Vivaldi for Treble Voices – Selections from Magnificat – Antonio Vivaldi, ed. Janet Galvan This is a wonderful transcription of the solos found within the “Magnificat” by Antonio Vivaldi. I have performed this edition with choirs of all ages and it presents a challenge even for collegiate choirs. Here are some suggestions to keep in mind as you rehearse: 1. Et Exultavit (Unison) – This is a unison piece, so we’ll be working on achieving a unified, well blended sound. The tessitura (singing range) is a bit high, so we’ll need to work on supporting with the breath and using open, lifted vowels with the Latin text. There is a Word‐for‐Word Translation in the front of the music which will be very helpful as you rehearse. There is also a pronunciation guide listed, but it is in International Phonetic Alphabet format. Hopefully, your teacher can help you as you use this guide. The first movement is really broken up into three main vocal sections: meas. 8 – 17; meas. 21 – 34 and meas. 39 – 51. In the first section, the first 3 eighth notes should have a feeling of “forward motion” leading to the first beat of the top of page 4. On the word “spiritus,” be sure that you approach the leap of the 4th (the interval from “vit to spi”) and all subsequent upward moving intervals from above, always keeping a lifted, open feeling in the tone. On meas. 11, there will be a little feeling of crescendo on the tied note. You can take a little quick breath in meas. 12 on the tied note. That is the only place to breath in this whole first section. Be sure that on “De‐o” and “me‐o” – that you do NOT sing the English “O” sound with the diphthong (“Oh+oo”). Rather, sing the syllable without the diphthong, leaving the “oo” at the end of the syllable off – it should be pronounced more like “Deh‐aw” and “Meh‐aw.” Also, in movement 1, “dicent” is pronounced as “Dee‐chent” using a “CH” sound. In the second section, place a little crescendo on meas. 22 on the dotted quarter note and those dotted quarters throughout this section. There is a little quick, “catch breath” in meas. 25 at the comma (,) after the first “beatam,”. Be sure to lean into the first quarter note and then back off the second quarter note in meas. 27. You may take a little breath on the FIRST tied note on meas. 30. NO TRILL will be sung on beat 4 of meas. 33. In the third section, meas. 39, the “mi‐hi” should be pronounced as “mee‐kee” and the “gn” of “magna” should be pronounced the same way that you say “onion” like “mah‐niahm.” Be sure to approach the “high f” in meas. 41 from above, using a ‘modified, more open, “eht.” Use the same technique in meas. 42. In meas. 46 and on all the sixteenth notes, strive to sing very precisely and cleanly (almost with a staccato, separated style). On meas. 51, we WILL take the CUED notes (the small d, c, and b flat). Will There Really Be a Morning? – Craig Hella Johnson This is an absolutely beautiful setting of the text by Emily Dickinson. I love the melody of this piece and I think that you’ll find that it really feels good to sing it. We will be working on beautiful, long, legato lines with pure, open vowels and a lovely connected tone which is supported by the breath. There is a little breath in meas. 10 at the (?) and meas. 12 as well, however, there is NO breath after “mountains” in meas. 14. The lines are long and “arched” with a bit of crescendo in the the middle of the phrases. We will emphasize words such as: “will there REA‐ly be a MOR‐ning,” etc. On meas. 17, we’ll start the phrase out with a pure, lifted sound, trying not to stress the “r” but rather, singing with a feel of the lifted “oo” sound on the word, “MOR‐ning.” Again, diphthongs such as “Lie” are very important and we’ll sing the first part open and pure as in: “LAH‐ee”. On page 4, the second part enters and we must LISTEN and TUNE the intervals. We will adhere to the “rallentando” in meas. 33, so be sure to WATCH as we slow down on “feathers” and then go back to the original tempo on “like a bird.” Be sure to watch carefully again on page 5, meas. 7 – also be sure to sing the decrescendo. At meas. 39, we’ll be sure to sing an “open, yet supported” “piano” dynamic level. Also note that the ALTO has the MELODY here. The soprano is singing the descant! On page 6, we’ll pick the tempo up a little bit and still give special attention to tuning and to the diction. Be sure that the triplet figure is always steady and even! On page 7, each statement of “Morning" is softer – mp – pp. On page 8, the eighth note stays the same, so don’t let the dotted quarter confuse you…just feel the same pulse of the eighth notes….I’ll conduct this part in 2, so it shoudn’t present a problem for you. Also, at meas. 70, please note the little BREATH MARK!!! Watch, before singing the last word – I’ll cue you for that word. Sanctus – Rupert Lang This is such a fun and cool piece. It sounds very Spanish, but it really is not…only the accompaniment and the rhythm gives it a Spanish flare. The first entrance will be ALL VOICES on the second line ONLY (Meas. 9). Be sure to note the crescendo at meas. 12 and the decrescendo at meas. 16. At Meas. 17, we’ll sing in two parts (Sop/Alto) as written. We’ll work for a full, open, round tone on “Ho‐ly” without “spreading” the second syllable. Just try to keep the lips more forward – keep the shape of the “OH” as you sing the “EE” of “Hoh‐LEE” so that the sound is round and rich. All vowels are open and full – “God” = “GAHD.” On the word “GlOH‐RY” – sing the “REE” sound the same way that you sang “Hoh‐LEE” with the lips more rounded so that the tone is more open and not “spread.” Be sure to pronounce “Hoh‐Sah‐nah” and “HAHee‐ehst” – long, pure vowels! The whole first section is slower and very connected and legato. However, on page 3, EVERYTHING CHANGES! At the bottom of page 5, this is the way that we’ll enter the voices:  First time – All Voices sing line 1  Second time – All Voices continue to sing line 1, but Soprano II, sings line 2.  