United Singers - Rehearsal Resources
Here you can access the recordings from the United Singers' rehearsals. Please use them, with the official guidetracks, to help you learn your parts for the pieces you've learned in rehearsal. You can also visit the New Essex Choir website and listen to their rehearsal recordings, which may cover different pieces to that which we're learning in our own rehearsals. Just click the turquoise buttons as you scroll through the weeks.
15. Sunday 18th June 2023 JOINT REHEARSAL WITH NEC
14. Sunday 11th June 2023
13. Sunday 4th June 2023
I've listened back to the recordings from our rehearsal today and picked up further things for you all to work on (as well as things I need to check next rehearsal). A general comment with the more modern pieces - please make sure you sing what is on the page and not what you "think" is there as it secures the choral sound. Also make sure you are singing "bright" and not "down" - we need all the vowel sounds to sound pure and clean. Probably the easiest way is to have your folder up more and your eyes and face looking up at the conductor (and the audience behind him!).
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12. Sunday 21st May 2023 (JOINT rehearsal with NEC)
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WIth this piece the most important thing is to be absolutely sure of your entries, particularly when your part comes in at a different time to others in the choir. We worked on pages 8 & 9, particularly, which happens after the two soloists have completed their "bit". Have a listen to the recording for more detail on what we covered.
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Note-wise, this recording proves you know what you are doing as a choir. We did work a bit on dynamics and pronunciation in this recording. However the thing that strikes me most is that generally the overall tonality of the piece is flat. The vowel sounds are pure sounds but are being sung without the brightness that they demand. An example is that the words "Ave Verum" are being sung "down" in many people's mouths when they need to be sung with a little better technique to keep the tuning "up". In this instance consider the words as "uh-veh veh-room". I will work on this next rehearsal. Finally, the "Amen" needs to be FAR better in tune, especially in the Soprano part. Again, consider singing the "Amen" as "uh-meh-n" with NO time spent on enunciating the "m" in the word - get onto the vowel sounds asap.
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This is certainly one of the choirs' favourite pieces in the programme. Generally sung with enthusiasm and verve, this will have the audience toe-tapping. HOWEVER there are still issues with some tuning on the words, "shine", "mine", "light". Most noticeable in the Sopranos as they (a) sing the tune and (b) there are more of them. Consider what I have written for the "Ave Verum". Sing using the pure vowel sounds and make each of those words sound "bright." Eyebrows up, smile a little - and all that....
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We looked at the small rhythmic change in "it's gonna be a bright" for the Soprano line. We also chatted about "keeping on going" into the "oohs" after the bridge section. I also spotted whilst listening that, yet again, the general tuning of the Sopranos was under the note - meaning that I could hear the difference between the voices and the piano. SO- again - remember the vowel sounds, especially when singing diphthongs. Perfect example here is "day" - sing it is as "deh" with a little smile in your mouth and eyebrows up. And FINALLY please remember the repeat section at the end and watch me when we go "slower". Otherwise, this is a pretty good performance.
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This is generally successful. Just make sure you are absolutely sure of the tune - especially the section where the words say "Murie sing cuckoo". That part of the tune seems a little unsure in places. Please also make sure the last "cuckoo" doesn't go flat, particularly in the soprano line. Think bright, aim to sing the "oo" sound out of the top of the head (psychologically) and mate a bright sound. If you all look up at me at the point and not in your books it'll also sound more in tune!
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I could do with a much clearer first word "SPeeD" - it's a little unclear. Sopranos - be careful not to go flat on the long notes - keep your mouths open and still, holding the vowel shape. It was most obvious on "sky" but it happens at the end of many of the phrases, such as "bed" and "head". Also, make sure you know how long to hold the longer notes for - it would help if you were watching me for the timing.
Generally, clearer words (OTT the hard consonants, for example) and better technique to maintain the clarity of the tuning would be the things to work out. Lovely crescendo and hit on "dead" in the third verse. Very good. And the link bar worked well, though more crescendo could always make it better. Oh - very nice ending - just please don't pre-empt the "s" on "Skye" as we had some sneaky snakes sneaking in.... |
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Very nice first verse - balanced well with the soloist. Well done! Please do be careful to not slow the first note in your entries, particularly noticeable in the Sops. Take on board what I said in my comments on "The Skye Boat Song" - maintain the tuning in the long notes. Bass part "mine" - "muh" until I bring you off at the end of the note. Altos - with your "solo" bit near the end - don't over-push it, you were out of tune! Generally this piece is working very well and will be very successful at our concerts. Last thing from me for all of you - make the last word bright! "Muh" until I bring you off!
