Something to sink your teeth into...

Hello, Holidaying Solfeggists!

I earnestly hope that you all are in the midst of a satisfying (and at least moderately slothful) winter break, and that the holiday season is reminding you of all the reasons why you love the holiday season!

Far be it from me to make your winter break less break-y, but I did want to provide an opportunity for some fun musical engagement if such things strike your fancy. Because (theoretically) this is a quieter time for many of us, I thought it might be fun to take time to get a good look at one piece. Hopefully, by the end of the exercise, you'll feel like you really know it well, and even if you'd had a more passing relationship with it before, you can feel like you've just made a new close friend.

Rising Level 2's
Take a gander at this:

http://www1.cpdl.org/wiki/images/2/20/Bach-Cantata_140-Chorus-No7.pdf

You will notice that there are some accidentals running around in this score. Do not let them intimidate you. We'll get through this step by step.

First, read through the top line. Any snags yet? No? Great! What is the form of the melody? Have you encountered this form before (if you were raised Lutheran, or if you happen to be a Minnesinger, you'll have an unfair advantage with this trivia tidbit...)?

Next, take a stab at the bass line. What accidentals did you encounter? What are their solfa names? Knowing what you already know about the melody, and paying attention to how the accidentals behave (meaning how quickly they resolve and how long they last), do you figure that there are modulations happening, or is there another explanation?

Now, take a look at the alto and tenor parts. Any accidentals you hadn't already encountered?

Now, draw yourself a map of the piece. Indicate the length of phrases and the cadences and cadence types. Anything unexpected?

I bet this is the part where you think I'm likely to ask you for a full Roman numeral analysis, and you can do that if you really want to, but I'm more interested in you listening to some recordings of this guy (listen to the whole cantata if you'd like to treat yourself -- it's one of the loveliest pieces I know), either on youtube or elsewhere...do a search for Bach Cantata 140, and you should get plenty of hits.

Rising Level 3's
Take a look at this piece:

http://www1.cpdl.org/wiki/images/brianrussell/037.pdf

First, take the time to sing through the top two voices in solfa -- this should give you a good sense of the melody of the piece. You may choose to take the key signature's word for it, but my guess is that your eyes and ears will give you a heads-up that all is not just as it seems. Trust your intuition....and my broad hint that you may want to be a fifth away from where it looks like you ought to be.

Next, sing through the bass line (which may confirm your tonal/modal suspicions), followed by the two remaining parts.

Now, take a good look at the phrase structure of the piece. Draw yourself a map of the cadences, noting particularly on what note they occur. You may want to do one page one day, another the next.

Remembering that this music was intended to be sung with only one person on a part, and paying attention to the text, work out a scheme for breaths and figure out a tempo you like.

Finally, hunt around on youtube for some recordings of this little ditty....there are bound to be a bazillion of them, and I bet you'll have a strong reaction to them if you followed the steps above.

Rising Level 4's

For you, I have a special treat:

http://www1.cpdl.org/wiki/images/2/27/JohBrahms_WarumIstDasLichtGegeben.pdf

First, even if you think you hate Brahms, you should listen to this recording all the way through:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8OTz0h2-8k

I will not lie to you....I disagree mightily with the tempo of the second movement (I think Johannes wanted it to dance), but don't those little boys sound like a million bucks?

Now, while I am sometimes a mean teacher, I am not so mean as to make you analyze the thornier chromatic patches of the first movement, but if you are inspired, far be it from me to stop you.

Take a look at page 8 of the .pdf score (movement 3). Sing through the soprano 2 part in solfa, then the soprano 1 part, and go as far as the double bar on the bottom of page 9...chances are you found yourself going back and forth between two key choices -- I know I did when I was learning it. Do the same with the baritone and bass parts on the same two pages -- any illuminating discoveries? Now try the alto and tenor lines. What do you notice about the cadence on p. 9?

Now, look at pp. 10-12. This section is less tonally ambiguous, I think, but what do you notice about the rhythm? What kind of meter is in play? How does a faster or slower tempo impact the metric feel? How is Brahms treating the metric accents? How do you think those entrances on the second quarter note of the measure should be articulated? Sing through each voice part, and label the final cadence of this movement....what makes it out of the ordinary?

Finally, look at the melody of the last movement. Can you label the mode off the top of your head? Take a glance at the harmony, and listen to the recording again. Does it sound modal or tonal? Is that surprising, given the era of its composition? What do you know about Brahms that makes this discovery more or less surprising?

Bon appetit!

Under the shadow I will be...

Merry Christmas and Season's Greetings, my beloved students!

This isn't an assignment, except that I hope you'll take a few minutes and listen to this. Two friends of mine brought this piece to my attention, and I found this mini-testimonial about the young composer's experience when he finished it:

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/12/10/regional_spotlight_st_olaf_scriven/

You will all notice, I am sure, that the melody of the piece has certain characteristics near and dear to the hearts of Kodály educators everywhere...behold the power of pentatony!

And, just in case your choral travels haven't included this little poem before (originally penned and set, I believe, by Elizabeth Poston), here are the words. They're definitely Christian in their content, but I think the desire for rest and safety is more relatable than usual for everyone at this time of year. So, my friends, may you rest under the shadow of whatever brings you peace.

The tree of life my soul hath seen

Laden with fruit and always green

The tree of nature fruitless be

Compared with Christ the Appletree

His beauty doth all things excel

By faith I know, but ne'er can tell

The glory which I now can see

In Jesus Christ the Appletree

For happiness I long have sought

And pleasure dearly I have bought

I missed of all, but now I see

'Tis found in Christ the Appletree

I'm weary with my former toil

Here I will sit and rest awhile

Under the shadow I will be

Of Jesus Christ the Appletree

This fruit doth make my soul to thrive

It keeps my dying faith alive

Which makes my soul in haste to be

With Jesus Christ the Appletree

Instruments of Peace

'Twas the week before Christmas on the Solfa Blog....

Just kidding. I don't think I could manage a rhyme scheme at this stage of the game. However, I warn you that I may indulge my muse-ier impulses on this week's installment. First, though, the assignment...

Rising Level 2's

Continue with our syncopation theme from last week with Ottmans: 15.96, 15.98, 15.100, 15.102, 15.108 (one voice one day, the other the next). I'm sure I don't need to remind you to conduct as you sing these examples....

Rising Level 3's

More syncopation for you all as well! Check out Ottmans: 15.95 (the chromatics are all just decorative -- remember to audiate the resolutions and you'll be fine!), 15.106 (both voices), 15.112 (both voices, try to do a true allegro tempo), 15.117, 15.123, and 15.124. Conducting helps!

Rising Level 4's

Take a stab at Ottmans: 15.126, 15. 128, 15.130, 15.132, 15.133, and 15.134. The melodies are easy, but their style lives at a particular tempo -- if it seems unsatisfying, try it a little quicker, and be sure to note whether an example is in 2 or in 4.

Obviously, it's possible and sometimes necessary to subdivide in order to get all the 16th notes in the correct place, and I get that. However, I MUCH prefer that you start to feel these rhythmic cells as gestures at least a beat long...especially if a figure happens repeatedly throughout an example. None of these examples should feel unnatural or contrived....and they should all sound fun!

Now, back to the title of this entry... The Denver Gay Men's Chorus is in the midst of their concert weekend (1 down, 2 to go), and things are going quite well, I think. Spending lots of time with the chorus this weekend keeps them at the front of my mind quite a bit, and I have to say, I really love and respect these guys. I'm not sure when I've seen a community chorus that takes such responsibility for putting on a show that they feel proud of musically, visually, and interpersonally. The singers bring so much energy to what they are doing, and as an occasionally cranky Christmas professional, I find their verve very inspiring. What's more is they take care of one another -- and in their minds, that even includes me. It's enough to make the heart of the grinchiest grinch grow three sizes at least.

