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Alto Rehearsal Notes

November 11, 2025
2025-26 Fall Alto 1, Alto 2 Rehearsal Notes
 
If you missed a rehearsal, search for the date you missed to see which pieces were rehearsed. Questions or additional notes, please don’t hesitate to contact Liz Berk berkden@comcast.net or Cynthia Sorn cls208@comcast.net. Music below is in random order.
 
1. What Child
9/16
– Don’t staccato on the “bum” that has tenuto marks below them. 
– M1 and throughout: Hold the quarter note “bum” to the next notes. 
– M5: A1, smooth.
– M16: Clear break after “this.”
– M39, 40: A1, prep for jumping to the E unison with A2.
– M51: Prep for time change 6/8.
– M61: Note back to Tempo 1.
– M72: Note repeat back to M62. Second time through skip M69 and continue at 2 in M73.
9/23
– Full in the body.
– Practice closing on “bum” for hold notes.
– M42: Note that altos do not sing “her” unlike Sops.
– Clearly mark the repeats.
10/7
– M25: Soft, blend.
– M56: Note, go up to B, gently. It should be SLEEP-ing, soft on the B.  
– Review repeat so you are ready.
10/21
– Need power in singing.

2.  O Come Emmanuel
9/16
– “Come” is always “cawm.”
– M4: Tutti.
– M8: Altos strong entrance.
– M20: Tutti.
– M40: Sop2 joins altos.
– M44: Breath.
– M96: Watch Jane for entrance after hold.
– M104: Breath before “oh.” Crescendo.
– M106 and M108: Breath on last 1/8 beat.
– M108: Don’t emphasize “MAH” at the cutoff.
– M112: A2, work on finding that low G.
9/23
Practice “cawm” for “come.”
10/7
– M76-80:  stagger breathing. Needs energy!
– M100: Don’t let B-flat go flat.
– M106, 108: Breath at end of measure
10/14
– CAWM.
– M20: Tutti.
– M46: Careful to go to the F and not an A-flat.
– M52: Hold to eighth rest.
– M56: Slightly slower. Watch.
– M79: Note it is a G, not an A-flat. Mark note in margin of previous measure.
– M96: Watch Jane for entrance after the hold.
 
3. Shalom
9/30
– Note we go from 4/4 first measure to 2/2 measure 5.
– M2: Very short “s” on “Peace” – consider leaving it off.    
– M53: Lean in.
– M55: No breath. 
– M57: No breath.
– M58: Breath.
– M79: Much slower, wait for Jane.
– M80: “Sha” of “Shalom” is “Shaw —.”
– M92: Breath.   
– M94, et al: No hissing the “s” on “peace” – again, consider leaving it off. It only needs one person to voice the “s.”
– M99: Altos out.
 
4. Siyahamba
9/16
– M3: All Altos.
– M47: Soft entrance. With Sop2.
– M22, M42, M72: No break between “khos” and “si-ya-,” do crescendo.
– M82: Short cutoff.
9/23
– In the body.
– “ham-ba” is “HAM-ba.” Don’t stress the “ba.”
– M65: Big, bright, exciting.
9/30
– M3: All altos and Sop2.
– M46: Check notes, we go to the low A.
– M47: Be ready to jump up to the G.
10/7
– M63: “Light” – dental-ize “t” so more like “d.”
10/14
– Emphasize HUM…not bah!
– M27: Start on D, not G.
– M47: Suddenly softer. Mp.
– M63: More energy, bright, exciting.
10/21
– When emphasizing “HAM-ba,” don’t thrust out head.
– M34: Rhythm.
– M35: Crescendo every time you are holding “ham-.”
 
5. Stars I Shall Find
9/16
– Clarify and note the repeats. Sing through to page 10. Jump back to page 4, sing to M38, jump to Coda on page 11. Liz suggests you can make a copy of pages 4 – 7 if that helps.
– M64 and throughout. Flip the “r’s,” don’t roll them.
9/23
– Practice repeat.
10/7
– Full, in the body.
– M13: Don’t lag.
– M15: Mark the page turn note of “B” so you are prepared.
– M17: Watch rhythm, don’t get lazy.
– M25: Emphasize “vis” of “de-VIS-ing.”
Oct. 14
– M16: Don’t slow.
10/21
– Be clearer with words. 
– M13, 14: Flip (not roll) the “R” in “reign” and “rest.”
– M29: Lean in on “lonely.” “Mind” is “Mawnd.”
– M34: No breath.
– M39: “there” – “thah” – get to the vowel.
– M40: “Sure” is “shuah.” “Stars” is “stahs.”
– M64: Slower.
– M68: Flip “R” in “rest.”
 
