Dear friends,
We're in the home stretch. Thank you for the work you've put in to learning some pretty complicated music and working to perform it artistically. Please don't let up. We can make this our best concert to date with continued energy and focus. Below are a quite few things about each piece on which I would like you to direct your practice independently and in rehearsal. Mark them, practice them, and make them your own.
1. Alleluia! A New Work is Come On Hand
- This is our concert opener. It must be flawless. And enthusiastically energetic. Keep the tempo brisk throughout.
- Alto I please join the Sopranos on the first page.
- Tenor/Bass, on p. 4, do not elide the w of Now into the word is. It's causing intonation issues. Almost detach.
- Soprano/Tenor on p. 6, please make this clean, blended, and energetic.
- The energy, accuracy, and volume from top of p. 8 to the end should be sustained, that means especially in m. 29 and 30.
2. The Waiting Sky
- Please sing the story, making making your inflection color words like bare, waiting sky, cows (k sound), smother, puddles, warm light.
- When you sing a question, make it a question - What if the clouds smother the shining star in every iteration.
- We'll know it's there, should sound gently confident and reassuring.
3. Children, Go Where I Send Thee
- This song is to be sung fast and passionately. Make sure that your certainty of memorization allows you to do that.
- Also, dynamically, it's pretty robust all the way through with the exception of the sustained born which we'll swell and diminish on.
- Overall, make it fun to watch and listen to.
4. O Come, Emanuel
- Women start the piece expressively, with energized slurs on the intro and throughout. Don't wait for me to conduct you into the slurs.
- Men move your initial melody on p. 5. It says mysterioso, but not slow. The metronome marking is faster than you've been wanting to take it.
- Sopranos sing p. 7 through 8 almost piano so we hear the low alto melody.
- Every time there is a slight rit. ready for the a tempo.
5. Gloria in excelsis Deo
Music of the Baroque period should have a lilt as if performing a stylized dance. Sing with the vocal equivalency of dancing lightly on the toe.
- I Coro: Tempo will be approximately dotted-quarter = 60. That means the speed of a second per measure.
- Alba, Joanna, Cassi please sing m. 25-28, 124-134, 147-156 with the altos if you can
- All tied dotted-quarter notes need to be intensified moving to the following 16th-note.
- Decrescendo on the last syllable of Gloria, excelsis, Deo and voluntatis.
- Sing every Pax warmly and gently.
- When singing the fugue starting in m. 120 and beyond, keep it flowing and semi-soloistic, meaning expression is as important as accuracy
- NOTE: When finished with Coro I, please turn to Coro III. Don't follow the soloists in your score while they're singing.
- III Coro: Make this effervescent and lively.
- Energize dotted-half note sections. Feel the sub-pulse.
- Alba, Joanna, Cassi please sing m. 46-57 with the altos if you can
- Decrescendo on the last syllable in saeculorum and amen.
6. Dixit Maria
- Diminish at each full cadence (mm. 22, 25, 30, 35, 37, 41, 43, 47, 51, 55, 57, 59, 62, 65).
- Tenors start with the beautiful light quality you had in last Tuesday's rehearsal and everyone else follow suit.
- Keep the syncopation light and very accuracy while being very legato.
- Also, keep background words snow, still, and all oo's and m's smooth and soft.
- Sings as a gently controlled lullaby.
- Sing the Alleluias with a warm, full, rich tone. Think Brahms!
- Move this. If hesitant with Norwegian words - PRACTICE. It should never sound tentative.
- Wrap the audience in wonderful, flowing tone.
9. Solstice
- Sopranos really focus on intonation in mm. 3 and 45 on dark
- Never hum a pitch before entering.
- This is intense storytelling. Sing it accurately, beautifully, and very expressively. Move past singing with apprehension.
- Mm. 27-31 should be softer for EVERYONE, TI and AI should be piano, and all others pp.
- When cadences have a diphthong (mm. 10-11, 14, 25, 27, 35, 43) sustain the primary vowel. When it has [i] as in me, make sure the vowel is tall and gentle.
10. Soon We Will Be Done
- As you continue memorizing, please pay attention to rests, non-breaths, and dynamics.
- Men remember to start softly intense. Think stage whisper.
11. The World for Christmas
- All oo's in solo section start on the downbeat (m. 10 for women, m. 18 for men.)
- Be ready to move at m. 34. And really move at m. 67.
- Sing this tenderly and ardently
12. Sussex Carol
- This is our concert finale. It must be flawless. Please be sure of your memorization.
- Sing with energy and enthusiasm, but be careful not to over sing. Save some voice for the delicate Encore.
13. The Work of Christmas
- Men please double-check where you enter singing words (Ex. Tenors mm. 10, 19 Basses mm. 11, 20, Tenors/Basses together mm. 58, 67).
- Sing it so they think about the words.
Again, I appreciate all your fine work. And I look forward to making beautiful music together next week.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Ted
