Morning all. Thanks to everyone for a good rehearsal last night. A big improvement on last week at THS. (Sorry Siobhan….) We are still figuring out notes in places, but the good news is that we are getting down to a decreasing number of tricky bits that are tripping us up, in amongst long sections that are getting good. But there is still plenty to do, and in response to requests from some of you, I am including a ‘homework pack’ of bits that it would be great to go back over after what we did together, to make sure that those good bits are remembered and those tricky bits are smoother, and for those who couldn’t be at rehearsal to play catchup. As always, strictly optional, but if you want to feel confident on stage next month, and want to enjoy putting on a quality performance, a few minutes’ practice is definitely a good idea.
Here is what we sang:
Zorongo: much better. Still needs to sound more secure, which will come more easily if you know the words. Siobhan made a good suggestion to help with this: audio files of Marta speaking the words so you know exactly how to sing the words. And Marta has done this for us already. Links in the usual place.
Words (SAT) Words (B)
Habanera: Ditto. Watching at the starts of the choruses, with those pauses that make timing hard, is essential. For both these pieces I am going to start charging £1 to the choir funds for every Z which is sung as an English Z, not as a Spanish TH!
Words (SAT) Words (B)
Brahms’ Geistliches Lied: this has regressed from where it was before Easter when it sounded great, and now sounds nervous again, to the extent that it has been suggested that we should nix it from the program. I’d be very sad to do that. I think it is a lovely piece, a good amuse bouche before the rich Haydn, and is musically well within our reach. But all four parts had bits where the notes were not right, and that leads to hesitancy which in a slow, emotional piece like this, is a problem. For homeworkers, this is a place to devote some time. To know it is to love it.
Haydn: We covered three movements:
Die Himmel Erzahlen p47 – we worked from C to the end. Entries – and there are lots – need to be 100% confident. The trickiest passage is D-E, page 55. Apart from that one bit which has some unexpected timings, it is all getting good.
Von deiner Gut p116 – the long movement with lots of different but short sections. We worked again on D through to the end, that’s D p122; G p125; Kp128; M p130. Then the rambunctious bit from O-Q, p132. It’s getting close to being there this one now, which is great. I’d love to be able to try the entire 10-minute movement through next week.
Singt dem Herrn p151 – although this is all quite intricate and needs study to get it perfect, the tricky bit here is just a few bars after A, 27-34 or so, p154. The way the words fit is a bit unexpected. The other thing to practise and have absolutely certain is the final passage – NOT coming in early at letter D!!! Huge mark on your score there please!
Have a good week. See you all next week.
CH
Homework pack:
Brahms: Sop / Alto / Ten / Bass You can skip the orchestral bits but hardly worth it as it’s only short. Phonetic pronunciation of lyrics here. Learning the words will make your confidence much greater and allow you to be looking up. Expression is everything in this.
Haydn:
Die Himmel Erzahlen: Cyberbass Mvt 14, The heavens are telling Letter C is at 2:45; D is at 3:00.
Von deiner Gut: Cyberbass Mvt 28b, Of stars fairest D is at 0:00; G 2:00; K 4:02; M 5:32; O 6:22
Singt dem Herrn: Cyberbass Mvt 32, Sing the Lord ye voices all Letter A is at 1:20
You can adjust the playback speeds – try it at 1.25x, that is closer to the actual speeds.
If you can get confident in these three, that is a big chunk of the tricky stuff in the whole thing.
Good luck!