Swan Lake:

#2:

Rehearsal 12 is “too mechanical”.

15 bars from the end, “hit fade” on tied half notes.

Three bars after Rehearsal 6, drop down to mezzo-forte.  

 

#3:

Watch the tuning on ‘E#’s.  

The last two chords will be dictated.  

Needs to be lighter and more playful overall.  

In the last five bars, “lift” on the syncopation a little more.  

 

#5:

Make the grace note a little “heavier” at bar 5.

Watch the key change at ‘Vivace’.  

 

#7:

The 16th-note timing needs be more strict at the beginning.  

At the ‘presto’, we need bigger phrases; “feel it in 1”.  

We will accelerando nearly all the way into the presto tempo, however still jumping up a few notches when we arrive at ‘presto’.

 

SYMPHONY:

 

MVT I:

More viola needed at bar 34.  

Brass, play out at bar 301.  

Winds, back off at Rehearsal N.  

At Rehearsal T, brass are playing too loud–“hit-fade” is what we need.  

At Rehearsal U, play softer!

Less winds at bar 427.

Keep the tempo steady at bar 523.  

 

MVT II:

Softer at bar 66.

Make 16th notes staccato at bar 142.

Crescendo over the bar line into bar 166.  

In the last 6 bars, bassoons and horns taper slightly on beats 1 and 3.  

At bar 170, clarinets and bassoons need to be very precise rhythmically.

At 6 bars from the end, no gap between exchanging phrases in strings.  

 

MVT III:

Michael will give 1 bar “for free” at the beginning.  

In bar 9, string phrases need to “link-up” better.  

“Lay back” at bar 68 (those with syncopation).  

Overall, this movement should have a really “easy” feel.  

 

MOZART

Quarter=120

More stylized articulation is needed, in general.

Diminuendo at the ends of phrases.  

Less volume on long sustained (accompaniment) notes.

Bigger dynamic contrast is needed overall.  

Lighter at bars 32-34.

Crescendos into cadences should get bigger faster toward the end of the crescendo.