DISTRIBUTING AND CARING FOR THE MUSIC
Have the distribution and care of music so systematized that there will be neither confusion nor waste of time in this part of the rehearsal. In a professional organization there will of course be a salaried librarian to see to such work, but it is entirely possible to secure somewhat the same kind of results in an amateur body by having two or three members elected or appointed for the task, these persons serving either entirely without salary or being paid a purely nominal sum. These librarians will then be expected to take the responsibility of marking new music, of distributing and collecting it at such times as may be agreed upon by librarian and conductor, and of caring for it at concerts or at any other time when it is to be used.
It will be the duty also of the head librarian to keep a record of all music loaned or rented, and to see that it is returned in good condition. It would be well too if he kept a card index, showing just what music is owned by the organization, the number of copies of each selection, the price, the publisher, the date when purchased,et cetera. Ask the librarians to come five or ten minutes before the beginning of the rehearsal, and make it your business to provide one of them with a slip having upon it the names or numbers of all the selections to be used at that particular rehearsal. Keeping the music in covers or in separate compartments of a cabinet, one of which will hold all of the copies of a single selection, and having these arranged alphabetically or numerically, will considerably facilitate matters for both you and the librarians. Do not think it beneath your dignity to investigate the number of copies of any composition that you are planning to use, and when there are not enough tosupply each singer in the chorus and each desk in the orchestra with a copy, to see to it that more music is ordered. It is impossible to rehearse efficiently if the singers in a chorus have to use a part of their energy in trying to read music from a book or sheet held by some one else, or if the players in an orchestra are straining their eyes because three or four instead of two are reading from a single desk.
It will be convenient for the conductor to possess a file containing a copy of each number in the library at his home or studio, each copy being marked "conductor's copy." In this way, the director will always be assured of having the same music, and will feel that it is worth while to mark it in such a way as to make it more useful in both rehearsal and performance.
COUNTING ALOUD, TAPPING, AND SINGING WITH THE CHORUS
Do not make the mistake of counting or tapping on the desk constantly during the rehearsal. You may think you are strengthening the rhythm, but as a matter of fact, you are actually weakening it, for in this way you take away from the performers the necessity of individual muscular response to the pulse, and at the performance (when you cannot, of course, count or tap) the rhythm is very likely to be flabby and uncertain. Singing with the chorus is another mistake against which the amateur should be warned. The director not only cannot detect errors and make intelligent criticisms if he sings with the chorus, but will make the members dependent upon his voice instead of compelling them to form the habit of watching him. The only exception to this principle is in teaching new music to a choir composed of very poor readers, in which case it is sometimes much easier to teach a difficult phrase by imitation. Even here, however, it is almost as well to have the organ give the correct tones. In leading community singing, the conductor will ofcourse sing with the crowd, for here he is striving for quite a different sort of effect.
VENTILATION
See to it that the practice room is well ventilated, especially for a chorus rehearsal. Plenty of fresh air will not only enable your chorus to sing with better intonation, but will allow them to sing for a longer period without fatigue. (We are tempted to add a corollary to this proposition: namely, that sleepy congregations are not always due to poor preaching, as is generally supposed, but are as frequently the result of a combination of fairly good preaching and a badly ventilated auditorium!)
A CAPPELLAREHEARSING
In directing a chorus rehearsal, have your singers study without accompaniment much of the time. The organ "covers a multitude of sins" and practising without it will not only enable you to discover weaknesses of all sorts but will help the singers themselves enormously by making them more independent, improving the intonation, and compelling them to make cleaner and more definite attacks and releases.
THE VALUE OF A SENSE OF HUMOR
Finally, in concluding both this chapter and the book as a whole, let us commend once more to the conductor that he cultivate "the saving grace of humor." This quality has already been commented on somewhat at length in an earlier chapter (see p.8), but it is in the rehearsal period that it is most needed, and the conductor who is fortunate enough to be able to laugh a little when annoyances interrupt or disrupt his plans instead of snarling, will not only hold the members of the organization together for a longer time, because of their cordial personal attitude toward him, but will find himself much less fatigued at the end of the rehearsal;for nothing drains one's vitality so rapidly as scolding. A bit of humorous repartee, then, especially in response to the complaints of some lazy or grouchy performer; the ability to meet accidental mishaps without anger; even a humorous anecdote to relieve the strain of a taxing rehearsal—all these are to be highly recommended as means of oiling the machinery of the rehearsal and making it run smoothly.
