Rehearsal Notes for September 19, 2018

Deck the Hall

• Always feel the shortest note value pulse for synchronicity--in this case, 16th notes
• Again, all fa-la-las are much lighter than words
• As you memorize (which should be by next rehearsal of this piece), observe the articulation marks, i.e., staccato, legato, accent, etc.

Ave Maria

• Basses and tenors clean up initial chant. Sing in #2  vocal tone quality
• Please make sure to sing musically. Energize longer notes, important syllables, etc. Never sit on anything longer than a 1/4 note and just count through it, especially MEN.
• Soften final syllables 
• 2nd time through first section will be decidedly softer 

Stille Nacht

• Again, energize longer notes.
• De-emphasize week syllables. For example, it's shtih' - luh, not shtih' - leh' 
• The whole piece should be as gentle as you can make it. Exception is page 7. But don't go overboard. We need to hear the Alto melody.
• Soprano put a little more warmth in your tone in the solo section on page 9 - think "motherly"

Magnificat (Part)

• Use agogic accent, leaning into the strong syllables in each word which are generally on the longer notes, which will give these long, languid lines some sense of direction and movement.
• Conducting will be more like chironomy (hand gestures to indicate melodic contour rather than beat). Think each word (separated by dotted lines) wedded to each word in a phrase.
• Listen to the recording for a sense of the ethereal mood and motion of this piece.

 Gloria - Movement III

• Mark/highlight your articulation and dynamics
• As you get more familiar, keep the feeling light and rhythmic (leggero e ritmico) particularly when it gets very texturally busy from Rehearsal #24 to #32

For Wednesday, September 26

First half of rehearsal Gloria
Finish Movement III and review the rest
Second half of rehearsal Pergolesi Magnificat

Recording Order and SOLOS

*To be memorized

*Good Christian Men, Rejoice

Coventry Carol

Hodie Christus Natus Est

*I’ll Be Home For Christmas

·       Solo – Treble

Allon, Gay Bergeres

Ave Maria

·       First Chant – men unison

·       Second Chant – solo (bari-tenor)

*Gaudete

·       Solos as rehearsed (Thom join 2^nd tenors on Verse II, p. 6 and Verse IV, p. 9)

S’vivon

*E la don don

·       Solo – Bass/Baritone (melody at beginning)

·       Solo – Treble (vs. 1)

·       Solo – Male (vs. 2)

*Ríu, Ríu, Chíu

·       Men unison (melody at beginning)

·       Solo – Male (vs. 1)

·       Solo – Male (vs. 2)

Stille Nacht

Let There Be Light

I Wonder as I Wander

·       Solo – Treble

*Deck the Hall

*Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Please let me know via email (tvonpohle@gmail.com) if you are interested in any the solos for the pieces marked above.  If so, be prepared to sing them at any future rehearsals. NOTE: I will not be auditioning soloists for the Pärt Magnificat, the Pergolesi Magnificat and the Rutter Gloria.

Rehearsal Notes for September 12, 2018

I Wonder as I Wander

·       A/T/B make the “back-up” singing in ms. 16-24 pp throughout

·       Trebles keep it soft in ms. 26-35. Men keep melody soft there as well

·       Move Verse 3 a bit more with rubato

·       Trebles make sure to activate tied notes in ms. 56-70

·       Sing with closed hum on Verse 4

I’ll Be Home for Christmas

·       Sopranos coordinate diphthong on I’ll in the first measure

·       Basses be definitively together on I’ll in ms. 5 but avoid a big glottal attack

·       Sopranos look at Alto part in ms. 25-35 (i.e. pg. 5) as there will be a solo on that.

·       Don’t over sing ms. 41 and 42. Actually get slightly softer on “-mas” of Christmas and avoid much vibrato

GLORIA Movement II and III

·       Review the notes and rhythms with the words up to pg. 32

·       Practice with the recording up to tempo if possible

From Wednesday, September 5 Rehearsal:

Let There Be Light

·       Chord in ms. 1 needs to be full but light or even better, non-vibrato

·       Basses tighten up all solo/melody sections especially ms. 6

·       A & T articulate words ms. 14

·       Changed dynamics – ms. 22 (p), ms. 24 (mp), ms. 26 (mf)

·       Make the key change at ms. 24 more confident and exciting – practice key change with recording

·       Detach all eighth-notes in ms. 42-44

·       Lighten all unison sections by one dynamic such as ms. 17, 29, 45-47, 51, 59-60, 62-62, 74

·       S, A & T let the “g” be forte in ms. 76 and then crescendo the vowel over the bass line

·       Make the last chord as non-vibrato as possible with ff

Good Christian Men, Rejoice

·       Please keep the 1/8-note sub-pulse in mind at all times to keep tempo moving

·       Keep light over all.

·       Change in breaths: Verse One: stagger from Give ye heed to born today. No breath between the two phrases Christ is born today

·       Verse two, women make it smoother, warm, and sweet. Slow ever so slightly

·       Pick tempo back up in Verse Three.

·       No breath after rejoice. Luftpause after endless bliss

·       Slight ritard on first for this, followed by fermata on this. Keep slightly slower tempo for last phrase

S’vivon

·       Remember this is a song of anticipation and joy despite its minor mode. KEEP IT MOVING

·       Basses, be very precise on repeated descending line in ms. 7-8, et al

·       Sopranos make sure to move ms. 21-26

·       Ms. 37 will be slower and last measure will be subdivided 1 & 2 & etc.

FOR WEDNESDAY 19

Gloria - Movement III

look at notes and rhythms from p. 30 to the end

Ave Maria

Magnificat (Arvo Part)

Deck the Hall

Stille Nacht

I will send the list of solos in an email.