I wonder if I might just have a ramble about sight-reading? The word 'amateur choirs' encompasses a huge range of standards and abilities. Many small-ish chamber choirs include members who are virtually of a 'professional' standard, except they happen to earn their livings in other ways. [I'm not sure I really like trotting out the words 'professional' and 'amateur' all the time!] In these groups, many members will be good sight-readers, excellent sight-readers even. In such groups, Jean, I have not sensed any diminutiion of SR ability over the years. It is when dealing with, say, a choral society that one notices a marked difference between their general SR ability and that of a reasonable amateur orchestra. Orchestral members tend to know and understand all the nuts and bolts (e.g. time sigs, key sigs, etc, etc) and at a first rehearsal one can be pretty sure of a reasonable run-through. Some choral societies, OTOH, will often need a fair amount of note-bashing...unless we are talking of the works they are familiar with. The ironic thing is, one can often achieve..in the end....a more 'professional' [O gawd] result from an amateur choir than one can from an amateur orchestra. One important thing IMHO, and one which I've always tried to encourage, is that when a choral work with orchestral accomp is being rehearsed, the choir should get used to an 'orchestral' style of conducting, i.e. one with a clear, conventional beat. Some very good choir trainers have wayward directing styles which work brilliantly with their own choirs, but which cause consternation in the (scratch?) orchestral ranks. OTOH, if the 'wayward' choir-trainer, at the dress rehearsal, suddenly starts directing the orchestra in traditional manner, the choir will be all at sea.
I've rambled too much. I'll get me coat.......
I've rambled too much. I'll get me coat.......
Comment