Practice

In Ann's absence Ian asked if I would take on the task of producing practice notes. I suspect that my look of horror told its own story - I have simply never been a note taker - but I agreed to give it my best shot. My missives will not have the clarity and rigour that Ann manages to bring to the task every week and you and I will breathe a huge sigh of relief when Ann is fit and well and back at this particular helm. Get well soon, Ann.

Rachel xxx

• Ian had asked us to be ready to sing Flying Free and Friends without the music today and we were there, ready and keen ... 

• Friends

  • Everyone managed without the music and most of the words were secure.

  • Ian could still hear some mumbles and would like those eradicated ASAP so that we all sound as crisp as a new five bob note! 

  • Ian said that we have a tendency to speed with anxiety so, the sooner we are word-perfect, the less likely we are to hurry which, given that this piece licks along at quite a pace, would be a blessing.

  • Ian accompanied us on the piano today, giving us a steady 'oompa, oompa' to keep us on track. He intends to do the piece unaccompanied for the concert and so we need to really listen to each other in order to hold the pace and the harmonies in check.

• Flying Free

  • As with 'Friends', we all managed without music but some words were still a little ragged.

  • We need to focus on keeping the dynamics balanced so that whichever part at any time holds the tune lets it ring out and the other parts ease back a smidge. Whenever the baton is handed over and another part takes the tune, we need to be ready to adjust accordingly.

• A Little Jazz Mass - Kyrie

  • We come in in unison and, although this is sung mp it does still need to be confident and not hesitant.

  • Although we do crescendo towards f at the top of page 6, Ian reminded us that this is all relative - the whole piece needs to be quite gentle, in spite of its jazzy nature, and so the f should remain a tad reserved.

  • At the bottom of page 6, bar 23, the altos come in on the upbeat. The second sopranos are to sing this too and it needs to come in confidently - it is easy to get caught out as there is just a very quick half a beat rest after the long '...son' lasting 6 beats.

  • In the section at the top of page 7 the two parts are a little syncopated so counting is essential.

  • Second sops need to be on the ball to move back up to the top line in bar 30.

  • The page turn from page 7 to 8 is a bit of a beast - check it out and mark your copy to either turn a little ahead or jot down the first few notes of page 8 onto the end of the stave on page 7. Whichever approach helps you ('whatever gets you through the night ...' and all that!).

  • The last three bars are a chromatic scale and it is all too easy to go flat. The last note in particular is much sharper than you might imagine - so Ian suggests that we imagine it is higher than it looks and keep squeezing it up as you hold it for its 4 beats. Spanx on, ladies!

• I Only Have Eyes For You

  • This is a little bit of lovely and even Ian said that he feels a bit bereft when the first part of the medley leaves us so soon. The rhythm is that of a samba so has a light and slightly bouncy feel (Mr FitzD and I do ballroom dancing and our Samba is sadly neither of those things!)

  • The very first note really needs to sound more confident without being belted out.

  • Remember that at the end of that very first phrase, the word 'tonight' is only half a beat long but that last 't' should be gently placed.

  • By contrast, at the end of the second phrase, the word 'bright' is a full beat.

  • The altos have the tune to enjoy at the bottom of page 9 and the other two parts simply answer. So although all parts are marked as f it still needs to be clear that altos are in charge at that point.

• Can You Feel The Love Tonight

  • Just when you though it was safe because ... no Copeland, out comes this little minx! We spent a lot of time on this piece picking our way through and Ian felt it was a lot better for it and would like us to practice hard at home so we don't have to spend so long on it again.

  • The altos have a loooooow note to start with and it behaves better if treated with love and gentleness (don't we all). It simply needs to be a warm base over which Hazel's lovely solo can glide.

  • Second sops can find their first note from the altos so hold that alto Eb in your head to help you come in securely.

  • At the bottom of page 4, bar 13, the fun with the 'dm, dm's starts. It is a tricky rhythm for the seconds who have to come in just a semi-quaver after the altos. If you find it helps then sing the alto note with them and then simply carry on with your part. 

  • Top of page 5, last beat of the last bar, first system can the first sopranos please forget the twiddly four semi-quavers - put a pencil mark through it! In all honesty I have no idea what Ian said to do instead because I was busy recovering from the trauma of the 'dm, dm's. Hopefully the sops were listening and have clarity of purpose.

