As we got to grips with David Willcocks’ delightful arrangement of Lord of the Dance last night, I was struck by how difficult it is for choir and conductor alike.
Much of the rehearsal process consists of taking many different and apparently unrelated snippets of music quite out of context, polishing them in isolation, and only after much individual effort putting them all together to create a piece of music. While we are rehearsing the individual segments, it is hard to see how they will all fit to make a coherent piece of music. You could say that it is hard to see the wood for the trees.
I have found that listening to the music beforehand can help. It’s true that it can be a bit like reading travel guides, which make much more sense after the visit than before. But they do help to give the overall feel of a place, and some hints as to how to navigate your way around. Similarly, listening to the music beforehand gives clues as to the role and place of your particular “snippets” in the piece, so that you can visualize the whole while practicing.
John Kibby’s excellent CD’s and Dropbox material make a wonderful foundation for our rehearsal preparation. Here also are top quality performances on YouTube of the three carols from the Carols for Choirs book. Just click on the links below – they only take a few minutes each, and you will find the time amply repaid at rehearsal next week when we sing them!