Category: /wg

It’s been at least 3 days since you got an email from me, so here’s a Wic=
ked Long one to make up for it!

When someone can’t make it to a rehearsal, I sometimes joke that “they ca=
n phone it in.” This is the closest I can get to a phone-in rehearsal. If=
you check all this stuff carefully in your tremendous amount of free tim=
e, I won’t have to repeat it more than 4 or 5 dozen times in the rehearsa=
ls.

REHEARSALS:

Will be both Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 in Medway.

See this for
the directions
if you still need them.

THESE are the people who are coming, as far as I know. This is a good-siz=
ed mob, or madding crowd. We won’t all be at both rehearsals, but I want =
to set up empty chairs where they aren’t, so we can see if we have enough=
room (I’m sure there’s another way to say that).

SOPRANOS:

Nancy Reid – Anne Kazlauskas – Susan Jaster

Norm Nichols – violin

Liefe Wheeler – recorder

ALTOS:

Victoria Bolles – Suzanne Mrozak – Betsy Opitz

Sarah Thompson – violin

Michal Truelsen – concertina

Deb Ross – recorder

TENORS:

Pace Willison – Barney Gage – Art Anger – Jody Wormhoudt

Karl Goedecke – flute

Ishmael Stefanov – violin

Arlene Nichols – recorder

BASSES:

Jim Harper – Douglas Bond – Richard Schmeidler – John Martin – George
Pomfret

Bonnie Rogers – Rackett

Laura Conrad – Serpent

PROGRAM with notes:

THIS IS NOT THE CORRECT ORDER!

I’ll have extra copies at the rehearsals, in case anyone lost something.

Prelude:

– PSALM 122. All 3 verses, as written.

Hymns & Psalms during the service:

– CRANBROOK. With the congregation, thusly:

instrumental verse for introduction

verse 1, everyone

verse 2, everyone

verse 3, instruments and congregation only.

verse 4, everyone

– ZADOCK. One of the readings is about King David. We’ll do this after th=
e reading.

Be sure you know how your words repeat. Versology as thus:

verse 1 (“The king”), everyone

verse 5 (“Eternal blessings”), voices only

verse 6 (“Thus, Lord”), everyone.

– PSALM 23RD. This is another Reading Of The Day.
Be sure you have this prepared, with whatever page setup you need, and no
te the repeats. I want to do it thus-wise:

Symphonies – Wind instruments only. This includes not only the intro
duction and the ending but also the interludes on the 2nd page. Strings p
lay only with the voices.

Verses 1 & 2, everyone.

Beware! the dynamics. Over-exaggerate the Pianos. This is a good rule for
elsewhere also.

– ALLENDALE or FROME, maybe, if we need another. Probably not, but bring
them anyway just in case. The other readings are something about Fornicat
ion, and the story about Jesus curing the blind man, neither of which we
have songs about. I’m thinking of a joke right now, but I will spare you.

Lecture where the sermon would normally happen:
I’ll use the same talk I’ve given before (if you’re tired of the Bassoon
Story, you don’t need to listen). We’ll do the first verse of each (excep
t Gibraltar), to illustrate the talk.
– LINGHAM. with repeat.
– BIRMINGHAM. with repeat. Beware dynamics.
– STOCKS. Voices only!
– GIBRALTAR. Verse 1 and 4, NO repeats! With symphonys at ends of verses.
– AN HYMN FOR EASTER DAY. with repeat.
– OTFORD. with repeat. Big dramatic effect at time change!

Communion:

– GWEHELOG GRACE. both verses and “Amen.”

– LYDIA, if we need another.

Offertory:

– CORFE CASTLE TUNE. 3 verses, with repeat, but may not need all.

Postlude:

– PENTONVILLE. verses 1 – 2 – 5, with repeats. I hope the Tenors are well
-rested!

OTHER STUFFS:

I’d like to sit in the same general formation we usually use, with Sopran
os and Altos on my left and Tenors and Basses to my right. If space permi
ts, I’d like the instruments in the front rows with singers behind them (
stand up to sing). We’ll see what the space is like when we get there. We
can mess around a little to make sure everyone has room.

