Ah, Monday.
Here we are, two weeks away from traveling and performing. Great things happened last week, including fantastic progress on Gaude Virgo and the smaller ensemble pieces. Near the beginning of this project, I discovered a wonderful resource that I am just now getting around to sharing.
The people over at The Josquin Research Project have compiled an AMAZING database of works by Josquin and others of his time, digitized them, and made them available here.
This has been extremely handy for a quick check against the NJE for ficta and pitch issues as well as notational discrepancies. Since many of our editions have either come from cpdl or were created by me, this database has been a very useful tool!
I'm thinking this week of having the ensemble do some broad listening of Josquin. So far, they have been doing very specific "deep" listening of the pieces they are singing. It might be time for a new approach, especially since I believe it is part of building knowledge of a composer's compositional language. I look forward to their insights!!
Monday, February 25, 2013
Sunday, February 17, 2013
What a WEEK! (or TGIS...Thank God it's Sunday)
Last week was a picture of insanity. I'm glad it's over and I know everyone else is, too. With a Chorale/Chamber concert, Valentine's Day, the NATS competition, and illness...well, let's just say it was challenging. A few key things happened, though....
1. The full ensemble rocked some Josquin-inspired improv in our Friday under-the-library rehearsal.
2. I realized that the singers would have an easier time with the French text if I recorded myself speaking through it. (Why I hadn't thought of this before is still a mystery to me)
3. Our performance itinerary was completed!
4. I created this brochure outlining our project which can be used the spread the word about upcoming performances.
All good things! We still have to schedule some Greensboro performances, including a pre-tour run through and post-tour concert so be on the look out for our local times and locations.
1. The full ensemble rocked some Josquin-inspired improv in our Friday under-the-library rehearsal.
2. I realized that the singers would have an easier time with the French text if I recorded myself speaking through it. (Why I hadn't thought of this before is still a mystery to me)
3. Our performance itinerary was completed!
4. I created this brochure outlining our project which can be used the spread the word about upcoming performances.
All good things! We still have to schedule some Greensboro performances, including a pre-tour run through and post-tour concert so be on the look out for our local times and locations.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Rehearsal Recap and Random Improv
Last week's rehearsals were very productive! The sextet made good progress on both Petite camusette and Baises moy. Incidentally, whenever I hear the Renaissance pronunciation of "moy" (moi - say mway instead of mwah) I immediately think of the few days I spent in Briançon, France, where the hip French people all pronounced "oui" with the same, laid back diction. ("way" instead of "wee"... but say it in a cool way. Perhaps while riding some kind of motorcycle on your way to go ski in the neighboring town of Montgenèvre) Two totally different words and two totally different time periods, I know. But same, awesome sound in my head!
Although I had to be absent from the quartet rehearsal on Saturday due to the Winston Salem Symphony Chorale performance of Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe (anybody see a French theme going on here?), all reports were positive. They sent a recording of Mille regretz that showed good progress and highlighted some difficulties that we will address together this week and mentioned rehearsing Tant vous aimme as well, which is a beautiful, lesser known chanson.
The full group tackled Gaude virgo by splitting into two rooms - one with the guys and the other with the gals - since there is a good amount of duetting voices and sectionalized writing. What a GREAT motet! We made some ficta choices by consulting the NJE and worked on the wicked syncopation in that piece. The altos rocked some three against two challenges and by the end we were able to work out way through the whole thing. After Amanda slipped off to French, we went ahead and ran the Ave Maria just to see how it felt. This was a GOOD DECISION given that we found some key points to rehearse this week. Namely, the entire end after the lovely triple section I posted last time. Whew!
I also began working with my University Chorale here at UNCG on some improvisation which was inspired by reading the work by Stephen Nachmanovitch. This carried over into the sextet rehearsal, where I had the group create improvisational pieces in the style of Josquin. It was really exciting and I plan to do this with the quartet as well as the full group. These improvisations have proven to be a very useful tool in learning to listen and interact as an ensemble. I'm looking forward to doing more and perhaps performing in this way as well!
 |
| Here are a few random pictures of Briançon. I know, I know. It looks medieval. Because it is medieval! But I swear the people were modern and hip and said "oway". |
Although I had to be absent from the quartet rehearsal on Saturday due to the Winston Salem Symphony Chorale performance of Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe (anybody see a French theme going on here?), all reports were positive. They sent a recording of Mille regretz that showed good progress and highlighted some difficulties that we will address together this week and mentioned rehearsing Tant vous aimme as well, which is a beautiful, lesser known chanson.
The full group tackled Gaude virgo by splitting into two rooms - one with the guys and the other with the gals - since there is a good amount of duetting voices and sectionalized writing. What a GREAT motet! We made some ficta choices by consulting the NJE and worked on the wicked syncopation in that piece. The altos rocked some three against two challenges and by the end we were able to work out way through the whole thing. After Amanda slipped off to French, we went ahead and ran the Ave Maria just to see how it felt. This was a GOOD DECISION given that we found some key points to rehearse this week. Namely, the entire end after the lovely triple section I posted last time. Whew!
