First Soprano rehearsal notes

October 21 Rehearsal Notes

Sunday's special event honoring Jane:

Black attire (with a pop of teal, if desired), music in black folders
Call time: 1:45
No need to bring a stool: chairs will be provided, and we will sing (standing) from where we're sitting–no parading around (Jane will tell us on Sunday just where we'll be positioned)
Parking is on the street or in the lot at Temple Shir Tikvah (34 Vine Street) or Crawford Memorial United Methodist Church (34 Dix Street); Jane Fisher will be providing details
A personal request: I might have to leave immediately after the event. If someone would be willing to collect the borrowed “Dona Nobis Pacem” scores from the S1s for me (if necessary), I'd really appreciate it

Tickets

Concord Christmas Tree Lighting

December 7, 3:00-3:45 (Ellen is checking whether the conflict with our concert snow date is an issue)
Sign-up sheets available at next Tuesday's rehearsal, but sign up only if you can really honor that commitment

Safety

The building is open during rehearsal. As the saying goes, if you see something, say something.

Please note for next week: first sopranos sit in back.

OK, on to the notes from today's music:

Stars I Shall Find (whole piece)

Beginning: Resist the tendency to slow down
Universal: Watch Jane throughout: we need to move together precisely for diction and blend
Universal: Be confident, not tentative

What Child? (whole piece)

Siyahamba (whole piece)

Universal: Get out of the score!
Universal: Don't look frightened. Have fun–but a “fire-in-the-belly activism” kind of fun
Universal: It's OK to move–but not sexily–and don't bob your head like a string toy
Universal: Keep the phrasing linear; don't be note-y/march-y
Universal: The “oh”s (e.g., measure 20) seem to be getting better, but Jane is still not entirely happy. Start softly enough that you can really crescendo there
Mm. 14 (and wherever the pattern occurs): Note the syncopation from the G to the D; put the s of “khos” on beat 3
Measure 59: Oh, my goodness, the look on Jane's face the first two times we sang through this part. Don't push the F-natural, start “We” with ooo but it on pitch and in time, and keep the e vowel tall

Forrest V: Creator of the Stars of Night (measure 58-end)

Universal: The half note gets the beat, even when the tempo toggles between 3/2 and 4/2 (e.g., mm. 71-73)
Pages 7-9: Note all the tempo changes (“moving forward,” “pulling back”)–watch Jane for these
Pages 7-9: Observe the syllabic stresses of the text–don't be thrown off by 3/2 time
Mm. 61-66: The vowel is aw, and there's no vibrato
Mm. 71-76: The vowel is aw
Last, long held note at the end: If you run out of breath, don't come back in

Forrest II: Lux in Tenebris (mm. 24-71)

Mm. 24-36: Tutti (S&A)
Mm. 24-27: The g is soft (ful-je-bit) and drop the h of hodie
Mm. 33-36: Watch Jane, and give Dominus a good ooooo
Letter B (measure 38): “Jaunty”; Jane conducts in 2; the dotted quarter gets the beat
Letter C (page 7): Stagger breathing as needed, and watch Jane for the cut-off

Grown Wild (whole piece)

(From the warm-ups) Keep the G in measure 12 high and articulate the “f” of “leaf”
Universal: If a breath is indicated, take it!
Measure 52: A reminder–beat 2 is a full quarter rest
Page 10 on: Keep up the energy and intensity–remember that the final “Grown up, grown wild” is the goal of the piece
Measure 94-end: Watch Jane
Final “wild” (and all of them, really): The vowel is aw, and articulate the ld of “wild”–but on pitch! Also, a reminder–no diphthongs!