Symphony Orchestra Page
Reference Recordings
Mar 5
Borodin, Symphony No. 2, mvts. 3 & 4: https://youtu.be/FmUsL6biVro?si=fqgHAwGSnBrhO5H8&t=732
Wagner, Lohengrin, Prelude to Act 3: https://youtu.be/mcfSf2vovtw?si=IUp8-FYnvroEuX1r&t=9105
Bernstein, 3 Dance Variations from Fancy Free: https://youtu.be/bKFoY8jRdp0?si=fiUvCfmwlz4S_Z_w&t=776
No. 3 Danzon with video of Bernstein conducting the NY Philharmonic: https://youtu.be/fHPRWEpyxfM?si=yeIcOoe1KpUvPgfL
Rehearsal notes
Apr 12
Borodin Finale:
m. 257: make sure you’re “sticking the landing” together
m. 104: careful not to rush here
m. 124: build on what’s happening before you– gradual crescendo
m. 152: this needs to be mezzo forte
Percussion in final 3 measures: make sure the triangle isn’t starting before the tambourine.
Borodin Third movement:
m. 101: this should still be forte, then diminuendo
Cellos- when you’re playing a string of eighth notes, you need to play through all of them, not just the first one.
More sound from cellos in general
Move bow to closer to bridge
Cellos and basses: move bow to closer to bridge to get more of a sustained sound on longer notes
Make sure grace notes have melodic substance (e.g., m. 93)
Wagner
m. 9: this needs to be more explosive- the trills and scales in m. 8 need to propel you towards this moment
Violins and violas @ m. 56: practice this part slowly, and make sure you’re playing even, clean triplets!
When your part changes melodically, lean into it to draw attention to the line– think of it like a string quartet
Bernstein Var. 2:
violins @ 771: avoid the downbeat sounding shrill- back off the sound a little bit
Apr 5
Wagner
Pay attention to passing notes!
m. 16: play through held notes
m. 32: First and second flutes, when you go up to C then down to B– these notes need to be more melodic/connected
m. 88: ff! Needs to be explosive here
At a fast tempo the sounds still need to be centered and firm, otherwise it loses control.
Last note needs to be more resonant/should fill the hall
Bernstein
Var. 1-
This movement needs to be over the top/circus-like
Melody shouldn’t taper at all- it needs to pierce through as much as possible
Var. 2-
Bassoon eighth notes need to be clearer in the beginning
Crescendo needs to peak @ 2 before 701
m. 706- don’t lose track of the downbeats
Violins violas flute piccolo @ 721: practice syncopated rhythm here
m. 765- make sure you’re not rushing here
Borodin
Third movement
Solos should be a couple notches louder than piano
m. 23: syncopation, needs more weight to it
m. 78: We shouldn’t explicitly hear the “down-up” in the bowing
those who don’t have the melody @ m. 91: make sure you’re not rushing!
m. 110: winds don’t diminuendo at all on the first few notes
Mar 22
Borodin Finale-
104: make sure you're not rushing these eighth + sixteenth notes
Playing with piano doesn’t mean “absent character” or “absent phrasing” !
A whole landscape painted within a tiny space
118: tutti needs to be stronger/have more emphasis and character
218: should feel like an accent with a diminuendo
Animato: needs more sound and sense of melody
Trill @ 278 leading towards last note: we need to hear both notes of the trill clearly
208: triplets need to be quicker/bouncier
232: pizzicato still needs to ring; there needs to be resonance so we actually hear pitches/chords
Wagner
Every note in the opening triplets has to be articulated
Pay attention to pitch and changing accidentals- make sure they’re in tune
e.g., violins and violas D# to D natural in m. 3
Woodwinds/brass @ 6 : attack on quarter notes need to be clearer
16: top line can be brought out more, (the figure moving up to E and down to B in strings)
Bernstein
Practice with a metronome!
810-811: crescendo needs to happen over several beats rather than just a loud last note
812: more dolce and more of a sense of line. Don’t overdo the forte here
819: note the piano!
841: play a bit less here to make room for trumpets
Mar 15
Borodin Finale
m. 104: needs to be rhythmically cleaner, make sure you're not rushing
The 3 eighth notes need to line up with the pulse.
General note: make sure you’re not getting careless with rhythmic accuracy
Violas and violins 114- make sure notes in the ascending scale are correct
Winds around 124- you’re holding onto the quarter note for too long
Woodwinds @ 135- the firsts and seconds in each part are a step apart; be aware of these clashing notes and lean into the dissonance.
Needs a melodic sense as the harmony changes; it’s all leading somewhere
Downbeat of 144 needs to “sing” more. The first quarter note needs to ring out more.
149, a tempo: it needs to be strong but everyone should pull back to mf after 4 bars
Make note of this dynamic shifting/phrasing
Cellos @ beginning of finale: pulse needs to be steady/in control
Don’t lose the integrity of the sixteenth notes! It needs to be poetic and rhythmically accurate
m. 18- even though there are accents, it needs to all be forte
Cellos- downbeat chords need to be fuller
m. 52- viola focus on rhythmic accuracy. Play on the off-beats.
m. 70- more sound/vibration (especially from second violins)
Bernstein (Variation 1)
Every single note has to have strength/force
There are no lines/long legatos like romantic era pieces. Instead, think of short, relentless energy.
631: make sure sixteenth notes are clean
638: more sound from cellos, basses, violas, second violins.
General note: don’t get too comfortable. The sound needs to stay relentlessly nagging and “annoying”
When you’re playing a pattern and then shift notes to a different pattern, emphasize this shift. (e.g, m. 647)
Last measure: every note is accented!!
Wagner
Opening triplets need a clearer attack
Clarinets can be softer in piano sections (e.g., 57)
Mar 8
m.1: Triplets should sound like fanfare
m. 3: Make sure you’re playing a C natural
m. 11: don’t over-bow because it’ll knock it out of tune when you change notes
General note: inner pulse. 16th notes need to be closer to the note that follows it.
m. 57 (bassoon and clarinet): accompaniment is a little too loud.
Make sure crescendo isn’t coming earlier than what is printed
m. 64 (cellos): note “Zart” = tenderly. Should be more subdued here rather than cantabile.
Closer to dolce.
Before m. 86: we travel a huge distance harmonically. Leave a little room rhythmically for that to happen– note the rit.