ideally uplifted (and not alarmed) by our enthusiastic musical greeting.
We shaved ten minutes off the end of rehearsal for a magnificent group photo. With the majority of the choir Glammed up the result was less “casual rehearsal snap” and more “glamorous album cover waiting to happen.”
Captain’s Log – Stardate 23.06.26
Day six, and we sailed gracefully into Ulvik this morning — a village so picturesque it feels as though Norway is showing off. I promised a group photo… and behold!
A splendid gathering of Brandenburgers, looking so polished and elegant that passers‑by may reasonably assume we’re filming the trailer for Downton Abbey: The Choral Years. It’s a much larger group than usual, and what a fine‑looking bunch they are.
As always, we’ve split neatly into two tribes: The Shore Explorers, who have bounded off the ship in search of adventure, and The Ship‑Bound Relaxers, who have wisely concluded that horizontal is a perfectly respectable holiday posture.
The brave explorers are tackling the full Norwegian sampler platter: hiking, kayaking, RIB‑riding, seaplane swooping, waterfall admiring, and — lest I forget — navigating their way around the occasional fjord. Only a few thousand of those scattered about.
Musically, things are marching along beautifully. Our familiar friends — Mozart, Fauré and company — are now sounding wonderfully polished, with daily refinements adding extra shine. The less familiar pieces (yes, Havana, we’re talking about you) have benefited from some hearty, old‑fashioned note‑bashing and are now emerging with growing confidence. Nothing bonds a choir quite like collectively wrestling a tricky passage into submission.
This also feels like the perfect moment to salute our international contingent, who have joined us from Australia, America, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Mallorca (and the Isle of Dogs.) A truly global choir — and all impeccably behaved, which is always a relief for the Captain.
Looking ahead: Sandnes/Stavanger tomorrow and then Thursday, our final day. We start with a morning reahearsal, sound‑check in the afternoon, and our performance at 5.00pm. After that, a celebratory drink (or several), our final dinner, and then the grand finale — our farewell party, featuring at least eight brave soloists in our Concert Party. It promises to be a glorious mixture of talent, courage, and mild chaos.
Onwards we sail — tuneful, cheerful, and very well fed.
Captain’s Log – Stardate 24.06.26
The Downton Abbey / Julian Fellowes Edition
It was on the seventh morning of our voyage that the ship glided into Sandnes — a town which, though not without its modest charms, could hardly be described as the social pinnacle of the Norwegian coast. One suspects even Lady Grantham might remark, with her customary delicacy, that it is “perfectly pleasant… in its way.” Most passengers, naturally, treated it as a stepping stone to the more distinguished Stavanger, much as certain guests at Downton treat luncheon as a necessary prelude to dinner.
The choir, that admirable collection of characters worthy of any great house party, dispersed with commendable purpose. Some joined the official excursions, absorbing culture with the earnestness of a well‑bred cousin determined to impress. Others ventured out alone, including two particularly intrepid ladies who navigated the Norwegian bus system — a feat which, in its own way, rivals the Dowager Countess mastering the telephone — all in pursuit of a remote yarn shop. Their triumphant return was met with the kind of admiration usually reserved for those who have secured a favourable marriage. One awaits Joan’s eventual Norwegian‑wool creation with the same anticipation one reserves for a new gown unveiled at a season’s first ball.
Yet beneath these genteel diversions lies a growing sense of urgency. The concert approaches with the inevitability of a dinner gong — and just as impossible to ignore.
Tomorrow offers but a single rehearsal, followed by a brief sound check in the vast lounge/auditorium, a room so imposing it might well host a royal visit.
This is the frightening view they have had to face all week.
And today, something rather remarkable occurred.
It was as though the entire choir, having spent the week in steady preparation, suddenly recognised the nearness of their moment and rose — with admirable resolve — to meet it. Their collective improvement, no less than fifty percent, would have impressed even Carson, who is not easily moved by displays of enthusiasm.
Pages 7 and 8 of Havana still require a little polishing — but then, even the most well‑run estate has its corners that need attention. What mattered most was the transformation: the sound richer, the accuracy sharper, and - most striking of all, the phrasing structures we’ve been shaping all week finally locked into place.
It all went click.
Thus, we proceed toward tomorrow’s performance with confidence, decorum, and the quiet thrill of expectation befitting any grand occasion.
Captain’s Log – EastEnders Edition (25.06.26)
The Final Frontier (Walford Style)
Blimey. If you’d told me this morning that today would turn into a right old knees‑up, I’d have said you were having a laugh. But no — turns out it was a proper day of celebration, the sort that would’ve had the Queen Vic heaving.
After yesterday’s cracking rehearsal, everyone turned up buzzing. You could feel it — that mix of nerves, excitement, and pure stubborn determination. The lot of ’em had sharpened their metaphorical musical pencils… or, let’s be honest, switched from 2B to 4H like they meant business. The vibe was don’t mess with us, we’re ready.
So off we trot to the Neptune Lounge for the sound check — and then it all kicks off.
DISASTER. No piano. No electric piano. No chairs allowed on stage. You could practically hear Phil Mitchell muttering “you’re ‘avin’ a bleedin’ laugh.”
But this is the Brandenburg crew. We don’t crumble. We graft.
A bunch of the more energetic singers got stuck in, shifting thirty‑odd armchairs like they were clearing out the Arches. The techies were sweet‑talked, nudged, and gently bullied into fetching the electric piano. And somehow — somehow — we squeezed in a 15‑minute sound check.
And guess what? The wooden floor made the acoustic miles better than that padded‑cell rehearsal room we’ve been stuck in all week.
Did we take advantage of it? YES WE BLOOMIN’ WELL DID.
The concert? Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Everyone focused. Everyone delivered. All that hard graft paid off — big time.
The sacred stuff was tuneful, warm, beautifully phrased. Havana finally took flight. And the finale — Noo York, Noo York — well, that one nearly blew the roof off. If there’d been a chandelier, it would’ve been swinging.
I was proud. Proper proud. Every single singer gave it everything.
And the day didn’t stop there. It rolled on like a Walford wedding reception — but without the punch‑ups.
Drinks in the Ocean Bar
Final dinner
Concert Party with some cracking solos (and the odd cheeky duet)
A massive shout‑out to Alison M, who’s been nothing short of brilliant all week. The kind of person you want in your corner when the piano disappears and the chairs revolt.
And then… the goodbyes. The tough bit. This exact group — this mad, talented, determined bunch — won’t exist again. Not in this form perhaps, but in a different reincarnation.
But like any good EastEnders family, we don’t do endings. Not really.
Never adieu. Always au revoir.
Look like something you’d like to join? Head to www.brandenburg.org.uk/cruise for details of future sailings.