Performance team rehearsal

A Tuning the Air Journal

Monday, September 5, 2011 – Performance team rehearsal

Seven onboard for a Labor Day rehearsal tonight. Travis and Greg out of town.

First up was “Little Red Truck”. Jaxie and Bob had not played it yet, so Carl outlined the form and details. The chord accompaniment is a kind of chugging, pulsing part, and there was concern that it would be muddy with too many people on it. We tried several strategies for addressing this. A new part for Bob and Jaxie emerged from this; a twisty little arpeggiated figure in the middle register that adds some depth harmonically and opens the piece up rhythmically. A few other minor additions; a bass line for me on the bridge, some higher register rhythmic improvised bits for Chris, all pointing to the potential for a bit of fun.

After a short break, we touched on the rest of the pieces currently in process. I brought Bob up to date on some refinements to the bass part in “Larks Tongues”. We looked at some dynamics possibilities, as well as the closing fanfare. Ran the piece several times with and without the metronome. “Space Circus” reviewed, refinements added, and work with the metronome. Both of these pieces are very close to ready.

On to “Mad World”. With Greg and Travis out, I covered the chord accompaniment, leaving Chris alone on the cello part. Bob and Jaxie had worked out a lovely set of fingerings for the hocketed arpeggio, allowing for the maximum amount of notes to ring. Very effective. With all parts present, we ran the piece several times. Some discussion of the fingering and articulation on the melody, with the aim of consistency amongst the players in order to tighten up the ensemble playing, as well as maximizing the lyricism of the melody. My sense was that we are up and ready on the arrangement as it was presented, but that there might be some tweaks yet to be discovered that will bring the piece together. Carl noted a wonderful symbiosis between the bass notes of the chord part and the cello. I also noticed a lovely rhythmic conversation between the arpeggio and the melody.

One runthrough of “Gnossienne” followed by a little conversation about next steps, and we called in a night.

On Thursday evening we have Nigel Gavin in town, performing at Good Shepherd. On Saturday Nigel with join us for our rehearsal. “A Connecticut Yankee in the Court of King Arthur” is in the plan for that, along with anything else Nigel might care to share.