Thanks for that response. Music makes memories. I assume, being a coloratura, you got your share of solos. It sounds like it was challenging but rewarding.
I learned to sing harmony by chance as an adult; I got dragged into the church choir since I was always around while in youth ministry, and they had only one “tone deaf” male. That church happened to have a real choral conductor, trained by a world-famous one. She had me singing harmony by the end of the second rehearsal, where others in my youth had all failed utterly, and I had given up entirely on singing after my voice changed.
It was much later (at 44) that I studied it seriously, and got into bona fide ensembles. Good (interesting and enjoyable) bass parts are few and far between.
Although I have sung in very elite groups, I am not the very best chorister, but being a basso profundo, most ensembles want me, if only so they can do Russian literature (e.g., Chesnokov, “Duh Tvoy blagiy”). I am not as low as an authentic Oktavist, but I can can sing a B1 or Bb1 cleanly and audibly.
Of all the discrete pieces and major works I have sung, probably my two favorites are this “O magnum mysterium” and “Ave verum corpus” by Mozart.
No solos. Just a phenomenal choir with good complicated pieces. The other piece I’d like to hear again was an Easter piece. I keep bumping into a bible verse when I search for the words. What I remember was
hath dealt bitterly
hath dealt bitterly with me
call me now no more naomi
from today call me mara
It’s very low. Catholic girls’ school, so Maureen Tobin would have been our soloist. I should email her and see if she or our soprano soloist remember.