NOTES for Week of April 23, 2023

Dear friends,

We are on the home stretch. Please keep your focus on really singing this music technically and expressively. Listen to the recordings for inspiration.

Continue to get the word out about the concert. Send cards, invite your family, friends, and coworkers.

Can we get an announcement into the church bulletins and/or email newsletters (First Presbyterian, Napa Methodist, St. Mary's Episcopal, others in town?)

FOR TUESDAY:

Brian Shaw, the pianist is coming to rehearsal. I want to focus on Brahms and Evening Gale. But I also want to go through the Due North pieces, as well as our closer, My Soul's Been Anchored and There is a Pleasure.

Here are extensive notes. Please mark them in your scores!

Brahms Vier Quartette Op. 92

·       I'm emailing you English Translations of the text. Please write them in your score and review the lyrics/meaning.

·        Highlight every dynamic and tempo marking, as well as slurs.

O Schöne Nacht

·        Basses remove the breath in m. 17 after Mond. Stagger breathing the entire phrase.

·        Tenors sing your phrase gently describing the sweet company of stars.

·        Sopranos need to be 100% accurate rhythmically and melodically in your line. Practice it listening to recording if necessary until you’re sure. It needs to be sung with some power.

·        ALL sing der Knabe schleiht zu seiner Liebsten (boy stealing to his love) gently with occasional crescendo and diminuendos. Think of the forte to piano in mm. 61-63 as an arrested exclamation…the lovers catching themselves and quieting.

·        ALL write mf in m. 73 (O), mp in m. 74 (schö-), and mp in m. 75 (-ne), and p in m. 76 (Nacht!)

Spätherbst

·        ALL sing with a feeling of melancholy. Really observe the slur markings and dynamics. This piece has some big dynamic contrasts.

·        When there are <> over a beat or two, really energize them. EX. mm. 29-30.

Abendlied

·        ALL sing the opening gently and peacefully.

·        Espressivo in mm. 15-20 expresses the melancholy of the words, that which depressed me. Are you already asleep, O pain.

·        ALL make the minor chord in m. 33, intensely soft on aber der Schlummer

·        ALL the apex of the crescendo in mm. 41-42 on empor reflects soaring heavenward then immediately softens to the piano.

·        ALL sing the rest of the song softly and gently as is describes a lullaby.

Warum?

·        ALL sing the beginning 11 measures strongly, as it describes songs resounding heavenward. Then really observe a quick diminuendo in mm. 13-14

·        The dotted quarter in the 6/8 time will be approximately the speed of a half-note in the 4/4 time.

·        Observe the crescendo in mm. 42 (piano) to 47 (forte). Women have a subito piano in mm. 48 on uns herab. Men float your uns herab.

Due North

Woodpecker

·        ALL need to push the tempo. Don’t slow down after pauses.

·        Sopranos, you need to be stronger mm. 10-13. ATB, need to sing pp jumping to ff in m. 14.

·        Tenors practice interval from m. 17 to m. 18 so the C4 is in tune. Everyone depends on your accuracy and intonation.

·        ALL sing pp mm. 18 until the poco a poco cresc. in m. 23.

·        ALL push tempo through and don’t begin to slow down until the top of 29 m. 35.

·        Tenor II, if you’re not doing so, please sing with the bases in mm. 40-46.

·        ALL drive tempo mm. 46 to end as your diminuendo.

Trees

·        ALL sing gently as if murmuring.

·        Basses practice your pitches mm. 12-18, especially the D♭to B♭on sycamore in m. 16.

Mosquitoes

·        ALL bring back more buzzing overall and push tempo.

·        ALL push tempo

·        ALL crescendo to third beat in mm. 28, 29, 30, 31

·        ALL carry the pp in the first ending (mm. 32-35) back to the repeat.

·        ALL sing f in mm. 37 to end.

·        NOTE: Each part should practice holding your score, singing your part, and vigorously swatting at imaginary mosquito while singing your lines in mm. 37-48. Stop when Larry starts the ascent. We’ll talk about how to stage the swat at rehearsal.

Evening Gale

Night Song

·        ALL be careful with the diphthong on raises as in mm. 6 and 17. Some are gliding/sliding on pitch.

·        ALL watch for expressive rubato starting in m. 40.

·        ALL there will be no break/breath after the fermata on moon in m. 45. WATCH

·        ALL keep mm. 40-50 p and get softer (float it) until m. 53.

·        Women observe the mp in m. 70, then crescendo to mf to match the men.

·        Women sing mm. 77-78 mp and marcato (slightly accented) and mm. 79 and following softer (p) but still marcato.

Acquainted with the Night

·        Women sing unison mm. 5-7, and 80-82

·        Tenors keep mm. 21-23 mp

·        Men watch your rhythm in m. 33, and delay the l in still, singing on the vowel.

·        ALL observe the crescendos on p. 26.

·        ALL note the mp in mm. 42-43

·        ALL come in strong in m. 65 then soften to mp in m, 66. Then crescendo to m. 74.

·        ALL make your entrances in mm. 88-98 distinctive.

·        ALL no breath in m. 104. Stagger to end.

The Sundown Sea

·        Women sing your entrance in m. 5 strong with conviction of rhythm (meaning, accurately)

·        ALL practice these rhythms mm. 9-17.

·        ALL sing gently but with rich, expanded vowels in mm. 19-24.

NOTES for Week of April 9, 2023

Dear friends,

We've had some productive rehearsals and I would like you to make some notes in your music and practice accordingly.

