Balance

Welcome, dear readers!

Spring-like weather is tentatively continuing here in Denver...I am attempting to remain skeptical, but all these sunny days have my hopes running sky-high for real spring!  My journey to Phoenix later this week will probably only make it harder to keep my spring fever at bay, since they're expecting high 70's and 80's.  I plan to bask unapologetically the entire time I'm there -- will any of you be joining the big OAKE party?  If so, let me know, and let's catch up!

Thinking about the weather is an extremely pleasant distraction from the rigors of degree-finishing and future-forging that occupy most of my head-space at the moment.  It's an interesting time, and my hopes are high -- I'm lucky to have good support from my faculty, and I believe that good things are on their way, employment-wise.  Keeping the sense of urgency at bay is hard, sometimes too hard, and panic kicks me around the schoolyard and steals my sleep (like so much lunch money) and makes me feel like I'd better get my hands on a refrigerator box ASAP.  And then, I'm lucky again...my dear friends help me piece my sense of well-being back together and remind me that sometimes I just need a good night's sleep and maybe an afternoon off...and having those things will not prevent me from getting everything done.

I'm sure I am not at all alone in this.  The middle path is difficult to keep track of, and I'm not really sure why.  It's just too easy to run to extremes -- enough somehow usually doesn't seem like enough.  It's too big an issue for one little blog, really.  But, a funny thing I caught myself doing two times today is sort of the inspiration for this week's assignment.  Immediately upon both church services finishing, I made for the out-of-doors and immediately did something extremely silly -- skipping in my choir robe, quoting this movie, maniacal giggling, you get the idea.  Why?  Not because I disliked the services (I actually like the services and the music quite a bit), but because I had to behave myself just so for a certain period of time, causing a backlog of silliness that demanded to be set free the moment such a thing became possible.  It felt good (like the proper resolution of a V7 or a 4-3 suspension), no one seemed to be the worse for wear, and balance was restored to my little corner of the universe.  So, in that vein...

Rising Level 2's


Here's a little gem for you:

http://www2.cpdl.org/wiki/images/5/53/Praetorius_-_Wie_schoen_leuchtet.pdf

We've dealt with this tune before, so hopefully it sounds a little familiar to you, though the rhythmic language of this setting is a bit more complex than what we've worked on before.

Therefore, start with the lowest line (extra points if you can tell me a little something about what "Bassus generalis pro organo si placet" means), just so you're not distracted by melodic material.  Determine what meter you're actually in (hint: the top number in the time signature is NOT an 8, and neither should you count in 8), then tap or clap your way through.  Once that feels comfortable enough, sing that bottom line (note the clef changes -- you may choose whatever octave you want to sing in).

Now, go do something silly for five minutes.

At your next practice session, look at the top line and clap/tap your way through.  Try tapping the rhythm with one hand while you conduct with the other.

Now, go do something silly for five minutes.

Next time, sing through that top line.  Note that the B-naturals are just a little chromatic inflection that you will call "fi" -- they shouldn't pose much of a problem.

Guess what?  Go do something silly for five minutes.

Now, tackle the rhythm of the middle line....it's probably the most rhythmically challenging, and conducting along with your tapping is a good idea.

Done?  Good...time for your five-minute break!

Try singing the middle line...like the top line, it has a "fi" here and there, but no worries.

And one more five-minute break!

If you can, find a friend or two to sing through this with....it'll be fun, and then you can take your silly breaks together!

Rising Level 3's


And here's a piece for you:

http://www2.cpdl.org/wiki/images/sheet/scar-exr.pdf

Note that there's a rhythmic error in the next-to-last measure in the alto part -- that last C-sharp should be a whole note, not a half note.

You're going to follow the same general practice-break scheme as the 2's, but your learning procedure will be a little different.

First, look over the piece up to m. 45 and find what material Mr. Scarlatti used imitatively -- basically, you're hunting for motives or themes.  The first one is easy: the opening of the soprano part, which I think you might call Theme A.  Does it happen in other parts?  Is it transposed?  Find and label any repetitions.  Then, find a few more themes like that in between the beginning of the piece and m. 45.

Now, what changes at m. 46 (hint: think texture)?  How are you going to deal with the chromaticism you encounter?  Go back through the whole piece and locate any places you suspect you may need to change keys.

Now, just tackle one vocal line per day.  If you whip through that easily, do a solfa chord analysis of m. 46-end.  Again, singing through the piece with friends could be a lot of fun....

Rising Level 4's


For you guys, something very Lenten and fun:

http://www2.cpdl.org/wiki/images/f/fe/Battishill_o_lord_look_down.pdf

You're also on the alternation-of-work-and-fun plan, like the 2's, and your learning process is going to be rather similar to the 3's.

Begin by looking over the whole piece, noting any divisi and marking any homophonic sections.  Do a cursory examination of the accidentals you encounter, and decide where you might want to change keys.

Now, look over the text and see if you can associate particular themes or motives with textual sections.  Label these motives if you discover them.

Sing through the lines one at a time, paying special attention to intonation in any minor seconds or augmented seconds you encounter.

For fun, using the keyboard score (which is essentially a simplified reduction of the vocal lines), do a Roman numeral analysis of this piece.  Or, if you don't have time for the whole piece, focus on these spots:

mm. 71-86 (in C minor)
m. 107-end (trust the key signature)

Enjoy!