So, after last night's concert, a lot of the chorus members and the artistic staff went out for some merriment and celebration, and towards the end of the gathering, a bunch of us were talking, and one of the singers started talking about modes...and naturally, a very geeky and giggly conversation (complete with singing) broke out. And, though it was just a silly moment at the end of a long and happy evening, it reminds me of why we do what we do, why I love teaching solfa, and why it's important. Any information, no matter how innocuous or boring or mathematical it may seem on the surface, can act as a catalyst for human connection. It can be the vehicle that teaches human beings to seek to understand one another, not merely to be understood. It is the reason why (to paraphrase ZK himself) a more musically literate world has the potential to be a more peaceful world.

So, while I am not quite so idealistic as to believe that Mixolydian will cause soldiers around the world to lay down their arms, nor do I assert that music is only valuable as an agent of social change, I do believe that music educators and performers and lovers of music have a responsibility to realize the power we bear. We can be instruments of connectedness....and thereby, instruments of peace.

Almost there...

Hello, my hard-working students!

The break is in sight! I've done the last of my academic chores (including the composition of a 30-measure 3-voice motet in 16th-century imitative counterpoint....yes, yes, I know you're jealous...maybe Santa will inspire me to bring it to all of you as an ensemble exercise next summer...oh, rapture. Or something.), and am now doing some prep work for next semester, getting ready for a weekend of concerts with the DGMC, and have been especially busy working on publicity for a very cool conference happening in February. And one of these days, I might even get Christmas shopping done...

I am more than certain you're all in about the same place, so I'm aiming to keep this week simple and straightforward. All I ask is that you conduct while singing all of the following, lest the syncopation render your task more difficult than need be:

Rising Level 2's

Read through the following Ottmans, paying special attention to the rhythms and phrase lengths:

15.70-15.76 (look, you can just open the book and not even have to turn pages!)

Rising Level 3's

Read through the following Ottmans, paying special attention to the rhythms:

15.85, 15.87, 15.88, 15.90 (resist all temptations to change keys!), 15.91 (ditto), 15.93, 15.98

Rising Level 4's

Read through the following Ottmans, paying special attention to the rhythms:

15.92, 15.94 (don't be pulled astray by chromaticism...hear the resolutions!), 15.95 (ditto), 15.99 (change solfa to A minor in the 3rd line, second measure), 15.101, 15.103 (think of the tied eighths before the downbeats as anticipations, and don't go too slow...trust me), 15.116 (remember the style...don't take it too seriously!).

And, if you are feeling overwhelmed, listen to this, or this, or maybe this (I don't necessarily recommend the videos, but the music is good stuff). Or, in case of a serious Christmas emergency, click here.

Best of luck to you all!

Wassail, Wassail!

Hello, Carolers and Holidaymakers!

As you may have seen on facebook, it's Holiday Festival weekend in Boulder -- which means that all the good little choristers (and instrumentalists galore!) are putting on four big shows....the current count is three down, four to go. This is my fifth year of Holiday Festival involvement, but because of the gap between degree #1 and #2, I've been watching the whole thing evolve since 2002. I must say, it's a good show. Lots of different things happening, lots of visual interest and genre diversity (my personal favorite act is the jazz combo performing a Latin rendition of "Rudolph"...it's quite sassy!), and the audiences are very appreciative. However, anyone who has ever done four of the same show in three days' time (especially at the end of a semester when you can think of 120,980,354,309,870 really important things you ought to be doing during each of those shows) knows that it's a little hard to keep up an ideal attitude through the full gauntlet. So, knowing that many of you are in similar boats at this time of year, this posting will be part assignment, but mostly refreshment.

Let's start with refreshment....it's the fourth night of Hanukkah as I type this, and I found this on YouTube today while looking for something else, but I was so struck by its sweetness that I decided to use it instead....the second half of the video is a little weird, but I do find the singing quite touching. So, take a few minutes and just listen and enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gMTvGmpVbI

Now, a little combo of refreshment and light work. My choir is singing this piece for the aforementioned Holiday Festival:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6o0amydcLU

But, you may be more familiar with this tune for the text (which is a little grisly...for the Feast of the Holy Innocents):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIvH5GdY4JE&feature=related

So, what are the obvious differences between the two tunes? Can you solmize both versions?

And now, though it was my intention to include a YouTube rendition of "Wassail, Wassail", I cannot find one that does not set my teeth on edge (if you find a good one, please send it on....the piece is deceptively difficult -- we're doing the Ralph Vaughan Williams SATB unaccompanied setting). So, instead, some alternative Vaughan Williams (sung by some cool Dutch people):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-wGUqMHN3w&feature=fvw

Take a stab at solmizing that melody as well...it's not so hard.

I'm including this one because it makes me smile....if you're feeling particularly ambitious, take a rhythmic dictation of just the chorus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_KiHRHwaAs&feature=related

And now, finally....some gratuitous humor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBWgWzNH-qI

Keep your chins up, my friends...

Information theory...

Greetings, Guidonian Glossolaliacs!

So, the sun's move into Sagittarius (my zodiacal favorite) and a week of full nights of sleep has me feeling a little frisky...possibly a cringe-worthy revelation for some of you who may find it difficult to generate solfa enthusiasm in general, let alone when the holidays are approaching...

Anyhow, in preparation for my final presentation for my final semester of conducting class in my final degree program (not that I'm hankering after the finish line or anything like that), I'm reading a book called "Music, the Arts, and Ideas" by Leonard B. Meyer. The book is interesting for a number of reasons (not the least of which include the fact that it was published in 1967, but is a discussion of contemporary culture, so it's sort of fascinating and entertaining at the same time to examine the ideas of the author in light of the ensuing 43 years...and I will further admit to you that I giggle in an undignified fashion when the author uses the word "aesthetician" in reference to a person who studies aesthetics in an academic sense rather than an....ahem!...follicular sense), and basically, Meyer begins by trying to get a handle on why people enjoy music and what the enjoyment of music entails. I go through little arguments with myself as I read about this, mostly because part of me stages mini-rebellions against the notion that human artistic enjoyment can be quantified, or that it's worthwhile to try or talk about trying to do so. These rebellions have led me to one of my old tricks...I don't entirely feel satisfied with any of my own conclusions about this subject, so I'm bringing it to all of you for further discussion, processing, etc.

One of the key points in play for Meyer is the relationship between music and "information theory"...it sounds dreadful, but bear with me. Say we're in solfa class, and I say we're going to play an improvisation game. I improvise a "question" phrase, and you improvise an "answer" back. The other people in the room are listening, meanwhile, and when I first begin singing, no one really knows what's about to come out of my mouth - which means that probability is low (because we're not sure what's going to happen) and information is high (because a lot of possibilities exist). However, if I'm trying to make things easy for the person who has to improvise the answer, I'm going to choose a fairly predictable and simple (low information/high probability) question phrase where the responding improviser won't have to think very hard about what to do in response. But, say the responding improviser is more confident or more creative than I thought, and s/he comes back with something unexpected -- all of a sudden, where probability seemed sky-high and information was quite low, we've been taken by surprise! And, in fact, the answer has sort of made the question seem a little irrelevant, meaning that the listening classmates are almost certainly going to sit up and take notice of this little moment of genius, wherein information went from very low to very high, and our expectations had their socks knocked off. Teachers see these kinds of situations all the time, especially when working with young children whose sense of probability is less developed than an adult's....so at any moment, the sky's the limit, and the kind of joy that arises from this sort of musical surprise is readily available.

Now, this is the point where my head started to spin with the logical implications of this line of thinking, and I have a feeling that it begins to dead-end and start fights pretty quickly, so I'm going to try to nip that in the bud and instead give you all something to sing.

