Rudsamblog

no I can't remember them at all. I just remember the guy having a kind of a
trance which made Ollie make gurgling noises, and spending 25 minutes on one
song at the end. I remember one word Mwana and a lot of nonsense I made up as
it went along...hmm

Percussion is very simple. Rachael (sorry you were volunteerd in absence cos
Claire's enough to do learning it; Claire I and Sebastian). It was only
the second time through with the maracas that needs doing for whenever and
some people seemed to be missing the guiro sound so it needed a rethink And I'd
forgotten the proper maracas because I just manage to rush out of the house.
Goodness knows how I'm going to get away for 6.30 for small group... !! Jenny

WARMUP: was a joint (ad-)venture by Claire II -- I hope you don't mind
being Claire II -- and Jenny.

MOTHER ANN's SONG: Most important: be energetic, which includes to
smile. Olli reminded us that there is a difference between plosive and
frictive consonants. In the ultimate bar there is a "vum" with a big
temptation to be sung as "ve"! If you still feel your cheek-muscles it
was probably the high-speed version of the song.

OPTIMIST SONG: be energetic, smile! Song starts mf. Tenors in general --
especially at bar 29 -- are a bit shy, you must sing out a bit more.
(There was something Olli wanted to do but he couldn't remeber, so be
surprised next week.)

VISUR VATNSENDA ROSU: and, yes, smile! The vowel in the word "Öig"
should sound like the French pendant "?il". There are two-bar phrases in
the soprano. Make all the vowels sound nice and -- more important --
sound the same. Dynamics is especially important on the last page. The
last chord in the bass line is sung (in contrary to what we did last
year). Dynamics is mainly to be infered from naturally suggested
phrasing of the piece: slight cresc. on bar 1, decresc. in bar 2, same
for bars 3 and 4, in bar 5 cresc. to a mp only but dont decresc.
immediately. In bar 6 the 't' off on time 4. And maybe more important
than the instructions before: Think about the words when you sing them.
If you sing about love it shouldn't sound grumpy. In the first line
"beautiful" is the important word, not "stones".

ESTRELLA BRILHANTE: I tried to write down the percussion instructions
but I failed. You better ask Jenny, and even she might not know exactly
what she wants. I am sure we will have the definite percussion
instructions next week. So far Claire I, Jenny and Sebastian volunteered
(?) to play the shakers and the drum. We had "I want a mango" and some
snorring sounds coming from the eggs and castagnettas and heart attack
causing bangs from the drum.

DLE DLE: off by heart. Dynamics as written. Note, from bar 110 every
voice have their own, different dymanics written in. Don't shout on the
last bar.

LULLABY FOR LUCY will be sung next week.

ISLAND SPINNING SONG: Think of storm in the howrowahee-bit, smile for
the rest of the song and know who is singing the last verse.

Reminder:

WEDNESDAY 21st Small group meets at Wexlers for 7.15 Normal rehearsal at
7.45

FRIDAY 23rd MEXICAN party.

The Zimbabwean workshop was good fun. However I couldn't remember the
melodies but I am sure some of the others can.

This year's songlist is now on-line here. It may not be the latest version, but I couldn't find a more recent one among my e-mails.

John

1.Warm-up - Anna Lauren.

2.Anyone have Claire's brown woolly hat (from H&M)?

3.Akanamandla - starting note 'A'
The rhythms have changed since the last time the choir sung it. The emphases are now on the second to last syllable:
V1: a-ka-na-MAN-dla
V2: sim-du-ma-ZI-le
V3: sim-sa-bi-SI-le
Try not to rush - watch Ollie.

4.Estrela Brilhante - starting note 'D'
For pronunciation guidance ask AnnaLauren.
Tenors and basses - stick to the 'B' natural in bar 6.
As it is, Ollie is satisfied :)

5.Sovay
Do the "pingy" thing with all the doos when accompanying.
The drama was good.
Women - make the fortes louder rather than asking the men to sing softer.
Be threatening when appropriate.
Be bold with the doos at the beginning.
Don't get complacent. Sing the doos like they are the most exciting thing you have ever sung.

