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Dear singers,
Now that we've seen and experienced all the movements that the chorus is involved in (let's refer to our first few weeks as a "Preview of Coming Attractions"), for the next two rehearsals we will focus on note accuracy and musicianship. Musicianship is defined as everything that can be quantified: intervals, rhythm, tempo, language, and diction. In short, we'll clean things up to prepare for the rewarding work on musicality. We could say that we're cleaning house before the big party!
I hope to complete this satisfying cleanup work on the first three of our choruses next Tuesday. Now I'm sure you've noticed that the different portions of the texts aren't called movements or given numbers, as they are in almost any other choral/orchestral work we're familiar with. It's clear that Dvorak wanted this piece to be considered one long poem—yet he definitely sets various sections apart, doesn't he? So here are the first lines of the sections we'll be working on next week:
- Stabat mater dolorosa p.1
- Eiai mater p.38
- Fac ut ardeat. p.46
While looking at those sections and preparing as best you can, you could advance our work immeasurably by underlining the next-to-last syllable of every word that has two or more syllables. Without fail, that syllable will be the one that we'll lean into! Instantly, if reading the text aloud to someone fluent in Latin (most of your friends, right?), that person will fully understand the text and its meaning. (By comparison, if you pick up a book and read every syllable of English with equal emphasis, the text will turn into a piece of wood.)
We're novices at Latin pronunciation and emphasis while simultaneously learning the notes and rhythms of a new piece; hopefully, after working on musicality, we'll feel much more prepared to make the message beautiful!
May I close by sharing this quote about our time together:
Singing in a choir is a transcendent experience—and there aren't many of those in life. It instills gratitude and bliss without the contortions of yoga or hangovers of alcohol. Singing doesn't just make us feel better—it makes us better people. By singing in a group, we choose to recede for a moment from selfish concerns and pursue harmony with those around us.
Thank all of you so much for pursuing harmony with me this term!
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