Sunday Recording Session is a YES

The Sunday recording session at Bluff Park Methodist is a YES.

Church open at 6:00, be in place at 7:00. Expected length: 90 minutes.

Directions if you need them.

Striving for Excellence

Here's what we'll try to add to our recording today:

Ave Maria:

• Women making the warmest sound we can make, especially at the beginning of the piece. It sounds a little thin.
• Everyone but the sopranos singing with more meter at the beginning. Translation: softer on b. 2.
• Men, more precision on every entrance during the Womens Choir vs. Men's Choir section.
• Pull more on the words "ventris" and "sancta"
• Men, think eighth notes at the "ora pro nobis" part
• Sounding phrases that end with "MMM" or "NNN" more (only a couple of places)
• Sing with emotion on "Sancta Maria". It isn't just a volume, it is a feeling--one of great need and great salvation.

The Three Kings

• I'm hearing a problem with every O vowel--I am hearing a spread sound in the men. Tenors are still slightly under pitch.
• Men must work on these words: SO, TOWN, NO, PLACED, LOOSED
• Men, we can't be too loud on the word "bowed."
  
• The women's incredible E major chord on MEEK must be perfectly reproduced in the men's E major word SAID.
• A woman's voice breaks every time we sing "And kiss the feet of God." I've previously written it off as a once in a lifetime thing but I've heard it on the last three recordings. If your voice does something funny there, don't sing!
• Men, we will strive for a rhythmic release on "This place is fit . . . . here is the rest we need"
• The second time we sing KING at the end, we are dying away too quickly, we need to keep it stronger. I'm going to reinterpret that today.
  

Our work today

The Three Kings
Ave Maria (Busto)
Joshua
Ave Maria (Biebl)[men]
O Magnum Mysterium [chamber singers]

Let's do it again

Choir,

I'd feel better about the recording process if we did it one more time tomorrow. I'm going to keep working on what we have tonight and will post in a little while. For posterity, however, let's do it again at Bluff Park tomorrow at 2:00. There may be a SLIGHT chance that we can't get in there tomorrow, but I will determine that first thing tomorrow. Plan on showing up there unless you hear from me (and check your email tomorrow).

Thanks for today and a wonderful semester.

MP3's of last night

Get them while they are here:

Ave Maria
The Three Kings
Choose Something Like a Star
Jingle Bells

Biebl Ave Maria - Chant for Bass and Tenor

We'll pick solos for the men's "Ave Maria" (Bieble). Here are some examples of how other recorded soloists have done the chant lines.

Bass:
Example 1
Example 2

Tenor:
Example 1
Example 2

Final Exam for Concert Choir

Our choir covers two class periods: 1g and 2e.

Exam times for each of these sections:

Section 2E, 5Q Thursday, December 14 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Section 1G, 6D Friday, December 15 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Plan on attending both exam periods at Bluff Park Methodist Church at 2:00 p.m. We'll begin right at 2:00 and dismiss by 3:30 p.m.

We Will NOT Meet at Bluff Park Tomorrow

Take note:

We will NOT meet at Bluff Park tomorrow but will meet back at UAB. The church has another function (All State Auditions, I think).

Recording Session Thursday @ Bluff Park Methodist

A reminder to Concert Choir:
We have a recording session Thursday at 2:00.

Location: Bluff Park Methodist Church

Church website

Directions to church