[soprano 1] First Soprano Rehearsal Notes

September 30 Rehearsal Notes:

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

Now, on to the notes:

Shalom (whole piece)

No bright “a” in Shalom–“shaw-lom.”
Jane conducts in 2 until the top of page 12. We're in 4 from measure 81 until measure 99, when Jane goes back into 2.
Our first entrance is piano, and note the dynamic swells. (For that matter, watch the dynamics in general.)
Watch Jane for the pick-up to measure 5.
Measure 57: Absolutely no breath between “gives” and “I”–not even a staggered-breathing breath.
Breath at the end of measure 58 (after “you”).
Mm. 89 & 91: crescendo.
Measure 94: Hold the note for its full value–don't be distracted by the altos' earlier cut-off.
End of piece: hold for the cutoff.

Grown Wild (whole piece)

Measure 17: Keep rhythmic.
Mm. 47-49: Note the dynamic arc.
Measure 54: The pick-up to the next measure is the same A as the last note on page 6. If you are feeling secure about the pitch, keep it light–“don't be valiant.” If you aren't, don't sing it.
Measure 56: Quarter out on beat 3; this is where the “ch” of “touch” goes
Measure 64: Take out the quarter rest and hold the note out for the full measure (like S2 and A).
Page 8 in general: Listen for the harmony.
Measure 74: Keep the pitch high on “the” (B-flat), but don't accent (i.e., bash) it.
Page 11: Pop the “p” on “up.”
DO NOT ERASE THE MARKINGS IN YOUR SCORE: This is one of the pieces we'll be recording in May.

Forrest V: Creator of the Stars of Night (whole piece)

Note the roadmap (chorus vs. solo parts).
No vibrato in our opening passage.
It doesn't directly affect the line we're singing, but note that S2 and A1 swap parts in the score from measure 46 to measure 58.
Page 10: The vowel on “call” is “aw.”
Close to “nnnnnn” at the end; watch Jane.

Forrest I: Illuminare (beginning-page 11)

Beginning: Jane is conducting the measures with fermatas in 4, so that we know where in each measure we are.
The vowel in “lux” is a good “ooo” throughout.
Measures 2-10: Staggered breathing (decrescendo before dropping out to breathe, crescendo back to the prevailing dynamic on coming back in).
Measures 7-10: Don't be thrown off by the dynamics in the piano part–stay p.
Page 5: The “x” of “lux” goes on the downbeat of measure 11.
Note the roadmap (chorus vs. solo parts).
Measure 16: “X” of “lux” on beat 3.
Measure 19: “X” of “lux” on beat 2.
Page 7 time signature changes: The quarter note remains constant.
Mm. 33-35: Note the dynamics.
Measure 34: “Illumi-naw-re” ('aw” vowel).
Measure 35: Hold fast to the pitch again the S2s.
Measure 68: “X” of “lux” on beat 3.
Measure 71: Dynamic is ppp.

Forrest IV: Gloria in Excelsis (page 9-end)

Keep the tone supported, long in the body, strong, and rhythmic–no tiredness allowed.
Support the S2s at letter G (measure 87 on).
Practice the pitches.

Siyahamba (whole piece)

Measure 11: Give “ham” a little crescendo–keep the tone moving.
Be careful of the rhythm in measure 14.
Don't hang onto final 1/8s (for example, end of the first beat of measure 19)–keep it short and snappy.
Measure 19 and wherever the pattern occurs: “hamba” is not syncopated–keep it squarely on beat 3.
Measure 20 and wherever it occurs: “oh” (G to D) should not be girly; give it a little crescendo and keep it supported.