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First Soprano rehearsal notes

April 9 Rehearsal Notes

Please note for next week's rehearsal, first sopranos sit in back. Also, we will running most pieces in the program going forward.
General rules
  • Drop “r”s in the middles of words; flip but don't roll “r”s at the ends of words
  • Keep vowels open
  • The word “can't” is open, not nasal; the “a” is like the “a” in “avid”–not Bugs Bunny broad, but not British soft, either
Where the Light Begins
  • Measure 3: Breathe early and start light and in head voice–let the lower voices carry the tune; grow into it on the held D; also, note that “be-” is an 1/8 note, not a 1/16
  • Page 3 into 4: Turn the page early
  • Measure 7: Vowel of both “life-” and “-time” is “aw”
  • Measure 8: Off on beat 2
  • Universal for the pattern that begins on the pick-up to measure 10: “Fully luminous” in tone. Speaking of which, sing the “-ous” vowel of “luminous”–don't close to the “s” too soon; sing the “aw” vowel of “line”–don't close too soon; and keep up the tempo–don't slow
  • Universal: Vowel of “house” is “aw,” and don't close to the “s” too soon
  • Universal: No “r” in “heart”
  • Universal: Vowel of “love” is “aw”
  • Universal: Lift after “searing” every time, and flip (don't roll) the “r” (this is an exception to the above rule)
  • Measure 15: Note that the pattern is not the same as in measure 11
  • Measure 17: Stress the “sing-” of “singing” and the “cry-” of “crying”; vowel of “cry-” is “aw”
  • Universal: No “r” in “Perhaps”
  • Measure 21: Keep the D and E of “-gin” high
  • Beginning measure 22: Don't slow down!
  • Measure 22: Keep the B high
  • Measure 24: Crescendo, and keep it in the body
  • Measure 25: Note that all voice parts come together on beat 3; vowel of “eyes” is “aw”
  • Pick-up to measure 27: “Arrive” at that 1/8 note with a solid mf+
  • Measure 37: Keep the G high
  • Measure 38: Watch Jane
  • Measure 47: Keep the D of “not” high
The Tree House: The Orchard
  • For now: Rehearse full throttle to be sure of the pitches and also so mistakes can be heard; we'll worry about dynamics later
  • Universal: “Super-energized cutoffs”
  • Universal: Sing the “eee” of “Here” to the end of the note before closing the diphthong, and sing with an arced tongue so it doesn't get too broad
  • Measure 8: “Where” begins with “hw”; sing it with energy
  • Beginning measure 14: Jane asks that we work this passage at home
  • Measure 15: Keep the descending notes high, especially the C
  • Universal re “late half land”: No diphthong in “late”–sing as “eh”; like “can't,” the vowel in “half land” is like the “a” in “avid” (not a British “hoff” or a Bugs Bunny “heff”)
  • Universal: No “r” in “dark”
  • Passage beginning with the pick-up to measure 31: “Spooky and super-energized”
  • Shushing phrases: No pulsing! There is pulsing on the practice files only so we know where the beat is, but our sound should be legato and smooth
  • Universal: No “r” in “earth”
  • Measure 37: Keep it light
  • Universal: No “r” in “skirts”
  • Beginning measure 55: Be really really really really solid on the A-natural. Jane recommends practicing it with noise going on or even other music.
  • Page 15: “Don't be timid”

That's it, folks! See you Tuesday. 

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