[cantabile] Plans for the November 10 meeting

The next rehearsal of the Cantabile Renaissance band will be on
Thursday, November 10 at 7:45 PM at my place.

This is a dress rehearsal. Please try to be on time (I know Ishmael
may have a problem), with your
music printed and in order in a notebook. If you need help with the
printing part, let me know (Bruce already has).

We will try to get a complete runthrough, but since we did that on
Sunday, this will be secondary to:

  • Finalizing the fanfare arrangements.
  • Finalizing (or at least adding to) the dance set
  • Making sure we’re all on the same page about how we’re getting
    things started, cues for endings, etc.

Playlist

Before the play. Tom is planning to open the doors to the audience
at about 7:45. We will be set up, and possibly already playing at the
time the doors open, and at any rate, ready to start the instant they open.

  • He that will an Alehouse Keep Drinking
    songs book     (General tuning to A)
  • Dulcina PDF
    (Stuart gives pitch to Anne)
  • O Portsmouth Drinking
    songs book     (Stuart gives pitch)
  • Quand je Bois Drinking
    songs book     (Tune last note; Ishmael starts)
  • Vignons, vignons Drinking
    songs book     (Ishmael starts)
  • Country dance set. All of these will be started by Ishmael and
    Bruce, with Stuart joining on the second verse and Barney taking the
    lead on soprano recorder on the third verse. (Stuart starts the first
    verse when Bruce isn’t playing.) Others may join ad lib on voice or
    low recorders.

    The cue for ending the set will be the closing of the doors between
    the box-office area (which the church labels the “Nursery”) and the
    theatre (church hall). We will be standing facing the doors, so it
    shouldn’t be hard to see. This is planned to be about 2 minutes
    before the action starts, so we’ll finish whatever we’re doing, but
    not start a new verse or piece after that.

  • Fanfare. They are planning on us playing one, and we will be cued
    by the stage manager or sound director. I will look at the Gabrielli
    excerpt we’ve suggested before, and we can play with it, but I think
    it’s likely that Bruce or I will just play it on Bruce’s fanfare
    trumpet while other people go take their seats.

Intermission

  • Greensleeves, PDF.
    Note that this includes some things we won’t be doing, so you don’t
    have to print out pages 5 and 6. (General tuning, to first chord of
    Bransle de la torche). The route is:

    1. Bransle de la torche, all recorders, Stuart joining pizzicato on B
      section.
    2. Triple Greensleeves, Bruce (Ishmael when no Bruce) first verse
    3. Duple Greensleeves, Anne, Second verse
    4. Bransle de la torche, as above
    5. Triple Greensleeves, All sing 4-part arrangement, last verse,
      Stuart plays the pickup, and the singing starts on the downbeat.
  • Fair Phyllis PDF,
    MIDI
    (All tune to last note; Bonnie starts)
  • Silly Bees, PDF,
    MIDI.
    (All tune to first note)
  • Shepherd in a shade, PDF,
    MIDI,
  • Changeons propos Drinking
    songs book     (All tune to last note; Ishmael starts)
  • Vive la Serpe Drinking
    songs book     (All tune to last note; Ishmael starts)
  • Dance. They will flicker the lights for the audience to return to
    their seats, so I think we should stop playing when they do that, as
    above for the doors closing.

Stage manager questions

Here are the answers I got yesterday. I have emails and phone
numbers to use if they turn out not to be adequate for anyone.

  • Parking, and handicapped parking. There was lots of parking
    yesterday; I parked right across the street from the church. There is
    a handicapped space right in front of the door we’re supposed to use,
    which was free last night.
    Bonnie may want to check the one-way streets; Francesca Avenue is one way
    going into College Avenue.
  • Arrival time, and whether a small amount of rehearsing would be
    appropriate. The house manager (Tom) is planning to be there with
    doors open by 7, so I’m suggesting we plan to arrive at 7:15 and be
    set up by 7:30. Tom doesn’t think there will be a problem with a
    little bit of playing before we officially start.
  • Signal to cut off before-play set, and intermission set. As above
    — doors closing before the play and lights blinking for intermission.
  • Area to store stands and other things we may feel OK about leaving
    between performances. They’re going to be leaving some stuff
    overnight in the Nursery/Box Office, with covers over it. For the
    week between Sunday and Thursday, they will have somewhere else, so if
    you want to leave anything Saturday, be sure and check with Tom.
  • Where to put stands, chairs, etc. at the end of the
    before-the-play set. The current thinking is that we set up in front
    of the passageway between the kitchen and the stage, and just leave
    our stuff.
  • Fanfare (whether there is one, where it happens in relation to
    moving the chairs and stands). As above.
  • End of the intermission set — should we attempt to go until the
    curtain rises, or just play our pieces and stop? I think we wrap up
    when they blink the lights.
  • Are they anticipating sellout of the Saturday (this Saturday?)
    performance. There is a way to make reservations on the website, so
    to be safe, you should make a reservation.
  • Publicity. Is there a flyer we could distribute, and where’s the
    blurb they promised us for e-publicity? I just got this by email;
    will send it separately to you and to our lists.

Schedule

On Friday, I’d like everyone there by 7:15 promptly, and if possible,
set up and ready to play by 7:30, so we can start a few things and get
a feel for the hall. After that, we can probably be a little more
relaxed, and as long as everyone’s ready to play by 7:40 we don’t care
exactly when they get there.

I really need to know tonight who’s going to be playing Lowell.
Those people will be rehearsing on (at least) the remaining 3 Tuesdays
in November.

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