How 2 high school seniors mastered Bach style in just 2 rehearsals

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baroque music, baroque period, collaborative piano, flute, high school, interpretation, J.S. Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach, music education, phrasing, style, trio sonata, violin

Have you worked from scores containing editors’ markings that could be interpreted as being misleading? How did you proceed?

Last week I had the privilege of collaborating with a talented violinist, a high school senior.  One piece on her recital program was the Trio Sonata for Flute, Violin and Continuo in G Major, BWV 1038, by J.S. Bach.  The flutist was also a high school senior.

Both played very well.  Baroque style, however, seemed to be unfamiliar to them. So they relied on the score much more than on listening to each others’ phrasing.

The edition we were using contained editors’ markings which were misleading if taken literally.

First rehearsal

This was to be our only rehearsal together, with the exception of a short time in the hall prior to the performance.

I liked many aspects of what I heard:

• In-tune playing.
• Good balance of sound (one player not louder or softer than the other).
• Legato playing, appropriate for this largo movement.
• Nice tempo.

In the “needs work” department:

•  Give and take so the moving part could carry the music.

Each player needed to diminuendo on the long notes, as they had alternating parts. Both players were more familiar with other musical styles, where a crescendo would be called for instead.

Notice in this clip that the top part (flute) plays tied notes while the 2nd part (violin) has more melodic and rhythmic interest.  The give and take in the sound when the players honor that approach changes the sound completely. Now it sounds baroque rather than romantic.

•  The music needed forward motion.

This could be heard primarily in the flute part.  The flutist, looking at the editor’s markings, playing the slurs as indicated.  In addition, because she needed to breathe, she would breathe after a short note.  That took just enough extra time to interrupt the flow of the music, whereas taking time away from a long note in order to breathe would not have had the same effect.

 

 

Take a look at the top two parts (flute and violin, respectively).  Notice how the markings seem to ask for the longer note to be slurred to the shorter one?

The music flows when exactly the opposite phrasing is used, as in the notation at the right of this example:

So we changed it!  The sound improved immediately.

Second rehearsal 

This rehearsal was with violin and piano only.  However, we had an opportunity to discuss the Bach.

At the end of the first rehearsal, my impression was that the violinist understood the changes we had made.  The flutist had improved, but was still relying on the printed score more than listening to the flow of the music.

My suggestion was for the violinist and the flutist to get together by themselves.  They attend the same school and have free time, so this was not a problem.  I asked the violinist to coach the rehearsal, finding musical lines they could play together, such as this one:

My goal was to make any differences in phrasing between the two players as clear as possible. Rehearsing alternating lines might not have had the same effect.

Pre-recital and performance

I am delighted to say that the sound was transformed!  During our brief time in the recital hall prior to the performance, we had just a few minutes to rehearse this piece. After marking in accidentals that crept up on both players, likely because of nerves, I felt encouraged.  If everyone could remain calm, count, listen, and enjoy it, we had an excellent chance of performing well.

And… it happened!  The audience loved what they heard, and I felt gratified.

Here are two YouTube videos of this beautiful piece.  Enjoy!

One version, performed with piano:

And another version, this time with harpsichord:

Have you worked from scores containing editors’ markings that could be interpreted as being misleading?  How did you proceed?

 

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How can we improve congregational singing? Part VI

Tags

alternative harmonizations, anthem, church choir, church music, congregational singing, Education, Hymnal, music education, new hymns

Source: Pixabay

The following conversation, in response to Part V of this series, took place on Facebook:

