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Hi Everyone,
It's amazing to think that this will be our last rehearsal at Holy Cross! It certainly has its issues: the need to guide a piano in from the sanctuary and back again, the need to set up (and put away) chairs every week, the need for a sound system. We were generously offered the space years ago at the behest of then FCO Soprano section leader Sheila Clausen, who was choir director there. The congregation saw us as part of their community outreach, and in return we helped with their coat drive in the winter and their pancake suppers on Maundy Thursdays. We also helped pay for the utilities, which was a pretty nominal sum. It was on a pancake supper night there that we were informed we'd have to suspend rehearsals for the indefinite future, and the pandemic began to change life for everyone. At that point we were just weeks away from a performance of Schubert's Eb Mass. We finally performed it more than two years later!
The FCO board is currently visiting a number of possible venues, primarily churches, where we can begin rehearsing in the fall. It's an interesting process, and since each venue has benefits and drawbacks, it will be an equally interesting decision to make! We look forward to welcoming you there -- wherever it will be!
In the meantime, we're putting the finishing touches on our Love Concert, and next week's rehearsal will almost be in full concert order. We'll, of course, rehearse everything, still looking for spots that need a bit of fixing.
It's going to be absolutely crucial that you hold your scores up in order to see me. I'll be adding nuances to the Brahms that will add to the understanding and appreciation of each waltz's message and mood, and flexibility is an important part of that. I have long wanted to give you my idea of each waltz's character, because even your tone will be key to communicating what the "speaker's" attitude and situation is. You already do change a lot between movements! But we can do even more. Here we go:
MESSAGE/MOOD TONE
1. Lovers declaring their love and passion Very warm indeed
2. A love-scarred cynic, issuing a warning Cold
3. Males pretending to be annoyed Putting on an act
4. Female alone and bemoaning the fact Longing
5. Describing a woman betrayed Pitying
6..Warning against the chances that love brings Deciding not to risk it, decisive
7. Heartbroken woman speaking Full of strong, tearful emotion
8. Declaration of commitment Warm
9. Adolescent staring at girl he desires Alternating devotion and anger
10. Commentary on the joys of commitment Emotional
11. Fury at gossip Violent
12. Fury continued, with a plan Angrily confident
13. Positive viewpoint about attraction Dreamy
14..Males declaring love Beautiful
15. Lovers asking for physical commitment Ardent
16. Tempestuous memory of pain in love Strong
17. Sweet male in simple adoration Sweet
18. Summary of all love's possibilities Full
And remember: all of these portraits and those of the other composers are enhanced by dynamic markings, which all must be faithfully followed, and the messages conveyed with clear diction: consonant endings, pitched consonants clear. You realize the audience will have only one chance to hear and bask in these messages!
See you on Tuesday,
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