Bring a stand if you need one. If space is tight, maybe people can share.

TENORS: be aware that all your instruments will be playing an octave high
er than you’re singing. I may play the trombone on some pieces, as long a
s I can also direct and sing at the same time.

INSTRUMENTS:

1. tune to the concertina.

2. I will designate 4 people as Designated Pitchers to play the first not
e of the tunes when needed. Probably Liefe, Michal, Ishmael, and Bonnie.

The service is at 8:45 AM! Gasp! Keep this in mind if you’re going out ca
rousing on Saturday night.

We should dress nicely for the service. No farm boots with dung on them,
no matter how authentic that may be!

Any questions/answers/problems/otherwise? let me know!

Whew! the end! I hope you’re all still here! I hope you’re still all here
!

I’ll see you on Wednesday and/or Thursday.

– Bruce

Although it’s been sunny and bright all day here in Haverhill, the
prophets are foretelling dire consequences unto any who venture forth
tonight, including a Wicked Bad Storm Warning for Southern
Massachusetts (where Medway is), freezing ice (what other kind is
there?) on the roads after dark, up to 9 inches of snow by morning,
and a plague of hailstones (OK, so I made up the last one…). A bunch
of people have already said they don’t want to go out tonight.

So, based on that information, I’m making an executive decision to
Cancel Tonight’s Rehearsal.

I hope we will be able to reschedule it for next Thursday, the 3rd
(note to Pace Willisson – is the room available that night?). That
means we’ll have 2 rehearsals, 2 nights in a row; I hope everyone can
come to at least one of them. And I hope we don’t get more weather
either of those nights.

I’ll also send out Yet Another Email with information about versology,
repeats, instrumentation, and so forth for all the tunes, so we can be
partly prepared beforehand.

I’ll feel real stupid if, after all this, we get a half-inch of rain,
but I’d feel even more real stupid if we all ended up dead in a heap
on the highway.

Stay warm, practice your parts, and I’ll see you all safe and dry next
week.

Best wishes,

Bruce

It’s 4:25 PM and it’s getting cloudy. I think I just saw a flake. Of
snow, I mean…

Although it’s been sunny and bright all day here in Haverhill, the
prophets are foretelling dire consequences unto any who venture forth
tonight, including a Wicked Bad Storm Warning for Southern
Massachusetts (where Medway is), freezing ice (what other kind is
there?) on the roads after dark, up to 9 inches of snow by morning,
and a plague of hailstones (OK, so I made up the last one…). A bunch
of people have already said they don’t want to go out tonight.

So, based on that information, I’m making an executive decision to
Cancel Tonight’s Rehearsal.

I hope we will be able to reschedule it for next Thursday, the 3rd
(note to Pace Willisson – is the room available that night?). That
means we’ll have 2 rehearsals, 2 nights in a row; I hope everyone can
come to at least one of them. And I hope we don’t get more weather
either of those nights.

I’ll also send out Yet Another Email with information about versology,
repeats, instrumentation, and so forth for all the tunes, so we can be
partly prepared beforehand.

I’ll feel real stupid if, after all this, we get a half-inch of rain,
but I’d feel even more real stupid if we all ended up dead in a heap
on the highway.

Stay warm, practice your parts, and I’ll see you all safe and dry next
week.

Best wishes,

Bruce

It’s 4:25 PM and it’s getting cloudy. I think I just saw a flake. Of
snow, I mean…

Hello everyone,

Here are the directions to the Medway church. If you’ve been to the Medwa
y contradance, this is the same building.

Remember, the first rehearsal is tomorrow night (Thursday) at 7:30. If pe
ople can be ready to start on time, we won’t have to run too late. If any
one can come early, there’s probably some setting-up we can do.

See you there!

– Bruce

The church’s address is 14 School Street, Medway, Massachusetts 02053. Us
e this address if you want to get a “Mapquest” map.

FROM RT. 128:

From Route 128, take Route 109 to the Millis/Medway Town Line.