All Levels:

Look at Ottman 4.33 and sing it through, then answer these questions.

What is the overall form of this little ditty (if we're talking about 4-bar phrases)?

If you were to rate the predictability of the 2nd half of the melody in relation to the 1st half, what would you give it on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being totally unpredictable and 10 being totally predictable)?

Now, sing the first four bars again and, without looking, try to sing the most predictable answer that comes to mind. How closely did yours match up to what is written?

Now, sing the first four bars again and come up with 2-3 other answers with varying degrees of predictability (with the only requirement being a cadence on the same tonic at which you began). Choose a favorite and share with a friend.

Follow a similar process with: 4.34, 4.37, 4.39, 4.51, and 4.74

Enjoy!

Silence is...

Good day, beloved students!

Well, after avoiding afflictions for most of a long, busy semester, one of the nasty buggers finally got me...and my little sinuses, too. So now, I'm left with no real singing voice, which naturally, makes singing Ottmans a challenge (not to mention the challenge it presents to a chatty person such as myself). In this situation, what is one to do?

Well, several things are possible. Obviously, there are several all-rhythm chapters in Ottman at your disposal: 1, 10, the first half of 15-16-17, and section 1 of chapter 21. One or two-part exercises are possible -- tapping with one or both hands, or tapping with one hand and one foot. In two-part exercises, you may find it helpful to tap on two different surfaces to help your ear keep track of the individual lines.

Next, this is a good opportunity to experiment with audiation, too. For this purpose, you have my ONE-TIME permission to use piano to play Ottman exercises, under the following conditions ONLY: Step 1 - set the key, starting pitch, and tempo for an exercise, just as you would if you were to sing it. Step 2 - "hear" your way through the piece (you may want or need more than one go at it, and that's fine). Step 3 - play the melody on piano to check the accuracy of your audiation. Step 4 - notice where you tended to go awry, and practice more exercises containing that pattern/interval until it becomes easy.

So, armed with the above explanation, try your ears at the following:

Rising Level 2's

Rhythm: 10.9, 10.17, 10.28, 10.52, 10.68, 10.75

Audiation: 11.2, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.12, 11.16

Rising Level 3's

Rhythm: 15.6, 15.24, 15.27, 15.35, 15.37, 15.38

Audiation: 15.71, 15.74, 15.75, 15.76, 15.85, 15.86

Rising Level 4's

Rhythm: 16.4, 16.7, 16.8, 16.21, 16.23, 16.24

Audiation: 16.38, 16.39, 16.40, 16.42, 16.44, 16.48

As always, if it's too easy or too hard, feel free to adjust.

D'Arezzo in Drag?!?!

Hello, Solfa Sensationalists!

Yes, I suppose one could accuse me of being unnecessarily provocative (it wouldn't be the first time today, as it turns out), but as usual, the solfa blog is inspired by the stuff of life -- in this case, my first encounter with the Imperial Court System. Until recently, I had not a clue that this sort of establishment existed anywhere, but as it turns out, large groups of drag queens gather and strut their stuff for a variety of exciting events throughout the year under the auspices of this organization. How did this come to my attention, you ask? Well, in my capacity as the assistant conductor of the Denver Gay Men's Chorus, I conduct occasional performances by our "outreach" small group, the Ambassadors....and the Ambassadors were invited to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" for an Imperial Court fundraiser, the Snow Ball. Believe you me, it wasn't just banners that were star-spangled...these folks are NOT messing around.

Anyhow, I actually do have sort of a point...it's kind of goofy, but I got to thinking: what would be the musical equivalent of drag? The first idea that came to mind was taking a piece that exists in major and making it minor, or vice versa. Rising 3's and 4's have heard me talk about this before in terms of "mode mixture" (using chords from the parallel minor in a major key or vice versa), but I mean it in a more wholesale melodic sense this time around. For example, I frequently play this game with the theme song from the Mickey Mouse Club:

dd dd dd dd rd t,l, s,

dd d dd d md rt, d

dd l, dd s,

s, l,l, l,l, l,l, t,d r

dd dd dd dd rd t,l, s,

dd d dd d md rt, d

and turn it into the Martyr Mouse song:

ll ll ll ll tl si, f, m,

ll l ll l dl tsi, l

ll f, lf, m,

m, f,f, f,f, f,f, si,l t

ll ll ll ll tl si, f, m,

ll l ll l dl tsi, l

I took one little liberty that you will probably catch, but it's just for affective reasons...it sounds more pathetic that way, you see...

Anyhow, it's much easier to do with something written on the staff, soooo....

Rising Level 2's

Take a gander at Ottman 4.46. It's written in E-flat major and it's mostly just riffing on the tonic triad. Sing it in E-flat major. Then, play a game....either pretend you're in treble clef and sing it in C minor, or sing it in E-flat minor. No letter names required -- just pretend not to see either the clef or the signature respectively, and apply new solfa (i.e., instead of beginning with d-s-d', you will begin with l-m-l'). Repeat this procedure with Ottmans: 4.48, 4.49, 4.52, 4.77, 6.10, and 6.11. Use harmonic minor where appropriate, or experiment with natural minor and see what you think.

Rising Level 3's

Choose a few Ottmans from chapters 6 and 8 and follow the process outlined for the rising 2's -- hint: bass clef examples in major give you the option to use the same trick I recommended for them, or you can play the parallel minor way. Additionally, look at 15 2-part #7....read the little blurb Mr. Kodaly has written about transforming this modal piece into a simple major exercise. Sing through it....you may want to choose the same voice part you learned this past summer (you may also want to sing through it first the modal way, then do the transformed version). Do you think it's easier in Dorian or in major? Do you find it more appealing in one than the other?

Rising Level 4's

Choose 3 Ottman examples from chapters 6 and 8 that are in major and change them to minor. Then, choose 3 examples from chapters 5, 6, and 8 that are in minor and change them to major. If you're lonesome for Mr. Kodaly, you may also look at 15 2-part #7 and do the task outlined for the Rising 3's.

Now, get out there and strut your solfa!

The quick and the....

Hello, Quick-Draw Solmizators!

Ugh! Your blogmistress is recalcitrant this week.... The aforementioned Madrigal Festival reaped way more than its share of my brainpower, and then my beloved friend Susan (with Melise Gabrielle, age 2, in tow) arrived in combination with the Boulder Chorale's concert weekend (for which I served as page-turner/shekere shaker) and a gig with the Denver Gay Men's Chorus Ambassadors....so, the poor little blog has gotten shortchanged. And, I am certain that all of you are similarly feeling November's pinch....it's the drive to the cadence, I believe. Oh, and the scent of snow is in the air at last -- just to really spice things up (no, I'm not being poetic....in Denver and Boulder, the smell of cow poo in the air means the wind is blowing from Greeley, which means impending snow...and while snow is pretty, cow poo does pretty much sum up how I feel about its presence on the whole).

Anyhow, it's a busy, busy time, and for that reason, a great time to practice the fine art of true, straight-up, quick-draw sight-reading: 30 hot seconds to glance at the key signature, time signature, and starting and ending notes, a measure of beating time to set your tempo and meter, and you're off! No going back, no slowing down, no mulligans. Try to get all the syllables you can, and try not to stop.

Rising Level 2's

Select two examples per day from Ottman, chapters 3, 4, and 5. Try to pick examples we haven't used in class or in other places on the blog. The idea is to use stuff that'd be easy for you to prepare for flawless performance, in hopes that you can read it at sight with a high degree of accuracy. Do take your 30 hot seconds (as mentioned above) to survey the landscape.

Rising Level 3's

Select two examples per day from Ottman, chapters 6, 8, and 9 (and 7, if you'd like to practice your C-clef skills). Follow the same rules as the rising 2's.

