Thursday Thoughts

There were a number of lovely musical moments on Tuesday: the Bernstein is coming along (way to go men!), the Glick is really coming along, and the two Renaissance motets are REALLY coming along. The Monteverdi, however, is not coming along....yet.  Please spend time getting these notes in your head, especially the the solo (tenor and baritone) passages. I would ask that everyone take a look at p. 9 to the end and make sure you have this ready to go on Tuesday. In addition, you are reminded to listen and review the texts to "Taaveti Laul" and "Blazen muzh,"  (These were all emailed to you and should be on the choir website)  Please  look at the rep list for Tuesday, and note the pieces which need individual work. We have four rehearsals until the concert so let's everyone buckle down and not waste a minute of the precious time we have together working on things which are more appropriately learned at home. Also remember to memorize the two Renaissance pieces. Have a great weekend!

For Tuesday:

Exultate Deo (King) - finish putting it all together
Chichester Psalms (Bernstein) mvts II & III
Tavetti Laul (Kreek)
Laudate pueri  (Monteverdi)
I Was Glad (Parry)
Second storey-Sun (Enns)
Blazen muzh  (Rachmaninoff)

Thursday Thoughts

I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with Ted Talks but it is a series of web chats of various lengths by remarkable people who have something to contribute. They are often inspirational, always thoughtful, sometimes controversial, but undoubtedly interesting. I'd like you to take 6:20 of your day before I see you next and click on this link. It's about leadership - and I suspect that each of you are the catalyst of some "lollipop moments" in your life.  (You'll understand when you watch the video.) You will also hear a shout out to a certain Maritime University of which some of you are alumnae. 

http://www.ted.com/talks/drew_dudley_everyday_leadership.html 

Now on to business. First of all thanks to everyone for embracing the sectionals the last two weeks and to Michelle and Christina for leading the women. We got a lot accomplished and guys you are doing well getting the Hebrew under your belts.  We'll not do sectionals next week as you now have the tools to learn on your own.

But for this concert you need to have a fluent knowledge of texts in Latin, German, Estonian, French, and Hebrew. The success of your singing this concert brilliantly is directly proportional to how convincingly you can interpret these languages. Period. We have a great deal of expertise within the choir of people who have a working knowledge of many of these languages and a language diction coach (Christina) who is very generous with her time and has recorded text pronunciations. Now you need to get the sound of the languages in your ears texts sooner rather than later. I'll not revisit the Mendelssohn  Psalms for a while but when I come back to them,  they need to be fluent. Ditto for the two memorized a capella Renaissance motets. We don't have the time right now as other pieces need more reheasrsal. Practice intelligently at home - speak the text of the Exultate Deo out loud in rhythm, the same with the Bernstein. Listen to the recorded texts of the Kreek and the Rachmaninoff  (I emailed the Kreek to you last week and Christina will record the Rachmaninoff and it will be emailed to you by the weekend).  Listen to good recordings of the repertoire - search You Tube and iTunes. All of these resources will speed things along but only if you make use of them.


So for next Tuesday - everyone rehearses together at 7pm:
Exultate Deo - Robin King
Chichester Psalms - mvt 2 & 3
Taaveti Laul - (review the recorded pronounciation emailed to you on Tuesday)
Blazen muzh - trio (work on text of the verses - check divisi sections - S2, A, T. 
Laudate pueri - Monteverdi (go over text and notes)
Sing Unto The Lord - Glick  (review)

Good luck and have fun working this music out. It really is fantastic and  promises to be an exciting concert.  Finally...remember those lollipop monents!

Psalm 112: Latin-English

Please make sure you have this translation in your Monteverdi scores:
 
Psalm 112

{112:1} Laudate pueri Dominum: laudate nomen Domini.
{112:1} Praise the Lord, children. Praise the name of the Lord.

{112:2} Sit nomen Domini benedictum, ex hoc nunc, et usque in sæculum.
{112:2} Blessed is the name of the Lord, from this time forward and even forever.

{112:3} A solis ortu usque ad occasum, laudabile nomen Domini.
{112:3} From the rising of the sun, even to its setting, praiseworthy is the name of the Lord.

{112:4} Excelsus super omnes gentes Dominus, et super cælos gloria eius.
{112:4} The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory is high above the heavens.

{112:5} Quis sicut Dominus Deus noster, qui in altis habitat,
{112:5} Who is like the Lord, our God, who dwells on high,

{112:6} et humilia respicit in cælo et in terra?
{112:6} and who gazes upon the humble things in heaven and on earth?