  • There were  a couple of other twiddles to be scratched (top of page 6 in the soprano part immediately at the end of Hazel's solo springs to mind) but I cannot be certain and my only defence is that we did this BEFORE I found out that I should be paying more attention as I was going to have to produce these notes. Soz!

  • Bottom of page 9 I can confidently say that the final twiddle in the alto part comprising of 7 semi-quavers on page 9 and one semi-quaver on page 10 is OUT! I have even taken my own pencil to that bit and scrubbed it and so know this to be true.

  • The very last bar but one on page 11, the second sops have a twiddle on 'things' and that needs to be kept beautifully in time together or it sounds scrappy. Those two notes are demi-semi-quavers and last 1/8 of a crochet which is jolly quick.

  • Ian reminded us that there is nothing to be found over that last page 11. Even though it looks as if there might be more, there is not - praise be.

• A Song For You

  • Not quite as tricky as 'Can You Feel The Love Tonight' but it still likes to trip you up. The main issue is to ensure we get those tricky rhythms together so it is all nice and tidy.

  • Fitting the lyrics into the quick rhythms can also be a challenge so Ian would like us to study this piece hard at home to nail the lyrics. If we really know the words then the whole piece should slot together more comfortably. 

  • The last page (11) slows from the middle system to the end and also gets progressively quieter - watch Ian!

  • At the very end in the last but one bar there is a nice little break between the two last 'for you's. Put a jolly big tick or line to remind yourself to watch Ian for the break and when to come back in. 

In Windsor Forest 

• No 2 - Falstaff And The Fairies

  • This has come on well but still needs work to make it fabulous. Ian would like us to listen to the recordings regularly.

  • The start can jump upon us a little so count carefully (it is in a quick 6/8 but count it as 2 in a bar) so that you are ready to come in.

  • The words need to be a little posh - 'Round abaht' rather than 'Round abowt'. This is Windsor after all - not Slough!

  • Be ready to come in at the top of page 14 - the pulse in the piano part (last bar page 13) gives you the 'heads up' so watch and count (now we are in 4/4). The lyrics need to be very crisp so check them out and practice.

  • Top of page 16 at the end of the first system it can look a little confusing for the first sops - the second sop notes and lyrics written above the rests can make it look as if the first sopranos need to sing. In fact, it is much more straightforward than it looks - sing 'round about the tree' holding the word 'tree' for two and a half beats and then count 3, 4, 1, 2, 3 and then come in on the last half beat of the first bar, second system with 'About, fairies, about, about.'

  • Altos get all the fun with 'But, stay! I smell a man of middle earth.' Ian pointed out that, if the words 'I smell' and 'a man of middle earth' are not merged then the meaning is rather different from that intended and suggests that the altos need a shower and a good squirt of deodorant!

  • The final page (21) starts quite slowly and then the pace gradually picks up and up until the very last note which is slow. Ian will guide us so we must watch - better learn those tongue-twistery words ...

•  No 3 - The Wedding Chorus

  • • The rhythm in this is 9/8 but we count it as 3 beats in a bar. However, on page 23 in the middle system you will see little number 2s which tell us that we count in 2s at that point to give a slightly different rhythmic feel. Don't panic - just watch Ian and all will become clear.

    • Likewise with the triplets on page 24 - Ian will conduct us safely through those, so learn the music well enough that you can look up trustingly.

    • Right then - get out your scalpel, sharpen it and take it to the the last system of page 25 and right through ALL of page 26 cutting out all the vocal parts to leave just the accompaniment. Cathartic? We come back in at the very top of page 27 - the second sops and altos leading in with 'All the gain ...' and the sopranos join in half way through that second bar.

    • Page 29 and those little 2s make another appearance so watch Ian.

    • The last two pages take the dynamics gradually down and down to the final note which is ppp which, after the powerful earlier sections will make for a delicious contrast. 

Well, that is me done and I now desperately need a large gin and tonic and a Kit Kat chunky. Please come back soon Ann - I will feed you extra cake! 

Another good rehearsal even without cake but never mind, there will be some to look forward to next week. We mustn’t get used to having so many cakes – I think we’re getting spoiled – but it’s very nice while it lasts.

• Ian has asked us to be ready to sing Flying Free and Friends without the music next week (25th) so if you’re not secure with the words, a bit of practice may be in order. 😊

• Flying Free

  • Keep this piece gentle. There’s nothing louder than mf until rehearsal mark 'M' and then it gets quieter from rehearsal mark 'O' until the end.

