Expendable Sopranos

The bad thing about being a soprano in a choir is that you're usually pretty expendable. There are plenty more, and one won't be missed. You're slightly more valuable if you're a true soprano and not just in that section because it usually involves singing the melody or at least the highest note, so it's easy to follow along even if you don't read music. You're even more valuable if you can read music and harmonize enough to sing second soprano. And you're a little more valuable if you can switch-hit between first and second soprano, with the range to hit the high notes but the harmonizing ability to sing second. You're still more valuable if you have the low range to fill in on alto as needed. Which means that I'm about as valuable as you get for a soprano in a choir, since I'm a true soprano who can read music well enough to sing second but who has the range to sing first, and I also have the low range to sing first alto in a pinch. Even so, in most cases and especially in larger choirs, I wouldn't be missed because there are several more like me. That made it really hard for me to drag myself all the way across the metro area at rush hour for a rehearsal last night. I thought during the day that it wouldn't be so bad to just not do this, since I seem to be the only one in my choir who is. With a 200-voice choir, one soprano won't make a difference.

But then when I was listening to the recording yesterday afternoon, I remembered how much I love this music, and when I got to the rehearsal, I really enjoyed myself. The challenge is that most of these groups are rehearsing this in their own choirs, but I'm more or less on my own. There were a few others talking about doing it, but it fell by the wayside, so there's no point in having extra rehearsals. This was the first time I really looked at this music since the last group rehearsal. I'll have to do a little practicing this week, since there are only two more rehearsals before the performance. I have most of it down, but there are some really tricky parts that just require familiarity because they go by too fast to really read the music.

Next week's going to be busy, with my usual dance and choir, a conference call Wednesday, a rehearsal Thursday night, a party Friday night (a former client turned friend), a rehearsal Saturday morning, a concert Saturday night (not the Mozart, something my choir is doing) and the Requiem Sunday night. So this weekend will be devoted to relaxing. I'm going hiking this afternoon, since this may be our last cool day until fall, and then this weekend I'm going to chill out and rest up and maybe practice the Mozart.