Notes from Wednesday 8/28/19

Lobet den Herrn

Review your notes and rhythms through ms. 58 again, without words. 

FOR WEDNESDAY: Will run from the beginning 

The Glory of the Father, Christ Was Born on Christmas Day, and Come and See

Notes and rhythm with words should be known - These three will be memorized

• Basses make sure you are accurate and clean on your solo portion of Come and See starting p. 5

Al Hanissim

Review notes and rhythm up to page 17. Practice pp. 11-14

• Notes/rhythms on neutral syllable

• Words in rhythm

Please note: If a word/syllable has only a consonant and apostrophe, then the missing vowel is pronounced with the unaccented schwa sound. If there is another vowel as in kad’-she-cha, no other vowel sound is added. 

FOR WEDNESDAY

• Slowly put together

The Angel’s Carol

FOR WEDNESDAY

Clean up notes and rhythm to p. 5

FOR WEDNESDAY

Poulenc - Motet II Quem vidistis 

Hassler - Verbum Caro factum (second half)

Notes from Wednesday 8/21/2019

Singers,
Again, want to welcome Eileen back. We've missed you.
Also want to welcome Daegan Rosales, our new Tenor II.

Lobet den Herrn. Please continue to work notes and rhythms on neutral syllables up to m. 23. Then add in German - slowly at first - and work up to speed.
FOR NEXT WEEK: Please work through with neutral syllables up to m. 58

• Quarter notes - lightly detached
• Eighth notes - almost staccato
• Half notes or long - legato
• Energize eighth notes, ascending notes, and tied notes. 

Poulenc: O Magnum Mysterium  Please review anything that is uncertain. Note the variations of notes in what seems repeated.

FOR NEXT WEEK: We'll do a quick review and work through II. Quem Vidistis, Pastores Dicite

• Work notes and rhythms - Soprano divisi (Suzanne, Eileen, Karen, and Hunter - Soprano II)
• Work section (numbered) by section

Al Hanissim Review the two chorus sections (up to page 10) with the words. 

FOR NEXT WEEK: We'll work up to p. 17

• Look at the sections on pp. 6-8 and 11-14. Rhythmically and lyric-wise, they're challenging
• Start slowly and speak through the lyrics (without pitch initially)
• Slow down and add the pitches

Verbum caro factus est  Please keep up to m. 31 fresh.

FOR NEXT WEEK:

Carol of the Angels - Please work through parts on this.

• Soprano I will be: Melody, Suzanne, Hunter, Karen
• Bass II will be: Matthew, John, Peter, Ben

The Glory of the Father - Review

Christ Was Born on Christmas Day - Review (we're only doing up to m. 31) - To be memorized

Come and See the Newborn King - No need to review...I want to read through initially to work on your skills.

Remember we will be rehearsing at First Presbyterian Church, 1333 Third Street

Notes from Wednesday, 8/14/2019

It was great to get together and reconnect over delicious bites and beverages. Thanks to Annie for organizing and John and Cyndi for hosting.

We worked on:
Christ is Born on Christmas Day - Finish learning notes and rhythms this week (up to the bottom of m. 31 only). Begin memorizing .
Verbum caro factus est - Clean up notes and rhythms to the bottom of m.31. Continue to learn the rest of the piece. WE WILL WORK NEXT WEDNESDAY.The Glory of the Father - Review any parts you have questions about.
Lobet den Herrn - Practice your notes and rhythms on doo only up to ms. 58. Start slowly and work up speed. WE WILL WORK NEXT WEDNESDAY.

Also for next Wednesday:
Quatre Motets (Poulenc) - Go through your parts for the first one, O Magnum Mysterium. Work it without words first so you can concentrate on notes and rhythm, and then add words when you are more confident.
Al Hanissim - Work through your parts up to p. 10. Work on a neutral syllable. I will have parts recorded by Sunday evening. I will also record the Hebrew pronunciation.

• Next Week's rehearsal will be at our new site at Harvest Middle School - 2449 Old Sonoma Rd, Napa. We will be in the music (choir) room which is located at the back of the parking lot on the right as you're facing the campus from the street.

• August 28, we will be rehearsing at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Napa.

• I will send out a separate email (because I can't figure out how to attach a document) with the list of various committees for you to add your name to. I will provide more information about them in the email.

I'm excited about this season.
Ted

Season 5 Begins

Dear Singers,

It was great to see and hear most of you sing this week during the assessments. As I previously mentioned, this was an opportunity for me to hear some of you sing independently for the first time. It provided me with information regarding your vocal quality, your range, your ability to hear, discern, and reproduce melodic relationships, your reading skills and your knowledge and performance of the music you've sung. I'm still convinced we have the best singers in the Napa Valley. I will be using the knowledge to provide personal feedback and thus help each singer continue in his/her development as a member of the ensemble. For the record, you all did GREAT!

We begin rehearsals this Wednesday, August 14 at John and Cyndi's home. Annie will be reminding you about the time for the social which proceeds the rehearsal and what you can bring. You will be receiving published copies of the music then. In addition, there are several pieces on the Bel Canto Resources Site under "Files" which you need to print out. The last two are in the book, but the copies may be easier to insert in your folder.

• Jubilate Deo - Gabrieli
• Lobet den Herrn - Bach
• Resonet in laudibus - di Lasso
• Verbum caro factus est - Hassler
• Christ Was Born on Christmas Day - Shaw/Parker
• I Saw Three Ships - Shaw/Parker

Chuck has uploaded some of the parts so that you can begin looking at and rehearsing them. Please look at Verbum caro factus est before Wednesday.

• Soprano II - Annie, Eileen, Carissa, Joanna, and Wendy
• Tenor II/Baritone - Thom, Dana, Ovid, John  

Also, please look at Lobet den Herrn, pp. 1-3 and the Alleluia section starting on p. 11. The recording of this is one half-step lower than your music, in the key of B. Our scores (and instrumental parts) are in C. I chose this recording because of the phenomenal way it's performed. Start S-L-O-W-L-Y on "doo."

I'm really looking forward to seeing you en masse and singing together again.

T.