Thank you again for another very productive rehearsal! If you missed tonight, please make sure you review these notes and make the appropriate markings in your music so that you will be caught up when we resume on the 29th. Work with those study tracks and of course, have a very happy Thanksgiving!
Rehearsal Notes
S’vivon
Pay attention to dynamics throughout, especially last page
Page 4: this section should be smoother & sweeter than the beginning and end
Pronunciation: “ch” is always a gutteral “k” sound like the German “Ach” – never “ch” as in cheese!
Breaths as marked throughout
Watch for cutoffs on fermatas; break & breath after each one
Last “sov” – accented attack, then quiet immediately, then crescendo until cutoff
There Shall A Star From Jacob Come Forth
Dynamics as marked throughout; beginning needs to be very quiet to allow room to grow
Breaths on page 6-top of 16 are only at rests or before the repitition of “there shall a star”
Page 10: substantial change in tone and emotion; needs to be intense and emphatic, accented as marked
Bring out all instances of the beginning of the phrases (“there shall a star” and “and dash in pieces”)
Page 13 – stays forte! Do not decrescendo until top of 14
Chorale, page 16: needs a clear, rounded, bell-like tone quality; listen carefully and sing as one voice
Breaths page 16-end: ***These are edited from what I gave at rehearsal because I am a dope. Please correct your markings!***
top of pg 18, after glowing; top of 19, after Jesus; bottom of 19, after bestowing
Summer in Winter Carol
Think light & dancing; enunciate words and be precise on rhythms
Dynamics as marked: each verse gets softer!
Watch for 9/8 measures
Measures 33-end are very hushed, like a lullaby, with just a slight swell on “Lifts earth to heaven”
Breaths and no breaths as printed
Solstice Song
This piece needs a rich, lush, chest-voice feel, especially in the alto melody
Rehearsal letter B: Altos still have melody; other voices hold back a bit
Be very careful with syncopated rhythms at rehearsal C and F
“Do do dos” at rehearsal E need to be very light, a little staccato; listening & counting carefully; we will do this part a capella!
Watch for ritard at last four measures, but not before
Christmas Candles
It’s a cheesy piece; embrace the cheese! Look like you are enjoying it!
After rehearsal D: slow down a little and give it a hymn-like quality; slight ritard at m. 54 when tenors resolve the chord, then a tempo at E
Page 6: lower voices, bring out the echos & embellishments
Rehearsal G: careful with rhythms at m. 77, 84, and 86
Soprano I sings the top line at rehearsal H; Soprano II on the lower staff with the altos
Fake whistling if you can’t whistle!
Rehearsal J: Soprano I on top again (and through to the end)
Watch for the ritard & fermata leading into rehearsal K
Last page needs to be strong and confident!
Peace, Peace
Be careful of the entrances; hear the pitch in your head first
Repititions of “peace, peace” need to be connected so there aren’t extraneous “s” sounds