Chorus Notes #16 - Chapter Meeting April 15, 2008

Special Thanks to Dean Rust for this week's chorus notes!


A Place on the Risers for You

- "There will always..." (beginning): connect the sounds, enunciate, no mush mouth, shoot for "ways".

Side by Side

- Learn the song; listen to the recording; bring the music if you need it next week; if you don't know it, don't sing it.

- Intro: tall vowels, lots of support, use whole instrument, all four parts sing "side" when tenors come in. Crescendo the last "side."

- "See that sun in the mornin..": sing it out, needs a lot of energy after the strong intro.

- "Peeking over the hill...": "Peeking" with a "P".

- Lead, "Through all kinds of weather..." (ms 33-34): Get the melody line right, it's different than some are used to.

Climbin Up the Mountain

- "...was a mighty day. Oh Lord" (m 40, key change): "day" is a quarter note, go right on to "Oh".

- "... didn't come here for to stay." (ms 43-44, after key change): straight, not syncopated.

Ed Sullivan

- Watch Will - follow his tempo - don't get distracted.

- Sing out on the "dum dah dah, dah dah dah dum dah dah..."

- Bass: Let's hear the "bm's"

God Bless the USA

- Big sound when chorus enters and then sustain the intensity.

- "ones who died"

- Bari, "and defend her still today": like violins

Clap Yore Hands

- "Clap-a yore hands (m 29, etc): connect the sounds, got to hear the "c" on clap but make it quick and crisp.

- "shake yore shoe time" (m 41): three hand flicks on "shake yore shoe" but no floppy fingers.

- "Come on you children gather around" (Bass solo, ms 63-64): Bass, bring it home, connect the sound, stay on top of the pitch on "round; Lead: on "woe" need presence, but not too loud.

- "(and we will) lose ...called the Voo doo!" (ms 66-69): must be together on "lose"; give a huge punch to "Voo doo."

- "On the sands of time..." (2nd time, ms 71-72): remember to sway, rows 2-3 start to the left, rows 4-5 start to the right, time the sways so you don't stop until "trouble".

- "hands", last chord: no "z", make the "nds" quick.

Battle Hymn

- "Brum" - roll "r" but don't sound the "r" and the roll of the "r" comes before the beat.

- Think subdivide during the intro.

I Love You Truly

- Know where "do" is.

- Watch Joe's hands; make all breaths inaudible; no blank faces; connect with your sweetheart through Joe.

- Baris, "Coming home": Show your pride.

- "Coming home to you.": same vowel on "to" and "you".

- Bass, "sweetheart" (m 14): press through the sound on the slide on "sweet".

- "I love you truly" (ms 17-18: need absolute precision on the entrance, start with an "h" and turn the dipthong together, sustain the energy into the "l" of love.

- Bass, "feel you are near" (ms 27-28): higher on half-step up on "near."

- "...by your side to stand" (ms 38-40): watch Joe for growth in intensity on "stand" in preparation for "Gone."

- "Gone" (m 41): The "G" needs to be on the pitch and from the heart, not hard; target is "aw"; make it a big chord, but not with loud singing, keep it bright and forward.

-"...is the sorrow." (ms 41-42): sustain the intensity through the phrase.

- "For you love me truly" (ms 45-46): quick turn from "tru" to "ly"; Bass, higher on the jump up on "tru."

Kiss the Girl

- "Sha la la la don't be scared you got the mood prepared..." (ms 56-58): with anticipation, sustain energy on "scared" and "prepared", don't hit them and then back off, ditto on subsequent phrases.

- "You got to kiss the" (ms 77-78, near the end):sing out on these barbershop chords.

Music of the Night

- pull pitch off the last note of the recorded intro which is "ti".

- Beginning: the different vowels being sung need to be distinct.

- "Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender' (ms 21-22): no break and Bass bring some emotion to "tremulous"