Greetings, dear solfeggists!
I'm safely through my last first week of classes as a graduate student, and the part about safe is more important to me than usual. Why? Well, there's been a little weirdness afoot in my life, and I think I've had an indirect hand in it, but I'm not entirely sure how to reverse it....or if I want to.
You see, for much of the holiday break, there was a fair amount of hand-wringing going on around my house about the future. Theoretically, I only have to start worrying about the future in earnest if I really pull myself together and graduate like I'm planning to, so I could put those worries off. However, I've reached that point of needing to graduate for the sake of my sanity...a hundred miles of driving for every school day simply can't continue indefinitely. So, over break I realized that means I need a plan, and I need it sort of immediately, and I drove myself up the wall for a week or so worrying about what the plan was going to entail. Then, once I got good and exhausted from that, I changed my tune. Nobody can control the future -- it'll be what it'll be, and I can get myself as ready as I can be, but I can't control it. I can look for jobs, apply for jobs, make my CV look like a million bucks, ask everyone I've ever met for letters of recommendation, and put together the best conducting video known to humankind, and I still won't be able to control the future. So, I started saying to the Universe:
Look....I'm throwing myself on your mercy. I'm scared, but here we go.
And, after the last week, I'm not sure I can recommend this course of action if what you want is peace of mind, but I can definitely recommend it if you're looking for some excitement. Of course, there's no way to say for certain that my change in perspective has caused any of this, but suddenly things are moving in quite an unusual way, quite an unexpected way, and I'm not comfortable with it, but I'm too curious about it to dig in my heels. I still can't control the future, and the future is now looking a lot more open than I expected just a few weeks ago. For the first time in a long time, it looks like an adventure instead of a series of bills I have to figure out how to pay or deadlines I have to meet. And really, it only took a week of strangeness, just a few odd incidents to shake me into this renewed perspective. I don't know what's going to happen. I know a few things have started to happen that I didn't expect, and if they can blindside me like that, just about anything else could follow. I'm only writing my own lines in this script, and there's no way of knowing for sure what anyone else will do or say or what their timing will be like. So, we have to improvise, roll with the punches, keep the center of gravity low...and realize that we are at the mercy of a lot of forces we don't control or fully understand.
In the midst of all of this, we can be especially grateful that we are musicians. Why? Well, we are bearers of a tradition that has bequeathed us the best kind of toolkit for dealing with chaos and unpredictability: beauty, and the knowledge that it is fleeting.
All Levels:
I can't think of a better example of this than Bach, a musical Rumpelstiltskin par excellence....the man not only knew how to seize a moment, he could spin a simple tune like this one (about the beauty of the morning star) into a masterpiece like no one else:
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Scores/BWV001-V&P.pdf
Begin with the chorale at the end of the piece (p. 41). Sing through each part in solfa, paying particular attention to the soprano melody. Notice the form of the tune (you must take the repeat). If you're a rising level 3, you may recognize it from the duet in Cantata 37 from a few weeks back.
Memorize the melody....believe me, it's worth keeping in your mental library.
Now, go back to the beginning of the piece and sing the soprano part of the whole piece. Does it look/sound familiar? How does this part function in relationship to the other three voice parts, both in terms of form and texture? Do the parts come together homophonically at any point? If so, why do you think it happens there? You may want to refer to the text translation in order to answer that last question.
Tackle as many of the other voice parts in the opening movement as you feel able to deal with. There is definitely some flirting with other key areas going on, but Bach doesn't stray too far.....why do you think that is?
If you found all of that reasonably easy, do a Roman numeral analysis of the final chorale and compare it to the key areas visited/referenced in the opening movement. Is there any correspondence?
My friends, embrace the beauty around you -- in the morning star, in the stark beauty of winter, in your lives and the lives of other people. We don't know what's going to happen. But, we have what we have right now.
Showing posts with label Bach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bach. Show all posts
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Bit by bit
Greetings!
