Thoughts on attentiveness

This morning, I was marking up the score of Brandenburg IV for the Mastersingers concerts this weekend. (I'm playing harpsichord for them.) The last time I played that piece was in graduate school. What's remarkable is how little I wrote in the score back then, so I've had a bit of work to do in order to get things ready for the concerts.

So, was I a better musician in graduate school? I obviously didn't write much in the score, so maybe I didn't need to? Am I'm writing a lot now because I'm getting worse?! I don't think so...

In truth, the more amateurish one is, the less attentive one is. My least experienced choral groups rarely take out pencils (if they even brought one) to make corrections or to mark something that the director is asking. My professional choir in Boston is extremely attentive; they mark everything, and they rarely make the same mistake twice.

It's a funny thing. You'd think that the pros wouldn't mark the scores because they're so good and that the amateurs would because they know they're not pros. But, for whatever reason, it doesn't work out that way.

I use the word attentive/attentiveness quite deliberately. This isn't just about getting it right; it's also about being aware of your surroundings in rehearsal and working with those around you.

Isn't this all a metaphor for life?

Soprano errata

And the Glory:

• m.107, last note is eighth note with eighth note rest

And He Shall Purify:

• mm.18-19, on "Levi," the last note of m.18 is still "Le" with the "vi" on the downbeat of m.19
• m.49, note on "the" is A, not D

Magnificat 1st mvt.:

• m.32, "a-tam", not "tem"
• m.35, "a-tam", not "tem"

Rehearsal notes and agenda for 11/4

Thank you for an inspiring first rehearsal! It was so nice to see so many faces and to meet so many of you. I'm really delighted in the beautiful sounds we made, and I look forward to bringing this concert to life. Thank you as well for your prompt arrival. Let's keep up the pace!

Before posting the agenda for next week, I want to make some comments on a few items that came up in rehearsal.

First, be sure to check in regularly with the "errata" link to the right. Several were uncovered last night, so make sure to check the list against your own markings.

Second, you may have noticed that the lighting at the rehearsal venue isn't so great. I'm told that there's enough lighting at the concert venue, but you might want to pick up a clip-on light for your folder. I recommend the following options:

• The Mighty Bright Duet Music Light is light enough to clip onto your folder (towards the center). You can position each head for each page.

• I actually prefer having two single-headed lights. If you have two Mighty Bright XtraFlex Music Lights (one on each side of the folder), you'll have a little more flexibility.

• Both of these have really good battery life, and they're quite bright. You might find some other options at local music stores, but, in my experience, these light clip-ons are the easiest and brightest to work with.

Third, if you haven't paid the $5 towards your score, I'll still be collecting in the coming weeks. Cash is fine, and checks can be made out to the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra. I have a few more scores, by the way, if you don't have one yet.

Fourth, concert dress!:

• Men: tux or black suit with white shirt & black bow tie
• Women: white top, black pants or black full-length skirt. Because we're singing on Advent I, women are encouraged to accessorize (e.g., scarves) with purple.

Fifth (and final!), there were some questions about texts last night. Click below for some answers:

• Who were the sons of Levi?
• What does the Latin Magnificat text mean?
• Need some tips on Ecclesiastical Latin pronunciation? Click here. Note that vowels retain the same sound with no exceptions. This is so important with the "e" vowel!

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And now, the rehearsal agenda for November 4. These notes are intended to make your life easier! In spite of their length, they are here to show you exactly what I expect you to know for each rehearsal, thereby cutting down on the amount of preparation time you'll need. So, please familiarize yourself with them, and work towards what we'll be doing in rehearsal.

6-6:15 warmup
15-30 And the Glory

• Be sure--as with everything on this program--to pay very close attention to the rests, articulation marks, dynamics. If you've sung Messiah before, ask yourself, "How is this edition different?" If everyone is attentive to the printed score, we can make better music together--instead of stopping every few bars to make corrections.

30-45 O Thou that Tellest

• We didn't get to this at rehearsal, so we'll read it and see what's what. Notice those tenuto and stacatto markings!

45-7pm Magnificat III

• mm.67-90 & mm.27-46
• these are the interior contrapunctal sections

7-7:10 Magnificat III

• we'll do a quick review of the outer sections
• mm.7-22, mm.103-148
• and the inner section
• mm.51-62

10-30 Hallelujah Chorus

• we'll work the more difficult sections only
• mm.22-33
• mm.41-51
• mm.69-80
• mm.33-41

30-40 BREAK

40-8pm For Unto Us

• We'll work each melismatic section by voice type:
• soprano: pp.3-4
• bass: pp. 4-5
• tenor: pp.8-9
• alto: pp.12-13
• soprano/alto: pp.16-17
• If there's extra time, we'll put these sections together with all parts.