Evening Gale

1. Night Song

• P. 10, mm 32 and following, mark it legato and sing it that way. 
• P. 12, note that it is soft through out and moving to pp starting at m. 50. Keep the vowels warm and rich.
• P. 14, m. 70, WOMEN start mp and ease up to mf in m. 73.
• P. 15, m. 77, WOMEN come in mp and marcato (slightly accented) and then repeat in m. 79 piano.
• P. 19, mm. 107-109, SOPRANOS make that phrase gentle even while going up to the F5 and back down.

 2. Acquainted with the Night

• P. 21, WOMEN sing the opening theme soulfully and in a warm chest voice
• P. 22, Everyone make sure the t of light in m. 17, ends precisely on beat 1 of m. 18.
• P. 23, mm. 21-22, TENORS make sure to sing the phrase (up to the A4) gently.
• P. 25, mm. 33 MEN sing the phrase legato. Write that in your score.
• P. 26, mm. 36-42 All make sure of rhythmic/melodic accuracy and expression.
• p. 27, m. 42 Watch the fermata and GOS (gesture of syncopation) WOMEN to resume. 
• P. 29-30, Matthew and Suzanne, please sing the respective baritone and soprano solos in mm. 54-64. EVERYONE be ready to come in in m. 65.
• P. 31, starting at m. 67 SOPRANOS (and subsequently BASSES and ALTOS enter at mp, then note crescendo in mm. 69, 72-74.
• P. 36-38, EVERYONE make sure of your phrases (rhythmically and melodically) and note that its mp.
• P. 39-40, starting in m. 102, EVERYONE sing with rubato and don't breathe after acquainted. Stagger to the end.

3. The Sundown Sea

• P. 42, EVERYONE really practice your rhythm and WOMEN keep moving 8th notes in mm. 7-8 in tempo.   
• NOTE the difference in rhythms in the entrance on ten thousand in mm. 7 and 11.
• P. 44 and 46, EVERYONE keep the 8th notes in tempo. They're quick.
• Pp. 50-51, Suzanne, please sing the soprano solo. 

The Willow Song

• Don't start too slowly. Have a sense of motion. 
• Watch the joint cut-off in m. 4, and then the GOS to re-enter BASSES and TENORS.
• Women watch cue to re-enter at m. 18.
• Mark m. 20 pp.
• Note the diminuendo that covers mm. 25-28. There should be a slight intensification on the first syllable of each willow, but then diminish.
• Pay close attention to your pronunciation of garland. The final syllable is [ə] not [a].

Due North: Woodpecker

• Work towards ♩=116, which is very quick.
• Highlight EVERY dynamic and articulation mark. It's the contrasts and subtleties that make this piece interesting.
• P. 15, BASSES bring out the melody, everyone else should be piano-pianissimo.
• P. 17 m. 9 is a subito ff, then drop to pp except the SOPRANOS who sing their part ff.
• P. 19 m. 14 is a subito ff for all parts then WOMEN drop to pp.
• P. 21 Everyone should be pp. 
• P. 23 SOPRANOS should come out a bit on the sop and then EVERYONE should begin a crescendo through P 27. 
• P. 29 Wait to begin the molto ritard until the 2nd beat at the top. Keep volume up.
• P. 30 SOPRANOS enter fast and pp.
• P. 31 at the bottom, there should be contrasting dynamics with the SOPRANO and BASSES louder than ALTOS and TENORS
• P. 34 m. 46 SOPRANOS and BASSES need to really be open on the vowel of way [ɛ] and tune the F major chord. Be full, not just loud. ALTOS and TENORS need to be forte to begin that page.
• Write in the following dynamics: m. 46-47 ff, m. 48 f, m. 49 mf, m. 50 mp, m. 51 p, m. 52 pp to fade in 4 beats. 
  

My Soul's Been Anchored

• Watch the contrasts in dynamics in the introduction. Watch me for pauses and moving on.
• WOMEN and TENORS be ready to move at Allegro in m. 9. 
• Be aware of entrances following an 8th rest and a 16th rest.
• Drive the tempo to the end. Don't let the energy relax.
• Contrast the responses of mm. 26-27 to 31-32. Happens again in 49-50 and 52-53.
• In questions Do you love Him? (starting m 70) emphasize love when it follows an 8th rest and emphasize Do when it follows a 16th rest. Same pattern starting in m. 78.
• TENORS be sure of your pitches starting in m. 85 coming off the treble Hallelujah.
• Don't slow down before the molto rallentando in m. 99. Then slam on the breaks and WATCH. 
• Close to n on in in the penultimate measure and crescendo as you open to the words the Lord. There will be a slight pause on the, the second to the last note.

FOR TUESDAY:

DUE NORTH: Woodpecker, Trees, and Mosquitoes 

Now All the Woods are Sleeping

Trees (Brinsmead)

The Birds Lullaby

There is a Pleasure

My Soul's Been Anchored

Concert Program Order

 Song of the Woods

PROGRAM

Away in the Woods   Jonny Priano

Vier Quartette, Opus 92         Johannes Brahms

O schöne Nacht 

Spätherbst 

Abendlied 

Warum? 

Trees         Daniel Brinsmead

Due North       Stephen Chatman

Woodpecker

Trees

Mosquitoes

Now All the Woods Are Sleeping           David Cherwien

INTERMISSION

The Willow Song         Ralph Vaughan Williams

The Bird’s Lullaby Sarah Quartel

Evening Gale Anthony Bernarducci

Night Song

Acquainted with the Night

The Sundown Sea

My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord         arr. Moses Hogan

ENCORE: There is a Pleasure   Matthew Armstrong