Rudsamblog

Before I collapse in an armchair and into a sleepy stupor [can't do that as we're going out!] and seeing I madly said I'd do notes for today as well as last week, then promptly forgot with running between piano and altos. I thought I'd better make up something while it might be somewhere in the memory?!

Anyway we had a great day, thanks Ollie and all the rest. We missed you, Claire 1 and Angus, so for you especially, here is what we did, and what I can remember we need to know. Not in the order we did them but alphabetically.

CLOUDBURST
We sang every note and clapped/slapped/clicked every where too! We also had handbells, piano, thunder sheet , not really, just me fooling around on the piano pretending to be the full orchestra!
We did a lot of work from page 7, bar 43. Make sure you know how many crotchet [quarter-note, AnnaLauren and anyone else who prefers US notation!] beats there are in all these bars and write in what beats you come in.
Pronunciation of first word in bar 43 is "raee-ses" and get quickly on to the "ee". Sops, tenors and anyone else who split like this, watch for tails up for first sops, tenors or down for seconds.
Gradual crescendo to climax and full tone on page 8.
Bar 57, it should be pronounced vair, not var.
Bar 69 and not before, start to raise arms on prominent downbeat and Ollie gesticulating , Ollie beats 4, no pause at end of bar 69 [the pause will be at the beginning of the bar], big crescendo Bar 70 watch for downbeat, then big clap all together and start bringing your hands down by clicking slowly, hold back individually then in next couple of bars the clicks, slaps and claps get quicker.
Bar 72 onwards, tenors, then altos then 2nd sops - bring your bar out
Bar 75 is a big crescendo and claps get faster, just follow Ollie's facial expressions and you'll know what he wants!
Bar 76 - the climax, the storm is a hurricane so clap really quickly.
CHANGE FROM LAST WEDNESDAY = bar 78, those who are clapping revert to clicking there, ie a bar earlier than you've written it down. Everyone clicking by bar 79.
Bars 79 to end, count and watch Ollie for for the fermatas.

CRUCIFIXUS - LOTTI
New music, collect it next week. We learnt the notes, and may sing it for the Portrait Gallery concert.

DIEU! QU'IL LA FAIT -DEBUSSY
Once or twice through

ENVOI
Did this a couple of times to remind ourselves how it goes.

HIDE AND SEEK
We did this a few times and ended up doing it from memory, so have a look if you weren't there.
Basically he wants it sung with feeling and watch the dynamics.
Circle where the melody is in EVERY part, [not just your own], these will be louder until a new part gets the melody [or until it's obviously over] and the rest of us keep quiet, =[and apologies in advance if I've missed anyone's bit]
Bar 1 tenors
Bar 8 sops
Bar 17 tenors
Bar 24 sops
Bar 49 altos
Bar 56 sops
Bar 81 tenors
Bar 86 sops
Bar 89 tenors
Bar 94 sops
Bar 97 altos [but it is pp!!]

Bar 60 onwards, let the basses do ff so the rest balance.
E and after, make a nicer phrase and don't rush the "well of course you did" and "of course it is"
Make something of the accented "mm" throughout.

SHE MOVED THROUGH THE FAIR -DARRYL RUNSWICK [think that's the spelling]
New piece, so pick up a copy next week. We sang it through a few times.
Watch the different rhythms of semiquavers [16th-note, AnnaL, Sechzehntel-Note, Seb] eg bar 32 ,and demisemiquavers [32nd-note or Zweiunddreissigstel-Note] - lots! 2 demisemiquavers = one semiquaver.
{And for your next pub quiz did you know that half of a demisemiquaver is a hemidemisemiquaver or 64th note or Vierundsechzigstel! I'm with the Americans and Germans on these!!]

THIS MARRIAGE - ERIC WHITACRE [ this one and the previous one might be for the August wedding of Douglas's daughter, I think Ollie said]
New piece but we didn't sing it.

Small Group also did Star of the County Down. Let those with the melody have the floor so the rest of should pipe down, especially ladies! We learnt the slower bit from bars 61 to 77 also.

