Bocelli Backstage

From a colleague after hearing  23 June 2018 Concert with Andrea Bocelli, Oregon Festival Orchestra and Portland Symphonic Choir:

Hi Gary:
I sure enjoyed seeing you at the concert last night!  I LOVED it!  I was blown away by the "back up band" being a full symphony, and choir!   I'm not an opera buff, and would have preferred a few more super-text lyrics, but my, what sound!  He can be a difficult performer to watch, since he does not use his body as sighted people do, but if you close your eyes, you find he puts everything he has into the song, great sensitivity and a purity of emotion.  I imagine even non musical folks connect with him at that aesthetic level. Of course, all the "encores" were rehearsed, but so satisfying for his fans.  I'm assuming the little girl on the edge of the stage was his daughter.  

It was fun to run through the choir with my field glasses and be surprised to see someone I know.  Inquiring minds want to know:
-- How long did you have the music?
-- How many rehearsals with the choir did you have?
-- How many with the orchestra?
-- How many with the talent?  Was it the same day as the concert?
-- Did you enjoy working with Andrea Bocelli? What was that like?
Well, just had to write and tell you how much I enjoyed the wonderful concert.   Well Done!
Kudos, V.

Hi, V,

I'm glad you had a great time.   Here are some answers you may certainly share:

Portland Symphonic Choir accepted the contract to provide 60 singers for the June concert in mid-April after negotiating since March.  As PSC's tenor section leader, I appointed the choral tenors and helped my colleagues in the other sections chose theirs.  There were a few substitute choristers on standby, and we needed them due to unexpected illnesses and such at the last minute.

We first had access to our music as online scans on May 29 and got paper copies during our first choral rehearsal on Monday, June 11.  We had one more choral rehearsal on June 18.  We learned some details about the conducting and tempi  from Doug Schneider, PSC's usual accompanist, who ran our rehearsals:  he'd been to their first rehearsal playing keyboards for the orchestra on June 17.

Our only rehearsal with the orchestra, conductor, and guest performers was at 4:00 on the day of the concert.  Andrea himself wasn't there as expected because his flight from Las Vegas had been delayed due to the president's flight commandeering the LV airport that day.  We only could only press on Andrea-less and hope he'd arrive on time for the show.  

The conductor had already toured with Bocelli and knew precisely how to predict his tempi and rubati.  I myself was asked to fill in for A in rehearsal, but I declined the nomination: Italian opera isn't my forte, I don't know A's typical nuances, and I had to practice my own job in the show.  The conductor wheezed some of the tenor phrases when they mattered for timing.    For us choristers, though, it was the usual game of FOLLOW-THE-STICK,  since the hall was so large, amplified and wet that we couldn't trust our ears for the beat. (Actually, we followed his right wrist - his stick technique is unusually florid.)   Rehearsal ended at 6:00  with no sign of Andrea.

Andrea arrived at the MODA center slightly after 7pm in a cortege of limousines, had a supper in his dressing room (we all got a catered a meal of cannoli and chicken piccata), and you saw what happened after that.

It's uplifting and inspiring to witness humans doing such remarkably difficult and and exacting artistry, even when you cannot hear clearly, cannot see their faces, and have your own part to play in the production.  Andrea's mezza-di-voce above the staff is well known and regarded, but hearing it done in real time is breathtaking.  I can do that sort of thing well about one time out of every ten tries:  he got it perfectly every time.   In the hundreds of notes he sang, I heard only two that were less than perfect - they they only proved that the fellow was human and doing this live. 

I kept (stole?) my music and backstage pass as memorabilia.

Yours, Gary Shannon
( 8-{D} balding, bespectacled, bearded happy guy, usually open mouthed.
I teach voice lessons online:  www.voice-mentor.com  My Passion:  Your Art.

Rose of Tralee

The Irish folk ballad "The Rose of Tralee" was likely written by poet C. Mordaunt Spencer and London musician Charles William Glover in 1846, but the Tralee town council endorses that it was composed by one William P. Mulchinock, a young Protestant man who fell madly in love with his parents' Catholic maid, Mary O'Connor. The less-likely second story is far more charming.

The pale moon was rising above the green mountain,  

2014 Rose of Tralee, Philadelphia's Maria Walsh

The sun was declining beneath the blue sea;
When I strayed with my love to the pure crystal fountain,
That stands in the beautiful vale of Tralee.
     She was lovely and fair as the rose of the summer,
     Yet 'twas not her beauty alone that won me;
     Oh no, 'twas the truth in her eyes ever dawning,
     That made me love Mary, the rose of Tralee.

