Autumn 2024 – Concert 1, Rehearsal Log


MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

First Half
play-sharp-fill

7:30     Shostakovich Symphony #5

–       1st movement

–       4th movement

8:20     First reading of Schickele

8:30     BREAK

8:45     Mozart Symphony #39

–       4th movement

o   Focus on back half

–       1st movement

–       2nd movement

1) UNBEGUN SYMPHONY

Parts will be distributed at rehearsal. The definitive recording led by Professor Schickele himself is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLDzeGvzK4s.

2) TEMPO BENCHMARKS

Mozart

·      1st movement

o   Adagio: quarter = 46-52

o   Allegro: dotted half/measure = 46-52 (quarter = 138-156)

·      2nd movement: quarter = 48

·      3rd movement: quarter = 142

·      4th movement: quarter = 126-132

Shostakovich: His metronome indications (what you have in parts) work.

Except for the 4th movement, which is the subject of some controversy and revisionism. For the first reading Monday I was trying out tempi that some scholars cite as definitive DSCH. I am not convinced the slow ending makes sense. So, for movement 4:

–       We follow he marked metronome markings up through 121

–       121: quarter = 108-116

–       128: quarter = 132

–       131: in 2, half = 100

3) REFERENCE RECORDINGS

For your support if you like to become familiar with the sounds, but—as always—do not be surprised if I have different ideas about tempo, articulation, expression:

MOZART 39

·      MARRINER (with score) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUdF3ouQpkM

·      HARNONCOURT (for an example of period performance, though at modern pitch)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nfd7X3N5bE

SHOSTAKOVICH

·      (with score) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIkw9oco_hc

·      Conducted by Mravinsky, the conductor who worked with Shostakovich and led the premiere: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L__jruvYuCg

·      BERNSTEIN: When I prepare a performance, I aim always to shake off ingrained habits, memories of previous performances, artifacts from study listening. However, in the case of Shostakovich 5, I may lapse into this interpretation because I played the piece more than a dozen times on the tour that concluded with this recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiaiS4nupYc

First Half
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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2024

7:30     Shostakovich Symphony #5

–       1st movement

–       4th movement

8:45     BREAK

9:00     Mozart Symphony #39

–       4th movement

–       2nd movement

1) VIOLIN SPLIT FOR SHOSTAKOVICH THIRD MOVEMENT

In the 3rd movement of Shostakovich, both violin parts show 3 staves. The lowest line is a separate third violin part for this movement. The third violin section (that is, these players play the lower line) includes:

Sophie

Morris

Laura C

Emily D

Daniel

Samantha

BettyAnne

Laura W

For players not among the elect few: If you are in the 1st violins play the top (I) line, if in the 2nds play the middle (II) line.

2) TEMPO BENCHMARKS

Mozart 

·      1st movement

o   Adagio: quarter = 46-52

o   Allegro: dotted half/measure = 46-52 (quarter = 138-156)

·      2nd movement: quarter = 48

·      3rd movement: quarter = 142

·      4th movement: quarter = 126-132

Shostakovich: His metronome indications (what you have in parts) work. 

Except for the 4th movement, which is the subject of some controversy and revisionism. For the first reading Monday I was trying out tempi that some scholars cite as definitive DSCH. I am not convinced the slow ending makes sense. So, for movement 4:

–       We follow he marked metronome markings up through 121

–       121: quarter = 108-116

–       128: quarter = 132

–       131: in 2, half = 100

3) REFERENCE RECORDINGS

For your support if you like to become familiar with the sounds, but—as always—do not be surprised if I have different ideas about tempo, articulation, expression:

MOZART 39

·      MARRINER (with score) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUdF3ouQpkM

·      HARNONCOURT (for an example of period performance, though at modern pitch)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nfd7X3N5bE

SHOSTAKOVICH 

·      (with score) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIkw9oco_hc

·      Conducted by Mravinsky, the conductor who worked with Shostakovich and led the premiere: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L__jruvYuCg

·      BERNSTEIN: When I prepare a performance, I aIm always to shake off ingrained habits, memories of previous performances, artifacts from study listening. However, in the case of Shostakovich 5, I may lapse into this interpretation because I played the piece more than a dozen times on the tour that concluded with this recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiaiS4nupYc

3) SCHICKELE

The rental set will arrive around mid-September. It is short and not complicated. We have ample time to prepare, and it makes sense to put our focus on the two big symphonies up front. But if you want to have a few laughs in advance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLDzeGvzK4s

First Half
play-sharp-fill

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2024

Playing through the two big symphonies….

7:30     Shostakovich Symphony #5

8:45     BREAK

9:00     Mozart Symphony #39

1) VIOLIN SPLIT FOR SHOSTAKOVICH THIRD MOVEMENT

In the 3rd movement of Shostakovich, both violin parts show 2 staves. The lower line is a separate third violin part for this movement. The third violin section (that is, these players play the lower line) is:

Sophie

Morris

Laura C

Emily D

Daniel

Samantha

BettyAnne

Laura W

2) REFERENCE RECORDINGS

For your support if you like to become familiar with the sounds, but—as always—do not be surprised if I have different ideas about tempo, articulation, expression:

MOZART 39

·      MARRINER (with score) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUdF3ouQpkM

·      HARNONCOURT (for an example of period performance, though at modern pitch)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nfd7X3N5bE

SHOSTAKOVICH 

·      (with score) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIkw9oco_hc

·      Conducted by Mravinsky, the conductor who worked with Shostakovich and led the premiere: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L__jruvYuCg

·      BERNSTEIN: When I prepare a performance, I aIm always to shake off ingrained habits, memories of previous performances, artifacts from study listening. However, in the case of Shostakovich 5, I may lapse into this interpretation because I played the piece more than a dozen times on the tour that concluded with this recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiaiS4nupYc

3) SCHICKELE

The rental set will arrive around mid-September. It is short and not complicated. We have ample time to prepare, and it makes sense to put our focus on the two big symphonies up front. But if you want to have a few laughs in advance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLDzeGvzK4s