Thought I'd try to get these to you today as we're meeting again on Saturday:
10 for 10:30 until 4/4:30pm, Priestfield Church Hall - upstairs room. The church for those who haven't been before is down Dalkeith Road, first left after the Commonwealth Pool into Marchhall Crescent, the church is on the corner, and you enter via the first door on the right in Marchhall Crescent - if locked ring bell.

Bring your own lunch, snacks, water, pencil and tennis ball[s] if you have them - for a game, says Claire 2!
There will be tea and coffee available, 20p per cup as usual.

* Claire 2 gave us a good warm-up/workout physically, breathing, humming etc, hyperventilating with the heat!!
* We welcomed Elena here to help us with our francais and espagnol.
* Ollie will email us all today or tomorrow with a list of what music to bring on Saturday and what we are singing at the Portrait Gallery on 2 April, so look out for emails.

On Hilissuvi

This will be from memory. Remember balance [= listen to others] and tuning.
Basses, bar 19 - remember it's pp, and if you can't get the bottom D don't try too hard!!

Cloudburst

We went over pages 10 to 13, reminding ourselves of the notes, then when/where to clap, slap, click. Have a look before Saturday if you have time.
Bar 75: the clapping should be fast [not too loud] by the pause [fermata], and crescendo singing from the beginning of that bar. At the end of bar 78 all stop clapping and back to clicking.
When Elena said she only understood 3 words, we were all mortified, but later realised she meant 3 words of our English chatter beforehand!
Elena had no difficulty understanding our Spanish, phew!

Hide and Seek

Rachael will do Natalie's bar [75].
Don't get lazy with entrances and endings, just because it's a jazzy, relaxed rhythm! Be focused and look up for entries. Bar 17 =spinnnn, i.e. quickly on to the "n".
Bar 30 cresc. then dim. at the end of the bar so you can cresc. in bar 31 and dim. immediately on the down beat of bar 32.
Bar 40 to bar 48 = pp.
Bars 58 to 61 in one breath, no break after "insensitivity".

Bogoroditse Djevo

A quick run through

Dieu! qu'il la fait bon regarder

Clear beginning, no scooping, sopranos [actually he didn't say sops, maybe he meant tenors...?...or basses....? surely not altoids?]
Remember to dim to "p" at beginning of bar 2.
Elena was very kind about our French, no real problems. When pushed she said "Ca va" , roughly translated = OK I suppose! She confirmed that the pronunciation of loüer is the same as louer, and she did pronounce the "t" in "soit" bar 21/22.

Kanarbik

Bar 9 onwards, watch the tuning and support the notes, then you won't go flat. No vibrato in that phrase too. And as for the last high C....!!! Wow!
This one is also from memory.

NOTICES
Jenny put round a list of dates for us to tick availability for the social/music evening/Wii music game/ Karaoke [NO! NO! it's not Karaoke, Claire 1 promises!!]. It won't be music all night, and no-one should feel embarrassed at not wanting to play, but do bring instruments/music if you like [ no-one will be allowed to hog the limelight all night, and that includes me, promise!!] and we'll all bring some food and drink.

Jenny has confirmed that the best day for everyone who ticked her list is SATURDAY 4 APRIL so that's the date, time to be confirmed. Sorry if anyone can't make it. It's also her birthday, so that gives us lots of scope for mischief.....!!! And gives her an excuse to play as many piano solos or duets as she wants [well, within reason!]

Venue = Claire 2's house, thanks a lot, Claire.

I certainly drew the short straw last night - well, here goes!
We started off with AnnaLauren's warm-up, complete with close-contact-Irish Blessing, which will no doubt be reported on in full detail in the blog so I'll concentrate on what came next, which was -

CLOUDBURST

Tonight Ollie took us through the clicky-clappy-slappy bits starting on page 10 and going as far as page 13.

first PERCUSSION:

BAR 69 : all raise arms slowly (fists clenched) to finish above head by end of bar

BAR 70: on downbeat, loud CLAP - then lower hands slowly, clicking fingers, through bars 70 and 71. Clicking should be slow to start with - think big drops of rain with slappy sounds - don't be afraid of silences between clicks - keep an eye on what others are doing.

