Rehearsal Notes for August 22, 2018

Deck the Hall (one hall)

Make all fa-la-las lighter and crisp throughout
Please highlight all dynamics – there are many changes (subtle and distinct) throughout

·       Make sure all the fa-la-las in first two pages are timed perfectly (think 1/8-note pulse)

·       Bell effects in ms. 53-64 should be hit hard then go to “ng” of dong, no need to get softer

·       Slight retardando in ms. 76-77. Otherwise no real slowing down throughout

·       THIS NEEDS TO BE MEMORIZED

Stille Nacht

·       Basses connect into each low Bb stille nacht (ex. ms. 2 to 3, 28 to 29, 99 to 100) but don’t pronounce the “t” in nacht, let other voices do that.

·       Make unaccented German syllables the schwa sound

·       Sing “oh” at ms. 35-38

·       Solo sections: soprano (ms. 5-27, 75-97), baritone (ms. 31-48) are p or mp, so others need to be quite soft behind them.

·       Make piece gentle and atmospheric

Good Christian Men, Rejoice

·       First and last verse tempo is about ¼-note = 98; women’s section is slower with  ¼-note = 88

·       Breath changes: Verse one: 1^st breath after voice, next breath after born today, next breath after manger now, brief lift after first Christ is born today.

·       Verse two (women): breathe after io, after praesepio, after gremio, after 2^nd Alpha es et O.

·       Verse three: breathe after voice, lift after bliss, breathe after for this, breathe after evermore, and short fermata followed by breath for this

·       Slight regard in last two meaures

·       THIS NEEDS TO BE MEMORIZED

Magnificat (Pärt)

·       Make the flow and energy build into syllables with agogic stress (longer note durations that are on important syllables) such as Mah-NYEE-fee-kaht   AH-nee-mah MEH-ah DOH-mee-noom

·       Use a pure, non-vibrato tone. Use more air in tone to reduce vibrato

·       This piece has a very mystical quality. It should float gently, but purposefully along, NOT DRAG

·       Once you have a sense of the rhythm, use text and line to move the phrasing

E la don don and Ríu, Ríu, Chíu

·       This should be memorized.

FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29

Hodie Christus Natus Est

Coventry Carol

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

I Wonder as I Wander

Ave Maria

Rehearsal Notes for August 15, 2018

Notes for Wednesday, August 15, 2018

1.     Worked through the two Spanish Carols: E la don don and Ríu, Ríu, Chíu. Regarding pronunciation (checked three sources)

a.     E la don don

·       The “g” in Verges is pronounced like the “s” sound in pleasure – like French

·       Both vowels in peu are pronounced quickly as “peh-oo”

·       The word desanque is “deh-sahng-keh”

·       I’ll go through the words of the two verses next Wednesday

b.     Ríu, Ríu, Chíu

·       Pronounce as typical Spanish

·       All “r’s” are rolled (make it almost percussive)

·       Soft (almost absent) “g” in guardo

·       “D” of Dios is almost like “th” with tongue against back of top teeth

·       BOTH CHORUSES FOR MEMBER WEDNESDAY

2.     Sang through the first movement of Rutter Gloria.

·       Please go through score and highlight all dynamics, articulation marks (accents, legato, etc.) and any tempo marks/changes.

·       Make sure “g” of each Gloria is stressed then fly by the “l” to vowel which is “aw” as in law.

·       Soprano and Tenors think full, rather than loud at ms. 120 to 137

·       Altos lightly articulate the multi-note “ah’s” of Adoramus in ms. 154.

·       Basses, lightly articulate the two-note “fi”, “ca”, and “mus” of Glorificamus in ms. 155-156

·       ALL – the “ti” of Gratias is pronounced ”grah-tsee-ahss”

·       Energize the crescendos (but softly) in measures 165-166 and 173-174

·       All lightly articulate the “oh” of Gloriam in measures 187 and 195

·       As voices are added at rehearsal #10, don’t crescendo too much until sopranos are in, then note the diminuendo

·       Basses REALLY make sure that the run in ms. 218-219 is first accurate, then energetic

·       In ms. 223-227, use the accents to help build crescendo

·       Gloria in excelsis Deo’s on page 13 should be full but almost legato

·       The staccatissimo marks in ms. 251-253 should be sung very briefly with a decided accent (ff)

·       Write DEEP BREATH before the last Deo.

3.     Allon, Gay Bergeres

·       Sing all “verses” light and detaché. On a string instrument, that means a seamless series of notes but with quick changes in direction of the bow for each note.

·       Make sure of pronunciation on top of page 8 – remember the vowel sound of que, le, de, ce, ne, and je are all pronounced like the “der” of “wonder” without the “r”

·       Tenors a slight accent when you come in on the refrain at top of page 10.

·       Watch pronunciation and work for quick accuracy going from page 11 to 12

·       NO BREATH at top of page 12 going into Allon gay in the second measure.

·       Cross out ritardando and write it in middle of penultimate measure

FOR WEDNESDAY 8/22

1.     Sing through I Wonder as I Wander

2.     Stumble through Stille Nacht and Párt Magnificat – I’ll have parts for Stille Nacht done by Saturday evening

3.     Review memorization of E la don don and Ríu, Ríu, Chíu

4.     Review Deck the Hall and

5.     Good Christian Men, Rejoice – WANT MEMORIZED BY 8/29