Bel Canto Rehearsal Notes: Rehearsal Notes for Nov. 29, 2017

Hodie Christus Natus Est

· The whole thing should be much lighter – no louder than mf.
· Light and detached on all no-e’s
· On page 4, the Alleluia’s with 16^th-notes should be the focus. 8ths notes should back off
· Always emphasize the syllable lu of Alleluia.
· Page 5, last measure, please circle and observe the diminuendo
· Page 7, light and dance-like on Laetantur archangeli
· Page 9, glorias should be more legato
· No retard at end until beat 3 of penultimate measure

Gaudete

O Magnum Mysterium

· Make it mysterious and chant-like (think Buddhist monks) all the way through
· Tenor/Bass crescendo into Ma- and decrescendo into –gnum
· Trebles note the andante tempo (means moderate, not slow)
· Baritones and basses be well blended and ready to move at measure 25-26
· Altos and baritones double check pitches and intonation at measures 33-40
· Keep a straight tone and more mystical sounding at measures 49 to 55 on O beata virgo
· The Allegro section starting at measure 66 – keep it light and flowing – not much more than p to mp
· Plan your breath Basses at measures 94-95 to hold through the break

Allon, Gay Bergeres

· Observe most dynamics as marked (circle or highlight, please)

· All verses are lighter

· Sopranos detach quarter-notes at top of page 8

· Dynamics should be mp at top of page 9 Un gateau luy

· Second Allon, gay at bottom of page 10 should be mp

· Ho, ho’s at top of 11 should be almost staccato and soft

· At tope of 12, bring each dynamic down one degree (i.e., mf and f rather than f and ff)

· Again, minimal ritardando until beat three of penultimate measure

Masters in This Hall

· Avoid much of any ll in Nowells
· Tenor/Bass keep it piano on pages 127/128 during Matthew’s solo. Matt sing out with good diction
· On page 129 and 130, Tenor/Bass keep it still relatively light
· Please note that solo is marked by an asterisk* with the exception of baritones on Holpen are all folk on earth Born the Song of God so dear. Back off if your section doesn’t have the solo.
· Tenor keep Nowells light on page 131-132 – listen for treble voices
· Sopranos sing out on pages 133-134
· Listen for exchange of melody through each part on pages 135-137, especially Altos on last And cast a-down the proud

Ya viene la vieja

In the Bleak Midwinter

· Tone and line, always tone and line!!!
· Always keep the vowels the focus rather than consonants especially on in, win-ter
· All 3/2 measures will be a subdivided 3
· If you have the melody, really enunciate the words. If not, it’s about open rich tone on the vowels.
· Note decrescendo on page 121, measure 40
· Watch cut offs, breaths and entrances (Altos) in measure 62
· Make the last line piano
· The penultimate measure will be conducted in 4 with Sopranos counting their dotted quarter and eighth notes
· Altos/Basses, I will conduct each note in last measure

Glory, Glory, Glory to the Newborn King

· MEMORIZE
· Sopranos (Jo) work out who’s singing I/II
· Patterns in intro are same with different words. Sometimes there’s a break before the oo’s and sometimes they continue from the last word. WATCH!
· All forte or fortissimo sections must be sung beautifully (opera chorus)
· Basses, at Allegro top of page 5, I will give subtle two beats before you come in on Children
· Basses/Tenors, really be 100% sure of your notes on your Glory’s. Sing them with full, vigorous tone, especially Tenor II and Baritone.
· Watch measure 93 on page 10. Women cut off immediately while men hold. Then women alone come in after men cut off. Women hold fermata on sing-in’ and men joy on Glory.
· Last measure new-born is loud, King is sfz (hit “k” hard and then soft on King with a huge swell until cut off

FOR TUESDAY:

Alleluia

I Wonder as I Wander

· Suzi – make the solo kind of slow and pensive. Take all the time you need and breath as much as you need to. Make it a little haunting
· Tenors enter softly on her last pitch (D4)
· When Sopranos enter on melody it will still be relatively slow but metered
· Circle the decrescendo in meausure 34 down to pp. There will be a ritardando Tenor/Bass in measure 35.
· Very legato on verse 3 and move a bit more and with a bit of rubato – WATCH!
· Altos and Sopranos activate (meaning lean into) the second of the tied notes through the humming sections
· Note that it ends pp

Still, Still, Still

· Stay on vowels as long as possible on still, sleep, dream. Get initial consonants (sl and dr) out of the way quickly
· Sopranos make the slurred 4^th up, 6^th down, 3^rd up, 5^th down progression as clean, but as legato as possible. Use the breath and the vowel to execute the rising/following intervals, not the consonants

Before the Marvel of This Night

· I LOVE this poetry!!! Really enunciate the words – underline and stress:
· Verse 1: marvel, night, fold, bow, tear, light, news, endow, Proclaim, birth, peace, fear, death, sorrow, cease.
· Verse 2: awake, sleeping, assemble here (soprano), come arrayed, Give, glimpse, teasing taste, miss
· Verse 3: love, always known, joy, endless light, loveless world, shown, break upon, compress the love. Make love rich and warm with ”ah” vowel

Angels We Have Heard on High

· Trebles sing beginning with warm, pure, tone
· Glorias: Sopranos drive half note into eights, Altos increase each two-note pattern as you go from first to next (ex. G to A, F# to G, etc.)
· Tenor/Bass sing your verse with slight detached tone and with sense of surprise and wonder in voice. More legato at measure 40
· At measure 57, sing with fuller tone and more legato
· Circle crescendo in measures 61/62
· Note decrescendo in measure 64
· At measures 75 and 82, think of it has more marcato (accented and detached) than staccato.
· Never get too loud, just full and jubilant. At measures 88-90, back off a little so we hear the bell accents. Accent then fall off
· Full at 91 to end

Benedictus

· Benedictus is where we get the word benediction which means blessing. Sing it as a blessing with warmth and gentleness

Bel Canto Rehearsal Notes