I also began working with my University Chorale here at UNCG on some improvisation which was inspired by reading the work by Stephen Nachmanovitch. This carried over into the sextet rehearsal, where I had the group create improvisational pieces in the style of Josquin. It was really exciting and I plan to do this with the quartet as well as the full group. These improvisations have proven to be a very useful tool in learning to listen and interact as an ensemble. I'm looking forward to doing more and perhaps performing in this way as well!
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Quartet Group
Greetings!!
Today the Josquin-Quartet group met for our first rehearsal and we began with Mille Regretz. In preparation for our rehearsal, we worked on our parts separately and listened to the recording Dr. Ott sent to us as well. Upon meeting, we retrieved the IPA for our music from Dr. Ott, wrote it on the board, and then I read the translation aloud before listening to the recording one last time as a group. Then we read through the piece on a neutral syllable and secured a few notes and rhythms.
The element of this piece that presented itself to be most difficult was keeping the rhythmic integrity across the ensemble. To help us overcome that, we set a metronome at 47bpm, which helped us focus on listening more to one another. Afterward, we spoke the text in rhythm and made sure to correct some diction issues, with the help of Dr. Ott. These methods are things that helped really lay a solid foundation for Mille Regretz and have an extremely successful first rehearsal.
Next week the quartet group will meet and add some musical elements to this piece to really make it stylistically beautiful, and work on other pieces led by other members of the quartet. I am really glad and excited to be able to take part in such a great experience. Josquin's music is truly captivating and it is so rewarding to be able to share it with this blog, friends, professors, and peers!
Tune in for more Josquin!
Today the Josquin-Quartet group met for our first rehearsal and we began with Mille Regretz. In preparation for our rehearsal, we worked on our parts separately and listened to the recording Dr. Ott sent to us as well. Upon meeting, we retrieved the IPA for our music from Dr. Ott, wrote it on the board, and then I read the translation aloud before listening to the recording one last time as a group. Then we read through the piece on a neutral syllable and secured a few notes and rhythms.
The element of this piece that presented itself to be most difficult was keeping the rhythmic integrity across the ensemble. To help us overcome that, we set a metronome at 47bpm, which helped us focus on listening more to one another. Afterward, we spoke the text in rhythm and made sure to correct some diction issues, with the help of Dr. Ott. These methods are things that helped really lay a solid foundation for Mille Regretz and have an extremely successful first rehearsal.
Next week the quartet group will meet and add some musical elements to this piece to really make it stylistically beautiful, and work on other pieces led by other members of the quartet. I am really glad and excited to be able to take part in such a great experience. Josquin's music is truly captivating and it is so rewarding to be able to share it with this blog, friends, professors, and peers!
Tune in for more Josquin!
Friday, February 1, 2013
Ancient A Cappella
Just got back from our second full ensemble rehearsal and I just have to say that this group is such a hilarious and fun bunch of singers! And SMART. We worked through the Ave Maria, reviewing things from our first rehearsal and fine tuning timing and rhythm. The edition I chose off of CPDL is good for the notation with its use of breves and a lack of real bar lines, but sometimes the spacing is slightly off within each measure. We're discovering the importance of good rhythmic spacing and having to work a little harder to decipher the rhythm when looking at all four parts at once. It isn't the end of the world, of course, but good to note for the next time I pull out this edition. As we move forward with the piece, our goals will be for each person to expand his/her awareness of their part within the whole and to communicate as an ensemble through body language, eye contact, and phrasing. I also stressed the importance of putting vertical lines in the score where there are rhythmic...um...oddities.
We did all sorts of hilarious things today to help rhythm and pulse. They might not be early music movement approved, but we had a great time. I tried to capture of a video of us acabopping (I am probably spelling that wrong...) in the awesome syncopated parts of this piece, but failed to capture the hilarity (and effectiveness) of the moment. This time. I also may have invoked the spirit of Beyoncé. I think Josquin would have approved.
After working through most of the Ave, we stopped to listen to this recording of the amazing Gaude virgo, and Amanda had to slip off to French class. Kind of appropriate, no?
I'll leave you with a thirty second clip of the triple section in the Ave. This is an excellent beginning to beautiful music making. There are obviously things to work through, but the ease with which these singers are adopting style and musicality in this music is amazing to me. I will email the group our recording of the run through for reflection before our next full rehearsal and look forward to meeting the quartet for chanson work tomorrow!
We did all sorts of hilarious things today to help rhythm and pulse. They might not be early music movement approved, but we had a great time. I tried to capture of a video of us acabopping (I am probably spelling that wrong...) in the awesome syncopated parts of this piece, but failed to capture the hilarity (and effectiveness) of the moment. This time. I also may have invoked the spirit of Beyoncé. I think Josquin would have approved.
After working through most of the Ave, we stopped to listen to this recording of the amazing Gaude virgo, and Amanda had to slip off to French class. Kind of appropriate, no?
I'll leave you with a thirty second clip of the triple section in the Ave. This is an excellent beginning to beautiful music making. There are obviously things to work through, but the ease with which these singers are adopting style and musicality in this music is amazing to me. I will email the group our recording of the run through for reflection before our next full rehearsal and look forward to meeting the quartet for chanson work tomorrow!
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