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.