Our Christmas concerts are right around the corner and I'm currently in cram mode trying to memorize all the songs that need to be memorized by this Saturday. I must be getting old, though, because memorizing seems to be getting more and more difficult with each passing year. But I think I have most of the concert songs tucked away in my mind now, except, that is, the song I'm singing in a ladies' trio — O Holy Night.
These small group pieces are a lot of fun to do, but challenging to do well. The trick to singing in a trio (or duet or quartet) is to strive to blend perfectly and to stay together exactly throughout the entire piece. So not only must the words of the song and your own particular part be memorized, but the timing, rests, and breath marks must be memorized and meticulously observed as well. If any one of the three singers messes up — even a little — it will show!
In many ways preparing for a solo is much easier, even though singing one terrifies me, because as a soloist you have much greater freedom regarding timing, breathing, and cut offs. In fact, a soloist can often get away with even forgetting or messing up the words; I mean, who's going to notice anyway?
I'm not too terribly nervous about singing in this trio. I may well mess up — I've certainly done so before — but I'll just go on. My greatest fear is that I might come down with a cold between now and the final concert, because once one of those sets in, it usually hangs on for weeks. So colds please stay away. I'll be more than happy to deal with you over Christmas, but please not now!
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining ('ng' breathe);
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth (23223323423 'th' 23223).
Long lay the world in sin and error pining ('ng' breathe)
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth (23223323 'th' breathe).
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices ('s' breathe),
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn (2322 'n' breathe);
Fall on your knees (23223323 's' breathe);
Oh, hear the angel voices (23223323 's' breathe)!
Oh night ('t' breathe) divine, O night (232233 't' breathe) when Christ was born (23223 'n' rest 3)!
O night (2322332 't' breathe),
O holy night (23 't' rest 3 breathe),
O night divine (23223323 'n' rest 3)!
There are more verses, but I think I'll quit and go and practice instead.
O.K. I'm mystified. As I prepare for the concerts for my two groups, Messiah down 4 concerts to go, I looked at your text and numbers. I understand the ending consonants, breathe and rest parts, but what do the numbers mean????? I've never seen that before except when I mark my score in a mixed meter piece, but then the numbers are over the beats.
ReplyDeletePat K
You’ve finished singing a few Christmas concerts already? I guess you started right after Thanksgiving, then. I love singing the Messiah, though some of the pieces have some rather high soprano parts. But I’m sure you have no problem with them, being a 1st and all.
ReplyDeleteThe numbers are just my counting out loud as I practice. Our piece does have multiple meters. Although it's mostly in 12/8 time, it also has some 4/4 and 6/8 sections, which is unfortunate because timing has always been my weakness.
Very best wishes for the rest of your concerts!