Rudsamblog

MONATENG

Don't be passive just 'cos you've sung it before!!

Sound as if you're enjoying it, rather than blended. BUT think of being very together especially at the beginning

Verse is quieter until *Altos* lead in with something to do with someone laying in Kenya (that's what it sounds like)

*Basses -* really resonate with your big chests! Especially those bottom 'c's.
Split the jump to the B flat. Don't scoop it.
*
*
*Tenors - *Good HEY! voice sound rather than sung sound.

*Tutti - *Head for the last RE in RESORET

AVE MARIS STELLA

Sing words in Latin not Finish

DELETE MP and INSERT PPPP at beginning

Be *very *supported. It's deceptively difficult piece. Lots of consonants

VOWELS - Mah-ree (forward 'ee') Ste- lah, is correct. (We are NOT marrying Stella!)
Rah-dee (forward 'ee') Sah-ngck-tee (forward 'ee')
tah-tee (forward 'ee') - No one is sinking any tatties!

Look up and move at the same time, with control. A steady direction will be given

It's plain chant in 5ths. oooo, loverly - should be!

radis sancti tatis - MF until eternae. Oh, crikey, I don't understand my dynamic indication here.
It's one of those crescendo, decrescendo, crescendo signs - like a musical Mexican wave. But which words did it refer to? Sorry, maybe it goes with the instruction - Pull back for Claritatis,

GAOL MA CHRIDH

Chris singing solo

Think of how we sing 'Dance to thy Daddy' and aim for the same effect - bouncy, staccato, clipped.

No scooping on held chords

Dotted crotchet, minim, 2 dotted crotchets, minim - pattern throughout.

's tha mi dolga posadh (with a thing over the 'o', not an umlaut something else I haven't got on my computer!) - Come down in dynamic.
Be very clipped and staccato. Be supported.

*Altos* - EVERY VERSE!!! on repeats go down to a 'G'. It's a different note to first time through!!

*Tutti - * Some of us seem to remember Peter was MOST ADAMANT that a good 'gh' is pronounced at the end of Pawsugh,

IF YE LOVE ME - /which of course you all do, but keep me supplied with chocolates doesn't scan:-/ )/

Start IF as in DIEU, qu'il la fait etc

EEEEE (forward 'ee') F - cresc through first note and stay supported
/
/
Some copies are written a 3rd up from what we're singing, so make sure you know what's going on!

Think vowel sounds as for Ah-ve Mah-ree

Put a nice forward 'oooo' on Truth. And roll 'r' (or it will sound like 'tooth')

*SP'RIT *- (NOT spi-rit) rolled 'r' (or it will sound like SPIT of TOOTH)

*Basses *- Be melodic. Aim for good phrasing and length of them. Very legato.

*Tutti* - Phrases are individual, to each part, so take responsibility for them in your parts. Feel them. Sing through them legato. feel the beat going through them.

*Sops* - Aim for pure sound in high notes. No waving or vibrato.

AGM is on the 19th

There's an envelope containing donations and possibly requiring more (I know I've not put any in yet!) for Jean and Dougal's wedding.

Please let Anne know IF you are planning to go to Biggar ON YOUR OWN.

We need to be in Biggar for 1.15pm.

1. Song order for Douglas and Jean's wedding -

- Pre-service: Bog off, Mona Teng (African), Take my Hand
- During service: Brumarsj (Norwegian), If Ye Love Me, Ave Maris Stella
- Signing register: This Marriage (Whittaker)
- End of service: An Irish Blessing
- Social bit in evening: Gaelic set (Ah ben a khum..), Mairi's wedding, Son ar Chistr, Tourdion, Preab San Ol, Only You

Please email Chris if you need any of these pieces so that he can make copies for us for next Wednesday's (28th) rehearsal.

2. This Marriage (Whittaker)

The rehearsal was spent practicing 'This Marriage' (Whittaker) only. Detailed instructions of how to sing it -

General -
- Stand straight and supported to sing the piece
- Sing the piece 'legato', joining the notes together.
- Sops and Basses stand out with Altos and Tenors just filling in the harmony.
- Make vowel sounds very round and nice. 'e's need to be forward, 'a's need to be round. Think "round", "beautiful", "sophisticated" vowels.
- Make the high notes sharp as opposed to flat. Think "sharp"

Page 1 -
- puts lots of voice into 1st page. Make it strong.
- Make the word 'sweet' sharp.

Page 2 -
- (mp) on 'May this marriage be full', then crescendo
- Watch Ollie for shape on the words 'offer' and 'shade'

Page 3 -
- cresendo on 'our every day', then make 'a day in paradise' quieter

Page 4 -
- Diminuendo and rit after 'a seal of happiness here'
- Make 'May this marriage have a' loud (mf), then on the word 'fair' come down suddenly, but leave space for further diminuendo through to the end of the line.
- Basses sing the word 'gord' instead of 'good'
- Altos and Sops stand tall to get the top notes

Page 5 -
- Need a big breath to sing the top line. Sing 'in a clear blue sky' in one breath and clearly with strong consonants.
- Sing 'skar' instead of 'sky'
- Annunciate all the words in 'I am out of words to describe how spirit mingles in this marriage'. It is a nice phrase and needs to be sung clearly.

Will go through all the other pieces next week so please bring them.

3. Finally, dates for your diaries -

1st May - Cranshaws
15th May - Douglas and Jean's wedding
26 June - ALL DAY FROM 10am - RECORDING FOLLOWED BY CONCERT. PLEASE NOTE THE 28 AUG AS A SEPARATE RECORDING DAY HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
29 Aug - St. Giles at 6. Singing Cloudburst here.
25 Sept - Wigtown/Whithorn concert in Dumfries and Galloway.

BOY AND A GIRL

• Pages 3 and 4 Think ahead , make the rests special and maintain the same sound.
• Page 5 OUT ON THE BEACH, sopranos need a bit more volume.
• Page 6 Lots of support and Counting needed.
• Bar 32 BOY..we need a rounded mouth for the OY. Work on the vowel shapes for a good blend.
• Bar 35 NEVER a crescendo here and shape the 3 bar phrase.
• Bar 38 Very Legato here. On the word SILENCE try to balance the chord and blend.
• Bar 39 Get off quickly, phrase it nicely and make a small crescendo
• Bar 43 The chord should be forte and not PP.
• Page 8 Keep the phrasing
• STRETCHED OUT Keep the STR short and MF with a stronger tone (more voice).
• Sopranos should photocopy pages 7/8 to avoid a page turn

THIS MARRIAGE
We went over this for the first time. The last system gets quicker and
there is a rall to the end.

KOMITAS

• SHOGHER Try to remember the words and make it exciting and bouncy.The mens second section should be sung louder and made more rhythmically exciting.
  Shout the word SHOGHER . Look excited and SMILE.
• CHEENAR ES The basses start quiet and very supported. It should be upbeat and balanced with the soloists.. Basses especially to bring out the melodic bits. Soloists to sing out.
  On Page 4 Ollie will bring us in.
• IM CHINARI Make the IMs short. The chorus should be quiet and bouncy……Pause before GOVAN and make a small clap on Last Syllable for the smart ending.