GCNE Meeting/Rehearsal 1-2-11

Victor, Chris, Glenn, Dev, Rick, Brad

This week, the Circle have their first formal meeting in a new performance/rehearsal space, Spontaneous Celebrations in Jamaica Plain, MA. SC is a converted cathedral become cultural center which hosts classes, work groups and performance geared toward cultural awareness and community development.

The team begins arriving around 6:30. V, C, G and D get to work unloading equipment from V's car (including four P.A. speakers, which will be used for the group's first adventure into quad sound); all is brought upstairs to the large room the Circle will be using for its nearing performance series. R is not far in tow.

B arrives just before 7:00, and the Circle is in full gear-set-up mode. For tonight, they will be working with the amp and mixer in the center of the circle. Also noteworthy: two of the four speakers used for tonight's space probing will be exchanged later in the week for a pair which better matches the classic set.

With V at the mixer, a sound check is underway: some circulations, in various configurations; Growing Circle; Flying Home (with V outside listening on behalf of the neighbors). The room is "live", meaning that sound made in it carries easily and with generous reverbaration. For the circle, perhaps ironically in light of their augmented speaker set-up, this means a minimum of amplification is required.

The plan is to play through some repertoire and improvisations with alternating circlers listening in the center: one piece, then one improvisation and switch. The lights g down, and the set unfolds as follows:

Eye of the Needle, with R in the center;

Askesis > C;

Bach Prelude > D;

Bicycling to Afghanistan > G...

Various comments are offered regarding inter alia the balance of guitars, the dynamic range of the overall sound, and the challenge of playing together in such a "wet" sonic space (not to mention the physical distance the group is unaccustomed to).

A break is called at 8:30, which returns the group to a continuing discussion of certain logistics. One salient concern is the placement of the mixer and the arrangement of cables so as to facilitate maximum elegance and practicality for both Circle and audience. Another is the task of refurbishing the space, which will involve cleaning, spackling, painting, replacing old mirrors, acquiring drapes, etc. The "blurb" V wrote on behalf of the group and to be used for promotion, leads to talk of group identity and group aim, specifically how individual members of said group can be aware of it for themselves.

Back at 9:50.

Some more music...

Where's the Nurse, circulation, Austurias > B

Finally, Opening receives a full-group hearing with its new bass part.

A quick tear down, and end around 10:20.

GCNE Meeting/Rehearsal 12-12-10

Victor, Glenn, Brad, Rick, Dev, Chris

C sloshes in around 8:30 while the rest of the Circle Thraks, Circulates and Batracho's. With all arriving group members now present, a moment is taken to check sound using recently-acquired PA speakers.

With the performance series drawing near, V suggests that the group continue to run through repertoire, to refresh and to see how the Circle is faring with various pieces of the past, present and (later) future. It falls upon the late arrival to call the set:

Calliope;
Flying Home;
Prelude from Bach's WTC;
(an attempt is made to call Third Relation);
Chrysanthemum;
Love is Green (a few false takes required);
Bicycling to Afghanistan (with B on Bass and G sitting out to balance the sound);
Opening.

The latter piece has a new bass part being introduced to it and is given special attention; D picks it up quickly and the full group is given a hearing, to general approval. V is confident to finally extend the arrangement to its scored length, though work is still needed.

Break at 9:54. During this time, it is noted that Martin B. gives excellent, if not bear-like, hugs.

Returning to practice, V expresses concern over persistent rushing (the unintentional speeding-up of tempo) that is present in the group's handling of pieces. In his experience, solid time comes from having a holistic vantage of the sequence in motion; for example, rather than having one's attention absorbed by the difficulty of a single passage or section, one is aware of all parts of the music while the action is taking place. To do this, he proffers, a part of the performer needs to be relaxed, regardless of the intensity of what is going on around (the 'point' of vantage, for instance).

Following this, the group dedicates some time to working through B's arrangement of Debussy's The Sunken Cathedral. Nobody is 'off-book' with this piece yet, and there is no complete recital of it. However, each section is addressed, and it seems promising that the arrangement will soon be on its feet.

To close the evening, Askesis! and a second hearing of Batrachomyomachy, with R counting in.

The meeting ends at 11:40.

GCNE Meeting, 12-05-2010, The Loft

In attendance: Victor McSurely, Brad Hogg, Glenn Hughes. The rest of the circle is out due to various circumstances.