• Contributor Hi Gretchen, what’s your suggestion making sure the congregation doesn’t get thrown off when using alternative arrangements to accompany congregational singing (as opposed to using them when the choir is singing a hymn as an anthem)?
• Gretchen Saathoff  Hmm… I’ll think about it! At Riverside, it’s not a problem. Have the choir sing the melody, disperse the choir throughout the congregation, try the Hymn of the Month approach, Try practicing the alternative arrangement for 2 minutes with the congregation, then use it in the hymn. Use the traditional harmonization for all verses except the last. That way, the congregation has been singing the tune for several verses already.
• Gretchen Saathoff  And try not to go too far afield with the alternate harmonization. The green Lutheran hymnal that replaced the red one had so many funky arrangements, they made very little sense. So why would anyone want to sing them.
• Contributor  Thanks, Gretchen. Good advice here. There is a new red Lutheran hymnal, the ELW, that kept some of the old arrangements from the green LBW, and has lots of new hymns without harmonization, just melodies. So that helps. (But they left off the time  signatures, which leads to confusion.) But if the hymn is new, even if only the melody is printed, the alternative arrangement still challenges the ear. And about the funky arrangements, people who can sing parts, oftentimes can sing even the funky ones, and some need to do that, because the melody is too high for them. I like the idea of practicing the alternative arrangement with the congregation – hadn’t thought of it as a possibility before!
• Gretchen Saathoff  No time sigs? Not especially helpful, I’d think.
  Also, there is no need to use only the arrangements in the book. Change it so it works. Keep some parts and not others. Write a new one. If the melody is too high, something needs to change, such  as trasposing down or maybe singing the melody an octave lower. The congregation needs the choir to sing the melody in unison on alternate harmonizations. When they can hear it, they sing better.
• Contributor  Great advice!
• Gretchen Saathoff  There are lots of alternative harmonizations out there: volumes of hymns for organ, choral anthems, hymnals from other denominations, AGO website, etc. Plenty of hymn improvisations can be heard on YouTube.
• Gretchen Saathoff  Free association, you understand… and now it’s time for dinner! Back later.

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And a followup Facebook Message from yours truly:

During services in various denominations, I sometimes would play an alternative harmonization from a funky organ collection (The Sunday Morning Organist, I think). Just leave out the whiz bang awful parts when they don’t work.

Similarly, there are plenty of anthems that work, for the most part, but also have spots that don’t.  One example is asking the choir to hold the last note for 8 bars.  Does this make the ending better?  Does singing a high note improve the message?  That all depends on the choir, what else is going on (i.e. the keyboard part might be just fine on its own).  Sometimes a “festive” ending will be tacked on that isn’t really needed.  When the rest of the piece works well, I omit the parts that don’t work.

There may be one stanza of an anthem that splits into 8 parts, for example.  When you have 6 people in your choir that Sunday, you have to think on your feet and find something that works.  What do you have to keep?  The melody and the bass line?  Is the alto part more interesting than the tenor, or vice versa? 

If one stanza is too elaborate for your circumstances, then sing the rest of the anthem and omit that one.

If the printed introduction is too long or too short, or is confusing to your choir/congregation, then by all means change it!

Thanks so much to my contributor, who prefers to remain anonymous.

Which approaches have the most success in your church?Comments and suggestions welcome!

Please see previous posts in this series.

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From the archives: Creative Hymn Playing

Tags

church music, hymns, Music

first published on April 11, 2011.

This has been a popular ~ and needed ~ post. I thought this might be a good time
to repost it, in advance of Holy Week
and Easter.  There is much hymn playing
to be done!

Image via Wikipedia

They look the same in the hymnal, mostly ~ women’s parts in treble clef, men’s in bass, several verses of text printed between the staves, additional verses at the bottom of the page.

They’re meant to be easily singable so the congregation can participate.

But does that have to mean that we use the same sound, same volume, and no variety in expression?

Does anyone want to hear equal quarter notes for 5 verses?

Of course not!  Hymns have words. When we speak, we don’t say everything the same way.  When we sing we shouldn’t, either.

Phrase like a singer!

If you have studied with a good teacher, you have heard this before.  “Phrase like a singer” applies to every musical endeavor.

How does this apply to hymn playing?

1. Breathe as you play.
2. Sing the words to each verse.
3. Stop playing when you see punctuation marks.
4. Carry the congregation over when there is no punctuation.  They may breathe anyway, but the words make more sense when you don’t.
5. Allow time between verses, after fermati, etc., to end the word, take a breath, and resume singing.

