Hello Cantemus,
I just spent TWO HOURS working on this stupid Chrome Book, gathering tips, writing tips, and linking sites for you to practice F major and A-flat major,.
SOMETHING HAPPENED - either my palm touched the pad or something? and everything suddenly clicked out - I wound up back at the log-in screen.
Two hours of dedicated labor has been irretrievably lost, and it is too late to go to campus and repeat this on a real computer.
I ask you for your pardon. I had intended to have these things ready for you yesterday.
I will post a bunch of material tomorrow (Monday) from a real computer.
In the meantime!
First - using keyboard app or regular keyboard, find and play the major scale whole/half step pattern beginning on C, F, and A-flat.
Reminder: W W H W W W H
Do to Re - whole step
Re to Mi - whole step
Mi to Fa - half step
Fa to Sol - whole step
Sol to La - whole step
La to Ti - whole step
Ti to Do - half step
Do spend a few minutes writing out, playing, and singing solfege for the keys of F major and A flat major.
You can find scales and key signatures here
SOLFEGE YOUR MUSIC FOR "WALKING" - Leave altered tones (accidentals) blank if you aren't sure how to designate them.
Tenors - familiarize yourselves with bass AND tenor clef.
Basses - you need to know this in bass clef only
INTERVALS - from Do
Do - Re: major 2nd
Do - Mi: major 3rd
Do - Fa: perfect fourth
Do - Sol: perfect fifth
Do - La: major sixth
Do - Ti: major seventh
Do - Do: perfect octave
How many half steps are in the various intervals? You can't always count from Do, yanno - (use piano keyboard to help - remember that you are counting the DISTANCE between pitches)
Examples are given in the key of C major. Ascending and descending intervals are the same size and have the same pitch names (when you're not starting them all from Do, that is! Why?)
Minor 2nd is 1 half step (example, E to F)
Major 2nd is 2 half steps (example, C to D)
Minor 3rd is 3 half steps (example, D to F)
Major third is 4 half steps (example, C to E)
Perfect fourth is 5 half steps (example, D to G)
TRITONE! is 6 half steps (example, F to B)
Perfect fifth is 7 half staps (examples C to G, D to A, E to B, F up to C)
Minor sixth is 8 half steps (example, B up to G, E up to C)
Major sixth is 9 half steps (example, C to A, D to B
Minor seventh is 10 half steps (example, D up to C)
Major seventh is 11 half steps (example, C to B)
Yours in musical enjoyment,
Lee
Sunday, January 29, 2017
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
CHOIR POSSE SUBGROUP UPDATES!!
Monday SubGroup - Bella Voce - update
The voice part tracks for "Birdsong" were put into DropBox on Friday, January 20th. There are 2 tracks: a S1 track and a DOUBLE track with the parts for S2 and Alto. I made a double track because some of you Altos may be singing bits of S2, and vice versa.
Monday SubGroup - Chamber Singers - updates
1. The voice part tracks for "Erie Canal" and "Under the Willow Tree" are not yet in DropBox, but I hope to have them in DB by the weekend. Check DB on Sunday evening, January 29th. You'll have one week from that time to get "Willow Tree" worked out on your own; the first group rehearsal for "Willow Tree" is on Monday, February 6th.
2. We will cover the Mass part music for our February 5 performance at St. Joe's on Wednesday, February 1.
Tuesday/Thursday SubGroup - Chorale - updates"I Love The Lord" (tenors and basses) - remember 2 things for tomorrow'sperformance in rehearsal (Thursday January 26th):
a. am conducting/leading it "in 4" for the time being - HOWEVER! we need to feel this "in 2" beginning as soon as possible. You need to remember that it does not begin on a downbeat! Remember that the music actually begins BEFORE you start singing! it's BEAT I love the / LORD"
b. The key changes are easy as pie when you remember that Do (final pitch before the key change) becomes Mi (first melodic tone) in the new key - keep that in mind and find your new pitch accordingly.
"Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs" - I invite you to sit quietly in a quiet space, cue up the choral recording, and move towards the spirit and message in whatever way you see fit.
Here.
And here.
And here...
Here.
Those who love Chaim Potok's fiction (?) will remember a relevant sub-plot in "My Name is Asher Lev." ("Brooklyn Crucifixion").
I invite you to move more deeply into the "crucifixion" story. What is happening here? Why? And to whom? (the answer to that last question may surprise you - go with what you find).
I like to do etymological searches when I tackle "Big Concept Words" - here are a few, for starters:
sacrifice
paradox
volition
in/justice
burden
suffering
empathy
In search of greater musical and heart-understanding,
Lee
The voice part tracks for "Birdsong" were put into DropBox on Friday, January 20th. There are 2 tracks: a S1 track and a DOUBLE track with the parts for S2 and Alto. I made a double track because some of you Altos may be singing bits of S2, and vice versa.
Monday SubGroup - Chamber Singers - updates
1. The voice part tracks for "Erie Canal" and "Under the Willow Tree" are not yet in DropBox, but I hope to have them in DB by the weekend. Check DB on Sunday evening, January 29th. You'll have one week from that time to get "Willow Tree" worked out on your own; the first group rehearsal for "Willow Tree" is on Monday, February 6th.