But of course, even humor can be overdone. So we shall close by quoting the Greek motto, "Nothing too much," which will be found to apply equally well to many other activities recommended in the foregoing pages.
I.General:
Berlioz,The Orchestral Conductor. A short treatise full of practical suggestions. It is found in the back of the author's well-known volume onOrchestration.Weingartner,On Conducting. A small volume of about seventy-five pages, but containing excellent material for both amateur and professional.Schroeder,Handbook of Conducting. A practical little book from the standpoint of both orchestral and operatic directing.Wagner,On Conducting. A short treatise that every professional conductor will wish to read, but not of much value to the amateur.Mees,Choirs and Choral Music. A well-written account of the history of choral music from the time of the Hebrews and Greeks down to the present, containing also an excellent chapter on the Chorus Conductor.Grove,Dictionary of Music and Musicians(article, Conducting).Henderson,What Is Good Music?(chapters XIII and XVII).Krehbiel,How to Listen to Music(chapter VIII).
Berlioz,The Orchestral Conductor. A short treatise full of practical suggestions. It is found in the back of the author's well-known volume onOrchestration.
Weingartner,On Conducting. A small volume of about seventy-five pages, but containing excellent material for both amateur and professional.
Schroeder,Handbook of Conducting. A practical little book from the standpoint of both orchestral and operatic directing.
Wagner,On Conducting. A short treatise that every professional conductor will wish to read, but not of much value to the amateur.
Mees,Choirs and Choral Music. A well-written account of the history of choral music from the time of the Hebrews and Greeks down to the present, containing also an excellent chapter on the Chorus Conductor.
Grove,Dictionary of Music and Musicians(article, Conducting).
Henderson,What Is Good Music?(chapters XIII and XVII).
Krehbiel,How to Listen to Music(chapter VIII).
II.Interpretation:
Coward,Choral Technique and Interpretation. One of the few really significant books on conducting. The author gives in a clear and practical way the principles on which his own successful work as a choral conductor was based.Matthay,Musical Interpretation. A book for the musician in general, rather than for the conductor specifically; an excellent treatise and one that all musicians should read.
Coward,Choral Technique and Interpretation. One of the few really significant books on conducting. The author gives in a clear and practical way the principles on which his own successful work as a choral conductor was based.
Matthay,Musical Interpretation. A book for the musician in general, rather than for the conductor specifically; an excellent treatise and one that all musicians should read.
III.The Orchestra:
Lavignac,Music and Musicians(chapter II).Mason,The Orchestral Instruments and What They Do.Corder,The Orchestra and How to Write for It.Prout,The Orchestra(two volumes).Kling,Modern Orchestration and Instrumentation.Henderson,The Orchestra and Orchestral Music; contains two chapters (XII and XIII) on the Orchestral Conductor that will be of great interest to the amateur.Mason (Editor),The Art of Music(Vol. VIII).Stoeving,The Art of Violin Bowing.Forsyth,Orchestration. A particularly good book both for professional and amateur, as it gives many illustrations and treats the various instruments from an historical as well as a practical standpoint.Widor,The Modern Orchestra.
Lavignac,Music and Musicians(chapter II).
Mason,The Orchestral Instruments and What They Do.
Corder,The Orchestra and How to Write for It.
Prout,The Orchestra(two volumes).
Kling,Modern Orchestration and Instrumentation.
Henderson,The Orchestra and Orchestral Music; contains two chapters (XII and XIII) on the Orchestral Conductor that will be of great interest to the amateur.
Mason (Editor),The Art of Music(Vol. VIII).
Stoeving,The Art of Violin Bowing.
Forsyth,Orchestration. A particularly good book both for professional and amateur, as it gives many illustrations and treats the various instruments from an historical as well as a practical standpoint.
Widor,The Modern Orchestra.
IV.The Church Choir:
Curwen,Studies in Worship Music(two volumes).Dickinson,Music in the History of the Western Church.Helmore,Primer of Plainsong.Pratt,Musical Ministries in the Church.
Curwen,Studies in Worship Music(two volumes).
Dickinson,Music in the History of the Western Church.
Helmore,Primer of Plainsong.
Pratt,Musical Ministries in the Church.
V.The Boy Choir:
Bates,Voice Culture for Children.Brown and Behnke,The Child Voice.Howard,The Child Voice in Singing.Johnson,The Training of Boys' Voices.Richardson,The Choir Trainer's Art.Stubbs,Practical Hints on Boy Choir Training.