6.Minnie O'Shirva
Sopranos - sing the 'd' an octave lower.
Bar 6 - altos sing 'f' and sopranos sing 'a'. Make sure to make a note of this on your music. And crescendo in the bar, on the note.

7.Mihi Autem Nimis
Alto 1: Anne, Natalie, Rachael
Alto 2: Jenny, Claire, Mirren
Remember there is only a small distance between ra and ti in bar 3.
It is useful to know the bass line because we all have to sing it in our own lines.
Ollie is pleased with it as a start :)

8.The Optimists' Song
Make the dum spi-ro spero full of energy and life.
Women - make the phrases as legato as possible.
We lose energy by bar 33 where we are meant to be (mf). Sing (mf) in bar 33, not (p).

Next week...
Men's part - bar 29

9.Sleep - starting note 'A' flat
Listen to the dynamics.
Bar 26 - come off when indicated.
Bar 27 - basses come in when you are supposed to.
Bar 49 - tenor and basses - really important to hang on to the note underneath the sops and alts.
Sopranos - make the 'E' flats clear and in tune.

Cheerio.
Natalie

Flow my tears
Sing lines A & B p.
As more parts split up, keep the AB section p relative to the whole.
Keep quiet during Jenny.

Miks ei Mulle Tulnud
Thanks to Sari for coming in to make sure our pronunciation was ok.
v1 Susan solo; SATB on Ahh
v5 John, Thomas, Sebastian on top line, as written.
Douglas, Chris, Peter1 on middle line, 1octave up
Ollie, Robin, Peter2 on bottom line, 1octave up
v6 SA
v7 SATB as written, with normal splits where needed
v2,3,4 Solos to be announced. For now, sung by all women.

Akanamandla
This is NOT how it used to be. No matter how well you think you know it, look closely at the music.
Emphasis on down beat, which means that ATB hit AkanaMANdla, SimdumaZIle and SibsabiSIle.

Wade in the Water
Solo will be AnnaLauren.

Basses : be definite when you come in. Please don't sing wa-a-a-a-ade.
Altos : bar12 bottom note at end of bar should be Bb, not G#.
Tenors : Same bar, same beat, bottom note should be G, not G#.

Sing it once through section (this is likely to happen a lot)

If ye love me
First bar, start pp and cresc to p.
No vibrato!

Ave maris stella
Remember: rit means LOOK AT OLLIE
Keep it generally quiet.

Bonny at morn
Remember phrasing
Accompaniment people : remember to hold bar 8.
v3 very quiet; imagine the descant is dueting with the flute.

Optimist's song

Aurora
We'll get 3 beats as an intro. Some more work may be done on the plainsong section.
Bar22-23 careful not to be too loud.
Bar30 very legato - like tonight!

Mother Ann's song
Pretty bloody good considering half the choir had never done it!!
Sing it once through, with repeats, then again, twice as fast and louder (ref. Anne's notes which say Effing fast ? or was that f and fast?)

Sleep
Bar26, be sure to come off properly. WE start from the bottom and move up. Make a note. Similarly, Basses make sure you come in promptly there!
Bar47,50 : men make sure to hold on to the end of the bar. And of course, women make sure to come in.
Remember not to breathe in bars10&23. Long phrases:
With closing eyes and resting head-I-know that sleep is coming soon.
I cannot sleep my mind's a-flight-and-yet my limbs seem made of lead.
Keep the t in flight until the beginning of and.
Think about the dynamics. Maybe look at the shapes they make.

AOB
Committee : 27 Feb at P2's. Jenny to minute.
Cranshaws : if we do have a concert it'll be 30 June.
Clothing : Mirren will collate the info soon.
Pub : Jenny trying to get Frances drunk at the Royal Oak on the 9th of Feb.