University of Tennessee Opera Theatre
Carroll Freeman, Director
Kevin Class, Music Director
Musical Notes: Piano Tech/Dress – April 20, 2010
Very nice work last night! It is nice to see how this is going together, and to have had the luxury of time in the evening to work and gain a sense of the dramatic flow of the whole work. Below are a FEW notes. Please continue to review and refresh you minds and ears by going over your pitches and reviewing your scores. However, TRUST that you do know this music (you know it better than you sometimes think!), and allow yourselves to immerse yourselves in your characters. Contemporary music is incredibly engaging IF you give the audience something to cling to. That ‘something’ is conviction and energy. So, regardless of how you feel about the pitches at this point, you MUST give us drama in the energy you bring to every line you sing. If you do this well, the audience won’t mind the unusual tonalities.
-Page numbers refer to the “printed” EAM score.
Scene I:
Jenny: p. 13 Have hands on keyboard and ready to begin playing before “Somewhere the sun is shining.” Conductor cannot see you well enough to try to discern when you are ready to start; so be prepared for this music to begin.
Wilson: p. 16 “hundred” - second syllable open ‘e’ rather than [I]
Jenny: p. 18 Late on “why, that was a rare performance”
Candace: p. 20 sure up entrance on “won’t you take more tea?...”
Choir: p. 22 large crescendo on final “must be off”
Candace: pp. 24/25 from vocalized entrance “n-----“ through next section: make sure to clearly differentiate between F naturals and F#s.
Candace: p. 26 pitches on “Never did hear such sermons afore…” (you’re starting on G instead of F#)
Candace: p. 29 review rhythm on “what’s this” (after “looks like evryone’s there..”)
Candace: p. 30 you got ahead of the beat on “forty years in which you have been salaried…”, but you managed to recover nicely.
Candace: p. 32 hold last note of “that” (“for sometime however, that-----“) until Willam enters; thus making the transition between you two more seamless.
Candace: p. 33 pitches on “therefore the decision of the choir”
William: p. 34 remember to sing with intention of speech. We can really hear you thinking rhythm here so just remember how you would speak this line.
Scene II:
William: p. 43 make sure to center your pitches on “I can’t believe it” – just review this slowly to remind yourself where these notes are.
Choir: p. 50 make sure to be ready, and voice through, “AND she a Christian woman”. We are still losing the “and”
William: p. 51 solidify entrance on “A most outrageous proceeding.”
Wilson/Pollard p. 57 not too slow on “see you later”
Scene III:
Candace: p. 64 not too short on “good morning!”
Pollard: p. 65 don’t rush too much on “it’s a very pleasant day”
Candace: p. 69 pitches: G to start “You needn’t look at me”; and E on “I sang the way I did on purpose”
Candace: p. 71 pitches on “I never missed a Sunday” (let’s just try to get a little closer)
Candace: p. 72 pitches and rhythm on “anyone’s hitting a high note”
Candace: p. 76 don’t rush “and an album!! With a letter!!”
Scene IV:
Wilson: p. 85 too early on “Then we’ll see”: wait for downbeat
Candace: p. 88 you’re taking too long a rest between “money” and “and you can’t have…”. Basically you are turning the ¾ measure into a 4/4 bar.
Candace: p. 92 don’t drag “To Miss Candace..”
Scene V:
Candace: p. 102 too early on “I’ve been awful proud”
Candace: p. 104 in the trio, do not rush the half-note on “given” before the 7/8 bar.
Wilson: p. 105 late on “Don’t Aunt Candace”
Candace: p. 105 don’t rush “I thought maybe Alma”
Pollard: p. 111 make sure your attacks are clean (no portamenti).
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