A/N: We're only a few chapters away from the concert, ladies and gentlemen :)
But, before we get there, this is one more eventful tradition of Downton's that we will be experiencing, a little fun flustering here and there, and one last hint about a certain someone's past…
_._
Everything was going quite well for the most part, in all honesty. All of the students were getting closer and closer to having their music completely off-book, and it was soon becoming a matter of delving into what made each song distinguished in its own right. There were of course some songs that produced a bit of a struggle, some pieces that - no matter how much the choir in question practice - brought the occasional frustrated question of, "At this rate, should we even be keeping this song?"
But now it was becoming more about making an authentic connection to the music instead of merely singing the lyrics with the correct notes. Now was the time for getting even more selective about vowel modification, about enhancing the song in every possible.
This was a time of intensity blending into understanding. A moment in a choir's journey where almost every student should be beginning to make a greater connection to the piece that will allow them to delve further into why this is vital to the show.
This is also the time when Mr. Carson unintentionally dropped somewhat of a bombshell of an announcement.
At least, a bombshell for everyone not expecting it.
"Good job today, everyone," He'd been speaking to men's ensemble - their first ensemble of the day. "And, please, remember to inform your parents about Downton Academy's annual Winter Ball. As always, it is on the first Saturday in December. Therefore, this year, it will be held at 6:00 o'clock in the evening on the 1st of December."
She turned sharply, having been sat at the piano and flipping through her binder to prepare for the next class. Fortunately, the groans of disappointment coming from half the ensemble made her sudden action quite subtle in comparison.
"Now, you are not inform them in that manner of tone. But, you are to inform them of the opportunity. And, furthermore, you are also highly encouraged to join in the festivities after you perform." Mrs. Hughes was still staring at him throughout all of this. "For, this year, you will be joining the other choirs in performing one selection from our repertoire."
"Yes, Mr. Carson." Came dozens of dejected capitulations, practically voiced in unison.
_._
"How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place?
Oh Lord,"
She sat at the piano, robotically playing the accompaniment and thinking about everything over again.
"Oh Lord,
Oh Lord of Hosts."
The announcement had ignited mixed reactions with the Mixed Choir. For the most part, few were surprised and fewer had the negative reactions of the Men's Ensemble. Though, no one had quite matched the level of enthusiasm the singers of Bel Canto when the ladies had heard they'd be able to perform.
"For my soul,"
Elsie didn't really know why this was such an issue - having to go to this "Winter Ball".
"It longeth yea fainteth
It longeth yea fainteth,"
It wasn't as though she's never dressed up before. Or had to perform at a "fancy" event before .
"It longest yea fainteth.
It fainteth, it fainteth,"
Whatever was bothering her, it wasn't obvious.
"It fainteth-"
Mr. Carson firmly brought down his hands with a sharp, "No, no- stop!"
The choir stilled, taken aback.
"You are the singers of the highest calibre within these walls. You all have spent years becoming far more familiar with the art of singing, far more than your fellow singers." They looked a little hopeful at this, but he wasn't finished. "I shouldn't have to correct your
"Yet your expressions have turned dull for this, your voices are listless in these verses. They are bored as your tone. You know the lyrics, but you are clearly not intimate with the song. Your vowels reflect this boredom - sinking into consonants far too early even though we have repeatedly tried to modify them."
Elsie along with all the students was taken aback by this sudden vexation. But, Mr. Carson had been slowly giving them all of this comments about this particular song over the last few weeks - the rehearsals had just been too brief for this piece that she was surprised he was already this impatient.
"Now, this is the one song we've worked least on, I understand that. But, unless we can pull this together by the end of the week, I will be cutting it from the program."
They all remained respectfully silent, knowing that their director wasn't finished just yet.
"In this song, you are speaking of how lovely it is to live in the courts of the Lord. How, to live in such a blessed house is something you crave with every fiber of your being."
Some faces nodded along, as though they knew that the entire time. Others began to agree, even though their eyes showed they didn't really care. And, there were still even a fair amount of students who didn't nod at all - still silently watching their director.
Something told Elsie that the level of exaltation required for this song was not going to be reached.
_._
"Well that was quite the rehearsal." Anna muttered to John as they took their seats for lunch. He nodded grimly.
"We certainly have our work cut out for us." He looked at their peers. "But, let's not talk about that right now."
They definitely didn't need any more prompting for a change in subject.
"Will you be going to the dance, Anna?" They had all gathered in the cafeteria, taking one of the larger tables for the day. Joseph, Phyllis, Andy, Daisy, William, Anna, John, and even a few others had snagged one of the only tables made for such a crowd.
"Seeing as how my choir will have to perform for a few minutes, Andy," She couldn't help but start to tease, "I don't see why I wouldn't be."
"But, will you be staying after the performance?" She turned, surprised at the persistency.
"I think I might," She turned, now addressing her own question to John. "Will you be staying yourself, even if we're told we can leave early?"
"I'd hardly think you'd be interested in such a thing," For someone who came off as meek, Daisy could also be quite the interjector. But John was focused on only Anna when he finally replied.
"I think I might." He echoed her words with a bit of a tease, coaxing surprise and a smile.
And, speaking of the Winter Ball and surprises, another conversation was occurring about three floors above them.
_._
"There's going to be a dance?" The two had been sitting in companionable silence, working on some miscellaneous paperwork and assignments when the question blurted itself into the room.
"I'm sorry - what was your question, Mrs. Hughes?" She bit her lip, looking up from her own stack. After all, when the students weren't working on learning the songs, they were learning music theory - such as how to read keys, understanding scales, etc.