It's the first post of 2012, my friends, and I've proclaimed this the year of "One _______ at a time." As in:
Q. How do you eat an elephant?
A. One bite at a time.
Q. How do you finish a doctorate?
A. One project at a time.
Q. How do you improve your musicianship?
A. One practice session at a time.
There's more, but you get the picture. You see, January has felt pretty heavy so far, in part because I'm such a future-tripper. You can probably guess what future-tripping is (I'm borrowing the term from a friend of mine, who wisely advises against it....against future tripping, that is) -- living in some imagined reality that hasn't happened yet and is based on all manner of predictions, assumptions, words we've put in other people's mouths in imagined conversations that have yet to take place, etc. When I choose to live in this kind of projected reality (a choice I usually don't realize I've made right away), I take on burdens that aren't yet mine to carry...which frequently results in mental exhaustion.
Just to be clear, I don't mean that planning ahead is a bad idea, nor do I think that flying by the seat of one's pants (under the supposed banner of "living in the moment") is the way to reach one's goals. I believe in long-range planning, in setting out a course and following through. But, while looking toward the future is one thing, a good thing, living in it rather than the present is a one-way ticket to stress and frustration. We are best equipped to move toward the future when we live in the present. This isn't easy, and I haven't met many people who can do this consistently without ongoing reminders. I know I can't. I generally have to wear myself to a frazzle with worry before I realize why everything seems so hard -- and it's usually because I'm trying to do everything at once and worry about everything at once instead of taking it one day and one project at a time.
The applications to solfa are pretty obvious. In fact, this philosophy is a big part of the motivation behind this blog: nobody undergoes a total transformation of their musical abilities in a three-week summer session, no matter how intense. So, I encourage you to work incrementally and consistently throughout the year, and if you do it, you'll get better. I don't know this because I can see the future. I know it because it happened to me, and I've watched it happen to others, bit by bit.
So, let's tackle a biggish piece of music and take it on a little at a time:
Rising Level 2's
Look at this piece:
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Scores/BWV037-V&P.pdf
Scroll down to page 23 and look at the chorale.
First, look at the melody. Despite the key signature, I'd advise you to begin in D major. After the first fermata, A major should work well. Sing through the melody a phrase at a time, then all the way through. Sing it through a few times, until it starts to really feel like a melody to you.
Next, look at the bass line. Lest your eyes go buggy with looking at all the accidentals on the page, realize that D-sharps are "di" in the first phrase only, and "fi" thereafter. C-natural is "ma" & it only happens in that little chromatically descending passage. All the other accidentals are either for courtesy or a return to regularly scheduled programming. Sing it through a few times, until you can follow the melody line out of the corner of your eye while you sing it.
Alto and tenor are next on the agenda, whichever you'd rather sing first. The alto line is pretty challenging to begin in D, so experiment with A, and possibly also E minor (remembering to call the C-sharp "fi" if you sing in E minor). Notice all the non-harmonic tones Bach uses...in my opinion, their artful placement is really what separates an A+ four-voice part-writing assignment from truly beautiful music.
Once you get through all four voices, call up a friend and sing through two at a time. Or, sing one and play another. Or, if you'd really like to warm the cockles of my heart, get a quartet together and sing through all four parts together!
Rising Level 3's
You'll be working from the same piece, but you'll start on page 9.
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Scores/BWV037-V&P.pdf
First, the rhythm....you see, J.S. Bach sometimes used a kind of shorthand when notating complicated rhythms in compound meter. Sometimes this shorthand leaves some room for interpretation, and this piece has several incidences of that. With few exceptions (and I challenge you to find them), if you think of the dotted quarter as being the beat, but a beat that can sometimes be divided into two equal eighths instead of three, you'll be fine.
Next, look at one voice at a time -- it might be good to start with the one that sits most easily in your voice (octave exchanges are acceptable). Notice that both voices begin somewhat simply and become more elaborate as the piece continues. I stay in D major the whole time for both voices.
Once you have a handle on one voice, switch to the other. If you run into a strange rhythmic snag, see if you can use the other voice to help you decide what to do.
Notice the patterns Bach used in the melismas....they're a lot less predictable than Handel, are they not? It's tricky to get them to sit in the voice....I'm in the middle of learning that the hard way (I'm singing the soprano part in a concert on Jan. 21...say a little prayer for me!).
Rising Level 4's
You, too, will be drinking at Bach's musical font, but you'll start with the opening movement -- the choral bits begin on p. 2.
