Sources Choir Rehearsal Notes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ JANUARY 7, 2012 REHEARSAL ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENERAL NOTES

Ø      Auditions for all vocal solos, the spoken narrations in Movement #3, and the rap solo in Movement #7 will all take place in March and April.  Please e-mail Tim McKnight at @spam@tmcknight20TakeThisOuT at spamcox.net if you are or someone you know is interested in any of these solos!

Ø      Recordings from this rehearsal can be found on our website which is: http://www.massmind.org/techref/member/puuf/sourcescantata.htm.  Anyone who missed the rehearsal is highly encouraged to listen to these recordings, sing along, and take notes!  The recordings have been edited down to a TOTAL of just 80 minutes, so it is not going to take too much of your time to listen!

Ø      Practice files are now available for Movements #1, #2, and #3, #4, #5, and #6.  You can find practice files as well as the rehearsal schedule and other important information at our website which is http://www.massmind.org/techref/member/puuf/sourcescantata.htm.

Ø      On February 10-12 in Costa Mesa, Jason Shelton (the composer of “Sources”) will be leading a Worship Workshop, which will include a Mass Choir performance of a new choral composition by Jason.  For more information, go to http://ocuuc.org/ministries/workshops/.

Ø      On March 1, 2, 3, and 4, Chalice UU Congregation will hold their 7^th annual Cabaret.  If you would like tickets, please go to http://www.chaliceuucongregation.org/cabaret/.

Ø      On May 29-31, “Gospel in the Pines” will take place at UU Camp de Benneville.  The event will feature Ken Anderson, the Music Director at the University of California San Diego and for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Choir of San Diego.  For more information, go to http://www.debenneville.org/camps/2012/DBP/gospel_workshop/RegGospel2012.html.

NOTES FOR SPECIFIC MOVEMENTS

#1 – In the Beginning

Ø      Molto crescendo for the two bars before rehearsal letter “J”.

Ø      Then, suddenly (subito) get quiet (piano) at rehearsal letter “J”.

Ø      In the last two bars of the movement, the “high c” sopranos need to wait until beat 2 to move to the “c”
(don’t move with the altos).

Ø      The word “wonder” should be pronounced like “wonduh” throughout

#2 – Transformation

Ø      Keep a “jazz” style for this movement.  Don’t emphasize all syllables evenly, but rather bring out important words, and sing all others much more subtly.

Ø      An exception to the above is at bar 61, when all 3 notes are accented.

Ø      In measure 76 (the measure before “D”) no one should breathe!  In other words, stagger breathe m. 73-79.

Ø      As this movement progresses, the sound should gradually brighten.

Ø      Be sure to smile for the last two bars to help the sound to brighten.

#3 – All Lifted Hearts

Ø      There is no “congregation” part – the soloist will sing the “congregation” part throughout.

Ø      Bar 45 – Make sure to observe the quarter rest on the first beat.

Ø      In bars 65-67, 2^nd Tenors sing the 1^st Bass line.  At bar 68 go back to the 2^nd Tenor part.

Ø      At rehearsal letter “J” everyone should FORTE! 

Ø      Pronunciation chart for chant is at the bottom of page 24.

Ø      Bar 145 to the end – “Snowflakes of Sound” – be sure to whisper the word “peas”.

(notes from January 7, 2012 rehearsal continued)

#4 – On Wings of Praise

Ø      In measures 40-41 (rehearsal letter “C”), accent “Ju”, then sing “stice” staccato (light and short).  The staccato note is Jason Shelton’s way of telling us to NOT emphasize the downbeat (which we normally would).

Ø      Do the same accent-staccato pattern in bars 42-43, 48-49, 50-51, 72-73, 74-75, 80-81, 82-83, 106-107, 108-109, and 114-115 

Ø      Bars 71 and 105 – lift after the first quarter note (add a staccato to the first quarter note).

Ø      At rehearsal letter “E”, basses should strive for a “Big Bass Sound”.

Ø      Rehearsal letter “F” – Mezzo Forte (mf)

Ø      At bars 89, 93, 97 basses accent the second dotted quarter note with a glottal and/or diaphragmatic bounce.

Ø      Likewise, at bar 99 tenors accent the second dotted quarter note with a glottal and/or diaphragmatic bounce.

Ø      Do not breathe from measure 98 to 99 (carry it over).  Likewise, do not breathe from measure 103 to 104.

Ø      Bar 100 – the “crescendo poco a poco” is for everyone, and lasts all the way until Letter “G”.

Ø      Everyone please practice bars 99-106!

Ø      Measure 123 (the measure after “H”) – FORTE!!

Ø      In bars 123, 125, 127, 129, 131, 133, 135, 137 –first note of the measure accented, second note staccato

Ø      Sopranos split in measures 139 to the end.

Ø      Altos and basses split for the last two notes of the movement only.

Ø      There will be a ritard (slow down) in the last 3 measures of the movement, but remember that the word “of” is still shorter than “source” and “love”. 

#5 – No Other World

Ø      This movement should have a more “classical” vocal tone.

Ø      This entire movement will be conducted in 2 beats per measure EXCEPT measures 8, 43, 51, 100, 108, 136, 144, and 152 through to the end, all of which will be conducted in 4 beats to the measure (watch!).

Ø      In measures 136-137, 1^st sopranos please add a higher part above the printed part as follows:  the note on the word “the” does not change.  On “time” and “is” please sing an A above the treble staff, and on the word “now” please sing a B above the treble staff.

Ø      Bar 149 – no breath

Ø      In bars 158 – 160, 2^nd Sopranos sing the Alto part

Ø      In bars 159-160, 2^nd Altos sing the 1^st Tenor note (G#) instead of the Alto note (A#).

Ø      Basses do NOT split on the last note of the movement.  1^st and 2^nd basses all sing a B#.

#6 – The Sacred Circle

Ø      Basses & Baritones sing this movement with a “dark sound” with lots of space.

Ø      All – make all vocal entrances less specific and precise, more subtle, ethereal, and nebulous in general.

Ø      The vowel sound on “hey” should be more open (like the first syllable of the word “Helicopter”).

Ø      Basses & Baritones breathe after every “Oh”.

Ø      At Rehearsal Letter “G”, sopranos, altos, and tenors should “float” the note, gradually fading to nothing.

#7 – The Promise

Ø      At Rehearsal Letter “L”, accent the following syllables: “the PRO-mise is JUS-tice, to-GE-ther we MAKE it; the PRO-mise is WON-der that FLOWS into PRAISE”

Ø      Bar 186 – The word “The” comes very quickly – be ready for it!  There is no time to breathe or hesitate in that measure (This one is different from the others).

Ø      The final cut-off of the piece (the “s” of “promise”) happens on the OFF-beat.

Ø      In measure 189, basses have an octave jump up (because of the stem directions) and the tune is “Bali-Low” (instead of “Bali-Hai”).