A CHORAL MEMBER'S ACTIONS TO PREPARE FOR SINGING BRAHMS' "REQUIEM"

By

Mary Waddle

[Click to hear a sample of the music while you are reading. (recorded ten years ago, at their United Methodist Church in Colorado Springs)]

SATURDAY, August 27, 2011--At a choir workshop, to begin the coming church year's planned music schedule, a brief introduction of Brahms' "German Requiem" is given to the First United Methodist Church Chancel Choir with the plan to sing it for the Spring Concert in the Spring of 2012. (every piece of music that the choir will be singing for the coming 10 to 12 months is sung at least one time at the workshop)

JANUARY 5, 2012--Copies of the Brahms, "German Requiem" are passed out to the Choir with the knowledge that we would be singing our Spring Concert on April 29, 2012.

(REHEARSALS OF THE FUMC CHOIR TAKE PLACE EVERY THURS. EVENING FROM 7:30PM UNTIL 9:30PM. DURING WHICH, WE REHEARSE THE MUSIC FOR THE COMING SUNDAY PLUS OTHER UPCOMING MUSIC.)

 JANUARY, 2012--Parts of the Brahms selection will be rehearsed for the last 30 minutes of each Thursday rehearsal.

SAT., FEBRUARY 11, 2012--A rehearsal, beginning with a breakfast, is planned to rehearse the Brahms' "German Requiem". The sections of the choir take turns for the upcoming Sat. rehearsals to furnish the breakfasts. The rehearsals are from 8:30am until 11:00am (later in the year the rehearsals will possibly be longer until noon.

 The extra rehearsals were: March 31 April 14 April 24 with orchestra April 26 April 28 with orchestra 9:30-noon

On the concert night, the choir needed to be at the church by 4:30pm in black suits, white shirts for men, & black bow ties. The women arrive in black long dresses or long skirts with black blouses. The concert started at 5:00 and ended by 7:30. A reception followed.

From January forward, all members of the choir could take their music books home and rehearse on their own. Rehearsal music could be purchased on line or just used on line to help rehearse. The music of other choirs performing the piece could be listened to at practice or at home. Rehearsal music was available to help each voice range rehearse its parts in the Requiem. (Of course, not all choir members did this)

 At some Thursday rehearsals we would split up, in each voice section, and rehearse separately.

This, pretty much, is the time frame and the schedule for preparing to sing our concert. Of course, other choir activities, like singing for a funeral or special occasion sneaked into our schedule and made us feel a little over-worked. Most take it in stride and everything gets done.

This wordy yet fairly accurate report is what we went through to sing our concert. One other thing I should mention is that the Brahms German Requiem is quite difficult to learn and sing. Most of the choir had sung this 10 years ago and it was a giant struggle to learn it for the first time. Ten years later, it was almost equally difficult to learn but a little easier to sing. Our audience felt that our production was the best "Requiem" they had ever experienced. I have to say that it was truly beautiful. Our soloists, that we pay to sing with us- a Bass and a Soprano, were fantastic. I wish you two could have heard it. Our largest compliment is from the Philharmonic orchestra members that accompanied us. They loved it and were proud to play for us (paid of course). We never have a difficult time getting orchestra members to play for us.

 Use this as you please; you said to put it all down; so I did. Bye for now. Love, Mary