The Choirmaster's Manual/Chapter 6

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The Choirmaster's Manual
by Harold Newton Clare

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3061206The Choirmaster's Manual — Chapter 6Harold Newton Clare

CHAPTER VI

THE SCALES

Sing all major scales from C upward.

Exercise 13.

For words and loose jaw.

$\relative f' { \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/4 f16\p g f( g) f g f( g) a g a( g) a g a( g) | f2. r4 \bar ".." } \addlyrics { la la la le le le li li li la le li la }$

and up.

The jaw must be kept quite still and feel as if floating; the tongue must form consonants. Sing second time mf.

Exercise 14.

$\relative f' { \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/4 \repeat unfold 4 { f16( g a g) } f2. r4 \bar ".." } \addlyrics { ah __ ah __ ah __ ah __ ah } \addlyrics { e __ e __ e __ e __ e } \addlyrics { i __ etc. } \addlyrics { o __ } \addlyrics { oo __ }$

and up.

Twice each vowel, slowly at first, or the notes will not be distinct.

Exercise 15.

$\relative d' { \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \key d \major \repeat percent 2 { d16 fis d( fis) g e g( e) } d2. r4 \bar ".." } \addlyrics { la la la la la la } \addlyrics { e e e e e e } \addlyrics { i i i i i i }$

and up.

Major thirds are very hard to sing. Boys often get a little flat on them.

Exercise 16.

$\relative e' { \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 12/8 e8( d c) f( e d) g( f e) a( g f) b( a g) c( b a) d c b) c4\fermata \bar ".." } \addlyrics { a a etc. } \addlyrics { e e etc. } \addlyrics { i i etc. } \addlyrics { o o etc. } \addlyrics { oo oo etc. }$

and up.

Slowly at first. See that the middle note is distinct.

Exercise 17.

$\relative c' { \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 12/8 c8( d e) d( e f) e( f g) f( g a) | g( a b) a( b c) b( c d) c4\fermata \bar ".." } \addlyrics { a a etc. } \addlyrics { e e etc. } \addlyrics { i i etc. } \addlyrics { o o etc. } \addlyrics { oo oo etc. }$

and up.

Exercise 18.

$\relative c'' { \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 12/8 c( d e) b( c d) a( b c) g( a b) f( g a) e( f g) d( e f) c4\fermata \bar ".." } \addlyrics { a } \addlyrics { e } \addlyrics { i } \addlyrics { o } \addlyrics { oo }$

and up.

In Exercises 16, 17, and 18 care must be taken not to unduly accentuate the first note of the group of three.

Exercise 19.

Staccato.

$\relative f' { \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f f4^! f^! f^! f^! | f^! r r2 \bar ".." } \addlyrics { oo o a e i }$

and up.

The staccato must be effected by a sharp inward movement of the abdomen, similar to an attack (see Chapter IV); but no breath must be taken between the notes.

Exercise 20.

$\relative c' { \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 12/4 \override BreathingSign.text = \markup { \musicglyph #"scripts.tickmark" } c4^$ e g c \override NoteHead.style = #'harmonic-mixed e g f d \revert NoteHead.style b g f d c$ \breathe e^$ g c \override NoteHead.style = #'harmonic-mixed e a f d \revert NoteHead.style b g f d | c$ \breathe e-.^$ g-. c-.\< \override NoteHead.style = #'harmonic-mixed e-.$ g^"and upward" ~ g2\!\fermata \bar ".." } \addlyrics { oo } \addlyrics { ah }$

Sing on all vowels, softly, paying particular attention to the staccato and slurred passages. Pause on last note.

Exercise 21.

$\relative c' { \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/4 c( e\< g c\! | \once \override NoteHead.style = #'harmonic-black c\> g e | c\!) r r2 \bar ".." } \addlyrics { ah } \addlyrics { oo }$

Exercise 22.

$\relative c' { \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/4 \tempo "Very slowly." c4^( cis d dis | e ees d des | c) r r2 \bar ".." } \addlyrics { ah }$

Note. Sometimes a fuller resonance is obtained by using "na" for vocalizing; this combination is also very useful for making the tongue active.