Bel Canto Rehearsal Notes: NOTES for Week of February 4, 2024

Dear friends,

Thank you for a good rehearsal last Tuesday. A few things of which to make note.

Kala kalla - II from Hebrew Love Songs.

Bass please practice the 5th and 6th intervals in mm. 2, 3, and 6 (kula sheli). They need to be absolutely accurate while sounding free-flowing.
La-la's need to be clean with an open tone. Sing the "l" in an Latinized way with a flick of the tongue.
Measure your breathing at the end mm. 72-76, so you have enough breath support for the climax without pushing.

Grace Before Sleep

Women really work on clear diction as well as unified tone in opening. The words are very important.
I'm making some modifications to the dynamics. In mm. 8-9, make that piano rather than mp. Keep it gentle and start from piano at m. 17. At m. 21, ATB should sing piano instead of mp.
When singing quarter-notes in mm. 21 to 32, make them very legato.
Practice the transition from mm. 34 to 35 so the key change is in tune.

The Eyes of All

Sing with tall, warm vowels and delay all consonants until the beginning of the next syllable.
Make the "w" in wait be a brief consonant, rather than treating it like a vowel oo.
Energize longer notes (half-notes and dotted-half-notes) in addition to observing the dynamics.
Make the crescendo in mm. 18-27, culminating with the Soprano phrase sound like natural excitement building.

It Takes a Village

Sopranos have the most challenging rhythm melody starting in m. 45. A) listen to the part recording and sense the rhythm. B) Add the pitches on any syllable. C) Add the words only when you're comfortable with the rhythm and pitch.
Think about the solo at beginning and starting in m. 77

If Music Be the Food of Love

Work with a neutral syllable (ex. doo) until you're confident with the notes and rhythms.
Please add slur marks to successive eighth-notes sung on single syllables (especially Sopranos at mm. 13-14 on eyes, mien, tongue, de-clare.)

Can We Sing the Darkness to Light?

Gregory could you take a look at the accompaniment and maybe the next time we sing through, we can get a sense of the flow.

FOR TUESDAY, February 6

Bel Canto Rehearsal Notes