14 October 2025

Dear Singers,

Great rehearsal this week, thank you. The MC Gloria came together pretty quickly and we made good progress. The Spanish is becoming more familiar, the 'groove' of the music feels a bit more natural, and the choral sound is getting more confident. Still a long journey ahead, but we're comfortably on the road!

WHAT WE DID ON 14.10.25

MC - Gloria - sectionals. Take care with the REPEATS! RHYTHMS are crucial, but NOTE LENGTHS less so. Generally in the faster movements they need to be short and crisp - this makes the music sound energetic. The slow movements are legato, sustained and therefore sound more passionate or reflective.

Word change: Sops and altos, bar 66, p.11 - the words should be 'de nosotros'  to echo the solo.

NN - No. 2 - We mapped our way through this one, and found it easier than it appears as there are 4 verses which repeat, plus two 'codas' the same. The tune is shared between Tenors and Sops throughout and I have written this collective melody out to help it make sense and get the flow (attached). This was given out at rehearsal.

We gave out the three extra concert pieces - La Huayno, Nino lindo & Venezuelan Carol - and we sang through Nino.

La Huayno comes from a collection of 3 pieces called Tres cantos Andinos. Here is a youtube recording, La Huayno begins at 2'18":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4smQwsQeR8

HELPFUL RESOURCES:

I am grateful to Corinne who found a guide to pronunciation, and the links are below, with instructions.....

Pronunciation tracks for Misa Criolla

NB: ALL of the text is spoken, solo and chorus; repeated passages are only spoken once.

Button 1: Kyrie & Gloria

Button 2: Credo

Button 3: Benedictus & Agnus

The audio excerpts are from an Upper Voice recording only, and the Sanctus has no chorus, but this is not a problem.

https://www.musicanet.org/bdd/en/score/17227-misa-criolla-ariel-ramirez

Pronunciation tracks for Navidad Nuestra

Voice parts (upper/lower) are separated. Page nos for our scores  are announced, and text is spoken followed by silence to allow for your repetition!

https://aberdeenbachchoir.com/December2008/NavidadPronunciation.shtml

PRACTICE TRACKS: Links to the recommended sites can be found in my MD Notes of September 9. The electronic sound is not pretty but they are the only resource we have. 

WHAT WE WILL DO ON 21.10.25

Some of us will 'Sing for our Supper' from 6.30, then:

Revisit MC Gloria & Credo

Huayno (separate booklet)

Coming up on the 28th: First look at NN no. 4 (Los Pastores)

WORKSHOP WITH FRANCISCO ON SATURDAY 18/10 

The Mint, Fore St, EX4 3AT

Open from 1.00, it starts at 1.30 and will finish at 4.30 (with break). Drinks available, please bring your own mug and snack.

The purpose of this extra workshop is to get more familiar with the music with expert input from Francisco mainly to check language and rhythms. 

We will focus on the movements we have started:

Misa Criolla: Kyrie, Gloria, and look at Credo for rhythms!

Navidad: Movements 1, 2, 3, 5 & 6

The workshop on November 15th will feature some of the two big works and the three extra pieces. This is open to the public, and an ideal opportunity for singing friends to come and join us for a taste of this exciting repertoire - do encourage them! It will be at The Mint again from 1.30 to 5.00 (with break & cake).

INSPIRATION CORNER

A group of choir members went to St Luke's Campus chapel last Saturday to hear Francisco give a recital of guitar music. It was sublime. He is a very fine player, and the programme was a lovely mix of contemporary South American music and arrangements of popular classic songs from Cole Porter, Jerome Kern et al of that ilk. He is touring the country, and visiting Colombia, to launch a new CD called Songs from Beyond. He will be performing some of the recital pieces in our December concert.

As a taster of his Colombian music, here is a gentle piece composed by a childhood friend, Daniel Saboya, called Guabina para un Músico del Sur

https://open.spotify.com/track/075W8HYDBOQhARQ5xg49WR?si=cac960584eea472a

The whole album can be heard on youtube.....

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lXuKYtdAhR0_yvPoUNFD4Wn6okQf-Vrzc

.....or spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/album/4TS6LseGjqdRoiKEWoV9T2?si=Y5FPplSrSqyfqWvWQTMp-w

I am looking forward to the workshop, thanks for signing up, see you Saturday.

Happy singing & listening,

Peter