Southern Gospel Collection. Rehearsal Tips By Dennis Allen

Transcription

1 Southern Gospel Collection Rehearsal Tips By Dennis Allen

2 I m Standing on the Solid Rock with Leaning on the Everlasting Arms Southern Gospel music has several wonderful things going for it: memories and message but also fun! This song is fun to sing. Sing Verse 1 (unison) strongly. Practice Verse 2 (SATB) a cappella, so you can hear who is getting (or missing) their parts and can work on blend. Typically, all parts should be clearly heard, with the soprano melody slightly in front. On the chorus, sopranos should carry their line smoothly and strongly through each phrase; the other three parts sing the echo response. At Leaning on the Everlasting Arms (meas. 49), the men should lead out on the melody. If the congregation is not already involved, invite them to join you. The basses have nothing to complain about in this collection; there is plenty of low stuff to go around!

3 He Looked Beyond My Fault with Grace Greater than Our Sin What a great text! At the top, the ladies should work hard to make the long phrases clear and distinct. The same applies when the men join in measure 18. The dynamic growth in measure 34, leading to the second half of the chorus, will make the emotion happen, and then relaxes into the end of the chorus. I encourage the optional use of a solo/duet in Verse 2 (meas ). Then the choir can pick up the emotion again in the next chorus. Grace Greater than Our Sin is a perfect hymn companion to this song. It is a great place for the congregation to participate. Spend quality rehearsal time on measure 128 to the end, especially tuning the beautiful chord movement in measures Pure unison, with basically no vibrato in the voice, will make the last note special.

4 Smoky Mountain Gospel Medley includes The Unclouded Day, On Jordan s Stormy Banks, and In the Sweet By and By I don t know if it s living in Nashville these last 20-plus years, or my love for The Andy Griffith Show, but I love good bluegrass music. The medley was a blast to record, and your choir will have a toe-tapping good time. The men are featured in much of the arrangement, so they need to step up. Even when they are not singing alone, they are often the melody, with ladies adding an upper harmony. These songs are familiar, so they should not need much introduction. However, you still need to work on clear enunciation of the lyrics and rehearse individual voice parts. Encourage the choir to smile when they sing so they will seem natural sharing these great gospel messages.

5 Cross Medley includes Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross; Had It Not Been; and The Old Rugged Cross No message we could ever share is more important than the message of the cross. So, even with familiar songs, the words must live in the choir s hearts, and then form clearly in their mouths as they sing. Note the altered harmonies in the opening of Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross. They are not difficult, but do need careful tuning especially beginning in measure 9. Had It Not Been is a wonderful story-song. The lyrics tell of the agonizing decision for God to send His only Son to the cross. The ladies set the tone as you share Verse 1 (meas. 40). Taking full, deep breaths will help support the phrases. Then, one of the most familiar hymns of all time, The Old Rugged Cross, needs to flow naturally adding the congregation. Keep the volume and energy up in the last measures of the arrangement.

6 Goodbye World, Goodbye If there has ever been a toe-tappin good time in Southern Gospel music, it is this song! If the choir is not smiling as they sing, they need to tell their faces that something is missing! The tempo is quick, so all the harmonies (meas. 9-10, for example) need to be rehearsed carefully for tuning. Practice this a cappella so all parts can be heard. In measures 13-16, the men are background singers, but they need to have lots of life in their sound and sing crisp rhythms. Of course, the natural suddenly quiet section in measures should be exaggerated, only to explode into an energy-filled chorus in measure 29 (and other similar sections).

7 Sweet Beulah Land What a sweet, peaceful, heart-filled song this is! There are options for solo, ladies, and men s sections to have a feature. Work each one separately to make sure each is solid. On the choruses, the key is taking deep breaths so each phrase is full and sustained. Using the traditional voicing of the chorus, the tenors have the melody, with surrounding harmonies, so let them stand out a bit.

8 Just a Little Talk with Jesus with What a Friend We Have in Jesus Very fun and familiar songs again! The key to Just a Little Talk with Jesus has always been enunciation of the sixteenth note lyrics. Measures 7, 11, 13, 14, and similar spots need work so everything is understandable. On the chorus (meas. 13, for instance), basses shine. The men need to rehearse their background harmonies in measures and The ladies need to rehearse measures and 56-57, dividing the notes into beautiful threepart harmony. Again, I suggest singing a cappella. Especially try singing the chorus of Just a Little Talk with Jesus without accompaniment. If you can make it pop without accompaniment, you should be ready to go.

9 The Lighthouse This song is definitely in the Southern Gospel All-Time Favorites category. The verses feature a beautiful high note (meas. 15 and 50), which needs careful preparation by the soloist and choir. The choruses feature one of the most familiar bass parts in gospel music, so the men should shine. The Verse 2 harmonies, especially in measures 50-53, need careful attention. This is a song from the heart. I pray that you will read the text carefully, and then thank God for His grace to you. Now you are ready to share it.

10 Heaven Medley includes When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder, When We All Get to Heaven, and I ll Fly Away Songs about heaven represent the majority of Southern Gospel music, so adding a medley of some of the great hymns about heaven is a natural. Note on the second verse that the tenors and sopranos have a high harmony, while the basses and altos carry the melody. Make sure the blend is good. Then look at the rhythm in measures 18-19, to make sure you hold notes the correct value. This is a good arrangement for the congregation to join the choir throughout.

11 Then Came the Morning Another great story-song this time with an Easter message. Build from the verse into the chorus, measures 20-24, being careful with the held notes in measure 23. Also, this song needs long phrases to keep the energy alive. The volume of the verses is generally more moderate, leading to the choruses then keep it strong all the way to the end.

12 Church Medley includes and The Family of God Have the soloist add a soulful touch to the opening arrangement of this great hymn. Then, once the choir begins The Church Triumphant (meas. 26), the energy should crank up. Make the eighth notes short and powerful in the opening measures. The ladies have a feature verse beginning in measure 46. Divide into all three parts so the chord sounds right. Lots of work on rhythms and vocal blend will make this a special spot. Once you break into I m so glad I m a part, add the congregation and sing from the heart!

13 Til the Storm Passes By with Precious Lord, Take My Hand This is a personal testimony song which needs sensitive expression. Work on the natural rise and fall of the phrases so the emotion is communicated effectively. For instance, the chorus starts out moderately, then builds in the middle, and then relaxes toward the end. The same formula applies to Precious Lord. The ladies, and then the men, have verses that begin in unison, then divide into parts. Work each section separately. Pay close attention beginning in measure 124 to the end, noting the rhythm changes and need for a tender ending.