Rudsamblog

Clare 2 did an energetic, very thorough and slighty thespian warm up.

Then the floor was handed to Ollie The Kid - the leanest, meanest (water) pistol-totin' hombre this side of Knotty Ash. There was to be no messing around tonight.

AURORA RUTILAT
Don't let the plainchant drag; keep it flowing.
Dynamics dynamics dynamics - Sheena has even written them in to give us a clue!
Watch the tuning on the open 5ths.
Sops watch your tuning on volentes bar 7. Don't linger here.
Sops bar 38 it's pre-nu-un -cia
Excellent!

MIHI AUTEM
Although the beginning is quiet, don't make it uncertain. Come in strongly (not loudly) and then pull back if necessary.

Mirren got the first shot fired at her for talking. She insists she was discussing legitimate altoid matters with Rachael so a metaphorical towel was offered and the shot withdrawn.
M and R had established that A1s and A2s need to stand together in sisterhood so this was adopted as official policy.

The aim in this piece is for each part to sound as one voice - no room for individuality here, I'm afraid.
Before you begin to sing imagine how you want your voice to sound. Aim for a pure tone with absolutely no vibrato - particularly in the sops.
Listen to all the others and try to have the same sound - vowel sounds are a particular danger area so try to blend and sound intimate.
Sway to feel the pulse if you want (in rehearsal anyway).
Bar 17 tenors watch the E natural and keep it sharp.
Ollie said 'the sopranos actually sound very nice'. There's a first time for everything :-)
'Basses mingling well'.
Bar 17 sounded a bit thin.
Sops came in wrong place in bar 24 - be careful here.
'The sound is loverly'.

VÅRVINDAR
Don't let the dotted rhythms become triplets.
We spent some time on the final page B29-B36 and took time to hear the chords properly. We're all guilty of charging through this canon bit and not listening to the other parts.
Sops keep the D# nice and sharp in B32
S&As aim for 'lun' of 'lunderna'
Störtvågen is 'sturt -vogen' - ask if you're not sure
Don't let the dotted rhythms become triplets.
Still on the last page - T&Bs more length to your notes but keep it quiet and let the upper parts come through.
Back to the beginning - write in a slight cresc in B9 then back again in B10.
Don't let the dotted rhythms become triplets. Think bouncy and imagine the semiquaver is attached to the following note, like a grace note.
Make the second vårvindar friska different to the first - the first should be a breathy stage whisper.
Sops check your notes in bar 21
'Very good well done'.
Don't let the dotted rhythms become triplets.

Meanwhile, back at MIHI, Ollie got one person to sing each part to demonstrate how different that makes it. We're looking for 'plain resonance'.
Think before you produce your first note about what your throat and ears will do.

Some yattering broke out in the back row, who were completely oblivious to the steely look that appeared in The Kid's eye as he lifted his gun and slowly took aim. Time appeared to stand still as his finger closed on the trigger....
.....unfortunately, at that very second, The Kid's mobile began ringing in his pocket and his moment shattered around him like glass falling from a window. So, the potential squirtee lived to yatter another day.

VISUR
Again, think in advance of your first note what sound you want to come out. It should be a completely different sound to that in MIHI.
Good - but think more in phrases.
Sops push a little on auguns

AVE MARIS
THINK of your sound in advance...vowel sound and note.
At the top of the second page Altos allowed a very small breath between apparuit and Maria but only if asphyxiation is imminent.
Don't come in too soon with final t's - sing appararui tappararui tquem
At the end sing genui tMaria

DLE
FROM MEMORY
'Very good'
Scrunchy chords at the start of each verse are MP

OPTIMISTS
The dynamics were rubbish
B17 P
B21 MF
B25 F
B33 tenors F, all others MF

SLEEP
Really really really nice.
Really nice.
Ollie made us sing the first bit again simply because it was so beautiful.
Small cresc up to 'beneath' in B2
Small cresc through 'resting' B9 over page
In B17 please note it switches to 4/4 so the 'd' of 'bed' comes on the 5th beat.

HIDE AND SEEK
Don't be afraid - stand up straight and sing it out!
B62 is FF then FFF. This means LOUD.
Page 8 sop solo - Christina; alto solo Rachael who gets to sing only the word h'oh

Well done - worked hard, finished late.

PS Don't let the dotted rhythms become triplets in vårvindar friska