Bates,Voice Culture for Children.
Brown and Behnke,The Child Voice.
Howard,The Child Voice in Singing.
Johnson,The Training of Boys' Voices.
Richardson,The Choir Trainer's Art.
Stubbs,Practical Hints on Boy Choir Training.
VI.Voice Training:
Ffrangçon-Davies,The Singing of the Future.Fillebrown,Resonance in Singing and Speaking.Greene,Interpretation in Song.Henderson,The Art of the Singer.Russell,English Diction for Singers and Speakers.Withrow,Some Staccato Notes for Singers.
Ffrangçon-Davies,The Singing of the Future.
Fillebrown,Resonance in Singing and Speaking.
Greene,Interpretation in Song.
Henderson,The Art of the Singer.
Russell,English Diction for Singers and Speakers.
Withrow,Some Staccato Notes for Singers.
VII.Miscellaneous:
Hamilton,Outlines of Music History.Hamilton,Sound and Its Relation to Music.
Hamilton,Outlines of Music History.
Hamilton,Sound and Its Relation to Music.
Transcriber's Note:The modern designation for the "Surprise" Symphony is No. 94. Click on the [Listen] link to hear a midi version, and on the [PDF] link to view a PDF file of the music images. Midi file by Steven E. Edwards, from the Classical Archives, www.classicalarchives.com, by permission.
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A cappella singing,162.Accompanist—Relation to conductor,147.Choosing of,147.Treatment of,148.Accompanying, organ,150.Adolescent boy,124,125.Alto, male,119.Altschuler, quoted,61.Anglican chant—Baton movements for,33.Attack—How to secure it,30.In reading new music,32.
Back stroke,28.Baton—Description of,20.How used,21.Position of,22.Baton movements—Diagrams of,22.Principles of,22.Length of stroke,32.Bauer, quoted,159.Berlioz, quoted,62.Boundaries of music,41.Bowing—Directions for,103.Signs,103,104.Boy—Problem of,126-129.Boy choir—Problem of,118.Government of,126-129.Remuneration of members,129.Boy voice—In church choir,118-125.Life of,123.During adolescence,124.Break—Adult voice,137.Child voice,122.Breathing,132.Breath Control,133.
Canadian Journal of Music, quoted,19.Caruso, quoted,44.Chant, Anglican—Baton movements for,33.Cheatham, quoted,87.Cheerful attitude—Value of,10.Child Voice—Peculiarities of,118.Difference between boy and girl,120.Compass of,121.Children, directing,79.Choir, boy—Problems of,118.Boy voice,118,119,120-125.Qualifications of leader,119.Remuneration of boys,129.Government of boys,126-129.Choir, church—Problems of directing,108.Remedies,109.Difficulties involved in,111.Qualifications of leader,112.Danger of individualism,112.Solo singing in,114.Chorus, high school—Music for,80.Direction of,82.Seating of,83Church music—Remedies needed,108.Solo singing,114.Importance of congregation singing,116.Clarinet,99.Clearness of speech—As element in leadership,16.Community music—Significance of,85.Social effects of,86.Qualifications of song leader,87.Song material,89.Advertising,90.Provision of words,91.Compass of child voice,121.Compass of orchestral instruments,107.Compound measures,23,24,26,27.Conducting—Definition,1.History of,2.Psychological basis of,3.Orchestral,93.Church choir,108.Boy choir,118.Conductor—Qualities of,8,110.Present status of,2,3.As organizer,13.As interpreter,36.Orchestral,93.Relation to accompanist,147-151.Congregational singing,116.Consonants in singing,135.Counting aloud,161.Coward, quoted,65.Creative imagination,11.Crescendo,58.
Diagrams of baton movements,22,23,24.Dickinson, quoted,62,109.Discipline in rehearsals,155.Dynamics,57-63.Terms defined,59,60.
Efficiency in the rehearsal,152.Efficiency vs. Idealism,153.Emotion—In interpretation,38.Enthusiasm as an element in leadership,16,17.Expression—Meaning of,36,43.In instrumental music,46.Elements of,46.How produced,72,75.
Fermata,31.Five-beat measure,27.
Gehring, quoted,42.Girl voice,120,121.