Travel one mile to the intersection of Holliston Street and Route 109.

There will be a Texaco gas station and an Energy Gas station at the inter
section.

Turn left onto Holliston St. and travel along it to the intersection with
Village Street.

Turn left on Village Street, and School Street will be your 3rd left.

---

FROM RT. 495:

From Route 495, take Route 109 (Exit 19) to the intersection with Route 126,
and continue on Route 109 to the intersection with Holliston Street.

There will be a Texaco gas station and an Energy Gas station at the intersection.

Turn right onto Holliston St. and travel along it to the intersection with Village Street.

Turn left on Village Street, and School Street will be your 3rd left.

---

FROM RT. 495 another way:

From Route 495, take Route 126 (Exit 18) to the intersection with Route 109,
and continue on Route 109 to the intersection with Holliston Street.

There will be a Texaco gas station and an Energy Gas station at the intersection.

Turn right onto Holliston and travel along it to the intersection with Village Street.

Turn left on Village Street and School Street will be your 3rd left.

Hello everyone,

Here’s yet another message from me!

We have the chance to do another performance this year. St. Mary’s Churc
h (where we meet) would like us to do something at the Sunday Morning ser
vice on April 24th.

I don’t have any other details yet; I refuse to worry about it until I’ve
finished worrying about Medway and Neffa. But please mark your calendar
s now; later on I’ll have more information, and I’ll ask for names of peo
ple who can do this.

Don’t forget the first rehearsal for Medway is this Thursday, if it ever
stops snowing. I’ll be sending directions in the next day or so.

Thanks,

Bruce

Hello, everyone,

As promised, or threatened, here’s another message from me. NEFFA
isn’t happening until April, but we need to attend to this Wicked
Soon:

I need to submit names for NEFFA. As you probably know, we’re leading
a West Gallery Music workshop at NEFFA on Sunday, April 10, at 12:00.
We’re listed in the schedule as “The West Gallery Quire.”

Anyone who comes and helps will be considered a member of “The West
Gallery Quire” and will get free admission to the entire festival (3
days of fun! oh boy!). BUT they need your names Real Soon.

To help, I’ll need people to do these:

• A few people to make copies of booklets in advance;
• a few people to
  hand out booklets;
• four people to hold up the signs that show where to
  sit;
• and a big lot of people to sit in the crowd amongst other people
  and “Sing (or Play) Lustily And With Good Courage” to help out the
  newcomers (this is the way we’ve done it before; no new surprises).

Having your name on the list will also help them schedule stuff in the
future; they won’t schedule you opposite something else which you’re
also part of. So even if NEFFA already has your name as part of
another event, you still should give me your name.

If you’re hoping to do this, please send me your name NO LATER THAN
Feb. 27th. That’s a week from this Sunday. I’ll submit the names to
the Neffans that evening.

Thanks,

Bruce

Hello, everyone!

---

MEDWAY REHEARSALS

There will be two rehearsals for the Medway March 6 church service –
Thursday, Feb. 24 and Wednesday, March 2. They’ll be at 7:30 at the
Medway church (directions forthcoming, probably early next week).

Please come to at least one; if you’re free both nights, it would be
great if you can come to both.

I want to spend some time actually rehearsing all the music, including
some simple orchestration for some tunes (nothing more complex than
“voices only,” “voices and winds,” and so forth), and make sure we all
know what verses to do (as soon as I decide). Besides going over the
music, I want to make sure we have proper seating arrangements worked
out

If you can’t come to either rehearsal, please let me know. Maybe I can
schedule another rehearsal, although I’m not sure where or when. We
need more days in the week.

---

IF YOU NEED A RIDE to either rehearsal or to the service, send a
message to this list (at wg@serpent.laymusic.org) and hopefully
someone who’s going past your area can pick you up.

---

THE SONG LIST:

This is not the actual order, but these are the tunes we’ll do. Except
for Psalm 23, these are old familiar ones which most of you probably
know well.