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Scores/BWV037-V&P.pdf
Because you all are advanced, I'll leave the key changes up to you.
Begin with the bass voice, and only go as far as Rehearsal B to start with. Then, look at it in relation to the tenor, alto, and soprano voices. Is this a strict fugue? Why or why not?
Cover the ground from Rehearsal B to C next, beginning with the soprano voice this time, and going through the same comparative process.
Finally, work from letter C to the end, again using comparison as you go to help you navigate each line with information from the other lines.
If you like, use the alto/soprano duet at Rehearsal C as a sing/play, and if you had fun with that, do the same with the tenor/bass duet that follows.
Enjoy, my friends, and remember to take it one little bit at a time!
It's the first post of 2012, my friends, and I've proclaimed this the year of "One _______ at a time." As in:
Q. How do you eat an elephant?
A. One bite at a time.
Q. How do you finish a doctorate?
A. One project at a time.
Q. How do you improve your musicianship?
A. One practice session at a time.
There's more, but you get the picture. You see, January has felt pretty heavy so far, in part because I'm such a future-tripper. You can probably guess what future-tripping is (I'm borrowing the term from a friend of mine, who wisely advises against it....against future tripping, that is) -- living in some imagined reality that hasn't happened yet and is based on all manner of predictions, assumptions, words we've put in other people's mouths in imagined conversations that have yet to take place, etc. When I choose to live in this kind of projected reality (a choice I usually don't realize I've made right away), I take on burdens that aren't yet mine to carry...which frequently results in mental exhaustion.
Just to be clear, I don't mean that planning ahead is a bad idea, nor do I think that flying by the seat of one's pants (under the supposed banner of "living in the moment") is the way to reach one's goals. I believe in long-range planning, in setting out a course and following through. But, while looking toward the future is one thing, a good thing, living in it rather than the present is a one-way ticket to stress and frustration. We are best equipped to move toward the future when we live in the present. This isn't easy, and I haven't met many people who can do this consistently without ongoing reminders. I know I can't. I generally have to wear myself to a frazzle with worry before I realize why everything seems so hard -- and it's usually because I'm trying to do everything at once and worry about everything at once instead of taking it one day and one project at a time.
The applications to solfa are pretty obvious. In fact, this philosophy is a big part of the motivation behind this blog: nobody undergoes a total transformation of their musical abilities in a three-week summer session, no matter how intense. So, I encourage you to work incrementally and consistently throughout the year, and if you do it, you'll get better. I don't know this because I can see the future. I know it because it happened to me, and I've watched it happen to others, bit by bit.
So, let's tackle a biggish piece of music and take it on a little at a time:
Rising Level 2's
Look at this piece:
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Scores/BWV037-V&P.pdf
Scroll down to page 23 and look at the chorale.
First, look at the melody. Despite the key signature, I'd advise you to begin in D major. After the first fermata, A major should work well. Sing through the melody a phrase at a time, then all the way through. Sing it through a few times, until it starts to really feel like a melody to you.
Next, look at the bass line. Lest your eyes go buggy with looking at all the accidentals on the page, realize that D-sharps are "di" in the first phrase only, and "fi" thereafter. C-natural is "ma" & it only happens in that little chromatically descending passage. All the other accidentals are either for courtesy or a return to regularly scheduled programming. Sing it through a few times, until you can follow the melody line out of the corner of your eye while you sing it.
Alto and tenor are next on the agenda, whichever you'd rather sing first. The alto line is pretty challenging to begin in D, so experiment with A, and possibly also E minor (remembering to call the C-sharp "fi" if you sing in E minor). Notice all the non-harmonic tones Bach uses...in my opinion, their artful placement is really what separates an A+ four-voice part-writing assignment from truly beautiful music.
Once you get through all four voices, call up a friend and sing through two at a time. Or, sing one and play another. Or, if you'd really like to warm the cockles of my heart, get a quartet together and sing through all four parts together!
Rising Level 3's
You'll be working from the same piece, but you'll start on page 9.
