Fantastic job tonight, thanks to all for a turnout so massive that latecomers had standing room only.
We sang everything in the programme except Bogoroditse Dyevo. The three Christmas pieces were good. Lully, Lulla, Lullay sounded very nice and musical, and In the Stillness was excellent, by far the best you have sung it. Just a little more security on the notes of the coda, ‘There’s a patience…’ O Holy Night was fine, but the full choir entries, even if they are sung quietly, can be made to sound a little more deliberate, if you know what I mean.
Dark Night – after an initiallly tentative verse 1, it came together very well. Basses, you rarely get a tune, let alone a rather nice one. Make more of that opening passage please! Overall very exciting to hear. I am looking forward to adding the violin part. O Nuit was nicely sung. The solo worked perfectly, thanks not just to Sarah’s lovely singing, but to the whole supporting choir. Your sensitivity in listening for the soloist was perfect. We need to tidy up the rits at the end of each verse, that is on me.
I told you my worries about Abendlied. You rose to the occasion and sang it much better, but it is still short of the sort of precision that the piece deserves. That can only come with total confidence on the notes AND the words. If you’re looking down for either – or both – you can’t be watching and singing as a choir. So for any homeworkers, this is a place to spend some time.
Underneath the Stars was note good but rhythmically shaky. You sang it better last week, beautifully in fact. Much of the problem is with me – conducting such a syncopated piece is difficult because half the time the place you sing your note is between beats. One thing you can do to help is really study it and know which words come ON a beat and which come OFF the beat. We will spend more time on this next week. And, by popular demand, we will take it a shade quicker.
Sure on this Shining Night started with a lack of conviction and belief, but grew into it. The end was very good. Sleep was really excellent. Every bit of it worked. The beginning block chord stanza was on the note and on the beat. You picked up the tempo slightly for verse 2. Then the spooky middle section was sung with great expression. My favourite bit is ‘What dreams may come…’ – that built up the tension. The tenor / bass ‘Dark and deep’ were good – they can be more dramatic. Then the huge rising scales in the sops to the top A flat were outstanding. Before you dropped down to the final ‘Sleeps.’ With no unwanted sibillances. It was very good indeed. An excellent end to a very good rehearsal.
Two more rehearsals before Holly Lodge, plus one more before our own concert. In the words of Dory from Finding Nemo, ‘just keep singing.’
That may not be an accurate quote.
Chris