SCHIRMER - ACT 2

Act II
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No. 16
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tempo: dotted quarter = 60-63

Generally: There are a number of ways Sir Ruthven can be played.  One, of
course, is more or less straight as a villain.  I rather prefer that Sir
Ruthven be peeved at this villainy; thus, for instance, the "ha! ha!" would
be more annoyed than maniacal.  Adam, in contrast, could take up the role
more eagerly (at least until quelled by Sir Ruthven); his first "ha! ha!"
might thus be stereotypically villainous, with the second starting that way
but dying off at a glance or gesture from Sir Ruthven.

138,4,1: tempo is dotted quarter = 66 at vocal entry
138,4,3: nyoo
139,1,1: roll r in Ruthven
139,2,1: styoo-ahd
139,3,2-3: more legato here -- a bit menacing
139,4,1 et seq.: legato
140,1,1: accent on bad; cut off t of Bart. on second eighth


No. 17
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tempo: dotted quarter = 116-120

143,3,1: watch the eighth rest.  Slight crescendo on sustained note.
143,4,2: though you should observe the eighth rest, try not to break the
phrase, which ends at "me" in 143,4,4.
144,2,2: drop back a little in dynamics, to allow for a crescendo in 144,3,2
144,3,3: drop back to mf/mp
144,3,3 et seq.: keep the dotted rhythms crisp. We should have a sense that
this sequence is going somewhere; a steady crescendo may help.
145,1,3: t in trim should not be made into ch
145,2,1 et seq.: chorus should be careful not to let the dotted rhythms
slide into triplets.  Count-singing is helpful here.  As with Richard, some
movement within this rhythmically repetitious passage is necessary, though
not everyone needs a crescendo.
145,4,2-3: altos should watch tuning, especially at the octaves.  No ch on
"trim."
146,1,1 et seq.: generally, make the commas audible with phrase breaks
(especially at quarter notes, which you can cut a little short).  Almost a
sense of pouting at first.
147,1,3: here Rose should sound more annoyed -- more consonants, less legato.
147,2,2: lots of f and fl
147,3,1: marcato, with lots of t
147,3,2: glottal attack on "ah," to give sense of anger
147,3,3: same exaggerated consonants
147,4,2: this "Ah" should be lyrical, relaxed -- I fancy that Richard may
have a bit of business that overcomes Rose's annoyance.
147,4,3: this is back to the winsome, (almost) artless Rose
149,1,2: women are accompaniment here; drop down to mp or a little above


No. 18
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tempo: quarter = 66-76 (fluctuates - slower at the start, a little faster
around "By the old love," slower again at the end)

150,3: slight phrase break after "love" -- cut that note a little short;
slight accent on "Thou."
150,3,4: crescendo through measure and into next
150,4,1: phrase tails off at end of measure; small ritard
150,4,3-4: diminuendo through phrase, starting from about mf or a little under
151,1,1: t'thou
151,1,2: keep phrase alive without swooping
151,2,1: we'll extend the rests a bit.  The final eighth will be in the new
tempo.
151,2,2: tempo is dotted quarter = 116-120 (as before)
151,2,4: prepare the high G with a good full breath before 151,2,3.  No
accent.
151,3,2-4: watch the dotted rhythm, lest it turn into triplets
151,4,2-4: this is usually incomprehensible. Lots of consonants will help.
152,1,1 et seq.: carry over notes from last number


No. 19
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tempo: dotted quarter = 52