Harmony,71.Haydn score,166.Head voice,122,123.High school chorus—Direction of,82.Seating of,83.Music for,80.History of conducting,2.Hold,31.Humor—Sense of,8.Illustrations of,9.Value in rehearsals,162.Hymns—Selection of,117.
Idealism vs. Efficiency,153.Imagination—Value of,11.Individualism—Danger of in church choir,112.Instinctive imitation,3.Instrumental music—Expression in,46.Timbre in,66.Phrasing in,69.Instruments—Proportion of,97.Transposing,98-100.Pitch standards,101.Tuning of,102.Bowing,103.Range of,107.Interpretation and expression—Definition,36.Interpretation,36-75.Emotion in,38.Definition,40.In vocal music,43.Importance of timbre in,66.
Leadership—Sense of,13.Elements of,15,16,17.Summary,18.Legato,135.Length of program,142.Life of boy voice,123.
Male alto,119.Melody accentuation,61.Memory, muscular in tempo,55.Messa di voce,138.Metronome,48.Movable break,122.Music—Non-measured,33.Boundaries of,41.Vocal,43.Instrumental—Expression in,46.School—Field of,75.Church,108-117.Music—Distribution and care of,160.Music—Selection of,80.For children,80.High school chorus,81.Church,108-117.Music stand,20.Musical scholarship,6.
Non-measured music,32.Nuances, tempo,53.
Orchestra—Directing of,93-95.Seating of,96.Orchestral instruments—Proportion of,97.Transposing,98.Pitch standards,101.Tuning,102.Ranges of,107.Organ accompaniments,150.Organizing ability,13.
Personality of conductor,8.Personality of supervisor,78.Phrasing—Explanation of,66.In vocal music,67.Mistakes in,68.In instrumental music,69.Pianissimo,60,61.Pitch—Registers,71.Standards,101.Planning the rehearsal,154.Poise—as element in leadership,16.Portamento,138.Principle of time beating,28.Program-making,140.Length of,142.Arrangement of numbers,144.Importance of details,146.Program music,42.Psychological basis of conducting,3.Public performance—Attitude of conductor at,82.Public school music,76.Relation to church choirs,115.
Qualities of conductor,8.
Ranges of orchestral instruments,107.Recitative,33.Registers—Child voice,122,123.In adult voice,136.Rehearsal—How to save time in,152-163.Planning of,154.Discipline in,155.Rehearsal letters or numbers,158.Relation between conductor and accompanist,147-151.Relaxation in singing,136.Release—How to secure,30.Resonance,134.Rhythm,70.Rubato,53.
Scholarship, musical—Importance of,6.School music—Field of,76.Supervisor's personality,78.Direction of children,79.Selection of music,80.Public performance,81.Schumann as a conductor,13.Score—Reading,93,105.Seating—Orchestra,96.High School chorus,83.Self-confidence—Element in leadership,15.Seven-beat measure,27.Singing—Solo,114.Congregational,116.Use of vowel and consonants,134,135.Legato,135.Relaxation in,136.Summary of good,139.A cappella,162.Solo singing,114.Spitta, quoted,13.Standards of pitch,101.Sternberg, C. von, quoted,37.Stroke, length of,32.Supervisor of music,76.
Table—Of orchestral instruments,107.Transposing instruments,100.Technique of the rehearsal,152.Tempo,46-56.Importance of,47.Finding correct,48.Rubato,54,55.Establishing of,55.Tempo terms defined,49-53.Timbre,64.In instrumental music,66.In vocal music,64,65,66.Time beating—Principles and methods of,22-29.Back stroke,28,29.Tone—How produced,134.Tone quality,64-66.Transposing instruments,98,99,100.Tremolo in singing,138.Tuning orchestral instruments,102.
Unity in program making,142.
Varasdin, quoted,19.Variety in program,140.Ventilation of practice rooms,162.Vibrato,138.Vocal cords, Action of,137.Vocal music—Interpretation,43.Timbre,64.Phrasing,67.Vocal register,136.Voice, the boy's—In church choir,118-125.Life of,123.During adolescence,124,125.Voice, the child's—Peculiarities of,118.Compass of,121.Difference between voice of boy and girl,120.Head voice,122,123.Voice training—In conducting,119,131.Breathing,132.Breath control,133.Resonance,134.Legato,135.Tone production,137.Vowel in singing,134.
Wagner, quoted,47.Weingartner, quoted,12.Whipple, quoted,10.Whole method,158.Williams, C.F.A., quoted,75.