The cool shades of evening, their mantle were spreading
And Mary all smiling sat listening to me;
The moon through the valley, her pale rays were shining
When I won the heart of the rose of Tralee.
     She was lovely and fair as the rose of the summer,
     Yet 'twas not her beauty alone that won me;
     Oh no, 'twas the truth in her eyes ever dawning,
     That made me love Mary, the rose of Tralee.

((The following inferior verse is not in many versions:))

On the far fields of India, mid war's bloody thunder,
Her voice was a solace and comfort to me,
But the cold hand of death has now torn us asunder.
I'm lonely tonight for my rose of Tralee..
     She was lovely and fair as the rose of the summer,
     Yet 'twas not her beauty alone that won me;
     Oh no, 'twas the truth in her eyes ever dawning,
     That made me love Mary, the rose of Tralee.

The inspired-by-the-song "Rose of Tralee" International Festival seeks the world to crown a young Irish (or descendant) lady "lovely and fair as the rose in the summer."  Surrounded by global celebration of Irish culture, the  Festival takes place mid-August in Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland with street entertainment, carnival, live concerts, theater, circus, markets, funfair, fireworks and an internationally renowned Rose Parade. 


We Portlanders are reminded of another Rose Festival.

Carmina Burana expressions translated

It's easy find translations of the lyrics of Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" from places like ASO Chorus.org and even YouTube-videos:

You can even find all sorts of fun trivia about the music itself and parody "mis-heard" lyrics (handy when you need to memorize).

But where is the translation of the many unusual Italian instructions that the German Carl wrote in his score for the musicians?  You have to know those along with the more typical Italian words describing music if you are going to sing the thing, like Portland Symphonic Choir will soon.

I couldn't find them already gathered anywhere.  So, starting with the title then by movements without much (explanation) [insertion] else, here are:

Orff's Italian and Latin expressions in English

Carmina Burana:  Songs [of the Benedict monks] of Beuern [in Bavaria, Germany]

Cantiones profanæ cantoribus et choris:  Secular music for singers and choruses
cantandæ comitantibus instrumentis: to be sung together with instruments
atque imaginibus magicis: and magic images (projections)

1.
Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi: Fortune, Empress of the World
Pesante: heavy, ponderous.
poco: a little
stringendo: pressed faster
attacca: go on without pause

2.
sempre: always
ben declamato: well declaimed

3.
I – Primo vere: Part 1 - In springtime (literally, "first truth")
un poco pesante: a little ponderous
Coro piccolo: Little chorus
molto flessibile: very flexible
espr.: espressivo: expressive
poco più lento, tranquillo: a little slower, tranquil

4.
sempre molto: always very
rubato: robbing duration of some notes for others at whim. (literally, "stolen")

5.
Con ampiezza: with breadth
quasi allegretto:  somewhat fast
stacc: staccatto:  detached
legato e più sciolto:  smooth and looser
allegro molto:  very fast
ma un poco più accelerato: but a little more accelerated
ancora più presto di prima: even more quickly than before


6.
Uf dem anger: In the meadow
Tanz:   Dance

7.
cullando:  rocking
poco più mosso:  [with a] little more movement
dolcissimo:  very sweetly
Coro grande: Large chorus

8.
quasi andante:  like an andante (medium slow tempo)
semplice: simply
a bocca chiusa: with lips closed (humming)

9.
Reie:  round dance
esitante:  hesitant

10
unis. unison:  as one together
poco: a little
ritenuto: suddenly holding the tempo back

11.
II – In Taberna: Part 2 - in the tavern
con spirito:  with spirit
con slancio:  with rushing
stentato: broken

12.
lamentoso  lamenting
sempre ironico: always ironic

13.
libero improvvisando: freely improvising
gesticolando e beffardo assai: very gesturing and mocking

14:
sempre eccitato: always excited
staccatissimo: always very detached
con rumore: with noise
subtio molto stentato: suddenly very broken
sfrenato: unrestrained
selvaggio:  savagely
scatenato: unleashed
accel. possibile: accelerating as much as possible
urlante: yelling

15
III Cour d'amore:: Part 3. Court of love.
Ragazzi:  boys
un poco impertinente:  a little impertinently
con extrema civetteria:  with extreme coquettishness
fingendo innocenze:  faking innocence
flebile:  feebly

16.
tenero: tender
ma sempre esagerato: but always exaggerated
affettato:  mincing

17.
lusinghevole:  flattering

18.
ardente:  ardently
con calore crescente:  with increasing heat
molto appassionato:  very impassioned
ancora più mosso:   even more moving
brioso: lively

19.
allegro:  fast (literally: happy)
buffo: funny
con comica esagerazione: with comic exaggeration
lunga: long

20.
martellato: hammered

21.
molto amoroso: very loving

ma: but
sempre velato: always veiled

con estrema sensibilità: with extreme sensitivity
smorz.: smorzando: dying away

22.
piu lento: a little slower

23.
con abbandono:  with abandon

24.
Blanziflor et Helena:  Blancheflour and Helen [of Troy]
                                 (two beautiful, chaste women of disparate legends)
ten.  tenuto:  held


-----------------------------

Let me know if I missed anything, please.
G.


references:

http://dictionary.onmusic.org/
https://translate.google.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmina_Burana_%28Orff%29

I Heard the Bells.

