Music Notes from December 4

PART 1

Reminder – “OUR cup is white and OUR ale is brown. “OUR cup is made from the old oak tree and OUR ale is made in Kentucky”

David is the only person who sings the first refrain giving us the opportunity to learn it.
Chorus joins refrain after other verses, more enthusiastically each time as we “learn” it better.
Refrain is song twice after last verse.

Jan, Jennifer and Jane sing the first measures alone with everyone else joining in on the second iteration at the end of measure 4 with the pickups to measure 5.
Stage Left and Stage Right singers were not together as we moved to exits. Stop singing as you leave the stage to help with this. Listen to other side singers while you are still on stage.

End of first line: Do not go up to the C of “me” until the first beat of measure 7. There is no eighth note going up to the C at the end of measure 6.
Similarly, at the beginning of the second line, wait until beat 1 of measure 9 to sing the C of “once”.
There is no eighth note going up the C at the end of measure 8.
There is a recording of this version on the website for reference.

Don’t forget the lifts in the middle of lines, ie “Praise the mount;” lift “I’m fixed…” The word is “fount” with a U. Still hearing some “font”.
The band plays once through, we sing once through, then hum once through.
Take a quarter rest at the end of each phrase for breathing, putting the ending consonants on beat two of the measure.
After singing verse do into “hum” right in tempo.
Keep open space in mouth with lips lightly closed for hum.
Hum only once through then stop even though the instruments keep playing.

Turn slightly to connect with other sections on stage when you have “duet” moments with them as we practiced in music rehearsal. Listen for band – Matt will take some freedom with beat in some of his interpretation.
Measure 37 through 40. Make sure you are listening to ensure Soprano/Tenor entrance at end of measure 40 is together.
Measures 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51 and 53. Sing fully through the first note of each measure, crescendoing into the next note.
Altos: Make sure you’re secure on pitches for last 2 notes of measure 41 into measure 42 “-va-tion’s sto-ry”
Tenors/Basses: Measures 46 through 48. In addition to the notes rising up the scale, crescendo through the phrase “home to that good land”
Sopranos: Measure 49. Soprano 2 – sing the work “to” on beat 3 (with ATB) and crescendo a bit to support Soprano 1 as they sing “to on the half beat
Know which sections are in duets with each other, really pay attention to staying together.
Second sopranos: check the rhythm in measure 49 – it’s half note, quarter note, two eighths – different from the first sopranos.
Altos: Measure 51: remember the word “me” is on beat 3 (with TTBB)
Placement of mms: Measure 36 – change from “come” to mm on beat 1 as Matt sings “go”. Measure 51: change from “come” to “mm” on beat 3. Measure 56: change from “home” to “mm” on beat 3.

Bells – during Jan’s chant, there can be a bit more random tinkling as she ends each phrase.
At end of Jan’s final “alleluia” the chiming bells come in right away.
Final chord with bells shaking can be longer.
Also tinkling bells do not have to cut off at the same time…it’s fine if some carry over a bit.

4 part version: Measure 3 “We’ll tak a RICHT GUID WILLIEWAUGHT” not “a cup o’ kindness”
Some people are singing “here’s a hand” instead of “there’s a hand.” Note that this is a change from what is in the printed music.

This is unison with bagpipe, not 4 part version. And remember the melody goes up in measures 7 and 15, not down as in other versions. There is a recording of this version on the website.