8 pm finds Victor and Brad beginning to swap out the speakers in the loft's PA system for the speakers that the circle will be using for the performance series (the plan is to experiment with quadrophonic sound, with the circle playing in the round). Glenn arrives shortly after, and we take the necessary time to tune and warm up.

Victor puts forward the question of "What would we play, were we to have a 35 minute set ready, right now?" Several pieces are mentioned, including Chrysanthemum. Victor and Glenn take a bit of time to review this piece and relearn some parts that haven't been played for a while. Thrak also gets a nod: how would we play it as a trio? This leads to Brad learning a separate part and retouching a part he'd already been playing, with some group work on the piece.

From here, we take an extended moment to actually properly run a short set, which roughly consists of (no particular order):

Growing Circle
Intergalactic Boogie Express
Askesis
Improv
Derailed at the Junction
Thrak
Circulation
Chrysanthemum
Improv
Flying Home
Circulation
Where is the Nurse?

This lasts around 35 minutes, after which we take a break and talk about dude stuff.

Following the break, we spend some time going over the Sunken Cathedral arrangement. With only three people of a desired seven, it's a little thin, but the section that we end up working on (bars 22 through 63 or so) allows us to at least look at a few of the parts and make some decisions about timing and preference for pick vs. fingers. Following all this, it's acknowledged that the meeting is done, and we call it a night at around 10:15 p.m.

GCNE Meeting 11-28-10

Victor, Alex, Chris, Rick, Dev, Brad, Glenn

Everyone has arrived at the loft by about ten minutes after eight o' clock. For the earlier circlers, there is some preliminary Calliope-ing and circulation.

Since there is a working date and location for an upcoming performance project, it seems appropriate to the group to consider the undertaking as imminent and to set aside guitars for a serious discussion addressing specifics. An inquiry into the availability of the individual circlers reveals that there will be only one full rehearsal before the group enters the space in January.

The first thread of discussion addresses the basic question, "what will the task be?" What time of day, and for how long? How much time for preparation will be needed? Will rehearsals be closed or open? A dispute breaks out over the role of refreshments.

The second consideration is promotion, the effort made by the group to become known in the world-at-large. There are a plentitude of radio connections with this group, and it is felt that the best application of these opportunities is toward the middle of the project, around early March, to capitalize on the energy of an established process; propagation via various content-hosting websites is discussed as an obvious recourse - names are named; the kind review of a reputable critic is somewhat wistfully brought up as a valuable asset, and again something felt to be more opportune later in the project than earlier; and posters, in the right places.

In connection with promotion, the question of having a recording is brought to trial. There is a general consensus that having a recording would be useful for promotional purposes, but its role in relation to the performance experience (i.e. an affirmative response to the common after-show request for a recording) is less clear; several options are discussed, including memory sticks with select cuts and a special bonus track.

The final question is in regard to what name the group will call itself by; the proposal of this question is followed by a peculiar silence. V has a strong sense about the present name, and the suggestion is made to consider naming the performance series instead.

R departs at 9:45, as does the rest of the group not long after at around 10:10.

GCNE Meeting/Rehearsal 11-14-10

Chris, Victor, Brad, Dev

C arrives upstairs around 8:00, without guitar (at the luthier's for much needed renovation) to the sound of V and B rehearsing the lead section of Calliope: tonight, B has picked up the mirror for this part of the piece.

C is kindly offered the use of a guitar brought by V. This guitar has action worse than that in the shop, but possesses an other-worldly passive pick-up - an adjustment in the mix is needed to accommodate its bodacious presence. A mixer tutorial is improvised to assist C in this purpose.

The meeting formally begins, as many do, with silent acknowledgment. Following this, V asks C, "what were you doing?" to which C replies, "sitting still." This begins discussion and role playing that brings the inquiry to bear on all members of the group, which ties into the previous weeks' thread of having a sense of the impulse of the group's and our own individual work, rather than falling back on habit/convention/appealing to scriptural authority. For additional commentary on this matter, V proffers his favorite Zen anecdote and recommends the work of R.H. Blithe.

There will be guitar playing, however. B decides that it is best to have a larger group presence before continuing work with his arrangement of Debussy. V asks what the group would like to work on; D would like to improvise, with which B is comfortable, and C suggests Calliope. A thirty-minute improv with some intense moments ensues, and a break is called at approximately 9:08.

