‘SCORE STUDY CHAPTER 5 SINTRA SCORE STUDY CLEFS AND TRANSPOSITIONS: SAMPLESCORES USEFUL TERMINOLOGY REHEARSALS: The learning process involved in score study brings into focus all the areas Teducation and experience encountered thus far, Every note, symbol. and sroeking on the page must be learned and placed in is appropriate relationship fo the composition asa whole. Repoprate conducting gestures grow out of the musical requirements indie in the score: all you must do i find and identify these requirements seareen apply the night set of gestures. In other words, Your gestaic should eee piysea reflection of the sound being created by the ensemble, There Psa rablem involving general patterns of conducting, oF specific gestures, se eimhot be analyzed and worked out if you consider the neds of the performers and the musical cues inthe score. “The primary route to comfort and security on a podium is knowlege and copilot the sere, and possession ofthe physi! skis necessary t0 port ay caentmposion visually. Each conductor must develop his or her own suelo, based on personal capabilities for score study and conducting, Nie eoommend a three phase series of study sessions, each accomplishing Specific goals until the score s finaly learned in every etal 'A fit look at the score, or a cursory overview of it begins with page 1, ach usualy contains a large amount of information, Be sure that you have wiNtrough grap of every word and marking on this page. Use reference feuke ath os ker Guide to Music and Musicians, Grove’ Dictionary Mp atute and Muscans. andthe Harvard Ditionary of Music to find whatever oe omar information you may need to answer the following questions 4 Composer. Where and when was this piece writen? What do you know eerpether works by this composer? Who (if anyone) was the editor, fhe arranger, the transcriber, ofthe orchestrator? st52 cectiowone + eAsicPrncrLEs ano TecaUES 2 Title, What can be inferred from the title? What do you know about the genre? Does the opus number indicate whether this san early, middle, ‘or Tate work by the composer Is the date of composilon given? 3 Dedication. If there is @ dedication, what dots it imply? For example, was the piece writen for an ensemble or artist, and docs that suggest, anything about its evel of difculty? 4 Historical contoxt. How does the work Gt into the composers overall ‘output? What do you know about the style ofthe period and its performance practices? What do you know about the composer's style? Are you familiar with recorded performances of the work by diferent ensembles? 5 Instrumentation. Identify the instrumentation, and review transpositions and ranges: Is the piece fora standard grouping of instruments or voices? What is special of different in the listing? (Information on clef, ‘transpositions, and foreign terms for instruments ill be presented later in ths chapter) 6 Clots. What clefs are used? It is important to become Avent in reading clefs and transpositions, in order to know how the score should sound at concert pitch (untransposed). A conductor loses credibility quickly if hoe or she cannot read cles or transpositions correctly in rehearsal and |s unabie to determine corret notes for the performers. Practice reading ‘he cles and transpositions on pages 54-61, 7 Is the score in concert pitch (C) or transposed? (Note: The abbreviation Cis frequently used for concert pitch, and a concer-pitch store is called a Creore) 8 What are the tempo indications and metronome markings? 9 Do you understand all the expressive markings and all the dynamic ‘markings? 10 Text. If cher is text, sit in the orginal language ori ita translation? Who (if anyone) isthe translator? 19 Publisher. Does the name of the publisher imply anything about quality? 412 Is there an explanation or description of unusual notation or effets? Phase 2: Structural Features [A second approach-—now to the entre score-should examine the following aspects: 1 Formal design. How many sections are there? What are the characteristics ‘of each section? Consider making a chart oF table of the setions, isting ‘her distinctive features, 2 Melodic development. Identity the main melodie materials, Think about their characteristics. Look for motives and imitation, What technical problems are therein the melodic material? Are there any awkward intervals ‘or extreme tesitura? Do you find inherent intonation problems in unison and doubled parts? What are the problems of balance in doubling and8 Harmonic organization. Look at key signatures and the bassline to make preliminary decisions about large tonal areas. Look for pedal points, inverted pedal points, and main cadences. Then examine specific areas in detail to notie the type of chord structures used and the harmonic movement, Does the harmonic background merely support the melodie ‘material, orisit rhythmically aligned?” Make a diagram ofthe tonal outline ofthe piece. 4 Rhythmic development, What are the distinctive rhythmic qualities of the piece? How do they change throughout each main section? Ate there sections or passages that wll probably require special rehearsal? 5 Texture. Is the texture polyphonic, homophonic, or monophonic? Does the scoring or instrumentation change within small or large formal areas? Iso, what isthe effect of each change? How does the density (sparse, thick, heavily doubled, widely spaced, ec.) within small or large formal areas affect the flow of the music? 6 Text. Ifthe music has a text, examine it, Look a the relationship between expressive features of the music and the meaning ofthe text. Make sure that you know the correct pronunciation of every word and the diction and vocal techniques involved in singing the text. 7 Conducting problems. Analyze each change of meter, of cadence, of tempo, ete. Mark areas of concen in the sore for future reference, study, and practice. Practice singing and conducting each major section and finaly the entire score. Can you hear the lines and timbres in your mind as you conduct? You should be able to compare details ofthis work with "mila details of other works in your aural memory. Phase 3: Interpretation ‘The third approach i to interpet the composition. Examine the following: 41 What distinctive characteristics ofthe composition should be emphasized? Consider melodie, hythmic, and harmonic qualities; tension and release; timbres, and structural design 2 Can you fel and set a correct tempo foreach section? Check your concept ‘of tempos witha metronome repeatedly until you can accurately remember the right tempos. 