I. Auditation Decisions: Discography: Summary of important recordings and performances, with notable comparisons: Title of Piece Version 1: Version 2: Version 3: Version 4: Ding Dong King's Ding Dong! "Ding Dong, Ding Dong Merrily on College Merrily on Merrily on Merrily On High Cambridge High - High", arr. High - London 2010 #9 Mormon Hal Hopson Contemporary Ding! Tabernacle Voices Dong! Choir Merrily on High Tempo 93 93 74 89 Key G G G F th th th Style 16 16 16 16th century century century century Type of soloist Boy’s N/A Children’s N/A Choir Choir Type of Choir + Choir + Choir + Voice instruments Organ Orchestra Organ 2 Solo Boy’s N/A N/A N/A ornamentation Choir Choral Style TTBB SATB SATB SATB
My Favorite Sound is: Bright & Pure
I will achieve it with __Pure__________________vowels
I will achieve it with __Forward_______________placements
I will achieve it with __13, 15, and 25 __________rules
I will achieve it with __a_dancelike_____________style
Other notes… 3
II. Singing Decisions
Sound: Breathing - I want breathing at the end of every phrase (4m)
Placement – I want the sound to be light and bright and forward in the mouth. Vowels and modifications – The only modifications I want are more forward and bright on “ding”, “Dong”, “ringing”, and “Gloria” Consonants – Lots of ending shadow consonants, especially at the end of phrases. Type of blend – I want a nice smooth blend throughout the piece with my choir still punctuating and placing the correct word stress. Preferred balance – I want every part to be balanced within the rule of the chord. Vibrato – I want only a small amount of vibrato to better help the blend.
Interpretative IPA – In score!
Decisions: Translations – In English Word Stress – “Heav’n” “Ringing” “Riv’n” “Singing” “Hosannah” “Highest” “Swungen” “Ringers” “Singers” Phrasing and Breathing – Breathing at the end of every phrase (around 4m)
Emotional Buzz words – Christmas, Bright, Pure
Coloration: Placement – Forward and bright
Soloists: Kind and type – N/A
4 III. Conducting Decisions
What does my Level 1 look like in this piece?
(My kinesthetic set-up, my Laban effort actions feelings) I am working on staying more centered and grounded over my center of gravity, I’m tending to lean too far forward trying to “connect” with my choir. I also want to focus on floating and hitting my 1 beat a lot softer than I have been in the past rehearsals.
What does my Level 2 look like in this piece?
(My somatic facial affect, my emotional connection to the piece and my facial affect, my mouth shape and my vowel shaping) My facial affect in this piece is one of extreme excitement and joy to help transfer those emotions into my choir. We are the last piece of our set so we need to be extra engaged.
What does my Level 3 look like in this piece?
(What are my beat patterns, my cues, my levels, my word stress, my releases, my size of gesture, my entrances, my melded gestures, my eye tracking, etc., and how do I execute them?) My patterns are a normal 4/4 pattern with lots of crescendos into the end of phrases and phrase markings. I want to reach forward more for a more forward sound and use my pattern in a more sharp motion to help keep the beat better while still being soft enough for the choir to not punch the notes.
What does my Level 4 look like in this piece?
(When do I move out of the “patterns” and how, and WHY?) Especially in the last section of “Hosanna in the Highest” I drop the main pattern in exchange for just moving on the beats of the lyrics. I do this in order to take a RIT. Without the choir struggling to follow the pacing change.
Is Movement or Choralography needed, and if so, how do I deliver it?
None needed or added =)
TONE SET -
IV. Analysis Decisions
Everything you study in order construct and develop an aural image of the piece and to build a fluid, transparent, informed interpretation of the piece. 5 Historical Aspects: Composer – history and considerations
History of the Piece, date
Performance Practice elements
Program Notes The tune was originally a French dancing piece and it wasn’t until the 1920s that a man by the name George Ratcliffe added lyrics of his own creation and published a book of carols that we still sing today.
Theoretical Aspects: Analysis – Structural/Phrasal – (see Template)
ABA1BA2B with all As being the different verses.
V. Marked Score Decisions
Score Preparation: Prepared Edition – Do I make a prepared edition
for the choir?- No, but I do go through what markings I want to have in the piece with them.
Study Score – What is included in my study score?
I have solfege, breath markings, word stresses, phrasing, and hard intervals for the choir circled.
Conductors Score – What is included in my concert
score? Right now breathing markings, stressed words and dynamics circled.
~FINAL QUESTIONS~
Do I see my A.S.C.A.M. decisions in my gesture?
I have been when I focus on performing what I practice.
Do I hear my A.S.C.A.M. decisions in the sound and
