Previous Rehearsal Notes

  • Audio tracks now available for Altos Mirie it is bars 29-52,  and for Basses Taverner Agnus III bars 138-152, see under Downloads.
  • Nunc Dimittis (Tallis) is now from Choir Library and not a Download
  • Notes for Rehearsal 18 March (cancelled): to cover in detail Sleep, Howells Gloria, Guerrero Ave Virgo; run/work on Villa-Lobos Ave Maria, Jackson Ave Maria, Gabrieli Sanctus, Taverner Agnus, Mirie it is; keep ticking over – any other pieces we’ve time for.
  • Notes from Rehearsal 11 March: (i) we did the 4 routine ‘key bits from memory’ – Jackson ‘Ave’ first chord from given C and the 2 ‘joins’ (p7/8 & 8/9), Tallis Nunc Dimittis first 3 chords from given F to align the ‘d’ of ‘Lord’, text of Mirie it is in rhythm, and Howells Gloria first chord following intonation; (ii) we ran Jackson Ave and Pearsall Tu es Petrus left over from previous week, and ran the 2nd Half of the programme minus encore(s); (iii) Big Messages – (a) for passages you find rhythmically tricky write in the beats, (b) do listen to the audio file in Downloads of Tavener Agnus II & III to check details and feel the flow!; (iv) lots was in good shape; (v) private attention needed particularly on Jackson Ave Maria bars 4-47 (write in those beats!), Gabrieli Sanctus consolidate ‘Benedictus bit’ b30-42, Taverner Agnus II rhythms (write in those beats!), Agnus III Basses b138-152 (NB see Audio tracks below), Mirie it is Altos b29-52 (NB see Audio tracks below), Sleep chords b13 to 14; (vi) Machaut Ite Sopranos – we’re making the quavers staccato to cut through.
  • Notes from Rehearsal 4 March: (i) worked on Jackson Ave bars 24-47 and ran from beginning to b47; (ii) added dynamics to Tallis Psalm – see under Downloads below; (iii) worked on Taverner Agnus from bar 127; (iv) ran 1st Half from Hail Gladdening Light to Gloria, and Machaut Ite; (v) NB private work still needed to fix pitches, rhythms and text underlay, especially Sopranos/Altos Gabriel Jackson Ave Maria bars 1-47, and Tenors/Basses Taverner Agnus bars 132-152.  
  • Notes from Rehearsal 26 February: (i) did the 4 short memorised bits again (see 19 Feb Notes); (ii) RVW Just as the Tide was flowing  please add bar numbers if your copy doesn’t have them, beginning with 1 as the first full bar (ie not the preliminary half bar) – there should be 77 full bars; down a semitone, at 2-in-a-bar; bar 65 “The small birds sang” subito p; (iii) worked on Mirie it is b29-53 and the ending; (iv) ran the sequence Mirie it is to Just as the tide + encores, as scheduled; (v) worked very successfully on Jackson Ave Maria b4-24 & b42-47, and on Agnus b79-108; gave Agnus a splendid runthrough; (vi) ran Howells Gloria.
  • Notes from Rehearsal 19 February: (i) Did from memory Jackson ‘Ave’ first chord from given C and the 2 ‘joins’ (p7/8 & 8/9), Tallis Nunc Dimittis first 3 chords from given F to align the ‘d’ of ‘Lord’, text of Mirie it is in rhythm, and Howells Gloria first chord following intonation; (ii) Ran the sequence Villa-Lobos to Pearsall as scheduled; (iii) Howells Gloria will now be down a semitone; (iv) Jackson ‘Ave’ expunged premature ‘s’s in third section and kept the ‘e’ of ‘Ave’ pure without a diphthong; (v) Machaut ‘Ite’ T/Bs ‘missa est’ got a robust sound with glottal stop before ‘est’ , Tutti – we’re going for a bright electric ‘French’ sound, S/As went over bars 5-7 again with success; Agnus opening T/Bs very smooth except for repeated notes without a syllable change, Bass2 bar 73 interval A-F and rhythms in next 2 bars. Extra strings for folders were on offer.
  • Notes from Rehearsal 12 February (i) Tallis Psalm No 8 issued from Choir Library NB not now a download – this is the only Tallis Psalm we need to do; (ii) ran sequence from Gabrieli Sanctus to Machaut Ite including the Tallis Psalm; (iii) Tallis Psalm disposition between CAN & DEC noted in DOWNLOADS below, with stage moves; (iv) went over Sops & Altos Machaut bars 5-7 to tidy rhythms; neatened Nunc Dimittis placing of first 3 chords; Agnus – DC commended listening to the audio track in Downloads, and invited queries if individuals encountered particular difficulties; Sanctus – clarified chording at Benedictus bar 30 to end; (v) looked at Jackson Ave Maria opening chord, and ‘the joins’ p7/8 & p9/10; (vi) also ran Villa-Lobos, Howells, and Rheinberger.
  • Notes from Rehearsal 5 February: (i) ran programme from Hail gladdening Light to Skempton Ave Virgo. Only Seb and Andy change position between ‘Hail’ and ‘Kyrie’; (ii) Ave Virgo sanctissima – for Skempton stay in same positions as for Guerrero; (iii) Mirie it is – worth checking with pronunciation guide to avoid non-conforming pronunciations becoming entrenched (see Downloads for guide).