38 How docs the structure of the piece evolve? Think in terms of bringing ‘out the new structural features ofeach section so that the audience will hear them, 4 How do you want your audience to respond to this work? How can you project your concept to the audience? You and the performers must hear 8nd fel your own interpretation with such intensity and involvement t the audience will also hear and respond to it, Ths i similar to an actor's feeling and projecting fear or happiness with such intensity that the audience ‘expereness the same emotion 5 Listen to recordings of other compesitions by the same composer, ot in the same syle, of of the same genre. How does your interpretation compare with the musical thoughts and expression of other conductors and performers? sDissecting a Piece of Music We wil view choral anthem as an entity tobe dosed ino major ston, Long pases, au shart phrases, Major sections willbe divided into Tong phrases and long phrases ‘willbe divided into short ras. Wo'l dsc hee rela Yoshi to each other, and to the entre piece. These ‘Phrases and sections willbe mark inthe cores follows, ‘Major sections. Major stetions ave (1) the intro tion, 2) one, two, oF possibly three euly significant por tions of the piece, and (3) dhe coda fending). Major sections aro indicated inthe sere hy placing fallen parallel ines, unning doven the regular bar lise, atthe beginning of uch a section Maio sections which often are 24 to 48 meaouses or ‘more in Teast, do not always have to be that long Intredetions and codas can be as short a8 6 to 12 mes sures. Signicanc alone, rather than length, may be the determining fost Long phrases. Long phrases are inicete by a sine fatbinge bar ine cunning doen the segue barnes, at the beginning ofeach such phrise. Lang press, compar atively speaking, are not always long. Ags, significance an dictate shorter dation, it hey can often be 8 to 16 measure long. Short phrases. Short phrases are indica in the scare Diya partial br line, which wl run down the reglar har ‘ines, hut only throw the vice pars (aot the aceompe iment). When used in orchestral scores, dhe partial Tine may be drawn through only the sting parts (or wind ars i hey ae more sigaifieant at the tine) ‘Suggestions for marking a score using this system ‘taugh¢ the wealth of greet music and how 0 perform it masically and stylistically. One of “lrford’s emaskable qualities was his extaor- ‘wire. Many musicologits specialize i only ‘one stylistic period, Herford understood how the music of al composers wa tobe per orme—trom Palestrina and Monteverdi to Stravinsky, Bartok, Britten, and Schoonborg— Dnt he dearly loved Bach. My entire approach to structural analysis is based on Julias Herfors teaching Duaring the sixteen years cht I studied ‘with him, Herfed told me that Buropean ‘choral conductors possessed enormous musical knowledge and that Americen choral conde: teen Peoteoed cacti ey, Ui HB me: sion was to bring about the mareage of European knowledye and American energy ‘Most of the hythmie intrest, frwaed ‘motion, and phrasing concepts dsenssed in this hook are also based on Herfor's teachings 1. Before placing te ba lines nthe musi pce a checkmark at the bottom ofthe ‘core atthe pinta which the lng phrase begins, end checkmark in pare: ‘theses at each pot at which a shor phase begin. The reason for this: fou change your mind during the process of malyzng the entice pus, you don't Ineve to erse an entire ine, only a check. Place the har ins inthe msi, with ruler for netness, ater you have definitely derided on he 2. When leadsin notes ae involved which i often the case), conser thems such, and place the check, and eventually the ha ines, at the point of the fi: Towing ela har Hines, Do not pave stricta at lines within esas. This looks confusing, specially when quichy glancing atthe score in shear or performance |4. Place mathematial equations ofthe pass athe bottom ofthe score, teach point where check or singe long har ine would be placed. This indicates the hhumberof measures in dhe following long phrase, and those in each of the starter phrases within the long one (Chere my be two or several). Fo example, ‘ong pheae of 16 measures, with shorter phrases of 6,4 4, nd 2 measures, would be equated as 16 (6-44.42). 4. Am intrdacton special nerd, o endaof 10 measures could be considered otha rmajorsetion and a Tong phase, The long phrase might be 10 measures, ‘with two short phrases of and, The parallel lines atts eginning or ending wll sere both the major sation and the fong phrase. The mathemati] equa Son at the bottom is 10 (6-4), In is structs analysis, juts Herford sed only the checks and checks in parentheses added the concept of bar Tins for tree reasons 4 When looking down at your sor, yu wll mmeditely and easily see an organized view ofthe sel ideas set up as an architect would reange oom ona bive-print + Your eyes will tavel quickly to the boginning of now phrase or musical idea 1 You cam ask your singers to place the bar ines in their own mst help them sing structurally one musical den after another, rather than singing one note after another 1 done nea, with a ruler, the score can actualy lok as though it was pub Tishe with the a ines int. Make the fines hesry, th a soft ead pencil so they cat be acen easily. Don't make any marks with a pen. A pen negates the apport nity fo change your mind. And, you will change your mind, trequentl Ain Examploof Structural Analysis: Haydn, The Creation, ‘Awake The Hap” ‘We will go through it step hy stop. Remomber this isa conductors” analysis we can do it any way that best serves our noes. Yours may dif fom mine. Begin with the choral maui Awake The Harp EBEEBBEBEEEBEHEBHEEE EE