NOVA Community Chorus

From Dr. Whitmire: Dear Singers-
What a wonderful rehearsal we had today. A great turnout from the women.
I have put a new song, Precious Lord, on Blackboard, in ‘Course Documents.’ It will end Jazz Mazz for Dr. King. It was sung at the March on Washington 50 years ago (by Mahalia Jackson). Please print it.
Please stay calibrated and work hard. We have only 3 rehearsals before our February 18 Dress Rehearsal in Schlesinger.
See you on Tuesday.

From Dr. Whitmire: Cantata Academica Errata
II
Men-at mm 11-12 the word should be ar-ca-na (not a-re-a-na)
Women at 17-18 the word should be ar-ca-na (not a-re-a-na). It should look like

XIII
Alto- at M24 (2 before square 45) the notes should be G – A (not B – A)
All- rehearsal square 46 should be moved five measures forward, to m. 38
All- At rehearsal square 46 (m. 38) the syllable is “-lus” (not –lis)
All- Add one measure before the final “saeculorum”
VII
Bass:
M. 53-55.  <EN-DAE-SA-NI-TA-TI-SA-NI-TA-TI-CON-SU>
Tenor and Bass:
M. 72-73. < FLO-REAT-STU-DI-UM>
Bass:
M. 81-83. <EN-DAE-SA-NI-TA-TI-SA-NI- TA-TI-CON-SU>
M. 155.     <TA-TI-TU-U>
Tenor  M.52;  ALTO M81, 86, 87
<CO-PI-IS-LO-CU-P(I)ES>   (in the music).
<CO-PI-IS-LO-CU-P(L)ES > (in the translation)
XIII
Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass
M.12-13:
<VI-GE-AT>
M. 15:
Alto, Tenor, Bass
<DE-MIA>
M. 36-38  Soprano, Alto, Tenor,  Bass
<AT-QUE-O-CEL-LUS>

Cantata Academica Notes
Structural elements in #8
-The opening melody employs all 12 notes of the chromatic scale. (Britten tips his hat to serialism)
-The successive fugal entrances starting with the basses at reh square 27 begin on each note of the chromatic scale: G F Eb E F# A D Bb C Db Cb (B) Ab
-beginning at rehearsal square 29 the exact same series of pitches reappears, now in stretto (close succession).
-Moreover, opening 12-tone theme of #8 dictates the overall structure of Cantata Academic, as each movement has as its key or tonal center the successive notes of the theme.
I-G, II-F, III-Eb, IV-E, V- F#, VI-A, VII-D, VIII-Bb, IX- C, X-Db, XI-Cb, XII-Ab, XIII-G
One of my singers said, “the notes seem so random.” I know what she means, but, as your see, thev are systematically structured and actually couldn’t be less random.
#13
At the end we are using optional words (saeculis saeculorum) that Britten provided to make the piece less specific to Basle University, who commissioned the piece.

From Dr. Whitmire: Dear Singers-
I have ordered 20 more set of spirituals. I have attached PDFs of the music to use only until your copies arrive. Please print out the attachments for tomorrow’s rehearsal.
Kate- Please put these on the website temporarily.
Stand by-More to come.

Editor: All files are posted to the Music Files page.