NOTES for Week of September 23, 2023

Dear Friends,

We had a good and productive rehearsal even with almost 1/3 of the group missing. I look forward to having you all well and back in town soon.

NOTE: Going forward, I'm going to play the piano and help you develop your own sense of pitch and rhythmic accuracy. You may feel insecure at first, but I believe it will help you in the long run. If you're unsure of pitches or rhythms, please review them repeatedly at home. What I want to work on in rehearsals going forward is your intonation, blend, balance, dynamic nuance, and expressive singing of the text. That's what makes Bel Canto outstanding.

Cantata 191: Gloria in excelsis Deo 

• We have hammered out the notes in the 1st and 3rd movement and it's beginning to come come together.
• Please review this piece weekly to incorporate the text with precision and fluidity.
• If need be, work slowly on #3 until you can more confidently begin to speed it up.

Soon We Will Be Done

• Remember the rhythm is "swung" on all 1/8th-notes.
• Make sure syncopation is precise. Ex. m. 10 - war comes slightly before beat.
• As you rehearse, strive to memorize at the same time.

Solstice

• We worked parts through mm. 27-28. 
• Sopranos need to become precise and fluid in mm. 1-3.
• Basses become confident with entrance in m. 4.
• Really refine intonation at cadences. Ex. mm. 55, 11, 16, and 27.

Still, Still, Still

• This is coming, but it needs to sound more lullaby-ish. 
• Work on precision with gracefulness.

Alleluia! A New Work

• ALL singing melodies (Sopranos mm. 1-6, Men mm. 8-12, Sopranos/Tenors mm. 16-19) with precision and nuance.
• We will work on a slightly detached articulation.
• Observe all dynamics.

FOR TUESDAY, September 25

Solstice

• Rehearse mm. 28 to end. Secure notes and rhythms.
• We will rehearse entire piece.

Spotless Rose

• Work mm. 1-34 with Norwegian lyrics.

Cantata 191

• Review both movements #1 and #3

Children, Go Where I Send Thee

• Review parts. 
• We will begin memorizing this in rehearsal (mm. 1-81). Pattern: Vs. 1 harmony then chorus, Vs. 2 unison then chorus, Vs. 3 unison followed by individual phrases by section then chorus.

O Come, Emmanuel

NOTES for Week of September 17, 2023

Dear friends,

We've had some really productive rehearsals the last couple of weeks. It helps having you review the pitches and rhythms on pieces in advance of the rehearsal. Thank you for that!

Sussex Carol

• We went through it and marked breaths, slurs, dynamics, and change in meter to make sure of cut-offs. NOTE: I will move from 6/4 (a two-beat pattern) into 3/2 (a three-beat pattern) in mm. 26, 64, and 76-79 to make sure cut-offs are correct. 
• Please begin memorizing this. We will only review it once in a while.

Dixit Maria

• Sing with text and with a fairly light volume.
• Move to the stressed syllable of each word and fade on week syllable (especially last one).
• Intensify moving 1/4-notes and really articulate any 1/8th notes.
• Intensify any longer, sustained notes.

Spotless Rose

• Practice with the Norwegian. If you're unsure of the pronunciation of a word/syllable, please listen to the recording on the Resources Website.
• DAN please sing TI
• Musically this isn't difficult, but incorporating a new language will present a little challenge. Work steadily (and slowly, if necessary), phrase by phrase.

Cantata 191 - Gloria in excelsis Deo

• You're all plugging away at learning "too many notes." Keep up the good work.
• As you begin to get more accurate and confident sing with the text. 
• Review/sing it regularly to develop endurance. 
• Keep the tone relatively light.

The World for Christmas

• We did a sing-through. NOTE: The Soprano part from mm. 1-34 is a solo. Sopranos sing with the altos on oo starting m. 9. Men sing oo starting m. 17 until 34. 
• ALL sing the text together on assigned parts starting m. 34.

For TUESDAY, September 19

Cantata 191 

• Work the pitches and rhythms in 3rd Movement mm. 74 to end on doo
• Review previous parts.

Solstice

• Other than the Bach, this is probably the most complex piece with the 8-part divisi. Work you pitches and rhythms. Listen to the recording of your part or of the performance if you have questions.
• This needs to be very expressive, creating an almost mystical sense of community written in the height of the pandemic. I LOVE THIS PIECE. Let's sing it marvelously.
• Read the poem regularly as found on the first page.