Play variations from verse to verse

Use your imagination!  With a little practice, you can make decisions for every hymn in a service within 1/2 hour.  Look at the words for ideas.

Verse 1 should be played as written ~ the hymn may be unfamiliar to some in the congregation.

Listen to the congregation singing.  If they are singing 4 parts easily, you have more freedom.

From there, you can:

1. Play one verse in unison octaves.
2. Omit the soprano part.
3. Play the bass in octaves.
4. Add a descant ~ the alto or tenor part often provides a ready-made descant.
5. Play the right hand an octave higher.
6. Play main beats only.
7. Change volume.
8. Add a walking bass part.
9. Play passing tones.
10. Add ornaments.
11. Arpeggiate chords on main beats ~ change ranges on the keyboard.
12. Play melody in left hand for a change.
13. Drop out for one verse!

While you are providing variety, remember to listen to the singing.  If it starts to sound shaky, return to playing as written.

You must sing every verse of each hymn.  This is the only way you can tell how much time it takes to breathe.

Last Sunday, we sang “Standing on the Promises of God.”  There is a fermata near the end (see score, below).  A lot of time is required to honor the fermata, finish the word, breathe (after a high note!), and start again.  I would prefer taking plenty of time to having the congregation be confused.

You can mark the hymnal in pencil (breath, no breath).  Post-its work well for verse-by-verse reminders.  My Post-its, the narrow kind, go to the left of the first staff.

Rehearse hymns with the choir

Even more variety is available when you enlist the help of your choir.

1. The choir should always face the congregation when singing hymns.
2. Alway ask the choir to sing the first verse in unison.  The congregation will sing much more confidently with their support.
3. Verses can be alternated between congregation and choir (an easy way to indicate this is to print who sings what in the bulletin, with the minister directing people’s attention to the instructions when announcing the hymn).
4. Sopranos can sing a descant.
5. Choir can sing a verse unaccompanied.
6. Two parts rather than four can sound very good as a contrast.
7. Choir can sing an alternate harmonization alone.
8. You can play an alternate harmonization, with everyone singing the melody in unison.
9. Choir can cue changes in volume by the way they sing.
10. The choir can be dispatched to various places in the sanctuary.  Their sound would then come from different places, adding all sorts of interest!
11. Hymns often have more than one musical setting for the same text.  If your forces are up to it, you can do them both!  Just alternate verses.

Places to build on your skills

I strongly recommend going to hymn sings presented by professional church musicians.  Alice Parker, for example, leads hymn sings frequently.

There are workshops available at church-related schools, such as Westminster Choir College.  Look for weekend seminars and summer classes, often offered for a week or two at a time.

Another excellent resource is a large church in a major city.  Organists are expert at keeping their congregations engaged in worship, and creative hymn-playing is a major part of what they do so well.

How do you achieve variety of expression in hymns?  Please share your ideas in the comment section below!

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How to edit a piano reduction

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edit, Mozart, piano reduction, Regina Coeli

Image via Wikipedia

The program for an upcoming chorus concert includes Mozart’s “Regina Coeli.”  I am currently editing the piano reduction.

Download “Regina Coeli” for $2.44

It is not necessary to play a piano reduction as written.  Publishers are not always pianists, and some reductions are practically impossible to play.  Different publishers and editors make different conclusions about how to reduce orchestral scores, so you will see wide variations between reductions of the same piece of music.

The intent is what matters, as well as support for the solo and chorus parts.  And, as always, clarity is more important than playing every note printed.  After all, this is not piano music!  No points are handed out for playing piano reductions exactly as written.

​Types of piano reductions in collaborative piano playing

• opera
• oratorio
• vocal/instrumental solo with orchestra
• chorus with orchestra

Notation in piano reductions

• often misleading ~ instrumental solo lines may not be accurate ~ listen to recording, also look at full score if possible
• chords often arpeggiated when not performed as such in orchestra
• parts sometimes written in a different octave for piano
• stretches too wide to be played on piano

Editing

Listen to a recording for orchestration and sound (articulation, length of notes, how accents are performed, etc.)