8-8:20 And He Shall Purify

• Just as we did with For Unto Us, we'll work each melismatic section by voice type:
• soprano: p.1
• bass: p. 2
• tenor: p. 2
• alto: p. 3
• soprano: p. 3
• tenor: pp. 3-4
• bass: p. 5
• soprano: pp.5-6
• tenor: p. 7
• tutti: pp.8-9
• If there's extra time, we'll put these sections together with all parts.

20-8:30 Magnificat I

• Inner polyphonic sections:
• mm. 19-27 & mm.29-37

8:30 Go home!

Parking at Friends Academy, etc.

You'll find the map to Friends Academy linked to the right under "maps." Again, please don't arrive before 5:45, since some of us will be running from the NBSO concert in Marion!

Parking is generous in the school lot. We'll be rehearsing in the Commons, which is accessible from an exterior door facing the parking lot. That door will be open around 5:45pm, so don't attempt to enter through the front door of the school. This will all be pretty obvious when you get there!

And, as a reminder, choral learning files are linked to the right. You'll find audio of individual parts along with audio of the full SATB ensemble.

And, finally, since a number of you have asked, click here for a definition of TACET, as seen in the second movement of the Schubert.

Rehearsal Agenda for 10/28 (Friends Academy, 6-8:30pm)

The main goal of tonight's rehearsal--our first rehearsal--will be to read through the most unfamiliar work on the program (Magnificat) and then to begin work on the most difficult sections of Messiah.

A few housekeeping notes:

• Please bring a pencil.
• You'll need a black binder for the performance, so you might as well get one to hold your music. Please, no loose sheets at rehearsal!
• Friends Academy is being a very gracious and generous host. The NBSO Chorus is responsible for setup and cleanup. That said, please be prepared to set up your own chair and to take it down at each rehearsal. Because you'll be setting up your own chairs, I don't expect neat, tidy rows. We'll have to figure out a system...
• On the 28th, I'll be coming from the NBSO concert at Tabor Academy. That said, please don't arrive earlier than 5:45, but do be ready to sing at 6pm.
• Finally, regarding setup, please set yourself according to section in this order (facing conductor): B -- A -- T -- S. In other words, basses to the left (facing conductor), sopranos to the right.

Here's the agenda:

6-6:15 warmup

6:15-25 Magnificat III (reminder: don't practice "solo" sections)

• mm.7-22; mm.51-62, mm.103-end

6:22-35 Magnificat III

• mm.27-46. mm.67-86

6:35-45 Magnificat I

• mm.4-16; mm.38-end

6:45-55 Magnificat I

• mm.19-37

(you can see that I've broken up the Magnificat by thematic section)

6:55-7:20 And He Shall Purify

• we'll work this backwards by rehearsal letter
• pay close attention to the articulation markings!

7:20-7:30 BREAK

7:30-7:55 For Unto Us

• we'll work this backwards by rehearsal letter
• pay close attention to the articulation markings!

7:55-8:30 We'll use the remaining time to read the other Messiah movements:

• And the glory
• O thou that tellest
• Glory to God
• but we'll skip Hallelujah

A final note: all work for this rehearsal will be quite under tempo for the purpose of pitch clarity. Let's have fun!

A word on errata

I've begun to hear from some of you with comments on possible errors in the scores. I have now begun to post errata at this blog, linked under the "errata" heading to the right.

You may have wondered why in the world David MacKenzie prepared his own edition for this performance. And now that we're seeing some typos, you're probably asking this question again. And I've asked this question myself of late!

David's edition does several things. First, it includes his own interpretive decisions. Second, it includes a large amount of articulation and dynamic decisions that are specifically designed for the super-reverberant acoustic of the concert venue. Third, it forces all of us to work from the same edition. This literally keeps us all on the same page.

Yes, we are finding some errors, and we will continue to find errors. But, trust me, making these minor corrections will take much less time instead of accounting for all of the interpretive directions that we would have had to add by hand to a published edition.

To this end, I ask that you periodically check in with the "errata" link to the right and make sure that you have marked your music accordingly. This will save us time in rehearsal. Above all, know that this approach has saved us a lot more time in the end, and it will assure the best performance possible.

Bass errata

And the Glory:

• m.16, should look like S/A parts, with repeated note/rhythm/text

And he shall purify:

• m. 41, should be G, not E
• m.45, second note is A-flat
• m. 54, last two beats: dotted quarter & eighth

O Thou that tellest:

• m. 42: text should be the same as in SAT parts

Glory to God:

• m.36: second note is D (lower than first note)

Hallelujah:

• m.43: trill F#-E-F#-E (no more, no less!)
• m.45: second note is G#

Magnificat, 1st mvt.