Alleluia! A New Work...

• This piece has a rhythmic dance feel to it. Sopranos please make sure of all rhythms in your entrance. 
• Note that there are a lot of dynamic contrasts. Sometimes abruptly. 
• Make slurred pitches on extended syllables mm. 17, 26, and 28 legato.

Soon We Will Be Done

• Secure rhythms and pitches. Remember 1/8-notes are "swung."
• Begin the memorization process as you nail down your parts. Make sure to memorize dynamics and articulation.

Still, Still, Still

• Please note rhythms, breaths, slurs, and dynamics.
• Larry, I'd love to hear you on the solo starting m. 19.

See you on Tuesday. Thanks,

Ted

NOTES for Week of September 10, 2023

Dear friends,

It occurred to me that I got ahead of myself and said we had covered everything except The World for Christmas forgetting that the last movement of Cantata 191 is longer than the first one. Therefore, we will break it into two rehearsals.

In preparation for next TUESDAY, Sept. 12 Rehearsal.

Cantata 191

• Review the first movement, and as your notes and rhythms get secure, begin to sing the words keeping in mind pure Latin vowels. Sing lightly, as you have been on doo.
• In the last movement, please work your parts up to m. 68 (again on doo).
• Keep the tempi moderately slow until you have mastery of the notes and rhythms.

The Work of Christmas

• I plan to have Cam Gilgallon (our scholarship recipient) mm. 1-36 as a solo. 
• WOMEN sing the alto part unison on oo starting m. 9, with the MEN singing on oo starting in mm. 17. 
• ALL shift to words and your parts on the pick-up to m. 35.
• We will do it with out the insert pp. 13-14.

Dixit Maria

• Begin incorporating the words, again on pure Latin vowels. 
• Sing attentively with emphasis building to the strong syllables. 
• Energize the slurs.

Spotless Rose

• Secure notes and rhythms and start to incorporate the Norwegian words.
• I have recorded the pronunciation word by word and Chuck should have it available on the Resources Site shortly. 
• You should have a sheet that has the IPA symbols. We will go over the IPA on Tuesday evening.

Sussex Carol

• Make sure all pitches and rhythms are secure.

Have a great weekend,

Ted

NOTES for Week of September 3, 2023

Friends,

The board and I really appreciate those who signed up to help with some of the operation activities of Bel Canto. The following are a list of the committees, coordinators, and assistants. 

Marketing/Advertising/Sales - Hunter Hollingsworth, coordinator. Susan Dunaway-Tsujihara, Bill Leigon, Cyndi Kasten, and Larry Black

Volunteer Coordinator - Larry Black, co-coordinator. We need one person to be co-coordinator along with Larry. 

Concert Manager - Dana Zaccone, coordinator. Dan Bunnell and Matthew Gracy

Social Activities - Anna Leigon, coordinator. John Kasten, Thom Hinesley

Reception - Kellie Lind, coordinator. Cassi Tynan

Development/Fundraising and Audience Development - Ted von Pohle, coordinator. Gregory Whitfield.

A couple of you have spoken to me about specific activities that you assist the group with. Those who haven't signed up, please be amenable to helping in an activity if asked by the coordinator.

Notes from last week's rehearsal. And for next week's rehearsal.

*Cantata #191

• We drilled notes through m. 138. I've decided it is not time efficient to drill such complex music part by part. THUS, please work independently this week on your part through the end of the movement (m. 176). You can use cyberbase.com or work the parts on your piano. I want to run Gloria in excelsis and Et in terra pax next Tuesday.

The Waiting Sky

• We worked through parts on this and sang with lyrics. Continue to iron out any questionable notes and rhythms.

Soon We Will Be Done

• Note that 1/8th-notes are swung rhythmically. 
• On last page, m. 110 on Thy will be - all 1st SATB sing the words, all 2nd SATB speak the words.
• This will be memorized by Boot Camp
• If you're interested in the doing one of the raps, please let me know

Still, Still, Still

• Highlight all expression marks (tempi, dynamics, slurs)

FOR TUESDAY, September 5.

Cantata #191

Solstice

Children Go Where I Send Thee