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