Here are the Lyrics:
"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day"  1867
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

I love this song for several reasons:

Every verse takes a different mood, as the author takes an emotional journey through observation, cogitation, rejection, recognition and revelation.   Henry felt real emotions when writing this on Christmas day 1863:  He still bore physical and emotional scars from a 1861 fire that killed his wife Frances, when he heard that his soldier son Charlie had been badly (possibly fatally) wounded in November 1863 in the US Civil war that Henry did not support.  In reading or singing the words, every verse takes a different tone, speed and feeling while still repeating (like the bells) the words "Peace on Earth, good will to men".

Several very good composers have written melodies to the poem.   Johnny Marks has a version of it, written alongside the songs he wrote for the 1964 stop-motion "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer".  It it was not included in the TV production, but it is often recorded beautifully by solo singers from Bing Crosby above   to Rockapella. 

The melody and harmony in the "Yuletide Favorites" book (without all the lyrics, thus this post) was made in 1872 when the British church organist and composer John Baptiste Calkin discovered that a melody he'd written in 1848 named "Waltham" fit the poem flawlessly.  His music is found across England and back to the USA in many hymn-books.   Choirs and congregations still use Calkin's melody.


 
The Timberliner's Chorus  will add this song to their Yuletide repertoire for 2012.  We already own copies, the harmonies are well-suited to barbershop style, and I'm especially fond of the "mu" chord first heard on the word "wild".

Power Quartetting

This in my inbox:

Have you ever thought that it would be a lot of fun to learn and sing
such challenging songs as "South Rampart Street Parade" (Westminster),

"You Don't, You Won't" (Crossroads)



or even "Eine Kleine NOT Musik"(Gas House Gang)?


If this kind of challenge inspires you, you could be
the caliber of singer that would enjoy the Power Quartetting weekend.
Check it out at http://www.powerqt.com/portland/

 From: "Harry Buerer" hbuerer@spiritone.com hfbuerer
Date: Wed Jan 26, 2011 4:29 pm ((PST))

Portland Power Quartetting weekend June 3-4, 2011

2120 NE Tillamook St. Portland OR

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg & the Assad Brothers

In concert last night, what we saw is three very different ways of addressing the music and the instrument.

Nadja is an aggressive violinist, attacking each phrase from her entire body. She leans forward into every note, her tip toes firm on the floor, heels bouncing to the beat, as though she is ready to leap from the chair at any moment. She alone spoke for the trio, illuminating bits of the creative process with stories on how this piece came to being or that arrangement was created. Her speaking voice is rich, but a strong New York accent pops out, especially when acerbic, as when starting the second half while stragglers are still rushing to their seats, "like roaches caught in the light", she says. Her playing is, of course, passionate and volatile.

Odair Assad, the younger brother, dances with his guitar. Swaying gently to the music, or punctuating tight rhythms with his shoulders and posture, he sits with both feet flat on the floor, his right thigh and left hand alone supporting the guitar and neck, unlike most other guitarists, including his brother. He, like Nadia, is ready to leave his chair, (indeed, he was standing before the last notes of their Copland "Rodéo" encore ended) not to insist on his music, but to dance with his instrument. His playing is elegant and charming.

Sérgio, though, holds his guitar very close to his body, his left foot on a small riser, supporting the guitar with both thighs and left hand close to his chest, his face hovering just over the shoulder of the instrument, if not actually resting on it. He moves little, only head and hand. At first, this seems like a lover's embrace, but as the evening continues, you see that the guitar not another being or an extension of himself, but it is his very self that he strums for music. He is touching his own centered soul and music comes out. His playing rich and sonorous.

Singers and actors master all three styles and more to perform effectively. Rare are classical instrumentalists who are so physically engaging, even sitting still. Their motions were genuine and expressive, although no two of the players moved the same. No recording, even one of a concert, fully shows this. For seeing this yourself, go to concerts. For hearing it, there is an Instant Encore offering of this concert, but it is not the three players or even the instruments we heard. For that, there are recordings.