The Music Opportunity Program - http://www.musicop.org/articles
Conductor's Notes - 11/3/2008
http://www.musicop.org/articles/articles/98/1/Conductors-Notes---1132008.html
musicop admin
 
By musicop admin
Published on 11/3/2008
 

One more rehearsal until the dress rehearsal at Indian Springs.  If we can get all of our music to the level of most of our music, we can have an amazing concert.  You know what needs fixing, so please take care of it individually.

 

Trumpets, I did not get to the solo audition on Aida.  My apologies.  Let’s do it next week.

 

Here are a few reminders as you prepare for next week’s rehearsal.  Please note that the order of the rehearsal is altered from what we have done previously  You will need to stay with us until you finish your last piece.  Check the times below and figure it out..

 

Russian Chorale and Overture

This is ready to wrap up.  Precision, dynamics, and forward movement in the Allegro are the keys to our success.

Fugue

Absolutely terrific in a number of places.  Pay special attention to reh. 2-5 and 7-9.

Peer Gynt – 4th movement

We need confidence, boldness, and tempo stability from the beginning - reh. A.  Anything involving 16ths and quintuplets between from reh. A-B needs attention.

Peer Gynt – 1st movement

Critical needs are:

·         Viola in m.4 & m.12

·         2nd bassoon in m.8 & m. 16 (Anna, please play the bsn. 2 part until reh. A)

·         Reh. B-D in cello is as much about listening to violins as it is about watching the conductor.

·         From reh. E-m.62, everyone must stay below cello and bassoon.

·         The last solo is the bassoon solo at m. 81.

Remember the following for the arpeggios:

Meas. 30-31, 34-37, count 1               G# major (G#, B#, D#)

Meas. 37, count 2                                C major

Meas. 38-45, count 1                          F major

Meas. 45, count 2                                A major

Meas. 46-48                                        D major

Meas. 49                                              Db augmented (Db, F, A)

Meas. 50-52, count 1                          F major

Meas. 52, count 2                                d minor (D, F, A)

Meas. 53-54                                        F major

Meas. 55                                              C augmented (C, E, G#)

Meas. 56-58, count 1                          E major

Meas. 58, count 2                                c# minor (C#, E, G#)

Meas. 59                                              E major

Meas. 60, count 1                                c# minor

Meas. 60, count 2                                E major

Meas. 61                                              repeat meas. 60

Meas. 62                                              c# minor

Aida

One run, then trumpet solo auditions at the first of the break.  Keep the dotted-eighth – sixteenth figures exaggerated. Balancing from bottom to top, dynamic change, and shaping phrase lines are our focus.

Hungarian Dance #6

Much better today!  If we can keep what we accomplished in the Molto Sostenuto section, then we only have a little cleanup in the Leggiero left.  Dynamic contrast and precision are the keys to success.

Peer Gynt – 3rd movement (strings & percussion)

This is our biggest challenge.  8th notes from m. 15-21, 36-39, 55-73 and 82-89 must be taken care of by you this week if we are to keep this movement.  I am sacrificing time on other pieces to give time to this movement, but you must do your part.

Peer Gynt – 2nd movement (strings only)

The secrets here are sustain, dynamics, and balance.

Battalia (strings only)

1.      Violin II m.9-12; viola m.6-9; cello I&II m.6-9; bass m.6-9

5.      Everyone be sure to practice with a metronome one per bar at 76 per minute

7        Violins m.2-6; viola m.3-4;

8        Everyone make sure that your pitch is very solid

 

The rehearsal plan is::

2:30     Tune

C major scale, long tones

Harmonize C major

Chord mutations, beginning in C major

2:50     Russian Chorale and Overture

2:55     Fugue in G minor

3:10     Peer Gynt, movement 4

3:25     Peer Gynt, movement 1

3:50     Aria

4:00     break & trumpet solo audition

4:15     Hungarian Dance #6

4:25     Peer Gynt, movement 3

4:45     Peer Gynt, movement 2

4:50     Battalia 2

5:00     Battalia 7, 8, 1, 3, 5, 6, 4, 2