Back at 9:26

Calliope is given a hearing. There is some talk of the best way to phrase the bass part for the main section. The basses and leads are both given independent run-throughs, and the appraisal is similar: the phrasing of the notes, in terms of grouping (e.g. da, taka, taka dimi) is somewhat lacking. It is suggested that such work is not laborious, but merely requires a small period of extra attention.

The group tackles Batrachomyomachy. A click track is used to keep this piece steady, and much section work follows. A new lead configuration (V, B and D) works out the arrangement for the round in the "frog" section, and several attempts are made before this is played accurately. A question arises regarding the role of vibrato and the significance of just intonation.

The meeting ends, in silence, around 10:30.

GCNE Meeting/Rehearsal 11-7-10

Victor, Brad, Glenn, Chris, Dev

C arrives at the loft at 8:00, where V, B and G are already set up and sharing experiences of large fruit.

Before beginning, C offers feedback he received regarding the GCNE's Bean & Leaf performance two weeks prior. This leads to a lengthy discussion of the different perceptible stages of education and having one's own understanding of the work. Apropos to B's discovery of an ideal performance space, there is also talk of the group's vision for an upcoming performance project with points being brought up and addressed from last week. Some concerns include how to facilitate adequate rehearsal time on a weekly schedule, as well as the challenge of remaining creative in a continuous moment. D arrives during this talk, which lasts over an hour.

Guitar work for the evening focuses on B's new arrangement of a Debussy prelude. Initially, there is some confusion regarding timing, but as this is redressed the work of learning the notes proceeds smoothly. Several sections are given repetition as they are learned, and eventually the group is running through bar one to bar nineteen. Unlike most other pieces in the group's repertoire, this portion of this piece is played fingerstyle; some pointers are given to the inexperienced.

After 45 minutes of work, D excuses himself from the circle, and work continues for about fifteen more mimutes. The meeting concludes with a long silence at 10:20.

GCNE Meeting/Rehearsal 10-31-10

Chris, Brad, Rick, Dev, Glenn

Most of the team has arrived by 7:35, and the PA is set up for the meeting which begins around 8:00.

There is one circulation to check levels, and a second circulation which continues into pass-to-the-person-of-your-choice, as G arrives. There is a short improv which occurs before G is seated, which begins quietly then bubbles dynamically, and then tapers away.

The team of the evening is gathered and seated by 8:17, and the meeting begins with a discussion which encompasses the status on finding a weekly space; logistics related to this, including budget and location; talk of alternative performance projects, including monthly performances and house concerts; the value and options of recording a demo; the challenges of a weekly performance, and the idea of having an extended-length rehearsal once a month. This talk lasts for about fifty minutes.

A question is then put on the table: "Is there anything anyone would like to work on?"

B's new arrangement is brought up as an option, but not everyone is prepared. It is decided that next week the group will aim to be familiar with the first nineteen bars, or approximately first page, of the piece. C announces that he has a new arrangement of his own, to be looked at in the near future.

C suggests Intergalactic Boogie Express as a piece which needs detail work. Per request, a slower play-through than has been normal recently. Following this, there is some section work and a faster reading. Much talk of pulse and the precarious split between the bass and leads, as well as feeling the triplets. B offers to count in a third take, which shows signs of improvement.

Next, D suggests Calliope, which is taken around performance tempo (88 BPM). Speeding up is noted, particularly in the "cowboy" section. Valuable dissection ensues, with some correcting of notes being played, to looping the main bass part with an ear toward playing the last note of each phrase more staccato. G offers advice to look at the phrase as it falls on a grid, seeing where notes are rhythmically on specific parts of the count.

G suggests Eye of the Needle, based on last Saturday's performance. There is one play-through which is felt to be "nice" by the players. C is given a note on the dynamic trajectory of the burbles, which can come out as a third voice as the harmony unfolds in the second F# section.

A break is called at 10:05, and lasts for about ten minutes.

The final piece to be looked at is Where's the Nurse, via R. Before launching into this, the finale is given a test run by the two lead players, and a needed adjustment in the mix is made. D confesses to his feeling duress under the gaze of B during this section, who for many months longed for D's part; a switch is made. Two play-throughs, with commentary on the dynamics of the melody section.

The meeting ends in silence at 10:38.