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Hi everybody,
If you've sung with FCO for a while, you know that I always proudly proclaim some rehearsal as "the turning point," which means we've suddenly caught fire and the music is achieving its destiny. Without exception, in the past that turning point has occurred about three weeks from performance. That timing makes a lot of sense.
Well, last Tuesday contained a turning point of a very different kind: somewhere in the middle of "Serenade to Music" we became a confident, more cohesive choral group! With all the need to shift personnel around, and to adjust to the reality of not having some core voices we're accustomed to, I've heard about 60 tentative individuals.
This is especially true of the alto section, whose numbers have always been by far the greatest of the choir. Some terms we've had as many as 45 altos! Well, it now occurs to me that the cliché about having strength in numbers is absolutely not true, or at least not a good thing: what we've had is anonymity in numbers! If you're part of a massive group, you can get away with being a timid follower, and I have found myself urging (OK, nagging) all the many altos to sing out with full tone.
Well, not this term, altos! Every single one of you must step up and put forth, or there will be no alto entrance or special turn of phrase! And last Tuesday, that happened most notably in the alto section. Actually, the whole group stepped up, and it made me catch my breath.
It's also important to note that that beauty and cohesiveness came after we'd devoted the first 70 minutes of rehearsal on really demanding material in Stories. After that work, there was a palpable sense that we were going to be able to master that music. Not solid by any means, but the tiny little buds of confidence, coming into full flower with the richness of Serenade's harmony. That feeling is what we live for in rehearsal, isn't it?
The plan for next Tuesday is to conclude this month's rehearsals with pulling together everything we've learned so far, in order to set it on the back burner (simmering in your subconscious) and turn to the second half of our concert as our February project. Here's your homework:
Find otherwise "down" time to utter "Ich hab mich verloren" slowly to yourself, being sure to represent every single sound with tons of energy on the consonants. That said, extend every single vowel except the "ah" in "hab": remember, that's where you go straight to the stopped "p". Every single time, mournfully stretch out the "lo" of "verloren". I'm not going to take the time to count how many times you'll sing that tragic phrase, but it must never ever sound routine. It's the core meaning of Stories.
Check through your score to find the places you need to give more attention to, especially those with prominent articulations like accents, and get used to doing them obviously! Remember, we want to do everything on the page.
Sopranos and tenors, speak your texts over and over from pp. 28-30. You know now that the phrasing is deliberately off-kilter, reminding us of the confusing and difficult inner world of the Alzheimer's sufferer.
I've never seen a score with smaller dynamic or tempo markings not within the staff. Examples:
- rit. above the soprano part in the 2nd measure of p. 22. It applies to everyone!
- rit. above the first measure of p.41. It's miniscule, and applies to everyone.
- poco rit. above the last measure of p.86. Yes, it's for everyone.
THIS WEEK, leaf through and circle or highlight every single one of the these ridiculously small but vital instructions. We'll need to see them, in order to do everything that's on the page.
In the second part of the rehearsal we'll probably spend the most time on "Sure On This Shining Night," making sure that all those harmonies are becoming more solid. I heard from alto Lisa Marcus this week that this piece's primary melody is her earworm, just as it is mine! I'd like to move that piece into the secure category, so please study it if you're able. The goal is to lift your eyes from the music as soon as possible, to give me the chance to shape the phrases. It's not music until we can do that!
Stay well, dear singers. I can't wait to be together again.
Solveig
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