Rudsamblog

Hi folks. I'll try to recall the key info from last night though we did split into parts for some of the time so sopranos will need to find out what happened then!

1. The CD recording last week was very successful, nearly everything is usable, little/no traffic noise, and really good. Some editing is needed and a few may need re-recording [including Lux]. We will use St Peters for the next 2 sessions [16 April 6:30 and Sat 14 June about 9:30/10 until 5ish] so you can delete the possible Canongate session on 9 April.

2. Ollie handed out a list of the songs for the Portrait Gallery, Thursday 3 April, 6pm kick-off = 5:15pm warm-up. He will email round the order but here are the songs for those who weren't there last night so we can ALL get the songs in our folders!

• Envoi,
• Lux,
• En une seule fleur,
• Psalm 38 and 100 by Dowland [NB try to get a copy before next week if you missed these new pieces],
• Dark-eyed sailor,
• Geographical Fugue - small group,
• When I fall in love - ditto,
• O magnum mysterium by Victoria,
• the 4 Tormis pieces in this order for the concert - 7, 8, 3, 10,
• Dindirin,
• Hide and Seek.

3. Dowland Psalm 38

Watch the tuning, tenors watch F# in second line [but make sure you sing F natural in bar 1], and altos/basses Eb in bar 5. Pronunciation for wrath = ROTH not RATH. Quartets for verse 3 [probably Susan, Anne, Chris, John] and verse 8 [AnnaLauren, Natalie, Ollie and Sebastian]. Sing forward blended vowels.

4. En une seule fleur - from bar 19 to end.

This is where we split rehearsal and the sopranos went off to learn their parts/words for Tormis no 3 [don't know what they did but it sounded very good when they returned!] Then we sang this one together later when they returned.
Keep it legato for the main phrase, tu étais assez riche etc, but bouncy and lighter when it goes to the original theme- mais tu n'a pas pensé ailleurs in bar 31 etc. Be prepared for the repeat, think and look ahead and mark it . Watch Ollie for the timing [it is fast] and watch the following French words:

ailleurs = eye-er not ay-er
tu etais assez = no s pronounced
riche = pronounce the che clearly, if necessary a fraction before a breath or you'll be late with the next phrase
aime = one syllable [not em-e ]

By the end it was much better, well done. Listen to the MP3 to get your tongue round the words and fast speed.

5. O magnum mysterium [sopranos were still doing the Tormis]

Basses keep the tuning up especially from bar 40. Tenors -your G naturals need careful tuning on the last page especially from bar53, you want to sing G# but don't! Everyone -remember legato, expressive phrasing and runs.

6. Tormis

no 3
Alto/tenor/bass - sing oo not a French u [or German ü]. Remember [for the oldies like me who couldn't count] that there are 4 verses before we continue to verse 5 !

no 10
Don't sing too loud. I don't have anything else written for this one, [see above for the sopranos] but it sounded much better and more confident, we seem to be gradually getting our tongues round this one!

7. Envoi
Baritones - count for entry in bar 7 = 12345shana/shanasho.....
Sopranos watch going into bar 27 when the semiquavers are half the timing of the quaver fly, fly of the previous bar and their accents are off the beat. The important thing for everyone is to keep the 2 in a bar beat for 6/8 timing [ and mark it so you know where your beats come compared to the other parts] so if you get lost you can come back in more easily.

But he was IMPRESSED! Ollie will send round an MP3 for this, or you can hear it on Abbe Betinis's website.

8. Hide and Seek

This wasn't too bad seeing we hadn't done it for a while and didn't have all the soloists. Try to look at it if possible.

NOTICES

So a busy but very productive rehearsal. Ollie reiterated that it is ESSENTIAL that everyone really tries to come to every rehearsal in the next month or two. Some have work/holiday commitments but please try not to make any more commitments with the Portrait gallery and CD recording.

We discussed Susice, last chance to tell me if you have allergies, diet preferences or preferences for who you share with. I'll email round a list for you to check before I send it to Anezka.

We also discussed train or bus from the airport . Nearly everyone seemed to prefer the train, so perhaps we should all take the train? It has the advantage that we don't need to book, [snip] horror stories about people having to stand on buses and them being slow and uncomfortable [and possibly smoking?]. If jet2.com change the flight times again then the train would have the advantage of being more flexible. But I'll ask Anezka first about the buses ...

NB ... what you said last night about the flight changes in the email, ... the email ... says the change is on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. I've just looked at the website and the Sunday flight is still up at 20:40 departure from Prague. The Monday flight is 17:30.

Have a good Easter, see some of you at Chris's party, and practise hard!!

