Marina Alexander, conductor & composer
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​SPECIAL PERFORMANCE:
​BEETHOVEN SYMPHONY #9, Op. 125
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Performance to mark the
40th Anniversary of MidAmerica Productions

Peter Tiboris,
General Director and Founder

Sunday, January 7, 2024
at 3:00 PM
Carnegie Hall
New York, NY

CONCERT DRESS
WOMEN: Long black formal dress OR black pants suit
​           - Black hosiery - Black shoes
           NO jewelry, cologne/ perfumes
MEN: Black suit OR tuxedo
      - white dress shirt - black bow tie
     - black socks - black shoes
Please have a black folder for your score.

TICKET INFO: if your friends and family would like to attend the performance and cheer you on,
the info for purchasing tickets to this concert at at the bottom of this page. Please scroll down.
NOTE that we can also purchase tickets as a "group" and benefit our choruses. 

Please read through each of the topics listed here carefully.
CHORUS RESOURCES
  • BACKGROUND of SYMPHONY #9
  • REHEARSAL SCHEDULE
  • HOW TO SIGN UP FOR THIS PROJECT
  • OBTAINING A BEETHOVEN SCORE
  • BEETHOVEN PRACTICE AIDS & LINKS​​
This info is provided to make your experience with this project as successful as possible,
both in appreciating the genius
​of Beethoven and Mozart,
and in having an exhilarating effort
learning the music,
to culminate in a commanding and
​memorable performance.

​BACKGROUND OF BEETHOVEN SYMPHONY #9
WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE - This is a WONDERFUL site! It gives a full historical background of the Symphony, outlines it's formal structure----especially of Movement IV, text & English translation of the "Ode to Joy" poem, audio examples, the enormous influence this piece had on later composers, notable recording, etc.
Please take a look!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._9_(Beethoven)
​

Symphony Guide: Beethoven's Ninth ('Choral')
Tom Service’s symphony guide concludes with what is arguably the central artwork of Western music,
​the symphony to end all symphonies.
www.theguardian.com/music/tomserviceblog/2014/sep/09/symphony-guide-beethoven-ninth-choral-tom-service

REHEARSAL SCHEDULE - FALL 2023
To help you prepare, there will be
four special rehearsals in the Fall of 2023 on Saturdays.

Please try to attend.
DATE
TIME
PLACE
NOTES
Sat., Oct. 21
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
1st Presbyterian Church of Matawan, NJ
​883 Rt. 34
Bring a Brown bag lunch/snack, as there will be a short break
Sat. Oct. 28
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
​The Noble Maritime Collection,
Building D,

1000 Richmond Terrace Staten Island, NY 10301
On the grounds of the Snug Harbor Cultural Center
For directions and
​campus map, see
snug-harbor.org/visit/directions/
Sat., Nov. 11
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
​​The Noble Maritime Collection,
Building D,

1000 Richmond Terrace Staten Island, NY 10301
On the grounds of the Snug Harbor Cultural Center
For directions and
​campus map, see

snug-harbor.org/visit/directions/
Sat., Nov. 18
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
​1st Presbyterian Church of Matawan, NJ
​883 Rt. 34
Bring a Brown bag lunch/snack, as there will be a short break

REHEARSAL SCHEDULE - JANUARY 2024
DATE
Value
PLACE
Wed., January 3
7:00 - 10:00 PM
1st Presbyterian Church
​883 Route 34, Matawan, NJ
Fri., January 5
Arrive by 12:45 PM
​Rehearse from
1:00 - 4:00 PM
Continuo Arts Foundation
36 Chatham Road
Summit, NJ 07091

​---use REAR ENTRANCE
Sat., January. 6
Arrive by 5:15 PM
Rehearse from 6:00 PM
until 9:00 PM
Continuo Arts Foundation
36 Chatham Road
Summit, NJ 07091

​---use REAR ENTRANCE
Sun., January 7
DRESS REHEARSAL
Arrive BACKSTAGE at 8:45 AM

Designate concert placements
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
​
Rehearse from
​​10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Carnegie Hall

Enter via STAGE DOOR
161 W. 56th St.
Sun., January 7
PERFORMANCE
​3:00 PM

​NOTE: the Beethoven will be performed in PART II of this concert, after the Intermission
​Carnegie Hall

HOW TO SIGN UP FOR THIS PROJECT
Please sign up for this project via this link to Google Sheets.
Note that there is a separate page for each voice type - Sop. Alto, Tenor, Bass

Make sure to provide ALL THE INFO requested.
​

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ANRSmJ3LeglREQfyDHxrWvWQ2VWi7C0__mtHx_vR9M8/edit?usp=sharing

OBTAINING A BEETHOVEN SCORE
Here is a PDF of the Kalmus Edition of the Beethoven that you can download.
NOTE that it does NOT have measure numbers. 
I will assist you soon to identify the correct numbering.
beethoven_9th_symphony_-_mvt_4_-_kalmus_edition.pdf
File Size: 18643 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Because some participants may already own a score of the Beethoven Symphony #9 - "Ode to Joy" (Movement IV), it is more practical for each singer to obtain their own score.
ANY EDITION is acceptable --- just make sure it has MEASURE NUMBERS.
​Here are three excellent editions to consider, with links for ordering.

