March 10, 1964 Too few of us realize the short - maybe too short -- s9ace of time between us and our first meeting with Mr. Shaw after tour. One I:Ionday and two Sundays s13parate us f:-om 1,rednesdaY, '· t1ar.0h 25, at"' 8 ~00 p,.ni. ·· The Collegiate Chorale received a letter date lined "late Monday ni ght" ~lmost a score of years ago, but it's pertinent -- so terribly pertinent 11a reacquaintance with the fundament als of choral to Casey's rehearsals: musicians hip 11. Snafued enunciation and careless dispirited rhythm. Things we shoul d be able to take for granted. Pitches sometimes are hard to find: disson -· ances and the speed with which notes succeed each other offer difficulties onl y solved by a slow and extremely precise process. We enlarge; we put the music _under the microscope; we cut to half-time and quarter-time; we analize, look for pitch cues and thematic materials. That is a legitimate method of learning. Even orchestras sometimes are forced to it. -But enunciation and the elements of rhythmic form and stress are basic. (To these eventually should be added an understanding of choral tone, though it must remain considerably more flexible and variable.) We have a right to assume that these disciplines are second-nature. -Like a pro-football team. They assume the familiarity of the fundamentals. The boys know how to tackle. They know how to block. They know how to handle the ball, and how to fall without breaking their necks. What they study is formations and the execution of plays. Well -- we assume the techniques of enunciation and rhythm. We study the intricacies of harmonic and melodic patterns. We spend time on phrasing, balance and an occasional problem of vocal agility. We shouldn't have to take time for much else. Let's take enunciation first. What we have is an artificial, arbitrary, but immensely prac'ti o al system. Nobody claims anything more for it than that it works. It is built particularly for American speech, though~ of its principles may carry over into foreign tongues. The Rules Are: I II III IV
Pure, vigorous vowels. Carefully broken-up dipht hongs. Long and intense hummed consonants .• Explosive consonants always exploded as though they began a syllable. V Rhythmic, proportionate allocations of hummedconsonants and secondary vowels.
I - We will purify our vowels to the extent understood -- even without context~
that
th ey never be mis-
Note that this is one of the most delicate adjustments of the singer's art. Note that it is not necessary to emasculate in order to purify. We do not have to sing hooty "oos" and rasping 11ees 11 to make ourselves under -