  • The descant is to be sung by the back row of the 1st and 2nd sopranos.

  • Mark in that the final bar of the 2nd system on page 4 (The end of the word 'breeze') is only 3 beats. We’ve added a crotchet rest at the end in order to give the first sops time to breathe before their long phrase.

• Friends

  • This went well with most people managing without the music. We also kept in time with each other when we split into groups but Ian threatened to make us into groups of 3 long lines across the choir instead of in sections, so be ready !!!

• Ching-A-Ring

  • Go back over this as we’ve got a bit rusty. Make sure you remind yourselves of it. 

  • Don’t forget the raised arm at the end.

• Zion’s Walls

  • Make sure you change 'Zion' to 'Heaven' whenever it appears. It’s best to pencil it in so that there are no mistakes - a 'Z' sound over the H of heaven is very obvious.

  • Altos, count carefully if you’re not sure where to start. (or watch Ian 😉).

  • Seconds, you don’t come in until bar 8.

  • Circle the sub p in bar 16 and drop the volume right down so that it’s possible to make each phrase on page 5 slightly louder to make a climax in bars 20 /21.

  • Sops take a definite breath before 'heaven' in bar 22'

• I bought Me A Cat 

  • The middle bar of the lower system has three beats - a trap to catch the unwary! Mark 1,2,3, above the stave to help you remember. 

  • This zaps along very speedily so you need to get the words under your belt so they become automatic. – you probably won’t have time to read them.

  • Mark the beats – 1,2,3, - in the bar third before the end.

  • Notice that every time we sing 'My cat goes fiddle eye fee', it is either p or mp and much quieter than  the preceding text (apart from the last one which is ff) This is a feature of the piece so is very important.

• In Windsor Forest No 2 - Falstaff And The Fairies

  • We spent most of the second half on this and made a big improvement. Ian suggests that the homework for this week is to go onto the VV website and listen to this several times to get the harmonies and timings under our belts.

  • At rehearsal mark 'B', the tempo is much slower.

  • Get used to the last note of the 'OOOO's being short. It’s only a quaver so don’t let it drift on (until the last one of course).

  • At 'D', seconds sing with the altos. Make 'vile worm' sound as if you really dislike this person.

  • At the end, watch Ian for the tempo – he will beat 3 slow beats and then on the fourth, we do the glissando.

Have a lovely week sunbathing or whatever you do in a heatwave. See you all next week.

Herewith the notes from this week's rehearsal, rather briefer than Ann's normal offering, I'm afraid. Hazel was heard to say "Don't panic everyone, everything will be clear when you read Hilary's notes!" I think she may have said this with tongue in cheek!

Anyway, have your pencil to hand when you read them as there are a few minor amendments to write in.

• • Mozart Round

    • Coming along pretty well.  The final time round, on the very last 'song', make sure you know whether you go up or down to make the full chord.(2nd altos go down, 1st altos stay as written).

• • Flying Free

    • Ian would like this totally from memory in 2 weeks time, ie June 25th, so please run through it at home as often as possible.  Don’t leave it to the last minute.

• • Can You Feel the Love Tonight (Soloist Hazel)

    • We spent a long time on this.

    • Altos: Please replace all 'oh’s with 'ah'. 

    • In the last bar of page 5, please sing 'ah' right through, not ‘dm’. 

    • First bar top of P10: keep singing 'ah', don’t change to 'doo'.

    • Altos: On P4 please all sing the bigger notes in bar 14.

    • 1st sops: Bar 25 remember to jump up to the top line and sing the words.

    • Altos and 2nd Sops: please be ready when ah’s change to words. 

    • All: note key changes top of P7 and P9.

• • A Song For You

    • The parts marked 'solo' are being sung by a small group.

    • All: Pages 2,3,4 please change 'Oh' to 'Ah'.

    • Page 6: 2nd Sops please join in with alto lines. 

    • Bar 21, the word 'know’ should be sung on  the 2nd note.

    • All: In bar 71, there is a break after the word 'song'.  Mark it in clearly. 

• • Zion’s Walls

    • In your copies, please go through and change the word 'Zion' into the word 'Heaven'.

    • Please start to look at the dynamics.