Rising Level 4's

Select two examples per day from Ottman, chapters 10 (yes, I know it's just rhythm), 11, and 12. Follow the same rules as the rising 2's and 3's, and split your picks between melodic and rhythmic exercises.

And, just between you, me, and the interwebs, I find this kind of sight-reading easiest after about a glass and a half of wine...just sayin'...

Good luck!

Making Music

Hello, Musicmakers and Dreamers of Dreams!

Whew!

Well, my friends, I have just arrived home from a looooong and very fruitful day of collaboration, organization, occasional near-asphyxiation, and ultimately, jubilation. What could cause this veritable casserole of human experience, you ask? The 49th Annual Madrigal Festival at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

A grand total of 23 high school choirs from as far afield as Pueblo South High School and as close as Boulder High School made the journey to Macky Auditorium to spend the day working with a great clinician (Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe, from the University of Southern California) and singing for and with one another. This was my second year acting as the main logistical go-to person for this event, so I knew better what to expect this time around, but it's still an ENORMOUS job to cover all the details leading up to the day, and then see that everyone is taken care of on the day itself. I have never been more grateful for the cool heads, warm hearts, and generous spirits of my colleagues and teachers in the choral program. Not only did they show up early and stay late, they thought on their feet, anticipated needs, and kept their remarkable good humor through all of the day's twists and turns. The kind of work they do and the giving of themselves that they exercise is rare and inspiring.

So, as I watched Dr. Scheibe conduct, listened to 600 young voices sing, and felt the day sweep by me at record speed, I got to thinking about music-making and the backdrop of organization it requires. Just as music itself manifests the intention of its composers and performers, the events wherein music is made also show intention -- at the end of the day, it becomes obvious when the motivation behind a musical phrase or gesture is disconnected or half-hearted, even if it is executed accurately and skillfully. There are ways of disguising this, but the truth nearly always comes through -- for better or for worse. Similarly, it is possible to make a chart, buy a box of bagels, send an email, and host a festival in a completely dispassionate, perfectly orchestrated fashion, and some people will walk away not knowing the difference. No one can force a person to do more or better than this, and not everyone consciously knows they want more and better than this. However, I cannot look at the sincere and heartfelt efforts of my fellow students and my teachers and conclude that they are simply going through the motions. They have looked at the task at hand and made a decision not just to do the work, but to give of themselves in doing the work. This is Boethius' musica humana. This is the human side of music that will inspire young people to keep singing, playing music, and going to concerts. Why? Because we're all human, and we all need to feel connected, but one can only connect to people who make themselves available, and not everyone is willing to do that, especially not for a roomful of singing teenagers.

So, from my vantage point of gratitude, I ask you, gentle readers, to consider this. Make music, not as a matter of course, not because you're earning a paycheck, not because it's an assignment, not because you want to earn a degree, not because you want to be a star. Make music because it is inside you, because the world hungers for what you have to give, because you will discover a limitless supply when you have the courage to share it. Give freely, think about the details, and do it whether you're on the stage or organizing behind the scenes. It will never be unimportant, and it always has the potential to change the world.

Frights and Hallows

Halloooooooo there, Spooky Solfeggists!

I just arrived home from a lovely Halloween party given by my lovely graduate colleagues, and I so wish I could have stayed longer, but my wig alarm went off. What was the costume, you ask? Well, it involved shoes. Shoes. And, in an apropos instance of life imitating art, I learned my lesson about buying shoes that are too small for my feet. If you are wondering what in the devil I am talking about, click here.

In the realm of solfa, I have fear on the brain. What are the tasks you dread in the theoretical/analytical/solfegging world, and how do you dispel your fears? For myself, I frequently get flustered when there's something about the notation that looks thorny...sometimes I just walk away on the basis of that alone instead of puzzling out how to break the task up into do-able sections that will also help me re-assemble the parts back into the whole. So, how do we take ourselves by the hand and walk down the dark alleyway of unfamiliarity in order to give ourselves access to something new? How do we show those freaky-looking dots and lines who's boss? Well, I believe the first step is just to bloody well decide that you're going to do it.*

Rising Level 2's

Look at Music for Analysis, p. 92, example 149. Ugh! Lots of staves! Minor key! Leading tone seventh chords! Accidentals! Yuck! Right?

Step 1: Listen to the piece here (the whole movement, please, because it's pretty darn cool...how 'bout that zippy tempo? Good old John Eliot Gardner...)

Step 2: Does it sound like the section given to you in the book stops on a perfect authentic cadence? So what do you make of the stopping point? What is the significance of F-sharp in this tonality?

Step 3: Sing through the successive vocal lines in solfa. Notice some of the notational quirks (eighth and sixteenth notes flagged individually rather than barred, etc.) and decide how to interpret them. Also, think through how you might re-notate some things if you were the editor.

Step 4: Notice the orchestral reduction's various textures. What are the running sixteenths in the first two bars? How are those first two bars different from what follows in terms of the relationship of the reduction to the vocal lines? Can you find the leading tone seventh chord(s)? What are you looking for exactly?

Step 5: Find another piece in the book with similar notational challenges and follow a similar set of steps. Were you able to accelerate the steps? Did you need additional steps? Why?

Rising Level 3's

Look at Music for Analysis, p. 379, Example #393 and in Ottman, #21.12

Step 1: Listen to the Debussy here (note that the soprano part appears with text and the other parts look like an instrumental part...goofy, yes?) and the Britten here.

Step 2: How are these pieces similar? What are the chief barriers for each?

Step 3: If you were teaching these pieces to a high school choir, what elements would you isolate to teach first? Would you have them sing on text right away? Would you have them sing the line first or learn the rhythms first? How would you deal with the funky key signature and triplets in the Debussy and the wacky (and zippy!) time signature in the Britten (the recording actually demonstrates kind of an interesting layering technique rather than teaching this as just a round...)? What is the most effective means of dealing with an asymmetric time signature...do we treat it as an aberration to be pounded out with the power and determination of our cerebrums, or do we get a feel for it as its own kind of rhythmic world?

Step 4: Learn and sing these pieces (preferably with a friend).

Rising Level 4's

Step 1: Open up either the Ottman or Music for Analysis to a page of your choosing late-ish in the volume.

Step 2: Using the steps laid out for the 2's and 3's as your guide, dream up a way of understanding and internalizing this music. Notice that in the examples above, I've used the magic of YouTube to help get the ball rolling and immediately define the dots and lines in terms of sound, not in terms of a scary task that your poor brain has to take on all alone like a nasty calculus problem.

Step 3: Follow your plan and see what you can do. Did you find that you know how to make a plan sort of intuitively, or did you do a fair amount of consulting what I said to do? Did you decide to try the "garage band rehearsal" technique for awhile (meaning that you just did it over and over until you got it), or did you immediately look for a sneaky way of accomplishing the task at hand? You know me, guys....I'm all about the sneaky way.

Good luck, boys and ghouls!

*Yes, I said "do it."

It's coming...

Hello, faithful blog-followers!

Whew! I just arrived home from a weekend at 9,000+ feet above sea level with the Denver Gay Men's Chorus -- our annual fall retreat at Keystone Lodge (yes, the beer is named after this place....no, the place is not comparable in quality to the beer....thank goodness!). So, given the lofty elevation, I awoke both Saturday and Sunday mornings to freshly fallen snow! It was beautiful....

...And, since the repertoire we were rehearsing was for our December holiday concert, I'm finding myself in a holidaying mood. I know, I know, it's too early, but there are such good melodies and examples of chromaticism in all our holiday faves. Plus, at this point in my career, I'm sort of resigned to the fact that I will hate all holiday music by the time it's all over, so I had better enjoy it before every retail outlet, radio station, and TV commercial has its annual chance to ruin it. Besides, at least it's a good antidote to all of those ugly political ads!