154,1,4: tempo is dotted quarter = 40
154,2,1: back to 52-56
154,4,1 et seq.: breathy sound -- lots of air, lots of consonants.  But
don't remove all support.  Though the tempo is slow, we need to keep the
pulse firmly in mind.
154,4,4: s on second beat
155,2,1: no aspirate on eighth
155,3,1-4: crescendo through phrase, adding body to the voice (less
breathiness, more resonance) as you ascend
156,3,1: tempo is dotted quarter = 42; solid forte.  T of baronet goes with
that word, not at start of "of."
156,3,2: tempo is a little slower -- tenuto, pesante -- NOT the dotted
quarter = quarter as marked in the score
156,3,3: lots of k sound 
156,3,4: back to 42 (same for next sequence)
157,1,1 et seq.: poco a poco accelerando through 158,2,3.  Poco a poco
crescendo through 157,2,1; start this passage around mp.  Lots of consonants.
157,2,2: You should be up to a little over mf here.  Now diminuendo for two
bars.
157,3,1: Resume crescendo to end (but observe marked dynamics).
158,1,2: tempo should be up to 66-69
158,2,3: tempo holds around 72; final bars may slow a little
158,3,3: cutoff is start of next measure -- keep it going, with staggered
breathing if need be
159,1,1: tempo is 60 per dotted quarter
159,2,2: tempo is 50 per dotted quarter
159,3,1 et seq.: somewhat flexible, though retaining rhythmic backbone
159,4,1: accent "stern"
159,4,3-4: extend rest a little; "who knows how?" should be
breathier, scared/perplexed.
159,4,5: start out at comfortable mf, with a steady crescendo through the line
160,2,1-2: lots of consonants
160,2,2-4: slight accent on poor; hold "ghost" a little beyond the marked
eighth
160,3,2: cut "goes" a little short to end phrase
160,4,2: don't anticipate l of jollier -- put in on 2d syllable


No. 20
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tempo: quarter = 132

generally: My favorite recording of this is the 1962 D'Oyly Carte -- Donald
Adams at his best.  I don't recommend copying anyone else's performance,
but there is plenty of food for thought here.

161,3,2: wihnd may be easier to sing than wynd; as you prefer, though
161,4,2: little accent on bat
162,2,1-2: keep phrase going through octave jump
162,4,2: lots of bl and d in "black dogs bay"
163,1,1 et seq.: hold a little something back for 163,3,1 - 163,4,1; doing
this passage on the low side of forte should do it
163,4,1: men should start out mf+ and crescendo through the descending
chromatics
164,2,1: sts of "ghost's" should fall before the third beat, so the attack
on "high" can come exactly on the third beat
164,2,2: closing n on downbeat of next measure
165,1,1: sts of "mists" at end of first quarter, so l of "lie" can fall
exactly on second beat
165,1,2: cut off "fen" at start of third beat; accent "From"
165,2,2: keep phrase going to 165,3,2; if you need a breath somewhere in
here, try cutting "stones" short in 165,2,1
165,4,2: lots of m
166,2,1: copy notes from previous verse (same with chorus)
168,2,2: lots of k
168,3,2: roll rs; lots of gr
169,2,2: crescendo and diminuendo in this phrase
169,3,1-2: keep this phrase mp or a little above (chorus still sings ff)
169,4,1-2: solid forte
170,3,2: If David's staging permits, and if Roderic is comfortable, we may
sustain the high D to the end of the line.  Choral "Ha! Ha!" staccato,
almost shouted.


No. 21
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tempo: half = 104-108

173,1,2 et seq.: relatively bright sound for the first page or so
173,2,1: keep the eighth short -- no triplets here
173,3,1: accent on eighth
173,3,3: watch the rhythm; the first note is a quarter, not, as I have
heard it, an eighth
174,1,1: see above
174,1,3: see above
174,1,4 et seq.: darken sound; start mp and crescendo through the bar
174,2,2: partial diminuendo
174,2,3: back up
174,3,1: brighten sound
175,1,1-3: legato; give sense of regret
175,1,4 - 2,1: legato; one phrase
175,2,1-2: same
175,2,2-3: same
175,2,3-4: ff under accents
175,2,4 et seq.: same as above
176,1,1: tempo is half = 40 for Ruthven's recitative; back up at start of
176,1,3
176,1,3: each "He pardons us" is one phrase, but less legato, relatively
bright sound
176,2,2-3: accent each syllable of "Hurrah!"
176,4,1: ritard
177,1,1: tempo is dotted quarter = 52-54
177,1,3 et seq.: carry over instructions from before.  Very much sostenuto.
177,3,5: start diminuendo, through end of singing.  Slight ritard at last
few bars.  Start this passage around mp, so you have somewhere to go.
177,1,3: insert comma after "unwillingly"; slight pause at comma
177,2,1: a tempo


No. 23 (Sorry, Sam -- no "Away, Remorse!")
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tempo: dotted quarter = 69

