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First Soprano rehearsal notes

Rehearsal Notes for December 2

We meet at Trinitarian Congregational Church at 9:15 tomorrow. Now, on to my notes:
Universal for the whole program
  • Heads up! Watch! 
O Come Emmanuel
  • Measure 4: If you don't know the entrance pitch, don't sing it. If you do sing it, put an “h” before the “o.”
  • Pick-up to measure 32: A reminder that S1s drop out here, to prepare for our entrance on measure 37.
  • Measure 71: “No weird vibrato.”
  • Measure 75: If you're not sure of the pitch of the C, don't sing it.
  • Measure 103: Keep the pitch of the C high and not too loud–no crescendo. (This is a change.)
Forrest I: Illuminare
  • Universal: When the time signature is 2/2, Jane conducts in 4; when it's in 3/2, she conducts every quarter note (but try to think in 3 rather than 6–clear as mud?)
  • Universal: Count count count, and be aware of what the other voice parts are doing.
  • Mm. 5-9: Straight tone on the E, and keep it soft.
  • Page 11: No vibrato, and prepare for the change at the end of the page–turn early.
  • Alleluia section (beginning page 12): Keep it graceful, and count and watch.
  • Mm. 89 & 92: Be firm and confident (but not too loud) on these entrances; don't make Jane have to cue us.
Forrest II: Lux in Tenebris
  • Beginning: Turn immediately to page 4–don't watch the orchestra score.
  • Letter A: “Fight the snake charmer effect”–be ready and energized for our entrance in measure 24.
  • Measure 33: Don't move from the D to the A too quickly.
  • Letters D & F and anywhere we have long sustained notes over the more interesting part: Don't be too loud; let them shine.
  • Universal: Be aware of the occasional sneaky “tenebrae” among the “tenebris”es (e.g., mm. 133 & 153).
Forrest IV: Gloria in Excelsis
  • Universal: SMILE! Look joyful!
  • Universal: Note that this has the same time signature (4/4) throughout the piece. Alleluia!
Forrest V: Creator of the Stars of Night
  • Universal: Observe the dynamic arcs.
  • Opening section: Jane is conducting in 4.
  • Measure 19: Keep the pitch high.
  • Pick-up to Letter B: Remember that we are singing in Latin here.
What Child?
  • Universal for percussive passages: Throw the bum out. It's bm.
  • Universal for text passages: Be confident and produce more sound, but keep it in the body, not nursery-rhyme-y. 
  • Mm. 53-60: You already got this note last week, but to reiterate, sing “aw” instead of the text here, and don't sing the pick-ups. 
  • Measure 56: Cut off as written; just a slight pulse on the 1/8 note. 
  • Measure 60: Note the accelerando and watch Jane. 
  • Mm. 79-80: Be sure of the interval from B to G, and count–don't expect a cue from Jane here.
Stars I Shall Find
  • Universal: Don't get carried away by the beauty of it. Stay focused and precise.
  • Measure 64: Watch Jane. (We've gotten this note just about every week, so it's really important for her to have eyes there.)

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