First Two Rehearsals
Possibly the trickiest aspect of composition is the fact that it is all in your head until the first rehearsal. Sure, you can write it down; the notation program can play it back; but none of that is the music - for the audience, the music is what gets played, not what is written.
So how do you get what you have in your head to match up with what you're actually hearing? For me, it starts with taking stock of the latter.
First, Ensemble Eroica sounds phenomenal. They started the rehearsal with Mozart K. 525 and from the very moment of ignition, that point where the very first bit of energy escapes the instrument and sets the air in motion, I knew this was going to be good. The second thing I could not help but notice was Toby's remarkable approach to rehearsal and the depth of knowledge he brought to every request he made from the orchestra. I have been lucky enough to watch some great conductors (Haitink, Rattle, Knussen, Vanska) rehearse, and I can honestly say that Toby hangs with the best of them. (In case you're wondering, I don't have notes on Imogen because her and I have worked together for four years while this is my first time working with Toby and hearing Ensemble Eroica live; needless to say, I think she's brilliant.)
While all the above may sound like a lot flattery, it is in fact just taking stock; I don't believe in being humble nor in inflating egos/expectations - both errors are unhelpful. Accurately acknowledging the unique strengths of your collaborators (breadth of knowledge and a beautiful classical sound in this case), on the other hand, can allow you to prioritize rehearsal objectives better and communicate in a way that plays to the unique abilities of those around you.
So what needed work when it came time to work on Threads? As is often the case with the music, it was timbre that needed tweaking. Unsurprisingly, this first came up in the opening, where the violins build up a rustling texture using a wide variety of standard and not-so-standard techniques. While the standard sounds needed only slight adjustments, the non-standard bow-screw glissando was a much more difficult challenge.
Though I had worked out the technique on my violin at home (thanks again to Jed Larson for the gift!), for a reason, I still can't quite understand, the dynamics and sustain were just not the same. This lack of carrying power, unfortunately, resulted in the loss of a significant and distinctive gesture. I wish I had better insight into how we solved this issue, but all I can say is that we got it sorted after one of the violinists figured out the gesture and was able to teach it to the rest. Though I don't have any technical insights to share, this is a perfect example of the value of listening to your collaborators and letting others lead - especially when your own approach is not working!
Rehearsal excerpt covering bars 23 - 29 of the full score. The rustling texture mentioned above can be heard behind the flugelhorn.
Similar things happened with many of the extended techniques that abound throughout this piece. While we managed to work everything out, I can't help but feel that rehearsal time would have been better spent focused on ensemble moments. This frustration has lead me to the conclusion that I need to make a series of videos, much like Norman's Shaken Not Stuttered, to allow players to engage with the sound and the gesture on their own time. Though questions may still come up in rehearsals, I believe it will be a meaningful step towards a smoother realization of the music.
On a much more celebratory note, one concern of mine that proved to be unfounded was regarding the microtonal tuning and chords used throughout this piece. Though I had consulted with numerous individuals about their use, I still felt some trepidation going into rehearsals - what if it all went wrong?! Thankfully, the players took no issue with the scordatura, and the chords sounded even more glorious than I could have imagined. Just listen!
Rehearsal excerpt covering bars 302 - 307 of the full score. The microtonal chords mentioned above can be heard behind the flugelhorn.
A quick mention of one relatively standard sound that needed shaping was that of the bowed notes in Mvt II. Though they require no special techniques, the notes in bars 38 - 45 (and others like them), needed greater definition and character (the somewhat odd orchestration here delivered the perfect timbre but lacked the necessary insistence). To address this, I showed the shape in a kneading motion, with every note getting a weighty push. Toby quickly read that as a mini swell on each note with a bit of separation, and we were set.
Exhilarating start to the rehearsal process! Can't wait to get into the concert venue to see how it all sounds in the space - and spatialized setup!
