Rehearsal Explained: Eric Whitacre – Cloudburst
1. Score correction: Measure 57 (m.57), lyrics misspelling - "vol – var" should be "vol – ver".
2. m.1: "La lluvia", "via" ought to be pronounced on the 8th note.
3. m.3-5: All parts should emphasize the entrance on "mo" (The last consonant before "ojos de agua de sombra" is [m].)
4. Explanation for "random phrase": Everybody chant the text on the given pitch on his own tempo at random speed.
5. m.1-7: There is no fermata until the "agua" in m.7. Eric Whitacre would conduct this part strictly according to the sheet music concernin its rhythm (without any rubato), while some conductors would prefer to apply some rubato on this part. In my opinion, both ways are feasible.
6. m.59: do crescendo on "via".
7. m.63 suggests: (1) random speed (2) random tempo (3) Any note that belongs to this measure could be randomly played at any time.
8. m.70: One should snap fingers immediately after clapping. Note: When snapping fingers, one must do it at random speed with no certain pattern, no rhythm.
9. m.79-84: Everybody keeps snapping even though vocal parts start to fade away at the end of the song, and when voices have disappeared completely, snapping begins to be slow, be soft after the end of the song.
10. Basses do take breath at measure 44(m.44) and m.45, but do NOT change breath at m.46.
11. Do not raise clenched fists until m.67.
12. Do NOT take breath at m.70 and everyone claps hands at beat 1.
13. m.79 does NOT have a fermata.
Score samples:
2. m.1: "La lluvia", "via" ought to be pronounced on the 8th note.
3. m.3-5: All parts should emphasize the entrance on "mo" (The last consonant before "ojos de agua de sombra" is [m].)
4. Explanation for "random phrase": Everybody chant the text on the given pitch on his own tempo at random speed.
5. m.1-7: There is no fermata until the "agua" in m.7. Eric Whitacre would conduct this part strictly according to the sheet music concernin its rhythm (without any rubato), while some conductors would prefer to apply some rubato on this part. In my opinion, both ways are feasible.
6. m.59: do crescendo on "via".
7. m.63 suggests: (1) random speed (2) random tempo (3) Any note that belongs to this measure could be randomly played at any time.
8. m.70: One should snap fingers immediately after clapping. Note: When snapping fingers, one must do it at random speed with no certain pattern, no rhythm.
9. m.79-84: Everybody keeps snapping even though vocal parts start to fade away at the end of the song, and when voices have disappeared completely, snapping begins to be slow, be soft after the end of the song.
10. Basses do take breath at measure 44(m.44) and m.45, but do NOT change breath at m.46.
11. Do not raise clenched fists until m.67.
12. Do NOT take breath at m.70 and everyone claps hands at beat 1.
13. m.79 does NOT have a fermata.
Score samples: