Here are some musings on each of the Messiah choruses. This is some (but not all) of what we have worked on.
This is based on my experiences with Robert Page and some of his disciples who have guest conducted us. It works well with a large chorus. I might do things differently with a chamber chorus capable of more nuance.
I don't know what Prieto will want - except for engaged singing and eyes out of the music!
AND THE GLORY
m. 13 and passim: I ask the altos to sing three quarter notes as written to match the orchestra (not two eighths and two quarters). Handel set these words as if they were in Italian, and that sounds fine in English, too
m. 17 and passim: "shall" we want the vowel on the beat, so the "sh" needs to start earlier than expected. sing the double "l" at the end of the word as late as possible.
And all flesh_shall see it_together: just one "sh" and one "t" (really, two - one stopped and the other plosive)
m. 124 Bass sing a dotted half (cutoff on next downbeat) like alto and tenor
AND HE SHALL PURIFY
passim: breathe through the nose one and a half beats (not just an eighth note) before entrance. (Conductor will not help with this...)
passim: be sure "and" ends with voiced "d' not unvoiced "t"
passim: "PU-RI-FY" first syllable ends with a pure [u] (no "r') second syllable begins with a one-tap "R"
m. 22: no breath; m 24 breath after downbeat (first beat is eighth note and eighth rest) (also m. 52 and 55)
O THOU
passim: O Thou: minimize diphthong O and no triphthong in thou
passim: JERUSALM first syllable ends in vowel eh (maybe even closer to closed [e]) second syllable begins with one-tap "R"
m. 124 breath on fifth eighth note
m. 128 breath on fifth eighth note (conductor might change this - I don't know his preference)
m. 132 Lord off on the 4th eighth note.
m. 133 STB hold dotted half full value (don't cresc.) altos breathe on fifth eighth
m. 138 breathe on the and of the fifth eighth (hand off melody to first violins) - or conductor may ask for cutoff on following downbeat?
FOR UNTO US
passim: "FOR" no "R" "Unto" starts with light glottal' glottal separation between unto and us
passim: Guh-vuh-ment (no "r" or "n" before m)
m. 32 no breath or dimin. after "name" sing through it! (et passim)
m. 37 be ready to bring staccato dashes into choral parts from orchestra: Prince of Peace
m. 41, 42 S/B more legato???
m. 62 and 64 change text underlay: be u-pon his shoul------(starts on third beat) -der on beat two of next measure. Note two sixteenth - eighth rhythm on beat three
m 74 men no breath
m. 81 altos hold last quarter full value, cut off on next downbeat; m. 82 sopranos change first quarter to eighth and eighth rest
GLORY TO GOD
passim: and peace on earth non vibr.
good-will: separate the syllables. The "D" at the end of good is a voiced consonant with the pitch of the preceding note
m. 20 tenors phrase with altos on the "and" of 4
HIS YOLK IS OVER EASY
m. 3 et passim Don't insert a rest. Sing the rhythms Handel wrote.
m. 35 altos change text underlay to "is light" to match sopranos
m. 38 A/T change first quarter to eigth and eighth rest (off on second beat with basses)
m. 44 off on "TWO" (S change dotted quarter to quarter and 8th rest, ATB change first quarter to 8th and 8th rest)
HALLELUJAH
passim: let's hear that "H"
m.5: tenors second note is D
passim: reigneth starts with trilled "R"
m. 23-24 Tenor and 26-27 Alto: m. 23 last quarter text is "HA: m. 24 first quarter text is "LE" (erase the tie)
m. 31 tenors change the dot to an 8th rest (with the basses)
m. 39 no breath; m. 40 change dot to 8th rest; m. 41 all off on TWO (SAT change half to quarter and quarter rest; B change dot to 8th rest)
m. 51 everybody phrase together with the altos on the second half ot TWO
m. 54 S/A off together on downbeat
m. 57 split the difference: off on TWO (S add quarter, A take one away)
m. 60 sopranos no breath (stagger if necessary) float!
m. 63 sopranos off on TWO
m. 66 sopranos no breath (stagger is necessary) float!
m. 67 no breath
m. 68 off on TWO (SAT change hald to quarter and quarter rest, B change dot to 8th rest)
m. 74 everybody phrase together with basses: off on second half of TWO
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14 comments:
A Holiday Thought...
Aren't humans amazing? They kill wildlife - birds, deer, all kinds of cats, coyotes, beavers, groundhogs, mice and foxes by the million in order to protect their domestic animals and their feed.
Then they kill domestic animals by the billion and eat them. This in turn kills people by the million, because eating all those animals leads to degenerative - and fatal - health conditions like heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and cancer.
So then humans spend billions of dollars torturing and killing millions more animals to look for cures for these diseases.
Elsewhere, millions of other human beings are being killed by hunger and malnutrition because food they could eat is being used to fatten domestic animals.
Meanwhile, few people recognize the absurdity of humans, who kill so easily and violently, and once a year send out cards praying for "Peace on Earth."
~Revised Preface to Old MacDonald's Factory Farm by C. David Coates~
_____________
Anyone can break this cycle of violence! Everyone has the power to choose compassion! Please visit these websites to align your core values with life affirming choices: veganvideo.org & tryveg.com
"Any great change must expect opposition because it shakes the very foundation of privilege."
Lucretia Coffin Mott, 1793-1880, minister, women's rights leader, abolitionist, peace activist, humanitarian
Yes anonymous you are right.Change is slow but it is coming. I once thought it would be great to be undercover for PETA but then I can just imagine prison food would be the equivalent to self imposed starvation. Know that you are not alone with this "A Holiday Thought..." If you get a Christmas tree this year, put little animal decorations and the ebb and flow of Christmas cheer and it's true meaning may lighten your heavy heart. Peace out.
the christmas concert was a very nice experience,
God bless us everyone(:->)
First of all, can somebody get rid of this "holiday thought" please? Even as a vegan, I find this really, really annoying. You can't chalk up all the world's problems to the practice of eating animals! Talk about oversimplification. And if you want to spread your message, do it face to face, or at least in your own words, with your own name. And preferably not in response to a toootally unrelated blog post.
Anyway, in regards to the actual post-- if Prieto might not want all this, how are we supposed to view these comments? I can't see writing it all into my music if he's just going to come change it tomorrow. I do appreciate the effort it took to type it all up and post it, though. Thanks!
@eyrefax... Anybody's anonymity deserves respect, go check your fax machine it might be jane sending you a message.ps: use a pencil
Thx for the posts. Marked and ready!
Got it -- preference = sunnyside up !
The D.A.R. performance was very very nice. They were very generous and kind ladies. Hope they come to the Christmas concerts. I was sad to leave. I hope we continue to do these special events that are much more quaint and endearing. Thanks for this opportunity.
@muse...who are you?
@ StFaustina
Someone has no sense of humor!
Let's review:
HIS YOLK IS OVER EASY ... steven
"sunnyside up" Lavon
"Over-well" -med ... Muse
Merry Christmas to all the 'whos in Whoville' and hope everyone liked the ham, albeit sans green. Lovin' 2011 already!
@anonymous...Just reallized that your first post was "tongue in check"...haha...well..well hope they are "free range".very funny haha.
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