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AnZhuo needs to remember to breathe and use all her singing technique to deliver a clear solo at the start. Lovely first entry, USCE Sops! NEC - be more confident! Good confident first chorus - could be slightly smoother but this was good! Sopranos - please be confident coming in on verse 2 - ALL sopranos are singing this bit! Generally - be careful not to speed up in the phrase before the chorus returns. AnZhuo - breathe properly in verse 3.... lovely confident entry by all as we move towards the final chorus sections. Make sure the chorus is absolutely in time, don't be late after singing the word "just". Sopranos - your last note of the chorus, the top D, was well-flat. Keep it bright! Lovely swell on "love". Overall, as I said, a lovely sound and a good performance. Improve on the small bits and it'll be even better!
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We checked the tricky little section for the Sopranos at the end of the third verse before singing this one through. Please make sure you guys listen to this and practise it so it'll be confident on the day. Thanks.
Altos; Donna came in perfectly at the start. Can ALL of you come in together, please? Sops; "mesmerised by the lull of the night" sounded unsure. Please look at this bit. Chorus - Sops please don't go flat! Sounds good but could be a little brighter. Verse 2 - good rhythm, Altos, which continued as the verse continued. Sops - "a thousand voices" - you don't seem to know this small section very well. Please look at. Verse 3 - The oohs weren't convincing, though the Altos were great. Some unsurety over "washed by the tireless.." - please check, especially the tune holders (Sops!). Sops - "stranger place than what we've left behind" - we looked at this but please revisit and make sure you know it! Last Choruses - sounds good - I'd love it if I could hear more enthusiasm and spark. Lovely ending - you watched my crescendo. Well done - make sure that middle colour note is sung confidently! |
The difficulty with this piece is just making sure that the "urgent" words are differentiated to the more "lazy-feel" rhythms. Lovely start.
Chorus - make sure the word "red" is not sung "down" but "up and bright". Generally, speaking, you need to learn the chorus off my heart to watch my direction in terms of the rhythmic feel for the words. Verse 2- this is better than before, well done! A little messy in places but nothing we can't fix between now and the 24th June. Chorus 2 - some unsurety in the Soprano parts ESPECIALLY at the end of this chorus. Link section was definitely dodgy - we will work on this! Don't get caught out by the faster chorus after the link bars. Sopranos - your "ending section" needs work and some attention. Overall this is really promising at this stage. It need tidying up - it is a passable performance but could be far better in terms of accuracy and delivery. |
Nice start everyone. Cuebite was pretty good, lower voice. Some good backing vocals from the Sops & Altos over the male voices. However, Sops & Altos, you need to watch me more carefully through the verses. Chorus - last week, on the 14th - I put to you the idea of feeling TWO in the bar for the chorus, and FOUR for the verses. Some of you haven't remembered this so there was misplaced words, rhythmically, throughout the chorus. We'll work on this small thing next time.
Don't forget that "we should bring love" comes straight in after the chorus. Sopranos you are the only part that sings "to our daughters and sons". Make sure you do confidently.
"Some people" - not confident - this is in UNISON for the most part - we need to go over this part and you all need to watch me for the rhythm before the lovely key change...
The Link bars (This could be heaven) - needs some work, still - mostly timing AND we need to get the link bar back to the chorus SPOT ON. Can't have it being a damp squib.
Ending needs also work - not necessarily for notes but for timing and entries.
IF we nail this piece it will be a fantastic ending before our traditional farewell song
Don't forget that "we should bring love" comes straight in after the chorus. Sopranos you are the only part that sings "to our daughters and sons". Make sure you do confidently.
"Some people" - not confident - this is in UNISON for the most part - we need to go over this part and you all need to watch me for the rhythm before the lovely key change...
The Link bars (This could be heaven) - needs some work, still - mostly timing AND we need to get the link bar back to the chorus SPOT ON. Can't have it being a damp squib.
Ending needs also work - not necessarily for notes but for timing and entries.
IF we nail this piece it will be a fantastic ending before our traditional farewell song
