Hi Don,

It was to give the choir a sit - unfortunately it was taken as a wittering opportunity.

There shouldn't be the same problem at the RFH performance in October, unless R3 decide to broadcast that too; mind you, one supposes they would edit out any "Sitzpausen" if it didn't go out on the night.

Cheers,

Gnu

No doubt other posters will be able to give a more complete technical explanation (I am not a singing coach), but the short answer is yes.

Sometimes short sections of works (e.g. the first choral entry in Mahler 2) can be done sitting down, but the seated posture usually works against the breath support needed for "joined-up" singing.

Cheers,

Gnu

If you think about it, IRF, nearly all singers prefer to do it standing up: not just choir members, but rock stars, opera singers, church congregations, even crooners and cabaret artists (unless they're performing gentle, laid-back numbers). By making it easier to attain the best posture for breathing (which for most singers is done abdominally), and affording better support for the diaphragm, it's an altogether more efficient way of producing the freest and most flexible sound, whilst making precise control considerably easier.