Sources Choir Rehearsal Notes

 

~~~~~~~~~~~ OCTOBER 15, 2011 REHEARSAL ~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENERAL NOTES

Ø      Choir Rehearsal #2 will take place on Saturday, November 12th @ 1:00-4:00 PM at Chalice UU Congregation located at 2324 Miller Avenue in Escondido, CA 92029. We will focus on MOVEMENT #1, "In the Beginning".  Please make sure that all of the notes below are marked in your music for the next rehearsal!

Ø      Practice files are now available for Movement #1.  Thank you to James Newton, Kimberly Lilley, and PUUF for making these available on their website.  The address is http://www.massmind.org/techref/member/puuf/sourcescantata.htm.
Practice files for subsequent movements are forthcoming.

Ø      If you are interested in singing one or more of the many solos which are found throughout this work, read the document "Vocal Solo Information" which was handed out at the rehearsal, and will also be e-mailed out to the e-list.

 

NOTES FOR SPECIFIC MOVEMENTS

I. In the Beginning

Ø      Letter A (m. 12) to the END will be conducted in CUT TIME (2 beats per m.)

Ø      In m. 21, do not breathe between "marvels" and "terror", and accent the quarter note on beat 4 ("ter"). Repeat this pattern every time this type of phrase occurs i.e. m. 27, 33, 39, 53, 57, 61, 67, 73, 79, 93 (T/B), 97 (T/B), 117, 123, 137, & 141

Ø      In m. 70-71, add a 2nd soprano part similar to m. 30-31 and m. 42-43

Ø      Letter F (m. 100): suddenly medium soft, with a tone of "hushed intensity".

Ø      Sopranos split into 1st and 2nd in this movement.  The high C in the last measure is only sung by one or two selected sopranos from the 1st section.

Ø      Basses and baritones split at rehearsal letter J (m. 160)

Ø      In m. 165, make the dotted half note a half note (cut off right on beat 2).

Ø      Altos: Sing the last two notes of this movement as if you own them!

 

II. Transformation

Ø      Measures 13-44 will be sung 1 or 2 soloists, NOT the entire choir.

Ø      Sopranos and altos split in this movement.

Ø      Tenors split just one time, in measure 66.

 

 

(notes from October 15, 2011 rehearsal continued)

III. All Lifted Hearts

Ø      The congregation will NOT be singing in this movement, so the solo is truly a solo throughout the movement.

Ø      You can find a pronunciation guide for the chant section (Letter K to the END) on the bottom of page 24, spelled out phonetically just like it sounds.

Ø      From measure 145 to the END, we will enter very gradually, first one or two voices (on cue) then gradually more voices entering more quickly.  Make sure you WHISPER the word "PEAS" rather than "PEACE" to avoid sybillants.

 

IV. On Wings of Praise

Ø      The first 9 bars will be a solo.

Ø      For the last 3 notes of the movement, sing the harmonies as follows:

o       "Source": S1-S2-A-T-B

o       "of": S1-S2-A1-A2-T-B1-B2

o       "love!": S1-S2-A1-A2-T-B1-B2

 

V. No Other World

Ø      For the very last note ("world"), sing as written except 2ND ALTOS SING ALONG WITH THE 1ST TENORS ON THE G#.

 

VI. The Sacred Circle

Ø      Please read the composer’s note at the bottom of page 43.

 

VII. The Promise

Ø      The 4 m. at rehearsal letter A1 (m. 3-6) are played 4 TIMES (16 m. total)

Ø      The 4 m. at rehearsal letter A2 (m. 7-10) are played 4 TIMES (16 m. total)

Ø      The 4 m. at rehearsal letter D1 (m. 47-50) are played 4 TIMES (16 m. total)

Ø      The 4 m. at rehearsal letter D (m. 51-54) are played 4 TIMES (16 m. total)

Ø      Take note of the rhythmic surprise at m. 186 – Accent the word "THE"