Rising Level 2's

Choose any 3 of the following tunes and solmize. Transcribe as you are able.

Deck the Halls

Silent Night

Silver Bells

S'vivon

Rising Level 3's

Choose any 3 of the following tunes and solmize. Transcribe as you are able.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

(include the bridge...that's where the magic happens)

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

We Need a Little Christmas

My Favorite Things (Barbra Streisand says it's a holiday song, so why not?)

Rising Level 4's

Solmize and transcribe both parts of:

Evening Prayer from Hansel and Gretel

Enjoy!

Quick and Dirty Solfa

Hello Busy Solfeggists!

Like myself, I'm certain all of you must be running C-R-A-Z-Y right about now, so I'm going to try to make this week's assignment super-simple. I know I've been going a little outside the box of late, which I hope you've all enjoyed for the sake of variety, but perhaps a little retreat back to the simple joys of Ottman is in order....

Rising Level 2's

Preview and read:

8.24, 8.30, 8.32, 8.41, 8.42, 8.44

Take special care with the rhythm in the non-traditional triple (compound) meters.

Rising Level 3's

Preview and read each voice:

14.49, 14.50 (extra points if you can tell me what movement this is from...the eighth note C in the second-to-last measure of the top voice should be a B), 14.51, 14.52, 14.53, 14.56

Rising Level 4's

Preview and read each voice (for added challenge, tap the rhythm of the opposite voice of the one you're singing while you sing it):

15.106 , 15.107, 15.108 (this one's tricksy!), 15.110, 15.111, 15.113

Good luck with all your many adventures!

PS1: I went to a lovely concert last evening given by Spencer Day...if you don't know his music, take a listen....

PS2: If you don't mind a little profanity, here's a little something you might enjoy...tonight I'm seeing Leslie Jordan (who appeared as "Brother Boy" in the movie from which this song was taken...and also in "Will and Grace") for a fundraiser for the Denver Gay Men's Chorus! That means I'm technically working, right?

Captain Broccoli and the Socratic Method

Hello Solfa Superheroes!

So, the video I recently posted on my facebook profile has sort of inspired me, both to make movies on xtranormal.com (give it time, give it time) and to examine the way that we as educators give explanations and ask questions of our students. As many of you will know, Socrates is credited with coming up with a method of teaching that involves the teacher asking leading questions of the student so that the student is left with the feeling that s/he arrived at the answer on her/his own.

Personally, I find this concept very appealing when I am in either role, but when I am in the role of the student, I find myself frequently feeling critical of the teacher asking the questions. Why? Because it often seems as if the teacher asks questions that could be restated thus: "I'm thinking of a number between one and a million. Which one am I thinking of?" We all do it, I'm sure...because being a teacher is a little like being a passenger in a car that someone else is driving to your house. You know exactly where you are, what turns to make, what the destination will look like when you arrive, and how much further you have to go. You are so familiar with your surroundings that it's hard to imagine anyone else not knowing where they are, so maybe you forget to give directions altogether. You've forgotten what it's like not to know. And, even if the driver (student) is familiar with the general neighborhood (context), s/he may arrive at the wrong destination (conclusion) simply because the passenger (teacher) wasn't specific enough about where to turn and what to look for. At that point, the student becomes reticent to answer questions at all because no one likes to be wrong, and the teacher frequently makes the mistake of assuming the student is just dumb or lazy, when really the problem is with the teacher.

So, how do we make it better? How do we go about training ourselves to ask better questions as teachers, provide the appropriate supports for our students (visual aids, etc.), direct them more specifically to the destination without taking the wheel out of their hands? I think Captain Broccoli might be a good place to look for some answers.

Rising Level 2's

Watch the Captain Broccoli video and answer the following questions:

Do you think the "minor triad superhero" would have benefitted from a

visual aid on a musical staff? If so, what kind?

Do you think Captain Broccoli served his purposes by mentioning

sevenths or saying "any note could be in the bass"?

Why or why not?

Do you think Captain Broccoli really gave the full definition of figured

bass symbols? Did the "minor triad superhero" understand why 6

and 6/4 were used for the respective inversions? Does a 6 or a 6/4

actually mean first or second inversion?

Do you think the example of a person on their behind or a person on

their head really reflects what is happening in an inverted triad?

Why or why not?

Then, re-write the Captain Broccoli script in the places where you think it ought to happen, adding the examples and visual aids you consider appropriate. Optimally, share your re-write with a friend and see if s/he understands.

Rising Level 3's

Watch the Captain Broccoli video, peruse the questions laid out for the 2's, and write your own dialogue for one of the following concepts:

Inversions of seventh chords

Roman numerals (how to apply a Roman numeral to a chord)

Relative minor

Three forms of minor

The circle of fifths (key relationships/signatures)

Use the Captain Broccoli video as a model, meaning that you should try to anticipate the questions a student would ask you....for our purposes, assume your student is in high school or a freshman in college. Be creative...for example, you could use a clock face or "The Wheel of Fortune" as a basis for your circle of fifths conversation. Specify what visual aids and musical examples you would want at your disposal. Again, the best way to determine whether or not you've been clear is to ask someone to read over your dialogue with you and give you feedback.

Rising Level 4's

Watch the Captain Broccoli video, peruse the questions laid out for the 2's, and write your own dialogue for one of the following concepts:

Modes (your choice: relative, comparative, or both)

Secondary dominant harmonies

Chromatic solfege syllables

How to find keys from a tuning fork

How to take a melodic dictation (i.e. Mary Had a Little Lamb)

Use the Captain Broccoli video as a guide, meaning that you should try to anticipate student questions (assuming your student is a college freshman) and specify what kinds of visual aids or musical examples you would use. Find a friend to go through your dialogue with you and give you feedback.

I hope you find this task enjoyable...I know I'm kind of pushing into the world of methodology, but I know for myself that I understand a concept SO much more thoroughly once I've actually tried to teach it. You may find yourself asking and answering questions you never knew you had....and that, my friends, is the magic of learning!

The Palette of Autumn

Greetings, Guidonian Singers!

Autumn is icumen in....finally! I do realize that today may still be a bit of a tease, but I think summer may finally be fading in earnest.

This past week was sort of unbelievably busy in my world...many of you may know that I have recently added a gig with the Center for British and Irish Studies at CU-Boulder to my battery of activities, and this week, we had our first major event: a talk by the author Frank Delaney. Mr. Delaney and his wife, Diane Meier, arrived on Wednesday afternoon and were the most delightful and engaging of guests...the sort of people who are almost unbelievably interesting, but also endlessly gracious, so that after speaking with them, one is left feeling more interesting themselves (possibly that sentence makes NO sense, but maybe gives you the gist). The talk itself was fantastic...I wish it had been more well-attended, but attendance really wasn't bad, considering it was our first event. And, all this has turned my mind towards things literary and British/Irish and autumnally beautiful.

Rising Level 2's

Listen to the following recordings:

Linden Lea (Vaughan Williams)

Whither Must I Wander (Vaughan Williams)

The Road Home (Paulus)

Try your hand (or your ear, I suppose) at solmizing the melodies of each of these, then choose one (or more) and transcribe it....just the melody is plenty. Notice that each of these tunes has a strophic form, so you hear the melody more than once, which hopefully helps.

Rising Level 3's

Listen to the following recordings:

'Tis the Last Rose of Summer (arr. Flotow) (I looked for the Britten setting and couldn't find a good recording....if you can, use that one)

Sound the Trumpet (Purcell)

Dido's Lament (Purcell)

Follow the same instructions as the the rising level 2's.

Rising Level 4's

Listen to the following recordings:

Hymn to St. Cecilia (Britten) (possibly my favorite piece of choral music...it'd be worth your while to buy a recording of this one -- the Shaw recording is pretty nice) - about 6 minutes in, there's a soprano solo, which is the part I'd like you to solmize/transcribe.

