Video transcript
2021 Primary Proms repertoire - 11. Where the Mountains Meet the Sea - teaching tips

[Music playing]

RACHEL KELLY: Hi, I'm Rachel Kelly. This video is part of a series on 'Tips for Conducting Your Choir.'

This song is in 2 parts, soprano and alto. There is some unison singing, and quite a bit of harmony. The time signature is 6/8, which means we conduct 2 beats in every every bar, like this - down, up, down, up, 1, 2, 1, 2 (SINGING) A-way O, away to be free.

The first verse and the chorus are both in unison, so I'd start by teaching these. Just be careful in general of the pronunciation of the word 'mountain' that it's not sounding like 'mountain.' And, the best way to do this is to make a long mouth shape rather than a wide shape. So, 'mountain' rather than 'mountain.'

Even though we're conducting 2 beats in every bar, in the first verse, you might find it easier to conduct the second bar in 3. Let me show you what I mean. (SINGING) Summer is high as the bright blue sky, sand is under my feet. So, we go 1, 2, 1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 1. It just matches the words, and it might make it easier to keep in time.

If you want to know the technical term for what's happening in the rhythm there, it's called a horizontal hemiola, where we're swapping between dividing the bar into 2 and 3. So, 1, 2, 1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 1, 2, 3. But, it only happens in that one spot.

Make sure your singers are only taking a breath when they get to a rest. So, the phrases are quite long. (SINGING) Summer is high as the bright blue sky, sand is under my feet. The waves and wind play a symphony where the mountains meet the sea. Where the mountains meet the sea.

In the chorus, the 'A-way O' has a crescendo and decrescendo sign, so, we swell on it, and then get softer again. And, we can show this in our conducting. You could do this. (SINGING) A-way O. Or this - (SINGING) A-way O.

At the end of the chorus, we repeat the last phrase, but it's softer the second time. So, we can show that contrast in our conducting. So, we go (SINGING) Where the mountains meet the sea. Where the mountains meet the sea.

The next section at bar 31 combines the 2 parts we've already learned, with the altos singing the verse, while the sopranos sing the chorus. This should be pretty easy to put together. Just watch out for the spot at bar 37 where they both sing the same words, but with different notes. The sopranos sing (SINGING) Where the mountains meet the sea. While the altos sing (SINGING) Where the mountains meet the sea. Just listen carefully and make sure that they're each singing the right pitch there.

At bar 45, we have verse 2 which is in unison. Just watch the rhythm here of 'city streets.' It's different to verse one. So, in verse one, we went (SINGING) Summer is high as the bright blue sky. But, in verse 2, we sing (SINGING) Let me escape from these city streets - city streets. And, no need to conduct that hemiola - the 3 beats - because the rhythm is different here.

At bar 55, the altos sing verse 2 again, while the sopranos sing the chorus. At bar 69, we have a contrasting middle section that has some parallel harmony. So, you'll want to learn each part separately, and have them really confident. before you put them together. There's some good dynamic contrast here. Make sure the loud sections are nice and resonant and projected, without being forced. So, it should sound like (SINGING) The mountains bring me strength. Not (SINGING) The mountains bring me strength.

At bar 90, there's a piano solo section which you may want to conduct through, particularly if you have a real-life accompanist. So, you can show the hemiola again at bar 91 with the 3 beats there. Then in bar 92, it says 'molto ritard,' which just means slow down a lot.

So, the way you conduct those 4 bars would be (SINGING) Da da da da da da da da da. Da da da da da da da. And, then at bar 94, it says 'meno mosso' at 'e rubato.' 'Meno mosso' means to go slower, and 'rubato' means there's a bit of give and take with the tempo. Then at bar 96, it says 'molto ritard' again, so, we get even slower. And, then there's a pause in the next bar. So, from 94 you could go (SINGING) Da da da da da da da da da. Da da da da da da da.

Bringing the sopranos in at the end of bar 97 might be a little bit tricky, so try to breathe with them as you give them the up beat, just before they come in. So, it's (SINGING) Now the sun. Now the sun. Rather than (SINGING) Now the sun, which doesn't give them any warning.

So, the sopranos have a little breath mark after the word 'sky,' and then on the word 'memories' they have a pause. The cut off for this pause happens at the same time as the up beat to bring in the altos. So, let me show you that. So, it's (SINGING) Memories, my strength. I'll show you again. (SINGING) Memories, my strength.

So, then the altos pause on the word 'peace,' and again the cut off is the up beat just before they come in together with 'where the mountains.' So, it's (SINGING) Mind at peace. Where the mount ... Peace, where the mount ...

So, the final section at bar 108 is in parallel harmony. Practise each part separately for a while before you put them together. At the very end, we've got a final piano chord that comes straight after the singing finishes, so it's fun to do something a bit theatrical with your conducting just to show that finish. You might go (SINGING) Mountains meet the sea. Or some kind of gesture that gives it a good button at the end.