Third time – Soprano I continues to sing line 1 again, Soprano II singes line 2 and Altos sing line 3.  On the fourth time EVERYONE REPEATS what they did the third time. On the next page, this is exactly how everyone will enter on the clapping:  First time – Everyone claps line 1  Second time – Everyone claps line 1, Sop. II claps line 2.  Third time – Soprano I continues to clap line 1, Soprano II continues to clap line 2 and Altos clap line 3.  On the fourth time EVERYONE REPEATS what they did the third time and the piano drops out! So this last time is A cappella!  The piano enters at 51 and plays 4 measures and then repeats from 51. All voices enter at 55 in UNISON. We then go to 2 parts at meas. 59 and then at meas. 63, we ALL sing the bottom line (FULL CHORUS) which is in 3 parts. We will audition for a small group (about 8 on a part).  This SMALL GROUP will then step up and sing line 1 – ALL SMALL GROUP;  Second Repeat – ALL SMALL GROUP sings line I, but Sop II sing line 2,  Third Repeat, the Small Group Sop I sing line I; the Small Group Sop II sings line 2; the Small Group Alto sings the 3rd line,  Then on the fourth time, the Small Group REPEATS ONCE MORE what they did the 3rd time and then go to the second ending. NOTE: During the SMALL GROUP, the FULL CHORUS (everyone else) continues to sing the BOTTOM LINE in 3‐parts. So, the following will occur:  FULL CHORUS (Everyone) will actually sing meas. 63 – 66 a total of 5 times.  SMALL GROUP SOP I will sing LINE I a total of 4 times.  SMALL GROUP SOP II will sing LINE 2 a total of 3 times.  SMALL GROUP ALTO will sing LINE 3 a total of 2 times. I know that it sounds confusing, but it is really easy and you’ll have a great time singing this piece! Also, because we use clapping, there will be NO MUSIC USED in this piece. Hopefully, we won’t use music for anything! In Time of Silver Rain – Victor C. Johnson This is a rather new composition and my choir LOVED it when they sang it last year. The text is beautiful and is by the American poet, Langston Hughes. It speaks of the renewal of life – from the spring rain, comes beauty and life. Emphasis will be on legato line, pure diction and phrasing. Consonants are very important so that the text is understandable at all times by the listener. Pay careful attention to the crescendos/decrescendos within the phrases. The first verse starts out Unison in C MINOR with an almost sad, melancholy sound. On page 4, the melody occurs again, but this time all 3 parts are involved and the harmony is really lovely. On page 5, there is more motion/movement at meas. 25, so be ready to move the text and the line forward – almost like speaking the text. This whole section leads to meas. 32 and 33 which moves the next statement of the melody to the key of E flat MAJOR (the relative major key of C Minor for those who have studied music theory!) and the whole “feel” of the piece changes and becomes more joyful and hopeful – almost like from the sadness comes joy! Please be secure on all parts on this piece! IT IS VERY IMPORTANT that you can sing your part INDEPENDENTLY! There is a “coda” section which moves toward the fermata and the forte statement of “silver rain” at meas. 46. Immediately afterward, there is a slowing, and quiet ending of the “silver rain” statement. A Girl’s Garden – by Randall Thompson Diction, Diction, Diction! He Never Failed Me Yet – by Robert Ray, arr. By Drew Collins This is a wonderful arrangement of Robert Ray’s gospel song, adapted for treble voices by Drew Collins. We will work for a rich, full tone. Dr. Anton Armstrong calls it a “Motown Mamma” sound! So what I would like is the best junior high version of that we can get!  At the beginning, we’ll even allow a little “sliding” on the pitch for the word, “sing” and will crescendo this each time it occurs. Start the phrase with an open “AH” on “I will sing..” working to keep the vowels long and open. Note the dynamic contrasts on page 3 (forte – piano‐forte)! On page 4, there is a repeat back to the first page. The second time, we continue meas. 22 (Solo 1st time). We’ll use 2 solos or at 2 least small groups on each of the verses (bottom of page 4 – middle of page 6). I’d like to use solos…we will be limited in time for solo auditions, so if there are girls who can sing in gospel style and would like to prepare this with your teacher to sing for me, that would be great. Each of these should be sung with a distinctly “soulful” sound, but with good pitch! I don’t know if we’ll have a microphone available, so that must be considered as well. Solos ‐ Be careful to give the full value to the triplets at the top of page 6. ALL VOICES enter at the bottom of page 6 and on the top of 7, the first time through, go back to the beginning! (Note, we will not do a repeat of the beginning as we did the first time, so go directly to the 2nd ending for the Solo (2nd time). After the second solo (meas. 36), go to the CODA and we’ll use the same articulation as on the first page. The little solos at the top of 4 and at the top of 9 will either by sung by a soloist or a small group as well. On Page 10, at meas. 55 ‐56, we’ll do 2 times piano (f – mf with claps on beats 2 and 4), then 2 times a cappella (mp – p) finger snaps here; then 2 more repeats (with claps)with piano (Forte), moving directly into meas. 57 (Trust and never doubt… stop claps here!)to the end. We will definitely take a rit. on the final two measures! That’s it! You’ll love this one, I think!