Provide full orchestral sound when needed

Rewrite for clarity in piano sound

Retain composer’s style

• arpeggiated chords appropriate?
• broken chords possible or disruptive?
• melody must be in a clear register
• what sort of sound are you hearing?  Brilliant top?  Substantial bass?  Important inner parts?  Subdued?  Sharp attacks?  Sustained?

​What to strive for

complete chords ~ exception possible when chorus sings full chord

• character of phrasing
• supportive, consistent bass line
• counter-melody
• inner harmonic parts
• clarity

​What to change

• anything that interferes with playing important elements ~ put it in the other hand or simplify
• doublings when difficult to reach
• wide stretches can often be rewritten as triads, for example.  If that sounds convincing, it trumps a broken chord.
• arpeggiated chords ~ reductions frequently contain arpeggios when there are none in the score.  The notes are plunked into the reduction at their original pitches, but since no one can stretch far enough to play them as solid chords, the editor adds wavy lines to indicate arpeggios.  Don’t buy it!
• separated tremolo (i.e. a 2-note chord followed by a separate 2-note chord) when solid tremolo sounds more orchestral.  It’s only notated separately by an editor, not the composer.  Play a solid chord to start, then tremolo.

Mozart’s “Regina Coeli,” K. 276, Kalmus edition

Download “Regina Coeli” for $2.44

My changes:

Page/Bar​	​
2/18 ​	​Omit ”D” in RH to accommodate trill.  Altos sing ”D,” so the pitch is heard anyway.
4/21 ​	Omit 2nd ”E” in RH to accommodate leap of a 10th in melody.  Although ”E” is missing from the harmony temporarily, upon practicing the passage this way several times, there seems to be enough going on so it won’t be missed by the audience.  Every 16th note is still present rhythmically.​
5/36 ​	Move 16ths in beats 2 and 3 to LH, down an octave, to accommodate melodic leaps in melody.​
5/37​ ​	Add ”C” to RH under trill, add ”B” under ”G.”  Omit 2nd “middle C” and ”B” from LH (wide reach).  Open 5th on beat 3 for LH would be unacceptable, as would omitting low ”G.”​
6/45 ​	Play ”C” and ”E” with left hand, same octave, to accommodate trill.​
6/47 ​	​Drop lower RH part down an octave, play with LH, resume as written with dotted chords.  The accommodates RH trill.​
7/49 ​	​Fast tremolo, not 16ths. ​
10/81 ​	Divide 16ths between hands as necessary to accommodate trill and bass line.​
10/83 ​	3rd beat, drop 16ths down an octave, play with LH. ​
10/86​ ​	Play 16ths with LH. ​
10/87 ​	3rd beat, play ”C” and ”B” with LH. ​
11/96​ ​	Beat 2, drop 16ths down an octave, play with LH. ​
11/100 ​	4th beat, omit lower octave in LH. ​
12/101 ​	Omit lower octave in LH through low ”C” on 3rd beat.  2nd beat, drop 16ths down an octave, play with LH.​
12/102 ​	Tremelo in LH. ​
12/108 ​	Omit ”G” in RH. ​
14/123 ​	Play root position triads in LH. ​
16/145, 146	Divide middle part between hands as necessary.​
16/148 ​	Beat 4, drop RH “F” down an octave, play with LH.  Omit low ”D” in RH.  Trill doubles, don’t need.​
16/149 ​	Beat 1, end trill on ”C” in RH, omit remainder of RH chord.  Chorus sings complete chord anyway.​
16/150 ​	Beat 4, omit ”F” in RH. ​
16/151 ​	Beat 1, finish trill on ”C”, omit remainder of RH chord.  Full chorus is singing, piano plays ”E” octave in 2nd 8th note of bar.

Bottom line

The “piano part” you play should sound like the piece was composed.  Don’t introduce sounds that are not in the orchestra if you can help it.

How do you approach playing piano reductions?  Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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