BAR 72: S, A & T carry on clicking - crescendo a little.
Baritones (Basses) start to slap their thighs randomly.

BAR 73: S1, A1, T1 start slapping their thighs too - the rest are still clicking.

BAR 74: 8 people start clapping randomly (Anne, Kay, Arno, Angus, Chris, Claire2, Susan and Robin)
Everyone else continues with what they were doing. Clapping should be fairly quiet and not too fast.
It's important that clicking should be held back - don't speed up.

BAR 75: all crescendo through the fermata, increasing speed of clicking/slapping/clapping then...

BARS 76-78: make lots of NOISE!
Clicking should be faster and as loud as you like.
However, clapping and slapping should be faster rather than louder or you may drown the voices.

BAR 79: EVERYONE now clicking - no more slapping or clapping.

Now back to p10 for VOCAL instructions:

sing as written up to fermata end of BAR 70 when there's a slow transition to chanting

Ollie will NOT beat BAR 71 - he will give an upbeat before BAR 72.

BAR 72: Tenor melody - once in time through bar 72

• (S, A and B continue your chanting as in bar 71)
• long fermata then upbeat into

BAR 73: Alto melody - once in time through bar 73

• Tenors chant their melody at random
• (S and B continue your chanting as in bar 71)
• long fermata then upbeat into

BAR 74: Soprano melody - in time (Claire1 sing Sop2 on bar 74)

• Altos chant their melody at random
• Tenors continue chanting
• (B continue your chanting as in bar 71)
• final fermata at end of p11 then

BAR 75: notes as written - no chanting - cresc through bar to very loud in BAR 76

BAR 77 T&B use chest voice

PLEASE WRITE ALL YOUR INSTRUCTIONS ON YOUR PART - I suggest you do it in pencil in case I've got any of it wrong!

DEBUSSY:
Have a look at this between now and next week.
Think tuning - precision.

KANARBIK:
Bar 9: from "koik" count in triplets to keep timing exact
Men: come in clearly at "ainult"

Sops and altos - well supported, quiet, don't scoop, mustn't be breathy
Be careful with pitch of C on "nur" in bar 10.

Men: ditto. You must come in together - feel the tempo

ON HILISUUVI (without music):
All come in together and on the right notes! Watch the balance.
Ja seda suve - women come down a bit
Very impressive cow impression from lower registers beginning of bar 16 but not quite what was intended.

NOTICES:
remember Sat 21 Feb is extra rehearsal day at Priestfield.
6th May : AGM
28th May : next committee meeting chez Wexler

Next big marketing push must be for Cloudburst. Suggestion is to have a collection rather than sell tickets and get someone to say a little bit about the Bosnia Project as a bottling speech. Please talk to Chris about marketing.

Jenny is organising a social evening in March. A Musical Evening has been suggested - if you've got other ideas let's have them! The usual sheet with dates etc will appear soon.

And last but not least we sang Happy 90th Birthday to Robin (30) and Elaine (60) and presented them with their Birthday Books.

On Hilissuvi:
We tried using our brains and pay attention to what we were singing, and apparently it worked because Ollie said it sounded nice. There was also a tone of hopefulness that we would continue to do so. So the thing to remember for this piece is: Switch On.

We mainly worked starting from bar 14 (the heavy 'Ja seda suve' entry).
Things to note:
Dynamics:
Achieve f in bar 14 by creating a rich, full, heavy, sound, rather than just shouting. Ollie likes to refer to this as the vocal 'Ogre' sound.
Do the dim. in bar 15, but don't become weak or breathy.

Blend:
Top BASSES need to be stronger in bar 14.

SOPRANOS: Keep the F# sharp
BASSES: tune the 5ths well, 1st basses don't let the G go flat.
TENORS: not too breathy (bars 15 & 16).

Misc.: bar 9: TENORS and SOPRANOS: try not to scoop the F.

