Second Soprano Rehearsal Notes

There were questions about how the recording sessions would go. Some comments from Jane:

We won't record entire pieces at a time, but sections that will be spliced together later.

We will probably stand in concert formation, unless the producer decides we need something else for a good sound.

We will need to be silent a few seconds before and a number of seconds after (because of reverb) we sing.

While recording we can't make any extraneous noise – no clearing of throats, shuffling of feet, sneezing, tapping, etc.

If you can't sing (e.g. frog in throat), don't.

These and other things will, I'm sure, be further addressed when we get to recording.

Jane had us do octaves, but instead of on a hum, we sang on “z”. This was to prepare us for The Orchard with “ts-s-shee” etc.

We did major and minor triads, working on high enough intervals, especially 5ths.

We then sang “you conjured springtime” which is a minor triad. Pronounce it “eoo kohn- jeud (or jöd) spring tahm” No R.

Then “first one”, pronounced “föst ooahn”, no R. Crescendo on “first”.

m. 5  More second soprano. this is all about us.

m. 9  Higher F

m. 36  Lift the A

m. 37  Drive through this line.

m. 39  Learn the F, sing “oo”, no vibrato, and sing out (that's a lot for 4 notes 🙂

m. 43 etc. “and gave her to me” needs to be rhythmic, well articulated, but lighter.

m. 43  and, higher A

m. 73  Big and warm

m. 3  Breathy, no breath after “go”

m. 4  Sing on “ih” of “will”, holding the note through all 7 beats, no “Lɘ” until downbeat of m. 6, cut off with Jane.

m. 8  Same for “still”

** The reason we sing on the vowels and keep the pitch up is so the audience can understand the words. (Clear vowel sounds is the most important thing for clarity, not the consonants, although those are good too 🙂

m. 33  Watch

m. 37  No “mm” before “but”.  I.e. don't vocalize to find the pitch.

m. 79  Turn here. The page turn is too loud once we stop singing. 

m. 83  Same for “will” as before.

m. 89  Light, especially for “foul”

m. 92  Watch

m. 93 – end.  “see” – the “ee” will help you keep the pitch up.  If you run out of breath, gently decrescendo out. Do not come back in, and do not sing the “ngs”.

m. 3  Breathy and delicate

m. 7  Change the downbeat tie to an eighth rest for a breath

m. 12  “skaw”

m. 18  Change the downbeat tie to an eighth rest for a breath

m. 24  “law”

m. 27  No personal inflections here.  Watch.

m. 31  Don't slow down.  Pianissimo.

m. 37 – 40  “hear” through “fleet”  Accent each word strongly.

m. 53  Keep the triplets moving forward.

m. 61  Quick “fl”

m. 64  Watch Jane, she could do anything here. And sing the”wings of birds” legato and connected. Careful of “wings” that you don't close to the “ngs” too soon.

m. 73  No R, it will bring the pitch down.

m. 83  Watch Jane for the 7/8. She will show it so we know when we are there. Then stop speaking just before the next measure.

m. 89-94  ITB and don't sing louder than lovely

m. 94  Breath at the end (yay)

m. 96  Quick “kl” for “clime” – “klahm”

m. 98  “flah”,  lift the note

m. 14 – 30  There were bad pitch problems (flat). The instruments will double us so we need to be in tune to match them.

m. 83-87  No vibrato

I think that's it. Come on Thursday if you can. Jane will work problems, like The Orchard pitches and the sighing part. Bring any questions or problems.

See you then.

Linde