[soprano 1] First Soprano rehearsal notes

October 14 Rehearsal Notes

First of all, please note for next week: first sopranos sit in front.

Next, here are some notes for our performance at Jane’s award celebration on October 26:

Wear our usual concert attire (all black, see website for details). You may wear a pop of teal if you wish, but it is not required.
We will be singing “Dona Nobis Pacem” from Bach’s Mass in B Minor. Limited copies are available for borrowing (be sure to return them!), or bring a copy of the score if you have one. Don’t fret about this: it’s going to be done with the whole congregation, without rehearsal.
We will be using black folders for “Grown Wild” and “Siyahamba” (not the Bach).

Now for rehearsal notes:

Forrest V: Creators of the Stars of Night (measure 84-end)

Mm. 86-89: No sliding; also, be aware that A2s are singing our notes, but an octave lower
Mm. 90-91: Keep the long held C very light, and observe the decrescendo
Next S1 entrance is measure 98
Measure 110: Come in on “haw” and watch Jane
Last measure: We may or may not close to “nnnnn” at the end–watch Jane

O Come, Emmanuel (mostly measure 37-end)

Siyahamba (whole piece)

Universal: ENERGY, consonants, dynamics–be sure to honor the softer passages so the crescendos can pop
Universal: Don’t look terrified
Universal: Look up and get out of the score; knowing = confidence = joy
Universal: Stress the “ham” of “hamba” and don’t bash the “ba”
Universal: Make sure the rising “oh” (e.g., measure 20) is in the body and really crescendos; don’t let it get that girly, Disney, Up with People sound (we get this note every week, so it’s something to be especially conscious of)
Measure 31: Note that we are below the other voice parts here. It’s not a great tessitura for us, but we’ve got to stay in the body and stay energized; also, look up!
Measure 65-end: Don’t let the energy flag here–keep going strong!

Grown Wild (whole piece)

Universal: Don’t get too enraptured with what we’re singing–commit to the technical aspects of the piece, and rapture will take care of itself
Passage beginning measure 9: Keep it light
Measures 17 & 21: Keep them rhythmic
Mm. 25-27: Don’t slow down, and observe the dynamic arc
Mm. 67-69: Chords need to line up here; don’t luxuriate in the luxurious meadow
Measure 76: Keep the pitch high
Page 11: Don’t push the F#, and drop the “p” of “up”–let the other voice parts take care of that

Forrest IV: Gloria in Excelsis (page 7 [letter D]-end)

Letter D (measure 49)-measure 60: Keep the 1/8-note passages in the body and make sure they contrast with the staccato passages that follow
Letter E (measure 64): Forte
Measure 67: Don’t squeak the D

Stars I Shall Find (whole piece)

Universal: Resist sentimentality; think a little darker
Measure 5: The second word is “will,” not “shall”
Mm. 7-8: Minimize the “sh”
End of measure 21: Be ready for what follows–don’t be taken by surprise
Page 4: Keeping a finger on this page is one way of handling the repeat; a paper clip is another (but clip only the one page!)
Measure 64: Watch Jane
Measure 70: Watch Jane for the cutoff