Thanks for great work Tuesday night. My intention on Tuesday was to work on specific section of the various pieces and for the most part much was accomplished. You all know the areas which need work both collectively and specific you your own parts, so I'll not dwell on that. Next week Tristan will introduce the "Taaveti laul No. 104 (Kreek) so please look over that before rehearsal. If you are interested in hearing a performance, you can click on this link and hear our own Vancouver Cantata Singers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfLUVdAXoXI
I would like to also really dig into the Glick "Sing Unto The Lord" so do some hard work on the text, and rhythms of that piece as well.
The rehearsal list for Tuesday will look as follows:
Sing Unto The Lord - Glick
Chichester Psalms - Mvts 1 & 2 - men will please begin to memorize the 56 measures of "choral hell!"
Second-storey Sun - Enns - now that pages 2-5 are in place we will complete the piece.
Mendelssohn Psalms - text needs to be reviewed and we need to finish these pieces next week.
Taaveti laul No. 10- Kreek - Tristan will introduce & teach
Chantez a Dieu- Sweelinck - much better work last night; basses please be certain of notes and phrase shapes.
This will keep us all very busy. I really appreciate your all taking ownership of this music, your committment to the scores, and to these timeless texts. This is a really fabulous program and I, for one, can't wait to share it with our audience. Have a great week!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Thursday Thoughts
Tough night. Usually the second rehearsal of a new program is rough - the first night everything is new, we begin from nothing and at some level, make music. But often for the second rehearsal, some choristers neglect to put in the work needed to take the music further. It is the human condition, but I don't have the time, nor do I build the time in my planning, to teach notes. That's your job and couple that with difficult texts and the mountain seems high.
So please read my "thoughts" today carefully as I am trying my best to equip you with the tools you need to give an exciting performance of this program. Budget your "home practice time" and guard that time in your schedules carefully.
For next Tuesday:
Chantez a Dieu - Sweelinck: Practice singing your part slowly and centre all the vowels. Pay attention to strong-light syllables. Know the text intimately. Think of it as a madrigal and always feel the dance. I said last week sing as if you are preparing a solo - not many of you heard me, as there was a lot of fumbling around. Finally sing it at tempo.
Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen - Mendelssohn
Richte mich, Gott - Mendelssohn
Text and melody. Know the German. Go online and listen to good recordings of these pieces to get the feel. As I mentioned in rehearsal, stop trying to sing in such a legato style when the text dictates that the consonants separate the notes.
Chichester Psalms mvt I: This all comes down to you not only being able to speak the text in rhythm at tempo, but buying into the notion that Bernstein knows what he is doing by writing ma molto marcato for each of the men's entrances (beginning at m. 14) and then marcato for the women (m. 22) I asked you to carefully mark the 18 measure theme beginning at m. 14 and for those of you who were away or need a review. I have attached it here:
If your scores are marked and you memorize the "order" of the thematic material, you will be able to see Bernstein's working through the A section via the various voicings of the choir. For those of you who are still having trouble with the text, I have attached a link to a Hebrew speaker speaking the text. He speaks rather quickly but you can get the word stress of the rhythm. Play it over and over if necessary. Please copy the following link and paste it in your browser.:
http://paysonchorale.org/audio/virtualchoir-index.html
Chichester Psalms mvt II: This movement is the soloist singing a lovely, lyrical, floating setting of Psalm 23 The composer's directions suggest a young boy strumming his harp and almost idly improvising on the melody. The sopranos pick up on this melody at m. 32 and then in canon with the altos at m. 48. Then all hell breaks loose when the sublime SA duet is interrupted by the thunderous voice of the Almighty and asks the repeated question: Why do the nations rage? M. 64-120 contains the most difficult material of the Chichester Psalms and it is said that men who were forced to memorize the Allegro feroce sections will be able to recall it at will 20 yearls later as it stays with you for life. NB: The words of this entire section must be memorized by all of the choir and that memory work must take place at home. We will begin it next week. so again, listen to the sound clip (Mvt II) of the text.
Sing Unto The Lord (only mvt IV) - Glick: We will begin this next week. Learn the notes.
Second-Storey Sun - Enns: m. 1-33 needs work. Please prepare.
Final thoughts: For some of you this is the toughest rep you have ever sung while for others it is all in a day's work. Most of you are somewhere in the middle. This will be a brilliant concert but I'm not waiting for people to catch up. Please be prepared every rehearsal.
So please read my "thoughts" today carefully as I am trying my best to equip you with the tools you need to give an exciting performance of this program. Budget your "home practice time" and guard that time in your schedules carefully.
For next Tuesday:
Chantez a Dieu - Sweelinck: Practice singing your part slowly and centre all the vowels. Pay attention to strong-light syllables. Know the text intimately. Think of it as a madrigal and always feel the dance. I said last week sing as if you are preparing a solo - not many of you heard me, as there was a lot of fumbling around. Finally sing it at tempo.
Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen - Mendelssohn
Richte mich, Gott - Mendelssohn
Text and melody. Know the German. Go online and listen to good recordings of these pieces to get the feel. As I mentioned in rehearsal, stop trying to sing in such a legato style when the text dictates that the consonants separate the notes.