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Scores/BWV037-V&P.pdf
First, the rhythm....you see, J.S. Bach sometimes used a kind of shorthand when notating complicated rhythms in compound meter. Sometimes this shorthand leaves some room for interpretation, and this piece has several incidences of that. With few exceptions (and I challenge you to find them), if you think of the dotted quarter as being the beat, but a beat that can sometimes be divided into two equal eighths instead of three, you'll be fine.
Next, look at one voice at a time -- it might be good to start with the one that sits most easily in your voice (octave exchanges are acceptable). Notice that both voices begin somewhat simply and become more elaborate as the piece continues. I stay in D major the whole time for both voices.
Once you have a handle on one voice, switch to the other. If you run into a strange rhythmic snag, see if you can use the other voice to help you decide what to do.
Notice the patterns Bach used in the melismas....they're a lot less predictable than Handel, are they not? It's tricky to get them to sit in the voice....I'm in the middle of learning that the hard way (I'm singing the soprano part in a concert on Jan. 21...say a little prayer for me!).
Rising Level 4's
You, too, will be drinking at Bach's musical font, but you'll start with the opening movement -- the choral bits begin on p. 2.
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Scores/BWV037-V&P.pdf
Because you all are advanced, I'll leave the key changes up to you.
Begin with the bass voice, and only go as far as Rehearsal B to start with. Then, look at it in relation to the tenor, alto, and soprano voices. Is this a strict fugue? Why or why not?
Cover the ground from Rehearsal B to C next, beginning with the soprano voice this time, and going through the same comparative process.
Finally, work from letter C to the end, again using comparison as you go to help you navigate each line with information from the other lines.
If you like, use the alto/soprano duet at Rehearsal C as a sing/play, and if you had fun with that, do the same with the tenor/bass duet that follows.
Enjoy, my friends, and remember to take it one little bit at a time!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Plan A....through Plan Z
Hello, my ever-ready solfeggists!
Well, it's Holy Week. And it's the day after my DMA recital...and I even have photographic evidence!
Needless to say, between 28 verses of "All Glory, Laud and Honor" and the concert yesterday, it's been a whirlwind of a weekend, and there's no slowdown in sight.
In times like these, we make plans and hope that things fall into place. And, sometimes we're lucky and that's what happens -- we're lucky enough (or experienced enough) that Plan A winds up being the plan we use. However, that's not usually the case, and I can tell you honestly that even though last night was a pretty smooth ride as concerts go (thanks in large part to the kindness, flexibility, and skill of my collaborators), there were several necessary deviations from my original Plan A. That being said, it's probably also true that these deviations and changes and adaptations impacted the evening in ways that were visible and invisible, predictable and unpredictable, and knowing what I know now, I think I wouldn't go back and change much, even if I could. Why? Because while I know I could have done a lot of things better and I had to compromise on some things because I couldn't have everything I thought I needed, trading in history for yet another unpredictable future seems both ungrateful and probably ill-advised. The detours and negotiations and maybe even the mistakes led me and all the performers to the exact time/place/action I call "last night's concert", and behold....it was good.
So, in the realm of solfa, let's take an adventure with an old tune....
If you read just the top line (which you may choose to sing starting on "re" or "la"....there are no Bs in the tune, so it's all diatonic either way), this is one of the more well-known Gregorian tunes. It also happens to be one of only four sequences that survived the Council of Trent's liturgical reforms...perhaps the first point earning it its place in music history textbooks.
Now, if you read through this tune and thought to yourself, "Gee, that sounds familiar, but I don't think that's how I know it....", check this out:
That's right...this Gregorian tune, which certainly had its day in polyphonic settings by Catholic composers (look for long notes in order to locate the tune):
...got a new identity as a Lutheran chorale tune, courtesy of Luther himself. Predictably, the guy who took Luther's tune and made Lutheran magic (in the vernacular) with it was our favorite Thurungian genius, J.S. Bach:
http://www.kantoreiarchiv.de/archiv/choir_orchestra/cantata/bach/bwv_4/bwv_4_score_pdf/bwv_4_01a.pdf
And ever since, the tune has had a double life, and people from both Roman Catholic and Protestant denominations associate it with Eastertide.
So, this week, take a little time and read through various parts of its various incarnations. Look for common threads, and look for points of contrast. Hunt down other settings and tell us what you find! Choose your own adventure!
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