• PRELUDE:
  • Psalm 122
• HYMNS & PSALMS:

  • Cranbrook (with congregation)

  • Zadock (after reading about King David)
  • Psalm 23 (after reading of the same)
  • Allendale or Frome, maybe, if we need another.

• SERMON – one verse each, to illustrate the talk:

  • Lyngham

  • Birmingham
  • Stocks
  • Gibraltar
  • An Hymn for Easter Day
  • Otford
• COMMUNION:
  • Gwehelog Grace
  • Lydia, if we need another.
• OFFERTORY:
  • Corfe Castle
• POSTLUDE:
  • Pentonville

There are some major butt-kickers on this list, but we will be about
24 in number, so as long as we all know our words and notes, we can
stay relaxed for most of it.

Please let me know if you have any questions. And stay tuned to this
channel for up-to-the-minute news bulletins!

Thanks,

Bruce

I hope you all had a good month. The regular West Gallery workshop is
coming this weekend, and we have some other news items as well.

1. NEXT MEETING:

The next regular West Gallery Music workshop will be on Sunday, Feb.
13th, from 1:30 – 4:30 PM, at the usual place, St. Mary’s Church in
Newton Lower Falls. I hope the thermostat will be working this
month. I’ll try to remember to check with them this week.

Last month I gave out 2 new pieces; “Psalm 23” by Thomas Clark, and a
new version of the “Psalm 56” which we already had. We’ll do these
songs again; if you missed last month, be sure to pick up copies of
these when you come.

I don’t think we have any tunes suitable for Lincoln’s Birthday,
Chinese New Year, nor Valentine’s Day (except maybe “Lydia?”), but
it’s the beginning of Lent, and we have plenty of mournful dismal
songs to choose from. Also we haven’t done “Old Foster” for a while;
I think it’s time to give that another hearing. Another one we
haven’t done lately is “Bridstow” with its time-changes.

Please bring your friends! We’ve been getting lots of newcomers
lately; I hope this trend continues. If you know any Oboe, Clarinet,
Bassoon, or Concertina players, twist their arms – we don’t get many
reed instruments, and it would be nice to have some.

If anyone is involved with concerts, dances, sings, or other events
with other groups, please bring some flyers. This is more efficient
than trying to announce them during the meeting.

2. NEW TUNE LIST!

The Tune List has just been updated at the web site
www.laymusic.org/wg.html). Please check this to see if you’re
missing anything; let me know what you need and I’ll bring it to you.
I can also give you a printed copy of the song list if you prefer.

You should take your music booklet with you if you plan to come
regularly, or even irregularly. Put it in a 3-ring binder so it
doesn’t explode. I always bring a few extra booklets for newcomers
and so-forth, but I’d rather not carry tons of stuff around.

3. THE MEDWAY GIG.

We’ll be performing at the Sunday Morning service on March 6th at the
Episcopal church in Medway.

I have about 22 people signed up for this, which is a goodly number,
well-distributed amongst the parts, and with a reasonable variety of
instruments. If you haven’t volunteered for this, there’s still room
if you want to – if I remember right, there was plenty of space.

We’ll have a couple of rehearsals, at the site itself, on different
week-nights. I’ll be sending separate emails about this, so watch
this space for further updates.

4. WEATHER OR NOT (repeated from last 2 months):

A) Now that the Weather season is upon us, be careful on the stairs at
the church. We’re supposed to use the door at the right-hand end of
the building, but please use the ramp at the center door instead if
you need to; I always unlock this door.

B) If I need to cancel a meeting because of weather, I will send an
email to this list, probably on the morning of the meeting. If you
don’t have access to your email on that day, please call me if the
weather is questionable.

C) If you need a ride from the T or elsewhere, send a message to this
list; if someone’s coming your way, maybe they can give you a lift.

I hope to see you on the 13th! As the joke goes, “Bring your friends,
if you have any.” And please pass this message on to other people who
might be interested.

Best wishes,

Bruce Randall

melismata@hotmail.com

978-373-5852

I (Laura) have just updated the songlist. Check
whether you’re missing something before the next meeting, and let Bruce know if you should bring
anything.