Yes, there are some. Even if it was just for the recording we may need
to remember incase we've to do any of the pieces again. And we might do
the pieces in a concert another time, but there aren't many cos I
couldn't cope with holding my file, writing notes and singing odd parts
at the same time.
A BIG thankyou to Helen B for stepping in at the last minute, to Helen
for recording, Anne for running round organising teas and coffees and
John and Susan for bringing it. If I've messed anyone off, I'll be
patronising and say we'd have missed you had you not been there doing
your bit!!!
LEAVING PARTY for TOM will be, if it's still okay with Susan and John,
on SATURDAY the 19th JULY. We can sort out time and details on
Wednesday. But for now, please put it in your diaries. Only two people
unfortunately can't come, as opposed to 8 who couldn't make the other
possible date.

NOTES, please read these as well!

Homework - Please to learn the words of EN SEULE fast so they fit in.

Tormis No 8 - Laulda
The breath marked as a pause is for RECORDING ONLY
Altos be ready to come in with kaik immediately and even though there's
nothing to sing, enjoy the rest and what others are doing.

Tormis No 9 - Kiisu
Good

Dark Eyed Sqailor
Forward mouths for a rich 'i' on 'it was a ....' . Think of 'sh' before
the 'i'.
Good entry from men - more p perhaps.
'For my...' anyone with this entry, make a feature of it
p.4 top system. Watch for the Rall.
'Oh, welcome, William' - animated - slightly faster
Another RALL at 'dark eyed sailor'

Lux
Softer 'C' on Calida
Cali - dah NOT cali-der
Altos - give it some on Gravis
No breathing somewhere, forgot where, but best for noone to breathe
anywhere!
bars 21 onwards, keep the sound going. Smooth. Probably no breathing
here either (What does he think we are? Bagpipes?)

Dindirin
Forward mouths as at start of Dark eyed sailor
Wasn't such a din, good.

Sancuts
Good

Amu
Did it just so we'd got through everything listed. Probably singing it
again.

Tuning was generally not bad.
________________________________________________________________________

WELL DONE to Ollie whose first composition (for strings) to be entered
in a competition, and played in public, was judged runner up. Some
orchestra or other is taking it on tour with them. It's brilliant.

Began with saying vowels (in a D major chord):
Ah
Ee – push sound forward
Oo
to demonstrate how blend is important.
Moving from Ahr to Aaa - aim for the rich vowel sound: Ahr rather than Aaa.

Dindirin
It is quick. Think about the rich vowel sounds and dynamics.
Think about the vowel sound in bar 12.
Contrast the staccato first line and the legato second line.
Be careful not to go flat in the second line.

Dark Eyed Sailor
Prepare the vowel mentally at the top of page 4. Remember to do the proceeding rall.

Lux Aurumque (migrating to hallway)
Ollie pulled the tempo around a bit – look up to Ollie for the tempo.
Think about the timing a lot.
In calida bits – aim for/emphasise the li as opposed to the da
Think up when coming in.
Basses don't leave gaps in pu-ra
Women, in bar 24 do the same – don't leave gaps in pu-ra. Then be quiet in ve-lut. Take care of the vowel sound in ve-lut. Sing veh as opposed to vey.
Watch the timing from bar 24 and sing confidently.
It is really really really really good.

Tormis
No8: Tenor pay attention to pitching the note.
Make the humming more legato (don't hit the note) and make the whole thing quieter.
No10: the pronunciation is tyey in bar 4. Use Gaelic ts throughout.

En une seule fleur
Will be recorded April 16th and performed April 3rd at the Portrait Gallery.
Go for a nice light (p) bouncy sound from the beginning. Learn the last page for homework.
Pronunciation – du-venir as opposed to de-venir.

Five Hebrew Love Songs

1. Temuna
2. Kala Kalla

Warm-up:

• funny hand and arm throwing with Claire2,
• then diaphragm exercises from Olli (blow your nose in small portions).

Recording program for March 12th (6.30pm to 10.30. St. Peter's in Newington):

• Lux aurumque (if enough tenors available)
• Sanctus
• Dindirin
• Dark-eyed sailor
• 2 Tormis pieces: 7 and 8
• Amuworo

Portrait gallery (3rd April):

• Envoi
• En une seule fleur
• ...

Rehearsal:
Dindirin:

• 4 bars conducting
• Remember ends of lines yondaa, lovaa - no rrrrr
• Get the correct lyrics on the recording - don't try to sing by heart on recording if not 100% perfect

Sanctus:

• Use the diaphragm exercises on the last note - it's loooong
• Before last but one bar: small gap, all except basses

Amuworo:

• e flat, 1 bar conducting
• hold (ending) notes until end as written
• second-last bar mezzo-piano mp
• Give all start vowels a bit of attack
• Keep the tempo - we tend to drag

Lux aurumque:

• more piano p in the beginning
• bars 21-22-23 very legato
• canuntetcanunt - bind canuntet, only one t, soprano 2 and altos
• keep pitch - be there right on the note, no scooping into notes

Dark-eyed sailor:

• 1.666 bars conducting: 1 2 3 1 2 It was...
• Shhhh it was... ---- only think sh

Ollie hopefully feels better now - we kept it short last week...