184,1,2: slight stress on "No"
184,2,2: slight stress on "blush"
185,4,2-4: a bit of bounce in the voice (perhaps the old Margaret is
readying a re-appearance?  No, but . . .)
186,1,4 - 186,2,1: lots of p -- very disapproving (the new Despard loathes
attention)
186,4,4: slight slide up in "wand'ring" to point the word
187,1,2-3: little stress on "dab"; brighter sound -- Despard takes pride in
this
187,1,3 - 187,2,1: Margaret should give sense of boredom or stifled yawn --
perhaps darker sound, dying off at end of phrase
187,3,5 - 4,1: accent "dull"; phrase break; slightly resentful at end of
phrase


No. 24:
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tempo: half note = 120 (depending on our singers; I'd like to have a little
in reserve for the final trio passage)

Generally: There's little point in detailed notes here; just get the words
and notes out cleanly and crisply.  When (if?) you have to take a breath,
it is generally best to take it at the start of a phrase and convert the
two eighths into an eighth rest (for the breath) and two sixteenths.  Do
not take a break and then come back in with the old words and note values;
the orchestra will have passed you by then.  If possible, we'll accelerate
starting at the trio passage starting 200,3,1.

No. 25:
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tempo: half = 112



No. 26
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tempo: quarter = 92

206,3,1: no pauses after cower, mickle, sever, as in some recordings
206,3,2 - 207,1,1: verse 3 -- though still legato, set off "Aye, for ever
and for ever" a bit from the surrounding phrases -- a little more resolute,
perhaps
207,1,3 - 2,1: follow dynamics in accompaniment
207,2,2 - 3,1: the groups of three quarter notes should be brought out
a little, in the context of legato.  In particular, the eighths for "pretty
little flower" should be somewhat lighter than the quarters for "great oak
tree."
207,3,2: Roderic should enter p/mp, with a slight crescendo starting at
207,3,3.
207,4,2: bring out the comma, but don't interrupt the phrase until the
exclamation point.  Turn the quarter of "day" to an eighth and eighth rest,
so you can take a catch-breath.
207,4,3: don't end the phrase at "free" -- keep it going through "flower"
in the next measure
208,2,3-5: I'll dictate the last few bars, which will slow quite a bit and
extend the rests a bit more.


No. 27
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tempo: half = 100-104

First, the structure.  We will start with the original finale ("When a man
has been a naughty baronet") on p. 209.  We will sing this through the
choral cutoff on "Basingstoke!" at 214,1,1.  We will then cut to the Act I
finale, where the chorus enters with the nine-eight "Oh, happy the lily,"
at 130,4,1, taking this to the end.  Connecting the two choral sections is
the first two bars of the introduction to the Toye Act II finale (p. 216).
The "-stoke!" of the old finale will be cut to a quarter-note.

You can mark this in your scores by drawing a line immediately after the
final choral "Basingstoke!" in the original finale (214,1,1), directing you
to go to the Toye finale.  There cross out 216,1,3.  This will give you all
the vocal music, though the Toye finale abridges the dance section after.
Alternatively, you can turn to the Act I finale at 130,3,2; while the
accopmaniment is different at 130,3,2, and while Robin will not be singing,
that will give you all the music.

Now for a few musical notes.

210,2,3: three quarter notes should be detached.  Final consonant at start
of fourth quarter.
210,3,2: D&M - lots of closing k here and at 211,1,1, 211,2,2
211,1,3: make certain that the first two notes are Ab; I have often heard
them sung as A natural in performance
211,2,1: Robin -- pull back dynamic slightly.
211,2,2: D&M -- accent each syllable of Basingstoke
211,3,1: same as 210,2,3 
211,3,3: lots of closing k; place k on start of fourth quarter-note
212,1,2: same
212,3,3: pull dynamic back to mp/mf, building to a solid forte at 213,2,2
213,1,2 - 2,1: the repeated "settle"s should be sung without the ls --
"se-tuh-se-tuh," etc., until the last (".. se-tuh-se-tuh-lin'-the . . .").
213,3,2: final half of "town" should be sung as a quarter and quarter rest.
The final n falls on that rest.
214,1,1: final note is now a quarter note in the new nine-eight (tempo:
dotted quarter = 152, as before).

Carry over your notes from the Act I finale starting at 130,4,1 to its
reprise here.