• • Little Jazz Mass - Kyrie 

    • Roberta will look for a previous recording of this and send it round. It will appear on the website under Practice. Please remind yourself of it, as this is now on the concert programme.

  • Windsor Forest - No. 1 The Conspiracy

    • 2nd Sops: Please sing with the altos on their solo lines on pages 1 and 2.

    • All: On page 3, pause after the word ‘into’ before the key change. Mark it in.

  • Chamber Choir - O Rejoice that the Lord has Arisen

    • We sang through. Please continue to work at it at home.

• • OTHER NOTICES

  • For those who haven’t yet done so, please return your Messe Basse and your Stabat Mater.  Keep your Little Jazz Mass as we are singing Number 1.

  • We celebrated Sandie’s birthday (which was 2 months ago!) with a delicious selection of cakes.

Another fun rehearsal, aided by delicious cakes from Kate. 

• Friends, Forget The Cares That Bore Us

  • Ian was pleased that so many people are gradually learning this from memory.

  • Please note the rests and be precise re. the length of notes. If we drift into the rests, it spoils the effect when we’re singing in parts.

  • The first half has lots of 's'es at the end of phrases - 'bore us', 'chorus', 'praise', 'days' etc. Throw the 's' away so that it can hardly be heard. 

  • Separate 'bore us'  so it doesn’t become 'Borus', who was an ancient Greek and doesn’t belong in this song!

• Flying Free

  • Everyone needs to be ready to come in at the beginning. The bar before A sounds as if there’s an extra note after the two quavers so the 1st bar for the vocal part comes in before we’re expecting it, so count carefully.

  • The phrases in this piece are very long, so if need be, take sneaky top-up breaths where they won’t be noticed.

  • Next week, try to do sections without looking at the music.

  • Ian asked us to change the semibreve into a minim followed by a two beat rest in the bar before D so we can get a good breath for the next phrase.

  • Circle the dynamics so that you remember to use them.

  • In the third bar of K, the back row of sopranos sing the soprano line. All other sops sing the tune on the lower line. 

  • Same in the third bar of L.

  • From M all sops sing the top line. 

  • At O, everyone needs to dim and sing quietly because it’s a flute solo.

• Zion’s Walls

  • This alternates between 9/8 and 6/8. 9/8 is three beats, each beat having 3 quavers. 6/8 has two beats, with each beat having three quavers. If it helps, mark in the beats above the stave ( 1 2 3 , 1 2 3, 1 2, 1 2 etc). You can always rub them out when the patterns are glued in.

  • 1st altos sing the first two bars with the 2nd altos.

  • Circle the p sub (suddenly quiet) at the end of bar 16. It’s really important that we take the volume right down as we have a big crescendo coming. It happens again at the end of bar 49 on page 10.

  • 1st and 2nd sopranos must take a good breath after 'Zion' in bar 22, and everyone needs to get the page over very quickly.

  • 1st sops need to use stagger breathing after bar 40.

  • 1st altos, sing F in bar 40 instead of the G.

• In Windsor Forest – No. 2 Falstaff and the Fairies

  • Top of page 10, 2nds sing the top line of the alto part before the 2nd part comes in.

  • 2nds sing with the altos at the top of page 14 and at D.

  • At the presto on page 21,  it is very fast but the words still need to be very clear.

  • In the penultimate bar, the speed changes to lento (very slow) which means 'watch Ian'. He will beat the speed. The top F lasts for I,2,3 and then on the 4th beat the glissando starts. 

  • One of the best things to do with this one is to listen to the recordings on the website.

• I Only Have Eyes For You/The More I See You

  • The rhythms in this need to be tightened.

  • Watch the length of the notes at the end of phrases. They need to be short and the rests should be silent. Many of these notes have staccato dots under them to emphasise how short they are – but the piece must still sound relaxed.

• Christ The Lord Is Risen Again

  • We ran through this to remind ourselves of it, having done a lot of work on it last term.

• A Song For You

  • We were running out of time so we went through this quickly to help familiarise us with it. It’s another one which might benefit from listening to the recording a few times. 

  • 2nds – join the altos from bar 21 to 24.

  • All - change the word of the last beat of bar 54 from Oo to dah.

  • Mark in tramlines for a general gap in bar 73, before 'for you'.

Have a lovely week of practice -  remember that there’s only one more week before half term and after we come back, the concert will approach with frightening speed..  😊 😊

Ann