Rudsamblog

Apologies for the delay in getting these notes out. Hope they are helpful anyway!

Firstly, it was lovely singing in the upper room at Priestfield. Great acoustic and definitely going to be a good place to rehearse!

Now for some details:

Sleep Weel My Bairnie
- First two bars slower, then tempo speeds up a little from bar 3.
- Bar 9 - the sopranos come in half a beat later - other parts don't wait for them. Also take note of dynamic at that point (mf)
- Needs more bass generally - to fill out the sound.
- Beware the page turn from bar 13-14.
- Bar 21 onwards - sopranos are storytelling so make sure the words and music has some movement and excitement. Lower parts - the particularly important notes are when the chords move for alto 2 and tenor 2.
- Bars 58 - no breath into 59.
- The line from 64 onwards - no breaths.
- Over accentuate the words, particular 'shadow' and 'creep' to allow texture to develop.

After Culloden
- Don't rush! Should not sound like a folk song being sung in the pub!
- Pronunciation of chevalier is SHevalier
- Bar 14 onwards - accelerando - watch Derrick! Then keep the faster tempo into bar 18 onwards.
- Note the rit in bar 25.
- Accelerando again in Bar 53.
- Bar 58 is then the same speed as the beginning.
- On bar 63 only the altos hold the note. Everyone else come off with Derrick.
- Caution with the cadences - at some points they change and are not the usual tune that you will be used to!

Dreams
- Count the beats!
- Sopranos - try to memorise bars 9-10 - sing over and over to practice. Also, careful not to be singing Eb in bar 12. It's an E natural.

Piranhas
- Fill each bar with energy - make the piece kind of mad. Explosive crescendos and extremes of dynamics!