6. The Dawn from on High
 
I. Illuminare
9/16
No vibrato.
– All altos on bottom line.
– M331: Sing veni nos “vay-nee-nos” as noted.
– M34: Sing low A to C, move to E in M35, stay on E.  
9/23
-All altos on bottom line.
– M142: Note these six measures… wait for entrance.
9/30
Alto splits: top note:  Jennifer, Liz, and Lisa? on (E). On bottom note, (D) – Angela, Pamela, Janet, and Judy.
– M2: Light “L on entrance, “loo” like the sound in “hoot” and drop L when stagger breathing.
– M9: No breath.
– M10: Finish with “-x” at end of measure. 
– M17:  NO alto splits
– M35:  Remain in 5.  
– M61: Alto split A1, A2 bottom line.
– M66: Add “-x” at end of measure.
– M71: Unison.
– M82: Unison octaves until M85.
11/4
– Practice!
– Mark the measures that you find challenging to count.
– Pay attention to crescendos, decrescendos. Don’t be the loudest voice in the room.
– M99: Note this measure is 2/2.
– M102: This is a 5/4 measure so mark the rest before M103, which is 2/2, note the tie to M104.
– M105: Be ready for the page turn!
– M106 et al: Breath at each comma unless noted otherwise.
– M112: A2, no breath until M113.
– M106- 122: This section could get derailed unless you know where you are. Mark some spots that give you a path back in if you get off, for example end of M112 and M113, middle of M116 etc.
– M121: Wait for downbeat from Jane.
– M126: This is six beats total so don’t rush.
– M136-37: No breath.
– M149: Change to dotted half with quarter rest (3 beats, one beat off).
– M151: Breath.
– M156-67: No breath. Stagger.
– M167: Hold until cutoff, “oo” then cutoff with NO L.
 
II. Lux in Tenebris
10/28
– M24: tutti.
– M38: New tempo.
– M48: In 2. Light.
– M68: 9/8.
– M72: 4/4.
– M79: Prep for entrance in M80.
– M88: A1 on bottom of top line. A2 on bottom of bottom line.
– M88: A2, prep for rhythm.
– M94: A1, prep for low C. Don’t slam.
– M104: All altos on bottom line in parts.
– M117: A1 on bottom of top line. A2 on bottom of bottom line.
– M137: All altos on bottom line in parts to end.
11/4
– Practice!
11/11
– M80: Quiet.
– 86: “-runt” is short.
– M88: A1 on bottom of top line. A2 on bottom of bottom line.
– M88: A1, not too loud. A2, louder.
 
 
IV. Gloria in Excelsis
9/23
– Mark the variations in the runs!
9/30
– M64: Strong, sing in the body.
– M72 et al: It might help to note where we are unison.
– M81: A1, listen or sing quietly with the Sop1, we have same notes in next measure.
10/7
– “In” is “Een.”
– M23: Be ready for rhythm.
– M49: Note unisons.
– M53: Note unisons.   
– M50, 51, Staccatos.
– M61: Staccatos. Strong.
– M66, 67: Note that there is a C in first run, then a D in second run. Practice runs.
– M71: Watch the drop to E.
– M77: All staccato.
– M81: A1, listen or sing quietly with the Sop1, we have same notes in next measure.
10/14
– Makes a big difference if you mark all the unison spots.
– M61: Lyrical, watch rhythm.
– M64: Strong, forte.
– M77: All staccato.
10/21
– M24: Tutti.   
– NO “H” on “Hodie.”   
– M38: New tempo.
– M68: Watch Jane for tempo.
Oct. 28
– M15: Altos with Sop2.
– M23: Less. Watch rhythm.
– M29: Smooth. Unison.
– M29,30: Mark in margin that we move to D in M30.
– M34: Note unison. Then no unison in M35.
– M36: Just two quarter notes, off with Sops.
– M37: Be ready to move on “Gloria.”
– M43: Unison. Mark different rhythm pattern.
– M50: Get starting note A from alto G in 49 and Sop G in 50.
– M66: Don’t slam low C.
– M89,90: Note differences in pattern.
– M96: Mark and note rest. Note the move to two G’s.
11/4
– Sing “in the body,” strong voices.
– Smooth rhythm, don’t punch, especially “-ri-a.”
– Practice the runs, many differences.
– M95: Slow crescendo.  
11/11
– M38: Turn page early.
– M99: A1, practice pattern: g, a, b, g, b, a, b, a, g. Don’t sing C instead of B by mistake.
 