Procession from Ceremony of Carols (Britten)

Balulalow from Ceremony of Carols (Britten) -- you're after the soprano solo.

Follow the same instructions as the rising level 2's.

All Levels:

Read the following poem, courtesy of my talented little bro, Stephen Dietrich:

Wind rustling through the tree’s coat of many colors
whispering secrets of the season.
They are all set ablaze
in vibrant shades,
that is
all
but the evergreens; the steadfast
figures never yielding
to passionate crimsons,
glimmering golds,
or withering browns.
No
the evergreens clutch their hue until the end.
They defy nature’s mood
and mock their deciduous brethren
for complying
with the change of seasons.

The sylvan flamboyance set forth
by fall, shall eventually
fade the brilliant foliage into
a pallid grave. Little lives
strangled into brittle corpses
each one of them
a hope
a dream
an aspiration
to be unmet.
They shall be trampled underfoot by the very souls
who once sought their shelter.

The dreamer shall
be left naked and bare
before the world. Subject to
every cruel eye’s scrutiny and slander.
They shall feel the chill
of the winter winds while
the evergreens stand unscathed
from any tremble of frost.
They shall never have to know
the pain of being stripped down
before the world. Every shred of them
to feel the wretched pangs
of a bitter winter, nor will they know
the chaos of the unknown
that the future shadows in omens.
They will hold their emerald shades,
and maintain their poise
until their end. Nothing shall taint
their world,

but

their world
is all they will ever know.
A lone facet of reality
to be the only memento
they claim.
Whatever fails
to fall within their limited spectrum
shall never be known. The price
of security
is seclusion from the sublime, for
to live without feeling
is to live without wisdom.
The evergreens loom over the world
in arrogant cowardice.
Their poise cripples
their freedom. They will never know
the reverie
of spring’s revival,
nor feel the beauty
of a new summer’s bloom.
No,
all they have
is their poise.
They were born in this coffin,
and shall greet death
in this cradle.

Their greatest tragedy is
that on the day they
finally break free
from their monochrome prison
they will meet their end, for all
they have known is gone.
They aren’t strong enough
to be weak,
or brave enough
to be scared.
They only know how to stand poised
and feel

nothing.

The Artist's Diet

Hello, Fellow Artists!

I don't know how this past week has been for you, but it has been awfully rocky for me...I blame the equinox (but then again, you all know my motto: why take it personally when you can take it cosmically?). So, this afternoon, I headed for the hills....literally. A dear friend and I took a little drive up to Silverthorne to look at the fall leaves in the mountains and do a little retail therapy.

That got me thinking....last week, I went to hear Kathleen Battle with the Colorado Symphony, which made me feel really good. Why? Because it was beauty, it was art, and people who are artists need to be nourished by art.

And, when I was in the thick of the week's ickiness, another dear friend of mine said he, too, was having a crappy time, and that he felt a major symptom of his icky feelings was the fact that he had stopped listening to music for pleasure...and that he planned to make it a personal discipline to open up his ears and listen again. All part and parcel, you see....an artist who finds him/herself avoiding the very art s/he loves is an artist who needs help, who needs fresh inspiration. Burnout happens to all of us, and this little conversation was both a good friendship moment and a wake-up call...because sometimes what we need most of all is to feel connected again, to know we're not the only one, and to give ourselves the love and the grace and the artistic nourishment it takes to feed artistry.

So, in that vein, and because it's truly my favorite thing to do, I want to give you all a gift.

All Levels

Take 15 minutes a day, and listen to music. Music you love, music that makes you happy, music that makes you sad, music that is full of memories and meaning for you. That's it. Just listen, and remind yourself of how great it is. And, throughout the day, take little opportunities to look at beauty, notice good things, be grateful for little spots of grace.

If you'd like suggestions for listening:

Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise

J.S. Bach - Magnificat or St. Matthew Passion (especially "Mache dich mein Herze rein")

Alison Krauss - Lonely Runs Both Ways

Randall Thompson - Choose Something Like a Star

Joni Mitchell

W.A. Mozart - Solemn Vespers of the Confessor (especially "Laudate Dominum")

A mix CD from a dear friend

Tomas Luis de Victoria - O quam gloriosum

Edgar Meyer - Appalachian Journey

Vaughan Williams - Dona Nobis Pacem (especially the last movement) or The Lark Ascending

Kansas - Carry on, My Wayward Son

Stravinsky - Firebird or "Gloria" from the Mass for Mixed Voices and Wind Instruments

William Byrd - Any of the masses or motets

Bartok - anything from the "For Children" set of pieces, or the Romanian Folk Dances, or (if you're feeling adventurous), the second piano concerto

The big ZK said that the masterworks of music are our birthright...take him at his word.

PS: and just because laughter is also on the artist's diet....

A college classmate of mine recently posted on facebook that one of her colleagues recently asked a group of music history students to name two early medieval composers of the Notre Dame school. One clever student answered: "Leonin and Penetron."

I'm sure Perotin may have been flattered (and maybe that was his nickname), but if that's not funny, I don't know what is.

The Tonal World

Hello Ladies and Gents,

So, the semester is wearing on....next week is week 5 for us! I hope you are all continuing to feel strong and inspired!

Now, here's my little game for this week -- you've all had some experience with one of my favorite Ottman examples, #12.33....it's not that it's the best melody in world history, nor is it the coolest harmonic progression I've ever heard, but it is a good basis for all kinds of exercises.

Rising Level 2's

Day 1: Sing through 12.33 and (if you haven't already) label the chords implied by the last four measures in Roman numerals...ignore inversions for now.

Day 2: Find an example to sing or analyze from either Music for Analysis or Ottman in the key of IV, relative to the key of 12.33.

Day 3: Find an example to sing or analyze in the key of iii (we're skipping vii, natch...).

Day 4: Find an example to sing or analyze in the key of vi.

Day 5: Find an example to sing in the key of ii.

Day 6: Find an example to sing in the key of V.

Rising Level 3's

Day 1: Sing through 12.33...memorize or re-memorize the last 4 measures. Sing them in letter names.

Day 2: Sing the last 4 measures in solfege again, then transpose to the key of IV and sing in letter names. Then, select an example to sing from Ottman that is in the dominant of that key (so, the key that is the V of IV....F was the original key, you went to the key of IV, and now you're going to the V of that...bringing you back home to F)

Day 3: Sing the last 4 measures of 12.33 in solfege, and now transpose them to the key of III (A Major....just so you don't have to mess with switching from minor to major). Then, find an example to sing that is in the V of that key.

Day 4: Transpose the last 4 bars of 12.33 to the key of VI. Then, find an example to sing that is in the V of that key.

Day 5: Transpose the last 4 bars of 12.33 to the key of II. Then, find an example to sing that is in the V of that key.

Day 6: Transpose the last 4 bars of 12.33 to the key of V. Then, find an example to sing that is in the V of that key.

Rising Level 4's

Day 1: Write out the progression for the last four measures of 12.33 in the key given, and play it on the piano (or guitar, if you prefer...I would recommend duplicating the voice leading and inversions used in the example for the right hand and playing the root of the chord with your left hand)

Day 2: Play the progression in the key of IV

Day 3: Write out the progression in the key of vi and play it (using the same numerals, but changing the qualities as appropriate for minor vs. major). Does the progression sound as good in minor as in major? If you'd like to change a chord or two to be more to your liking, you may.

Day 4: Play the progression in the key of ii.

Day 5: Play the progression in the key of iii.

Day 6: Play the progression in the key of V.

Extra fun: improvise your own melody over the harmonic progression....go nuts!

