‘THE CREATION’ SET : SING-ALONG GOES IN NEW DIRECTION

For those who can’t wait until Christmas for their next sing-along “Messiah,” here’s a suggestion: How about a sing-along version of Haydn’s “The Creation”?

You can join David Dickau, the Irvine Valley College Symphonic Chorale and Chamber Singers in a sing-along version of Haydn’s oratorio at 7:30 tonight at the Forum (Room A-301) on the college campus.

“By doing something like this,” Dickau said recently, “we can expose the community to other works (than Handel’s “Messiah”) that are equally important and gratifying.

“Many people find it hard to become part of a performing ensemble because of their schedules. So this is a chance for them to get their hands around the score and maybe have their only opportunity to take part in singing this great music.”

The event is free and open to the public. And there are no auditions. Reservations are advised, however. Call (714) 559-3205 or 559-3232.

Dickau admitted that the sing-along also is a promotional tool.

“This is all in anticipation of our actual performance (of “The Creation”), which will be a standard--not a sing-along--performance with chorus and orchestra on May 9.” (This performance will be held at the Red Hill Lutheran Church in Tustin.)

“We use (the sing-along) as a way of promoting that concert and also for recruiting for our choral ensembles.

“Actually, this is not our first time for a sing-along. Last year, we did the same thing with Mozart’s Requiem. That was a very successful evening. We had approximately 100 to 120 people from the community join in.”

Tonight’s sing-along will be in English, with piano accompaniment. The college will provide scores for those who wish to join in. The scores must be returned later.

“And refreshments, too, for what they’re worth,” Dickau said.

Dickau preferred calling tonight’s event “an open rehearsal rather than a performance” since the work will not be done in full.

“But there will be soloists,” the conductor said. “And I will be discussing the work and giving background information about the time in which it was written.”

Dickau will stress Haydn’s “very colorful orchestral writing.

“Haydn does so many wonderful things with his musical descriptions,” Dickau said. “Look at what he does with imagery: the way he sets the different animals, or the fact that he was so confident in his music ability that he set sections for the orchestra before the chorus sings them.

“You’d almost think Haydn approached different aspects of this with tongue-in-cheek.”

Dickau doesn’t feel that the community members will experience any vocal problems.

“I find the choruses seem very singable,” he said. “They share a lot of similarities. Once people get the idea of the music, I think they can do them very well.

“The main thing is that the chorus already knows the piece very well. They will provide leadership. Otherwise, tempos would have to go very slow and there would be lots of starting and stopping. So the music will move right ahead.”

As for criticism that sing-alongs demean the work, Dickau argued:

“If this was an end in itself, I would be as frustrated as anybody who criticized the idea of a sing-along. I’m not in favor of it as an end result. But this is a wonderful piece of music that many people should have an opportunity to sing. The idea will be to have a fun evening--entertaining, I hope.”