​Barereiter-Verlag edition
SATB CHORAL SCORE
PUBLISHER ID: BA09009-90
UPC: 9790006499533
​COST at J. W. Pepper: $13.80

www.jwpepper.com/5528328.item
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​Carus-Verlag edition
SATB VOCAL SCORE
PUBLISHER ID: 23.801/03
UPC: 
970007165017
​COST at J. W. Pepper: $11.79

www.jwpepper.com/Symphony-No.-9%2C-Op.-125/10535912.item
​Breitkopf & Haertel edition
SATB VOCAL SCORE
PUBLISHER ID: EB9356
UPC:
 970007165017
​COST at J. W. Pepper: $16.50

www.jwpepper.com/Symphony-No.-9-in-D-Major%2C-Op.-125/11200695.item
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BEETHOVEN - REHEARSAL AIDS & LINKS
"Ode to Joy" Text, Translation, and Pronunciation Guide
Here is a downloadable PDF with the text, phoenetic pronunciation, and English translation
beethoven-ode_to_joy-text-phonetics-translation.pdf
File Size: 188 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Here is a video with the "Ode to Joy" pronunciation delivered by a native German speaker.
In Part 1, the entire text is spoken/pronounced.
​In Part 2, the text is repeated, now spoken and then SUNG in the correct rhythms of the music,
with IPA (International Phoenetic Alphabet) symbols in the captions.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8MeAsy0gGE


BEETHOVEN - REHEARSAL LINKS
These videos all begin at m. 237, and feature a scrolling score.
SOPRANO www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkPEjuVkQI4
ALTO www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHmXBhwL25c
TENOR 1 www.youtube.com/watch?v=njSh-mxfDDg
TENOR 2 www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaJUoOANy74
BASS www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYVGSnNo3Ck
VIDEOS with FULL PERFORMING FORCES and SCROLLING SCORE
Performance by Orchestre des Champs Elysées, La Chapelle Royale & Collegium Vocal,
Philippe Herreweghe, conductor

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFRfzCiVx_Y
PERFOMANCE with SCROLLING SCORE -- SEE TABS BELOW for various sections
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFRfzCiVx_Y&t=161s
Movement IV opens with an Orchestra Exposition, in the form of an examination of possible reprisal of the main themes from each of the first 3 movements, until the "Ode to Joy" theme is proposed
2:41 Allegro assai – Main "Ode to Joy" Theme of Mvmt. 4 introduced by the Orchestra
5:43 BARITONE SOLO - Recitative: "O Freunde, nicht diesen Töne"
6:22 Allegro assai - Meas. 238 - First entrance of the CHORUS,
          leading to first 3 statements/variations of the "Ode to Joy" theme/text verses
          by the CHORUS and VOCAL SOLI
8:55 - Start of the March - Allegro assai vivace all Marcia (Orchestra)
           TENOR SOLO enters at 9:33 - "Froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen"

10:00 MEN"S CHORUS enters - "Laufet Bruder"
10:20 Start of Orchestral FUGUE
10:53 FULL CHORUS enters with "Ode to Joy" - Verse 1 text
12:39 Andante maestoso - m. 595+ - CHORUS - "Seid umschlungen, Millionen!"
16:02 Allegro energico, sempre ben marcato - Start of FUGUE, m. 656 + - FULL CHORUS
18:54 Allegro ma non tanto - "Freude, Tochter aus Elysium!" - introduced by VOCAL SOLI
19:28 Addition of FULL CHORUS (Meas. 797 -- BOTTOM 4 lines of staff) - "Deine Zaube"
19:42 Poco Adagio - (Meas. 812) - "Alle Menchen werden Bruder"
20:03 Tempo I (Allegro) - Meas. 816 / CHORUS enters at Meas. 820 - "Deine Zauber"
20:23 Adagio - VOCAL SOLI - Meas. 834 - 844
21:15 Poco Allegro, stringendo il tempo, sempre piu Allegro - Start of FINALE - Meas. 845+ /
            Prestissimo at Meas. 853
            CHORUS enters at Meas. 857
22:24 Maestoso - CHORUS - Meas. 917 - 922 - "Tochter aus Elysium"
22:43 Prestissimo - Orchestral CODA

HOW TO PURCHASE TICKETS
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For more info, please visit the web sites of Ms. Alexander's ensembles