Chichester Psalms mvt I: This all comes down to you not only being able to speak the text in rhythm at tempo, but buying into the notion that Bernstein knows what he is doing by writing ma molto marcato for each of the men's entrances (beginning at m. 14) and then marcato for the women (m. 22) I asked you to carefully mark the 18 measure theme beginning at m. 14 and for those of you who were away or need a review. I have attached it here:
If your scores are marked and you memorize the "order" of the thematic material, you will be able to see Bernstein's working through the A section via the various voicings of the choir. For those of you who are still having trouble with the text, I have attached a link to a Hebrew speaker speaking the text. He speaks rather quickly but you can get the word stress of the rhythm. Play it over and over if necessary. Please copy the following link and paste it in your browser.:
http://paysonchorale.org/audio/virtualchoir-index.html
Chichester Psalms mvt II: This movement is the soloist singing a lovely, lyrical, floating setting of Psalm 23 The composer's directions suggest a young boy strumming his harp and almost idly improvising on the melody. The sopranos pick up on this melody at m. 32 and then in canon with the altos at m. 48. Then all hell breaks loose when the sublime SA duet is interrupted by the thunderous voice of the Almighty and asks the repeated question: Why do the nations rage? M. 64-120 contains the most difficult material of the Chichester Psalms and it is said that men who were forced to memorize the Allegro feroce sections will be able to recall it at will 20 yearls later as it stays with you for life. NB: The words of this entire section must be memorized by all of the choir and that memory work must take place at home. We will begin it next week. so again, listen to the sound clip (Mvt II) of the text.
Sing Unto The Lord (only mvt IV) - Glick: We will begin this next week. Learn the notes.
Second-Storey Sun - Enns: m. 1-33 needs work. Please prepare.
Final thoughts: For some of you this is the toughest rep you have ever sung while for others it is all in a day's work. Most of you are somewhere in the middle. This will be a brilliant concert but I'm not waiting for people to catch up. Please be prepared every rehearsal.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Thursday Thoughts
Good beginnings Tuesday night. We made headway on a program spanning seven centuries and cracked the notes on a commission which promises to be a significant part of this program's landscape. We welcomed 4 out of the 6 new YMP singers, introduced new alto Erin MacIntyre, and welcomed back Danielle, Garth, and Bill after their "sabbatical. " Not a bad way to begin 2012.
For the time being we're going to learn notes as quickly as possible and each week try to get out of the scores along the way. It is going to take a little time to jell as a new choir but with everyone listening and concentrating it will happen. My New Year's resolution is to take care of more of the details and get more from the score and that is my expectation for you as well. You, in turn, need to expect more from your colleagues and depend on them to "have your back" musically. I love the quote I read to you last night in reference to performing Renaissance polyphony: It applies to all of choral music and is you get serious about it, this is going to pay big dividends in performances: " What the musician needs is a listening ear, an open and critical mind and a feeling for group unity. It is this continuous group dynamic that really brings polyphonic compositions to life. Every member of an ensemble is creatively involved in the development and realization of polyphonic works."
On to next week. Please prepare the following:
Psalm 96 - Sweelinck
Sicut Cervus - Palestrina (review)
Laudate pueri Dominum - Monteverdi
Second-storey Sun - Enns
Chichester Psalms - work on text and notes of mvt 1.
Two Mendelssohn Psalms
Note: Everyone please check the program order. If you are missing any of the scores (except the Rachmaninoff which so one has) email me so I can put them in my briefcase and bring them to you for next Tuesday.
For help with the Chichester Psalms you might find the following links helpful. Use them as needed. There are also good recordings of the Mendelssohn Psalms on You Tube if you want to search them out.
Have a great week!
Cyber Bass - help learning notes for Chichester Psalms:
http://www.cyberbass.com/Major_Works/Bernstein/bernstein_chichester_psalms.htm
Good recording on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEnYf_aQUnc
For the time being we're going to learn notes as quickly as possible and each week try to get out of the scores along the way. It is going to take a little time to jell as a new choir but with everyone listening and concentrating it will happen. My New Year's resolution is to take care of more of the details and get more from the score and that is my expectation for you as well. You, in turn, need to expect more from your colleagues and depend on them to "have your back" musically. I love the quote I read to you last night in reference to performing Renaissance polyphony: It applies to all of choral music and is you get serious about it, this is going to pay big dividends in performances: " What the musician needs is a listening ear, an open and critical mind and a feeling for group unity. It is this continuous group dynamic that really brings polyphonic compositions to life. Every member of an ensemble is creatively involved in the development and realization of polyphonic works."
On to next week. Please prepare the following:
Psalm 96 - Sweelinck
Sicut Cervus - Palestrina (review)
Laudate pueri Dominum - Monteverdi
Second-storey Sun - Enns
Chichester Psalms - work on text and notes of mvt 1.
Two Mendelssohn Psalms
Note: Everyone please check the program order. If you are missing any of the scores (except the Rachmaninoff which so one has) email me so I can put them in my briefcase and bring them to you for next Tuesday.
For help with the Chichester Psalms you might find the following links helpful. Use them as needed. There are also good recordings of the Mendelssohn Psalms on You Tube if you want to search them out.
Have a great week!
Cyber Bass - help learning notes for Chichester Psalms:
http://www.cyberbass.com/Major_Works/Bernstein/bernstein_chichester_psalms.htm
Good recording on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEnYf_aQUnc
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