Music Notes – December 14

Congratulations! Thank you for your great work last night.  As you noticed, there is a lot of crowding backstage… please find ways to get the heck out of the way.

1. Nova! Nova!
   – SOUND – Chris is very present but Maud is not; do we need to change positioning at all?
   – ALL – keep working on vocal presence and rhythmic energy
2. Nota dance
   – MARGINALIA – please start the intro. for the dance sooner (right after the applause starts to go down at the end of the audience sing)
3. Fanfare/Procession Music
   – ABBIE – I just sent you the scores for what the brass plays for you and Arthur
4. Alle Psallite
   – HANDBELLS – thanks for being there!
5. Edi beo thu
   – DONGMYUNG and MYLA – can to please be on stage and ready to move during the B section of Alle Psallite?  Also, you were too far center (and in the way of the children bringing gifts (thanks for moving) — just make sure that pathway is clear.
   – DONGMYUNG – the playing under verse 2 was just right
   – SL SINGERS – please cheat out to the audience more; especially in verse 2, you don’t need to see me at all.  On verses 1 and 3, try to give me more of the “side eye” (in a good way…)
6. Quant je voi yer retorner
   – ALL – Sing straight out front all the time.  Lots and lots of diction please!!!
7. “Kyrie” from Missa L’homme armé
   – BENCH MOVING SR – can we PLEASE get some props help getting the benches off? I am having a terrible time finding a quick way onto the stage; and several singers just couldn’t get in place before the singing started
   – DONG MYUNG – could you relax the intro. just a bit?
   – TENORS – we are hearing some strain the Christe section… please use falsetto if needed
8. L’homme armé
   – SOUND – Peter’s mic should NOT be on for this song for either the bagpipe or for the singing (I believe that Jackie has already talked to you about this)
   – PETER – Thanks for singing the first part of the repeated section!
9. Abbots Bromley
   – BILL HOFFMAN – I only heard the triangle once… play it a bit more.
   – DONGMYUNG – thank you for starting the music right away
10. Recitation (Part 2, #5)
    – BRIAN and DONGMYUNG – we need you two to get to Peter sooner so that recitation can begin
    – There are only 4 lines from Arthur before this begins:
    ARTHUR
    Through icy lands, Sir Gawain goes,
    Bare cliffs and bitter chill
    And trolls and ogres rage at him
    As him they try to kill.
11. Conditor alme siderum
    – ALL – thank you for the new positioning (did everyone get there soon enough?
    – ELEANORE – can you come to me and enter with me and toll the bell?
    – ALL – we will be working this entrance and exit (with music during the 5:50 call)
    – DOUG – because you are the in the front row singing out, we are hearing your voice individually; could you sing more softly, or, I can try to fix your position on stage (we will work it out
    – CHANTERS – all really nice (sorry about me trying to conduct right at the start); T/B chanters sounded especially great in their new position.
12. Sante Nicholas
    – HANDBELLS – move downstage a bit more so we can hear you (someone had the wrong bell — do we need to put ribbons on the bells or other markings?)
13. Worldes Blis Jig / Entrance into Bercilak’s Court
    – ALL – you are too sedate… make some noise and merriment as you enter
14. Il est né le divin enfant
    – ALL – get the children moving to their place right away (the dance ends and we all get a move on)
    – PETER – you can start the intro. before the children are completely settled; we just need it to start up sooner
15. Dona nobis
    – ALL – please no extra hand movements or conducting from the onstage groups. We have three conductors out front.
16. The Hunt is Up
    – PETER – thank you for the new horn!
17. Plus bele que flor
    – DONGMYUNG and QUAR(QUIN)TET — Gorgeous!
18. J’atendray tant qu’il vois playra
    – ALL – we still need onstage time to just sing this with the instruments with sound (hopefully during the 5:50pm call)
    – BRIAN – thanks for the move… it looked good to me (as long as you were comfortable
    – DONGMYUNG – can you play a bit more fully (just a bit more?)
    – ALL – ensemble is getting better, but small group, your entrance on verse 3 is still tentative (please clarify the entrances)
19. Boar’s Head Carol
    – PRESTON – please remember to invite and lead the audience on every Refrain (you might step forward a bit on the refrains)!
    – VERSE 4 – Boar’s Head, ma-ster (not massss-ster) in last verse
20. Recitation in Part 2
    – MARGINALIA – can you call get into place faster so you are ready to go right after this dialogue:
    GAWAIN: I steel myself to meet my fate— But unbeknownst to all,
    LADY BERCILAK: keeps the Lady’s belt with him— To him no harm befall.
21. Worldes Blis
    – PETER – such wonderful music-making… the emotional arc is right on!
22. Gloria ad modum tubae
    – ALL – could you see me from where I was conducting?
    – PRESTON – could you please avoid interrupting singers toward the end of this song (where the music is more complex)?  You really have the applause after this song to move into place for “The Shortest Day”
23. Sussex Mummers
    – MARGINALIA – I think we want you on stage somehow during this finale.  I need to consult with directing about how/when to get you there.
24. Curtain Call Music
    – BRASS/MARGINALIA – There is a call at 6:10 to practice the music for the curtain call..