So, these little exercises will quickly take you through a lot of keys and force you to think in 5ths and in absolute note names....which is hard at first, but will absolutely make it easier to think in one key. Enjoy!

And now for something different...

Hello Solfa Scholars!

One of the main bright spots in my week this semester is participating in an early music sight-reading group on Wednesday mornings. It's really fun! There's a group of five students and a faculty facilitator (who is quickly becoming one of my very favorite people), and we've been singing lots of super-cool early Renaissance pieces, causing me to feel newly inspired by and interested in this wonderful period in music history. So, I'd like to share some of this great stuff with all of you!

Rising Level 2's

For the first two days, look at Ottman 16.80. On day 1, work through the rhythm and locate the place where you will need to use a "fi"...isolate it and sing through it (hint: if you're having trouble singing that spot, switch to C-do for two measures or so....that "do'-ti-ti-la-do'" figure is highly characteristic of this era, and is called a Landini cadence...you may remember it from your music history classes). On day 2, sing through each voice part.

For the next two days, look at Ottman 20.25 and 20.26. Before you tackle these, look at the text under "Section 2: Composed music" to know what to do with the sharps above the staff...they do indicate that you should sing those pitches as sharps, so definitely do so. You may choose to sing mm. 5-6 of 20.25 in G-do, and 20.26 is easier than 20.25, so you may want to do it first.

Finally, choose any of these pieces and work through the rhythm. If you feel inspired, sing through them as well....notice the composer's name. Yup, you guessed it -- he's the guy with the cadence.

Rising Level 3's

Using this piece, accomplish the following tasks:

Read through one voice part per day for the first three days (the piece is essentially in 9/2, and I would advise alternating between D-la and A-la solfa, depending on what seems to work better on a phrase-by-phrase basis).

Then, analyze the verticalities created between the top voice and the middle voice one day, and the verticalities between the middle voice and bottom voice the next.

Finally, look for the vertical sonorities of all three voices. In particular, take note of the cadences -- how they are approached, and what sonorities indicated a feeling of "finishedness" at this time.

Rising Level 4's

Look at this fun little piece....and yes, this is about the guy with the arrows and tights.

First, keeping track of your tonal center (F/A-flat) will be the key to being able to deal with the accidentals in this piece (mostly fi and di), so look through each part and be able to find the F at the end of each phrase.

Next, learn one voice part a day on solfa for the next 3 days. Notice that there is some sharing and repetition of musical material...

Finally, sing through the parts on words (the bottom two parts are the same, word-wise, so do those two one day and the top voice another day). Ruh-roh! How did Mr. Cornysh do with his text accentuation? It's a leetle funky, no? Do vee seenk zees may be a French influence? And what the heck is a "lemman"? And, hmm...do we detect a poetic/musical form here? Extra points if you can derive it for me, and double extra points if you can tell me whether it is one of the formes fixes of this era.

Enjoy!

Back to the basics...

Hello, solfa darlings!

All Levels: Read my sermonette below, then sing:

Rising 2's: Ottman 10.17, 11.1, 11.13, 11.24, 11.25

Rising 3's: Ottman 12.18, 12.20, 12.27, 12.32, 10.76

Rising 4's: Ottman 14.58 (downward stems), 14.58 (upward stems), 14.55 (top voice - mode?), 14.55 (bottom voice), choose one of the above and sing one part while playing the other or call a friend and sing a duet.

Whew! The second week of the second year of my second graduate degree is hereby complete! I hope all of you are happily off and running in your schools and that there are lovely hints of autumn sneaking into the air in your part of the world.

I hope some of you enjoyed last week's little game...this week, I'd like to revisit some basic tenets of what we do in the Kodaly solfa world. Why, you ask? Because academia wields a two-edged sword in the form of a lot of really smart people with a lot of creative ideas, all jammed together into a fairly compact area. At times, this seems to result in the instructor's desire to get right to the "good stuff" and gloss over the basics -- I'm guilty of it, too. It's fun to swim in the deep end of the pool -- it makes everyone feel really good. But, the truth is that we need to function in the shallows first and be certain that we can keep ourselves afloat in a place where our feet can still touch bottom.

At the fair institution I attend, the theory faculty make use of movable do, but with do-based minor and do-based modes. Probably a majority of departments and colleges of music in the U.S. make use of this system. The logic of this system rests upon the notion that it's best if tonic is always called by the same name, and from a strictly cognitive point of view, this is appealing. However, music education is not a study of ideas only, but a study of how to accomplish musical tasks -- specifically in the aural skills classroom, how to translate sounds into symbols and symbols into sounds. To this end, if we are to make use of a particular system in the process of converting sound-symbol and symbol-sound, I propose that any such system should serve both as an aid to the conversion process and an assessment tool of whether the process happened accurately (both sound accuracy and conceptual accuracy -- i.e., did the student make the correct sounds and did the student show that s/he understood what sounds s/he was making).

In my view, fixed-do will definitely act as an assessment tool from a cognitive standpoint -- if you call the syllable the wrong note name, it means you don't know where you are for sure (however, a singer could use a note name for 3 pitches within a half-step of one another and technically still be using the right name: do = C, C-sharp, and C-flat). However, it does nothing to facilitate the conversion process (half and whole steps must be accounted for aurally/vocally without a change in syllable to indicate this process), nor does it show the student or teacher in an obvious way whether the student is aurally/vocally correct or not.

Movable-do, while being visually more complicated from the outset (a student must know his/her key signatures in order to apply syllables to a given example), simplifies the process of converting symbol to sound and vice versa by using phonetic sounds as cues to the voice, ear, and brain to produce a particular interval relationship. It is true that a student must learn to apply the syllables differently in different keys, but this is a visual difficulty that a student educated in the visually dominated Western educational system can usually overcome with reasonable practice. Additionally, the application of syllables acts as a form of instant analysis of harmonic function in tonal melodies, creating a means for sound and conceptual accuracy assessment.

Do-based minor and do-based modes require the student to assess the tonic of a given example before singing it. Indeed, this is an advantage in several ways -- the "instant analysis" factor of movable-do is equally simple and straightforward in any case under these conditions. However, the conversion of symbol to sound is more difficult vocally in do-based minor and modes because major key tonality syllables must be altered to indicate changes to the whole and half-step scheme of major tonality vs. anything else. These syllables are frequently less vocal (for example, le is a lowered 6th scale degree and la is the regular 6th scale degree, but the vowel for le is brighter than the vowel for la, and from a vocal standpoint, brighter vowel = higher pitch, which is the opposite of the effect the system is trying to evoke) and the fact that they are alterations of the "normal" syllables creates a lesser muscular/verbal allegiance to an altered syllable than to a "normal" syllable.

La-based minor and relative/comparative modes are used far less than the systems mentioned above, in part because they are considered childish or old-fashioned. And, it is true that from an "instant analysis" standpoint, vesting more than one syllable with the power to be the TONIC is more complicated and requires some getting used to. However, by using the key signature as the determining factor for what syllables to apply to which notes, the arrangement of whole and half steps is known to the singer from the outset, which makes the translation of symbol to sound consistently easier regardless of mode (major/minor/Dorian/whatever). And, if the student is as careful to look for the tonic in la-based minor as s/he would have to be to accurately sing an example in do-based minor, cognitive accuracy is also quickly and easily assessed in this system.

The winning argument for me is that children in the United States are trained to use their eyes and the analytical and verbal parts of their brains within an inch of their lives -- both in school and out of school. However, our ears and our voices are typically not nearly so trained, so they require the support of visual, verbal, and cognitive intelligences. Therefore, a system that is more complicated visually, verbally, and cognitively, but less complicated aurally and vocally is what we need to look for to even the score (as it were).

