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Spring 2022 Concert 4

CONCERT WEEK

THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2022

REHEARSAL ITINERARY
Program in concert order

Rehearsal will start with strings and brass on stage
Fanfare from La Peri (5’)
Danzas de Panama (20’)

Harold in Italy spot rehearsal (see notes below)

BREAK

Harold in Italy

A FEW NOTES ON BERLIOZ FROM THE MONDAY REHEARSAL:

Brian Lewis has made his recording available to all who are interested: https://briantlewis.com/5-3-2022-secondhalf/

1) ABOUT BALANCE WITH THE SOLOIST

The orchestra may be enjoying its great sound a bit too much. (My fault for encouraging that, M. Berlioz’s fault for some of the orchestration.) If you watch the recording, you will notice many places where you can see Lila playing, but not hear any viola. Let me offer a few suggestions:

Special attention to the p and pp dynamics, especially in the winds. Often these are places where Berlioz has written orchestra parts down to allow the viola line to project. You can hear in the recordings we are a bit heavy, sometimes to the point where viola is inaudible.
In particular, note a few places where we really need to thin out, stay down to let the viola shine—

1ST MOVEMENT: rehearsal 10-12, and 14-15
2nd MOVEMENT: all, but especially 23-25; 14 measures after 26 (poco meno forte)
3rd MOVEMENT: 8 before #33; 10 before #35 through the Allegro assai; final Allegretto.

Basically, we have to be mindful of when we are accompanying the soloist

2) Pilgrim’s March Tempo

Second movement is too slow (target is around 88, want it to feel in a big 1) and then gets slower and slower.Careful about tempo in the “Cincinnati-Sycamore-Mason” figure. There is a tendency to slow down in the last measure, ends up with a ritard every time with the inevitable result that the movement gets slower and slower…and slower.