Debussy: Dieu! qu'il la fait bon regarder
Nice piece! We notebashed the rest of the piece and went over pronunciation.
Not much to say, except:

Ollie will give us a F# at the beginning. He'll beat a 3/4 bar before the bar where we come in, so it's 1, 2, 3, 1 and then we're in on 2.

Green fir forest (the chinese piece)
Had a go at this.

Page 1
middle system:
SOPRANOS 2 sing Soprano solo
SOPRANOS 1 sing the top choral soprano line

then switch around for

bottom system:
SOPRANOS 1 sing Soprano solo
SOPRANOS 2 sing the top choral soprano line

P. 2 SOPRANOS make sure you go right up to the D in the first couple of bars.

Cloudburst:
2nd page, after Sebastian's solo (once he remembers to sing it :-),
TENORS (and BASSES) follow Ollie who leads us into our bar where we start with 'Picos ...'.

From bar 28 TUTTI make sure everything's connected for the next few bars

During the end of John's speaking bits on page 5 and page 6 Ollie beats 1, 2, 3, 4, and our 'Hay que ...' entry is on the 4.

Bar 37 until the end of that page: sing LEGATO, shape the lines.

Next week we will skip ahead to page 10. HAVE A LOOK IN ADVANCE.

On page 11, the small notes mean repeat the phrase (we'll go over this).
In bar 12 a (15-note!) chord starts to build up, for which Ollie, like a football coach choosing players' positions, picked voices as follows:

So, in bar 75, taking the format Note: Singer and going from high to low, we have

SOPRANOS 1:
B: Helen
G#: Anna-Lauren
F#: Kay1

SOPRANOS 2:
E: Claire
D: Susan
C: Alison
B: Elaine

ALTOS:
A: Rachael and Kay2
G#: Anne

TENORS:
D: Chris
C: Douglas & Oliver2
B: Robin

BASSES:
usual split 1st and 2nds.

---------------------------------------
Anouncements:

Saturday rehearsal Feb. 21st at Priestfield. The pianist who's playing Cloudburst with us will be there, so we want to have reached a certain level by then. That's why we're skipping ahead to page 10 for next week.
Arrive 10 o'clock for coffee if you want it. Rehearsal starts 10.30 on the dot. We will have a 1/2 to 3/4 hour break for lunch. Please bring your own food. Aim to finish about 4.30pm.

Committee meeting taking place today.

Everyone's happy for our main christmas concert (Dec. 12) to take place at Augustine United church, on George IV bridge. Anne will finalise the booking and take care of all the Performing Rights Society stuff. Thanks Anne!

There is a clip of pages 7 and 8 of Cloudburst on Chris' webspace, which can be accessed via: http://tinyurl.com/aphlbx
He told me he'll soon put up another clip with an extract of where we will start singing from next week.

Next week, we have Anna-Lauren on warmup and Susan on notes.

Dear All and sundry,
Here is the lowdown on last night or your perusal. Sorry the notes are quite brief - I think I was too busy concentrating on my Mexican chanting.

Cloudburst: we went through the pronunciation with A-L. Here are a couple of examples:
d=th
t=Gaelic t
hay=aye
agua=awa (watch this one as we were a bit 'bish at it last night)
roll r where you can

Come in straight away at the start - don't swoop.
look up - Ol will show you when to come in esp in the speaking at bar 5.
Come in accented so we can hear the tune.
P4 Be confident gentlemen! Crescendo through and decrescendo at the end.
Look up and listen to those around you.
top p5 make a big difference from mf to mp. Tenors need to match the ladies' sound.
p4 have written sth about slurs that I don't understand myself!
bar 29-30 has no break so don't breathe
bar 32 hold the fermata while sops sing and John says sth!
Ol will start beating when John is coming to the end. Come in altogether on 4. Pay attention on this bit- it is much faster than you want it to be.
don't make bar 25 staccato

Trois Chansons : we just did some note bashing. Watch rhythms even at this stage.

Well that's the important stuff, if you want the non-important and frivolous you know where to go in about 20 min!

Enjoy the week ladies and gents