{112:7} Suscitans a terra inopem, et de stercore erigens pauperem:
{112:7} He lifts up the needy from the ground, and he urges the poor away from filth,

{112:8} Ut collocet eum cum principibus, cum principibus populi sui.
{112:8} so that he may place him with the leaders, with the leaders of his people.

{112:9} Qui habitare facit sterilem in domo, matrem filiorum lætantem.
{112:9} He causes a barren woman to live in a house, as the joyful mother of sons.

Wednesday Whinings!

Fun time last night. Thank you!  Your hard work is paying off. I hope the sectional was worthwhile for you. Remember that a sectional is not the place for learning notes and pounding parts - that is done at home. But rather it is a place to build ensemble and really get to know the other voices in your section all the while working on challenging repertoire. We'll give it another go this week.

Please remember:
- auction items for fundraiser silent auction  (contact Tenille)
- fill out google form re June/July concerts

For next Tuesday: 

7-7:30 pm - sectionals
men: Bernstein II - work on text with recording - build speed;  Exultate Deo (King)
women: Exultate Deo (King) ; Sing Unto The Lord (Glick)

7:30 -9:30
Sing Unto The Lord (Glick)
Exultate Deo - (Robin King) - visit website to listen to a good recording
Chichester Psalms movement III
Taaveti Laul (Kreek) - visit HCS website to review text & recording
Blazhen muzh (Rachmaninoff ) - visit HCS website to review text & recording
Laudate pueri Dominum (Monteverdi) - solos will be sung by entire sections

Check this recording out:

Bernstein movement III:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TKLWHshPEo&feature=related

Have a great week.

Thursday Thoughts

Thank you for working as hard as you are on this concert. So many notes!  It is human nature to work on what we know gives us trouble, however it is my experience that if in one of your home rehearsal sessions you sing (or in my case, conduct)  through the rehearsal list for that week you might be surprised at what causes you trouble (eg sopranos last Tuesday in "Denn er hat - Mendelssohn) . Fixing it at home would take a minute rather than 10 when we are together. This is especially an issue when dealing with texts which require different vowel colours.  After you really know what is problematic for you (as opposed to thinking you know something) then you can get on to the business of dealing with what needs the real work. I realize you are aware of all this, but sometimes a reminder helps. Good luck this week.

In other news that's fit to print,  I received a notice from FBC, Halifax inviting you all to a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper on Tuesday, February 21st, from 5-6:30 pm. On the menu are sausages, fruit and of course, pancakes. Tickets are available at the door: $6. per adult, $4. per child, or $20. per family. Some of you come to rehearsal from work so  you might like to take advantage of this.

Rehearsal plan for Tuesday: 
7-7:30 pm 
Women's sectional: in downstairs hall working on Glick mvt IV; m. 25-33 of Second-storey Sun
Men's sectional : in sanctuary working on Bernstein mvt II; mvt IV of Glick
7:30 -9:30 pm 
Sing Unto The Lord - Glick (basses please spend time working on this, esp p. 41-45)
Chichester Psalms - mvts I & II
Denn er hat - Mendelssohn (quick review)
Taaveti laul - Kreek
Blazhen muzh (# 3 from Vespers)- Rachmaninoff  (those who have full scores please bring them.  The plan is for Dave and Joe to record Joe speaking the text so watch for the email.)
Chantez a Dieu - Sweelinck (quick review as this will be memorized for the concert)
Sicut Cervus - Palestrina (quick review as this will be memoized for the concert)

Please note the concert program:

Chantez à Dieu– J. P. Sweelinck (Psalm 96)   2

Sicut Cervus – G. Palestrina   3

Laudate pueri Dominum – Claudio Monteverdi    5:30

[Solo set by Andrew Pickett (10)]

Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen – Felix Mendelssohn  3:30

Richte mich, Gott – Felix Mendelssohn (Psalm 43)  3:30

I Was Glad (Psalm 122) – C. H. H. Parry (5:30)

Chichester Psalms – Leonard Bernstein (18)

Exultate Deo (Psalm 81)  – Robin King *  (2:20)

Second-Story Sun  (premiere)  – Leonard Enns  * (6)

Taaveti Laul (Psalm 104) – Cyrillus Kreek (2:40)

Blazhen muzh (from the All Night Vigil) Psalm 1 -  Rachmaninoff (4:30)

Sing Unto The Lord A New Song (w harp) - Psalms 95 – S. I. Glick *  (5:30)