• m.36, "a-tam", not "tem"
• m.35: "hoc" is a B, not A 

Alto errata

And he shall purify:

• m.17, third beat should be G, not A
• m.48, staccato on "shall pu-ri-"
• m. 54, last two beats: dotted quarter & eighth

O thou that

• m.42, second note is B, not A
• m.44, last three notes are G, not A

For unto us:

• p.16, 2nd measure: write in "Prince of Peace"
• p.11, 3rd measure: should be GGGG (not BBBD)

Hallelujah

• m. 25, third note is C#, not D

Magnificat 1st mvt.

• m.31, "a-tam", not "tem"
• m.35, "a-tam", not "tem"

Magnificat, 3rd mvt.

• m.78, replace "ray" with "rat"

Tenor errata

Tenors, please make the following corrections in your scores:

And the Glory:

• m.16, should look like S/A parts, with repeated note/rhythm/text
• m.94, last note is eighth note w/ eighth note rest

And he shall purify:

• m. 19, last two 16th notes should be E and D (pitched about the previous B)
• m. 35, first note is D, not F
• m. 54, last two beats: dotted quarter & eighth

For Unto Us:

• p. 11, third measure after E: should read BBBD (not GGGB)
• p.16, 2nd measure: write in "Prince of Peace"

Hallelujah:

• mm.18-19, "ni-po-tent reign-eth" should be an octave lower than appearing
• m.23, first Hal-le should be E's, not D's

Magnificat, 1st movement

• m. 6, write in "mi" of Dominum on fourth beat
• m.31, "a-tam", not "tem"
• m.35, "a-tam", not "tem"
• m. 40, write in "mi" of Dominum on fourth beat

Magnificat, 3rd movement

• m. 89, "men" instead of "a"
• m. 132, E is half note, write in D for final quarter note

Program Proof

Please take a moment to make sure your name is listed correctly in the program. The deadline for submitting corrections is Monday. Please contact me to make any corrections. Please be sure to proofread for people who might not have email access.

Click here to see the roster.

Don't we look good together!

Getting Scores To You

And now that the scores have been printed, we have the monumental task of getting the scores to you. If you're in a group, your director will attempt to collect the $5 per score. Otherwise, I will at rehearsal.

Here's how you'll get your score:

• If you are in the following choruses, your music will be delivered to your director and distributed at rehearsal:
• Greater NB Choral Society (Gerry Dyck)
• Greater Tiverton CC (Beth Armstrong)
• If you are in the following groups, your director already has music for you:
• Mastersingers by the Sea (David MacKenzie)
• South Coast CC (Frank Wilhelm)
• Sine Nomine (Paul Cienniwa)
• If you are affiliated with the following groups, here's the plan:
• Spirit of St. Anthony's--Thom Sargent has your music, and you should get it from him. If you don't have contact information for Thom, please contact me.
• Sippican Choral Society--please follow directions (below) for those with no affiliation.
• If you have no affiliation (or are in Sippican CC), your scores are on hold at the printer's as of noon on Tuesday, October 9. Please stop in to pick up your score. There will be a list with your name on it; please check off your name and the name of anyone else for whom you are picking up a score. The printer is open weekdays from 8:30-5pm. If you can not get to them, try to see if someone else can. If that doesn't work, contact me to make other arrangements.

The printer is Pulse Printing Ink, 651 Purchase St., New Bedford, (508) 996-3705.  Just say you're with the NBSO Chorus and pick up your scores. Make sure you only take one of each--unless you're picking up for others--and make sure you have all pages!

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The Music Has Been Printed!

Quite a few of you have written to say something like this:

"I've already sung Messiah, so I won't need a score."

In fact, you will need a score. Maestro MacKenzie has prepared a new performing edition of the work for this concert. Not only is it important that we are all following his editorial markings, we also literally need to be on the same page. Aside from that, you'll also need the Schubert score.

If you're not interested in buying the printed scores ($5), you may print them from this blog (linked to the right ===>>>). Just make sure your printing is double-sided and in a black binder.

If you've requested a score, I am happy to announce that they are ready. If you're already in a chorus, I will work with your director to get a score to you. Otherwise, hang tight, and I'll be in touch with a way to get the score.

Keeping in touch

Because of the large email list for this group, I'm afraid that some messages about updates to this blog will end up in your spam box. To help mitigate this problem, I strongly encourage you to register your email address in the "follow by email" box to the right of this post ======>>>>>

Registration deadline

The "official" deadline to register for the NBSO Chorus has passed--but it may not be too late to join us. If you are interested in joining, please send an email to chorus master Paul Cienniwa via this form: click here.