V. Creator of the Stars of Night
9/23
– For next week, so take a look.
9/30
– M46: Parts are split evenly. S1 and A1 on top line, S2 and A2 on bottom line.
– M58: All altos on bottom line.
– M86: Usual splits to end.
10/14
– Mark time changes so you count correctly. Example: M98 (4/2), M99 (3/2), M100 (2/2), M101 (4/2).
10/21
– “Light” should be “Lawt.”
– M46: Parts are split evenly. S1 and A1 on top line, S2 and A2 on bottom line.
– M58: All altos on bottom line.
– M61: “Night” should be “nawt.”
– M69: Emphasize “PEE-ple,” “EV-er-LAS-ting.”
– M77: Emphasize “Christ,” “SAV-ior.”
– M113 to end: If out of breath, don’t go out and come in, just stay out.
10/28
– M47: Reminder, A1 on bottom of top line, A2 on bottom of second line.
– M58: Reminder, all altos on bottom line. Slower.
– M77: Raise pitch on “thou.”
– M88: Find places to sneak breath. A2, be ready to move to G. Decrescendo to unison with NO slam.
– M98: Watch Jane for each half note, which gets one beat. Next three measures: 3 beats, 2 beats, 4 beats.
– M111: Watch Jane for each note!
11/4
– Cutoffs as written.
– M21-22: It is Latin, not English, so pronounce “creator” “creh-ah-tor.”
– Observe stresses. Example: M25: “TER-na” “cre-DEN-.” Et al.
– M38: No rest on bright. 
– M39: Note break after “sov-‘reign.”
– M43: Very quiet.
– Reminder: M46: Parts are split evenly. S1 and A1 on top line, S2 and A2 on bottom line.
– Don’t overpower other parts during the splits. Should be soft, crescendo, decrescendo for each section.
– M58: All altos on bottom line.
– M59: Slower.
11/11
– M21-22: It is Latin, not English, so pronounce “creator” “creh-ah-tor.”
– M35: Don’t accent “the.”
– Reminder: M46: Parts are split evenly. S1 and A1 on top line, S2 and A2 on bottom line.
– Don’t overpower other parts during the splits. Should be soft, crescendo, decrescendo for each section.
– M58: All altos on bottom line.
 
 
7. Grown Wild
9/30
– M14: No breath.
– M17: Gentle pulse.
– M25: Years: gentle entry, get over the “yee.”
– M47: Cutoffs need to be precise.
– Jane wants dynamic arcs. 
– M52: Hold to beat 3.
– M56: Change “touch” to dotted quarter with 1/4 rest.
– M61: Strong.
10/7
– M13: Crescendo.
– M35. In the body.  
– M41: “Wrapped” is “rahpted.”
– M50: Off on 2, off on 4, hold to rest.
– M55: No breath after “girl.”
– M56: Align “ch” of “touch” with Sop2.
– M59: “Clawming” for “climbing.”     
– M73 – 80: Pitch pitch pitch.
– M82: Take 1/4 rest after “sky.” 
– M89: More sound on “grown.”
– M89, et al: Don’t forget the “p” on “up.”
10/14
– M12: “F” of “leaf” on downbeat. Soft and rhythmic.
– M26, 27: Don’t slow.
– M76: “I” is “Aw.”
10/21
– M98: Pitched “D” on “wild.”
 
 

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