So, that's the story as I see it these days. I don't believe that any system has all the answers, and I do hope I've been fair to all systems in my description of their respective merits and drawbacks. If you feel I've been myopic in some way, I heartily invite discussion. At this moment, I believe the most important thing is to be aware of a system, any system, and to have one's endgame in mind when selecting tasks for students: we are working to raise up the next generation of independent, thoughtful, accomplished, artistically aware, heartfelt musicians, and the most menial of musical tasks is still an important part of their education. Therefore, we move proudly from the known to the unknown, we hold our heads high when we and our students thoroughly understand that which is simple, because we know the truth: the simple is the only real key to the complex. And, despite the fact that I thoughtlessly and flagrantly break his tenets on a constant basis, I will close with a quote from my favorite armchair philosopher, Mr. Frederich William Dietrich (aka my big brother, who has the most German name in world history):

"If you can't say it simply, you don't know much about it."

making up for lost time...

You all will be glad to know that the great technology crisis of 2010 has been resolved here on Otero Place! So yes, I'm a recalcitrant blogger, but I do have some very airtight excuses, and I have dreamt up some fun consolation assignments for all of you (since clearly, I'm sure you all have been inconsolable for the past seven days...wink, wink).

Let us commence with the consolation! Let the healing begin!

I've never done this before, so I'm hoping it works...I'd like to assign some solmization/transcription exercises using the magic of youtube. Please drop me a line if a link doesn't work.

Rising Level 2's

Take a gander at these videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsTk2xp0nvY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI0Q8ytD44Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwE-SLnLkqY&ob=av2e (not G-rated)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkWn69VBslw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6tV11acSRk&feature=related

Solmize as many of these tunes as you can...if you're having a hard time, shoot just for the chorus. Choose one of the five and transcribe it.

Rising Level 3's

Your instructions are the same as the rising level 2's.

Here are your selections:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyV60kTvEFE (one of the sweetest tunes I know)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUadW2eWsKg (don't judge....it's modal!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrxs-ILQPUU (disregard the sentimental skating video...the point is to get the transition from major to minor...but is it relative or parallel?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLQgjEhH400 (sing the instrumental interlude and the chorus)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5dN4OoYdb8 (Rufus rockin' the chromaticism...and celebrating his favorite operatic heroines)

Rising Level 4's

Your instructions are the same, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otx49Ko3fxw&feature=related (because I know how you love the macabre)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y-ey0LrmQI&p=B9021B158E344A75&playnext=1&index=5 (because I know how you love the highbrow....this is two examples in one, because you should solmize the choral melody and also the modulating instrumental melody)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94Ommg4V8mA (because this is my favorite movie ever)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emdM2uX2CWA&feature=fvst (because my teacher made me transcribe it...there are sort of two melodies, so feel free to divide them)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FpUViFxXT8 (because I couldn't have you thinking I didn't want to give you anything profane or potentially offensive)

Week 2: obstacles

Despite technological woes (namely, the apparent comatose state of my computer), we find ourselves bravely forging ahead, gentle solfeggists!

So, given that my current state of affairs has me thinking on resourcefulness and how we as humans and musicians work our way around and through obstacles, I thought it appropriate to choose examples this week that lead you to re-examine some of the tools we talked about a few weeks back. I speak, of course, of tools of the trade that help us with chromatic passages, nasty leaps, troublesome ranges, etc.

Rising Level 2's:
Make chapter 9 of the Ottman your special study this week...V7 and the intervals derived from it, plus other diatonic seventh leaps are the challenge of this chapter. What can you use to help tame these beasties? How about harmonic savvy (and judicious use of the piano to play underlying harmonies), writing in syllables in one or two tricky spots, firm acquaintance with rhythm before you tackle pitches, audiating the dominant and tonic throughout the example, etc. Choose whatever 6 examples you like (1 per day), but at least take a stab at 9.38...it's wicked, but short and beautiful.

Rising Level 3's:
I would like for you folks to tackle some rhythmic exercises in addition to melodic exercises this week. Choose any 3 exercises from 10.65-10.79 and any 3 from 12.50-12.60 (one in alto clef would be fun, don't you think?). Perform the rhythmic duets as a solo performer (either each hand taps a line or speak one line and tap the other) and use the techniques mentioned under the rising level 2's assignment as needed for the melodic exercises.

Rising Level 4's
Look at canons 5, 6, & 7 in the Classical Canons book. Sing through one voice part per day (noting that #5 has one part, #6 has two, and #7 has three) and make observations about the difficulties of each: rhythmic, melodic, harmonic, etc. Be clever in the ways you overcome these challenges, engaging with your renwed acquaintance with music across time to decide what one might expect to discover in canons of this era.

As always, all are warmly invited to ask me for any help or advice you may require. Good luck!

Vivificus totalus!

Hello, solfa adventurers!

Here it goes...my big push to resurrect this here solfa blog...

First of all, I miss you very much! I feel really great about how this year went, and I truly hope that each of you feels inspired by what you learned during your summer studies...and that a week of normal sleeping habits has restored you to feelings of well-being. Yours truly has spent the week teaching music classes for vacation Bible school at my church gig and thereby renewing my admiration for general music and preschool teachers everywhere. I mean, I love three-year-olds a lot, but my pal Katalin Forrai wasn't joking when she said that group music lessons where everyone is basically paying some kind of attention should probably begin at age 4. This is a lesson I've learned and shared multiple times, but interestingly, this does not deter anyone from sending me large groups of 3-year-olds and thinking that's all gonna work out well. Perhaps I involuntarily slip into speaking Sanskrit when I share these pearls of wisdom with the world....oooh, which makes me wonder....

....nope, rats....no Sanskrit application on Google Translate. Crying shame, I tell you...

Ok, ok, back to the matter at hand:

Rising Level 2's
Step 1: Locate your Ottman and your tuning fork....aaaaaggghh, I know, I know, they are probably stowed away someplace where they cannot torment you, but humor me...
Step 2: Look through chapters 6-12 of the Ottman and select 3 examples in C major and 3 in
A minor and write them down on a sticky note (or leave a comment on the blog).
Step 3: Read one a day this week (minus a sabbath of your choosing). That's right, just one measly Ottman a day...in a key with no sharps and flats...just to ease into the habit, to get accustomed to the presence of Mr. Ottman and Ms. Rogers in your everyday lives, and to make sure that you keep up your tuning fork chops. It's like making your bed every day...if you get into the habit, it won't even seem like work after awhile.
Extra credit step: Call my cell phone and sing one example on my voicemail or call a classmate and sing for each other!

Rising Level 3's
Step 1: Locate your Ottman, your Classical Canons book, your tuning fork sheet, and your tuning fork...yes, I know it's painful...
Step 2: From the Ottman, choose 3 examples from any of the following chapters: 16, 17, 20; from the Classical Canons book, choose any 3 canons between #71 and #105. Write them down on a sticky note or leave a comment on the blog.
Step 3: Read one a day this week (minus a sabbath of your choosing). Focus on using the tuning fork to find the key, applying the correct syllable names to the correct notes (this is a crucial step to fluency, and the thing that will get you there is repetition over time), and feeling stable about diatonic pitches...the chromatics will take care of themselves.
Extra credit step: Call my cell phone and sing one example on my voicemail or call a classmate and sing for each other...this would be particularly fun with canons or duet examples, don't you think?

Rising Level 4's
Step 1: Heave a sigh of relief! This is totally just for your personal enrichment!
Step 2: Track down your Bartok xeroxes from the last full day of class
Step 3: Look at Ciposutes...sing through in key-area sections one at a time, using the tuning fork to re-establish the key between sections and check yourself. By the end of a week, see if you can make it all the way through one of the voice parts.
Step 4: Call a friend and sing small sections or the whole thing together...preferably while sipping a glass of something tasty...

Enjoy, and as always, feel free to seek clarification if needed...good luck!!!