Time to post a "before" of Gretchen am Spinnrade.
This was my first time really singing it through with the words... which I don't really know. Nor do I really know how to pronounce them. I did my best. I wanted to record it so I could examine and it see what I needed to work on. Like, open my mouth wider. I didn't realize until the end, when I relaxed, that concentrating on the words made my jaw and shoulders a little tense. I'm hoping that once I really have them memorized it'll make a difference.
Oh yeah the 1.5 gin and tonics I had before singing this didn't hurt. Not that I think they helped, but I think they lowered my affective filter to take away my potential embarrassment at mistakes and so on. Yeah I know it's a linguistic term but I'm a certified ESL teacher so there you go.
Oh yeah while I was tipsy in front of the camera I did this. Note the lack of dynamics, if that's what you call it... it's all one volume. I have the tipsiness to thank for that.
take the time now to get the language in the mouth! WITHOUT the music!!! What we do is multi-layered and needs to be physicalized one layer at a time - language for natural rhythm and physicality, then language for musical rhythm and intention of physicality. THEN and only then should you try it with the music - gin and tonic or not!!! lol
ReplyDelete*sigh* I know. I'm so impatient. I just want to be able to sing!
ReplyDeleteI have to wait for my lessons to resume to really get the language down. My teacher specializes in lieder and will no doubt have a lot to teach me. I know what the words mean but I know that's not enough. So yeah, you caught me.
I have been singing the music on a single vowel sound for a while now, and I know I have to sing it vowels only. I'm also enjoying the puzzle of trying to read the music as I learn it, because THAT'S new for me too. I also have this silly thing now where I want to impress my teacher when we next meet next month. Silly because I'm studying for me, not for her or anyone else.
Several years ago I took a watercolor painting class through the local community ed program. (By several I mean, in the 1980s.) I had ideas of these whimsical paintings I wanted to do. I dutifully did all the exercises the teacher had us do, but then at home I painted my whimsical fish scene. I showed it to the teacher and he basically dismissed it and said to focus on the fundamentals. I never had the drive or desire to paint though, it was just something to do to get out of the house. But I was impatient then too.
My logical brain (superego) knows what I need to do, but my other brain (id) wants it NOW!
Patience... patience... I'm working on it. :)