"Well, it's just that I didn't realize there was to be a dance, that's all. Or, that we are required to attend." He nodded, still focused on the papers before him and not really paying attention to the conversation.
"Yes, the Winter Ball is an excellent opportunity to allow the staff, students, parents, and interested members of the community to mingle with one another."
"I see." Elsie returned to her paperwork, thinking the situation over. She had nothing against dances or dressing up, not really. It was just a matter of being caught by surprise, having the sneaking suspicion she'd be required to go. And also the fact that she hadn't had to attend such an event in years - now that she out of the habit, it all seemed a little foreign to the woman.
She was also bothered by the fact that all of this did bother her for once, the idea of attending a formal dance. Dressing up, dancing, she remembered it could be fun at times, even when it wasn't familiar.
And the idea of a dance never resulted in flustering her like a silly schoolgirl for half a day.
"Is there a problem, Mrs. Hughes?" Elsie looked up to discover that a fair amount of time had passed without her noticing.
Not only that, but her colleague had apparently been looking at her for who knows how long.
"Not at all, Mr. Carson. I was merely thinking."
And they left it at that.
_._
"I know we're only supposed to perform, but do you think we'll get the chance to dance as well?" Rose's exuberant charm never really faded, even after witnessing it for a few years now.
Unless you were Sarah O'Brien, that is.
If you were such a person, you'd know that the charm didn't work for even a minute.
_._
"Do you think anyone will be interested in asking us to the ball?"
Mary rolled her eyes, irritated by Edith's tone.
But, secretly, even as she snarked out some pithy response the eldest Crawley sister had to confess: the same question had been on her mind.
_._
"And just when were you going to tell me about Downton's Winter Ball?"
Elsie had managed to make it through the school day without throwing Mr. Carson for a loop, successfully maintaining rehearsals and somehow not sparing this "Winter Ball" a second thought after lunch.
But that was only because she knew she'd be having words with Beryl about it.
"Tell you what?" The band director raised an eyebrow, highly unimpressed by her tone but also somewhat amused by whatever it was that was bothering her friend.
"That there's to be a 'Winter Ball' and we have to attend, that's what."
"Oh, that?" Funnily enough, Beryl had a feeling this was going to come up.
And, maybe this related to whatever it is that brought Mr. Carson to her doorstep. But, now was not the time for speculation, especially in that regard.
"Yes, that." Elsie rolled her eyes, quite unimpressed. "As though this wasn't something you were well aware of."
Her friend scoffed in response, seeming irritated but internally busting up. The last time she'd seen Elsie in such a state - well, let's just say it's been a few decades.
"It's not my fault if I'm trying to do my job." The woman in question shot her a stare.
"Oh, yes, I'm sure it'd be impossible to even take a minute to warn a woman when you've got your hands full with those flautists." There was a hint of a playful quality to the snark, something that told Beryl she was hardly in any real trouble today. Besides, they both knew that all the flautists were in excellent form this semester.
"Elsie Hughes, are you insulting instrumentalists of this fine establishment? Instrumentalists hailing from my part of this department?" She arched a challenging eyebrow. "For, believe me when I say, your sopranos could use some work themselves!"
"Really, now?" She rolled the "R" quite easily, letting her accent make its presence more noticeable.
"Yes, indeed," Beryl nodded sharply, poised to continue. But they could only continue this facetious verbal joust for a few more minutes before bursting into much-needed laughter.
"Mrs. Patmore," Mrs. Bird popped her head in, having one more question for the woman, "Lily, you know the flautist from-" But whatever else was she was going to say was drowned out by the now-roaring chortles intertwined with giggles and snorts currently coming from the two women.
Clearly, something funny had occurred.
Also just as clearly: Mrs. Bird would not be privy to the joke any time soon - even if her fellow teachers had wanted to share it.
"I'll come back later."
_._
They'd been briskly walking back home together - the November cold making the journey not quite as nice as normal.
"Sybil," Normally, Tom Branson was an assured young man who felt comfortable talking about anything under the sun - politics, choir, academics, "Irish Blessing", you name it.
Today, he was quite hesitant.
"Yes, Tom?"
"I was wondering if you'd like to- that is, I had thinking that maybe we should-" He trailed off.
But, seeing as how they were just talking about choir a moment ago, Sybil suspected she already knew what he was thinking.
"If you were thinking of asking me to go with you to the Winter Ball, I would love to, Tom." She said, even daring to give him a kiss on the cheek.
But, in his elated surprise, their lips accidentally met instead.
_._
"We'll have to get new dresses, won't we?"
"But, why? A conductor's attire is to blend in. The attention should be on the performers." The band director arched an eyebrow at this.
"You mean to tell me that you're going to wear the only black dress you've owned for who knows how long?"
"It still fits, doesn't it?" The choir teacher defended herself with ease, "And I've been through a lot with that dress, as you well know."
Beryl did indeed know, which is why the room suddenly took a turn for a stifling silence.
"Maybe, because you've been through a lot with it," Elsie looked up at her friend's words, words that were now spoken far more seriously than anything in the last hour. "It's time to let it go."
She froze, a response already dying on her lips before she knew it.
"You don't have to give it away this very minute," Beryl somewhat conceded, understanding a little of why Elsie wouldn't be able to do that. "But you could still try something new."
_._
A/N: With flautists versus flutist, I wanted to stick to what the internet was leaning towards (flutist) versus what I've heard (flautist). After two minutes of posting though, I realized I still prefer flautist.
In any case, I hope you've enjoyed today's little chapter!