2. We will cover the Mass part music for our February 5 performance at St. Joe's on Wednesday, February 1.
Tuesday/Thursday SubGroup - Chorale - updates"I Love The Lord" (tenors and basses) - remember 2 things for tomorrow'sperformance in rehearsal (Thursday January 26th):
a. am conducting/leading it "in 4" for the time being - HOWEVER! we need to feel this "in 2" beginning as soon as possible. You need to remember that it does not begin on a downbeat! Remember that the music actually begins BEFORE you start singing! it's BEAT I love the / LORD"
b. The key changes are easy as pie when you remember that Do (final pitch before the key change) becomes Mi (first melodic tone) in the new key - keep that in mind and find your new pitch accordingly.
Inspiration!
Here.
And here.
And here...
Here.
Those who love Chaim Potok's fiction (?) will remember a relevant sub-plot in "My Name is Asher Lev." ("Brooklyn Crucifixion").
I invite you to move more deeply into the "crucifixion" story. What is happening here? Why? And to whom? (the answer to that last question may surprise you - go with what you find).
I like to do etymological searches when I tackle "Big Concept Words" - here are a few, for starters:
sacrifice
paradox
volition
in/justice
burden
suffering
empathy
In search of greater musical and heart-understanding,
Lee
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
CHBR folk: Pergolesi
WOW, an amazing YT post from Rachel Yonek at FB:
Incredible. Absolutely exquisite. Perfection. We MUST do this with strings. We MUST. MUST.
Natalie Stutzmann - what an amazing musician! http://nathaliestutzmann.com/biography/
Natalie Stutzmann - what an amazing musician! http://nathaliestutzmann.com/biography/
Countertenor P. Jaroussky - interview:
http://www.npr.org/…/philippe-jaroussky-and-the-impossibly-…
http://www.npr.org/…/philippe-jaroussky-and-the-impossibly-…
Soprano Emoke Barath (Hungary) began her musical training with different instruments!
http://www.concertsparisiens.fr/…/em%C3%B6ke-bar%C3%A1th-so…
http://www.concertsparisiens.fr/…/em%C3%B6ke-bar%C3%A1th-so…
Lenten Prayer Concert Materials
Hello, everyone!
Google-fu gems re: SOME of our Lenten Prayer concert repertoire:
Javier Busto Ave Maria (Chbr): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javier_Busto
Transcript of an interview with Javier Busto: http://icb.ifcm.net/en_US/choral-medicine-basque-country-javier-busto/?print=pdf
I Love You, Lord (chbr TB)
Story behind the song: http://staugustine.com/living/religion/2015-02-05/story-behind-song-i-love-you-lord
The King of Love My Shepherd Is - a setting of Psalm 23
in my opinion, the most beautiful English translation of that text is here:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+23&version=KJV
O Love that will not let me go (story behind the song):
http://www.crichbaptist.org/articles/christian-poetry-hymns/poems-hymns/o-love-that-wilt-not-let-me-go-george-matheson/
Surely, He hath borne our griefs
Scripture text is found here http://www.biblehub.com/kjv/isaiah/53-4.htm
Graun: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Graun-Carl-Heinrich.htm
There is a balm in Gilead
Background of the saying: https://www.gotquestions.org/balm-of-Gilead.html
A more musicologically-oriented look at this song: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_Is_a_Balm_in_Gilead
Thy Perfect Love
Diligent net-search did not turn up anything definite re: source of the text - but my guess is that it comes from England.
Here is a lengthy but utterly fascinating article about the religious situation in that country during the medieval period: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Medieval_England
And here's information about the 15th century in general - always good to have a broader context in which to put the music!
http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/266LecN.html - focus primarily on Europe - see Lectures 3 and 4.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_century - However, the world is a lot bigger than Europe! ;-)
Next post: Cheat sheet for Cantemus (Oh what a Beautiful Morning) and more context info for Spring Concert!
Google-fu gems re: SOME of our Lenten Prayer concert repertoire:
Javier Busto Ave Maria (Chbr): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javier_Busto
Transcript of an interview with Javier Busto: http://icb.ifcm.net/en_US/choral-medicine-basque-country-javier-busto/?print=pdf
I Love You, Lord (chbr TB)
Story behind the song: http://staugustine.com/living/religion/2015-02-05/story-behind-song-i-love-you-lord
The King of Love My Shepherd Is - a setting of Psalm 23
in my opinion, the most beautiful English translation of that text is here:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+23&version=KJV
O Love that will not let me go (story behind the song):
http://www.crichbaptist.org/articles/christian-poetry-hymns/poems-hymns/o-love-that-wilt-not-let-me-go-george-matheson/
Surely, He hath borne our griefs
Scripture text is found here http://www.biblehub.com/kjv/isaiah/53-4.htm
Graun: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Graun-Carl-Heinrich.htm
There is a balm in Gilead
Background of the saying: https://www.gotquestions.org/balm-of-Gilead.html
A more musicologically-oriented look at this song: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_Is_a_Balm_in_Gilead
Thy Perfect Love
Diligent net-search did not turn up anything definite re: source of the text - but my guess is that it comes from England.
