The target is acquired

We have a mission to present ourselves to the community and perform MASS IN TIME OF WAR by Haydn. We each have a reservoir of talent, desire and commitment that contributes to the proper execution of our concert. This is a truly communal effort in that Jeannine will marshal the forces from the choir, instrumentalists and soloists in the expression of her vision. This invariably promotes the state of anticipation that has the potential to enhance or erode our performance. Will we rise to the challenge, each of us individually? Only by working to woodshed our scores can we insure that the addition of our well practiced, well nuanced, well performed parts will be viable elements that can be fashioned into the brilliant rendition we expect.

Most valuable of all are the reliable voices who have come together to celebrate this endeavor. Just take time to consider the long lonely hours of practice, the dogged determination to secure the proper musical line, the insatiable desire to stand at the front of the altar and sing. This is not a casual, inconsequential feat. It is one that requires both ego and the sublimation of ego. You’ve got to know you can do it, and you’ve got to give up your inner conceit to that of the director. Only together can we achieve the goal the conductor has set for us.

As any faithful leader she will look over her resources and determine how best to proceed onward toward victory. That victory will be the completion of a long road that we have traveled both solitarily and with our director. We have taken the time to learn the notes, study the rhythm, and become aware of the message. Now we wrap everything up with the emotional intensity that will make the music come alive. The reward is great and it is an offering that we make to ourselves, our community and to the universe. This will be an experience that allows us to share the stage with the infinite, with the sublime. Let us all do our part.

When staying in tune embraces rhythmic propulsion

When staying in tune embraces rhythmic propulsion

Some marriages are made in heaven because they result in the best of all worlds. Peace on earth, unbridled bounty, unlimited horizons, and music that transcends the sublime. What can staying in tune do for you? “But I always sing in tune.” is a common refrain from those of us who produce a note that fails to reach its full potential and is flat. Or as Maestro Wagner exclaims, “Flaaaat”. The usual culprit is the third, the bane of the 8 note scale. But any of its neighbors can be susceptible to a lack of energy that fails to raise its vibration to the proper pitch. The root of that force, so desperately needed, is support from the diaphragm. The breath. A good breath will provide the singing system with the motion of the column of air that allows for an accurate pitch. In the performance of any major work the subtle sound matters the most. Not just whether or not the passage is in major or minor, augmented or diminished, but that the tuning of the pitch is rendered as perfectly as possible. MASS IN TIME OF WAR is written by a master composer, Joseph Haydn. It is incumbent upon us to give as faithful a rendition off the page into the universe. It deserves no less.

When we add rhythmic propulsion to the mix we have the makings of a real feast. What exactly is rhythmic propulsion? What can it offer? Look to your heart. The basic beat is found in your body, the pulse created by the beating of your heart that supplies the river of life to the realm of your physical frame. Rhythm is the accent of a line of music and in this piece Haydn has given us a panoply of riches to expound upon. Each is a treasure that can only be revealed by its precise production. It drives the music forward toward the summit of his intention. With the presentation of this concert Jeannine is reaching to bring the Wagner treatment to MASS IN TIME OF WAR by honing in on defined tuning and rhythmic propulsion as the primary elements to release the genius of the music. We can do it when we focus on these factors.