Here is a lengthy but utterly fascinating article about the religious situation in that country during the medieval period: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Medieval_England
And here's information about the 15th century in general - always good to have a broader context in which to put the music!
http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/266LecN.html - focus primarily on Europe - see Lectures 3 and 4.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_century - However, the world is a lot bigger than Europe! ;-)
Next post: Cheat sheet for Cantemus (Oh what a Beautiful Morning) and more context info for Spring Concert!
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
(insert Star Trek BOLDLY GO theme music)
Hello everyone, and welcome back to the continuation of Flight 2016-17, Winter Quarter!
After a fabulous Christmas concert, we went our separate ways for a brief shore leave, only to reconvene and recombine for our next event: Lenten Prayer!
Saturday - March 4, 2017 - 8 p.m. St. Ignatius
Tell ALL of your friends! Begin inviting people /now/!! We have some wonderful music.
I shouldn't call Lenten Prayer a "concert" - not exactly, not really. It's more of a musical offering or worship concert, offered with no applause before/during/or after. LP provides an hour of engaged listening, contemplation, reflection and meditation. Most of the people who attend LP are Roman Catholics or members of another faith tradition that follows a liturgical calendar. In these traditions, the Ash Wednesday begins a 40-day period (Lent) leading up to Easter (which is always, btw, the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox).
Wikipedia article about Lent.
But not everyone is a R.C. - in fact, not everyone who comes to our LP or ChrC concerts is even "religious."
Our choir is as diverse (perhaps more diverse) as our audiences. Some of our choir folk identify with world faith traditions other than Christianity. Others identify as agnostics, seekers, or atheists. Still others are (in Karen Armstrong's delightful self-identification) "freelance monotheists."
This, I say, is a Very Good Thing.
If you find yourself saying to yourself, "I don't know if I can really relate to the text of this song," think again - look at it from a "macro" perspective. I challenge you to determine the Big Story expressed by the music we're singing. What human needs, aspirations, challenges, experiences, etc. are being explored and expressed in this music? If you think of the texts as "particulars," where and what is the "universal??" What's there for everyone to gather and to find nourishment?
Okay, end of sermon.
And now!
Composer of the Week: William Grant Still (1895 - 1978)
Read about him here at the mighty fount of all knowledge, Wikipedia
His surviving family operates a website with biographical material, sources, and other good things.
Here's a link to what is perhaps his best known composition, "Afro-American Symphony" -
Movement 1 What's happening at the beginning of this movement (form)?
Movement 2
Movement 3 scoring includes an instrument not usually found in symphony orchestras - what is it?!
Movement 4
WGS was a very fine pianist and wrote many wonderful piano pieces.
Here's one: "Summerland."
----------
After a fabulous Christmas concert, we went our separate ways for a brief shore leave, only to reconvene and recombine for our next event: Lenten Prayer!
Saturday - March 4, 2017 - 8 p.m. St. Ignatius
Tell ALL of your friends! Begin inviting people /now/!! We have some wonderful music.
I shouldn't call Lenten Prayer a "concert" - not exactly, not really. It's more of a musical offering or worship concert, offered with no applause before/during/or after. LP provides an hour of engaged listening, contemplation, reflection and meditation. Most of the people who attend LP are Roman Catholics or members of another faith tradition that follows a liturgical calendar. In these traditions, the Ash Wednesday begins a 40-day period (Lent) leading up to Easter (which is always, btw, the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox).
Wikipedia article about Lent.
But not everyone is a R.C. - in fact, not everyone who comes to our LP or ChrC concerts is even "religious."
Our choir is as diverse (perhaps more diverse) as our audiences. Some of our choir folk identify with world faith traditions other than Christianity. Others identify as agnostics, seekers, or atheists. Still others are (in Karen Armstrong's delightful self-identification) "freelance monotheists."
This, I say, is a Very Good Thing.
If you find yourself saying to yourself, "I don't know if I can really relate to the text of this song," think again - look at it from a "macro" perspective. I challenge you to determine the Big Story expressed by the music we're singing. What human needs, aspirations, challenges, experiences, etc. are being explored and expressed in this music? If you think of the texts as "particulars," where and what is the "universal??" What's there for everyone to gather and to find nourishment?
Okay, end of sermon.
And now!
Composer of the Week: William Grant Still (1895 - 1978)
Read about him here at the mighty fount of all knowledge, Wikipedia
His surviving family operates a website with biographical material, sources, and other good things.
Here's a link to what is perhaps his best known composition, "Afro-American Symphony" -
Movement 1 What's happening at the beginning of this movement (form)?
Movement 2
Movement 3 scoring includes an instrument not usually found in symphony orchestras - what is it?!
Movement 4
WGS was a very fine pianist and wrote many wonderful piano pieces.
Here's one: "Summerland."
----------
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)