Choral Dynamics Worksheet
Choral Dynamics
Score Study: "Darkness Fell" by Sherry Blevins
Repertoire Study Guide
Name:
Voice Part: [ S / A / T / B ]
Date:
1 The Italian Dynamic Spectrum & Expressive Choral Tone
Complete terms & choral singing guidelines
Marking
Italian Term
English Meaning
Vocal Execution in Lyrical Music
pp
Pianissimo
Very soft
Spun head tone with high palate; never whispery or sagging.
p
Soft
Tender, intimate timbre; constant core breath connection.
mp
Mezzo-piano
Poignant conversational warmth; blending with section lines.
mf
Mezzo-forte
Moderately loud
Grounded, expressive baseline with round pharyngeal space.
f
Loud
Deep ribcage expansion; emotional fullness without throat squeeze.
ff
Fortissimo
Climactic choral sorrow/passion; wide pharynx, free jaw release.
<
Crescendo (cresc.): Gradually growing louder. Smoothly increase air speed while maintaining pure vowels.
>
Decrescendo / Diminuendo: Gradually softer. Keep tall internal posture so pitch does not drop as air volume tapers.
2 Score Detective: "Darkness Fell" by Sherry Blevins
Repertoire Excerpt: The Descent & Swell (mm. 21–28)
Adagio con dolore, hauntingly expressive (\(\approx 60\)) Measures 21–28 Legatissimo, text-driven
S / A
m. 21–22 m. 23–24 m. 25–26 m. 27–28
Upper
"Darkness fell..." pp
"shadows weep in silence," < < cresc. molto
"A CRY OF GRIEF!" ff
"and all was still..." sub. pp (morendo)
T / B
m. 21–22 m. 23–24 m. 25–26 m. 27–28
Lower
"Deep the night," p
"sorrow deep descending..." < < cresc. molto
"A CRY OF GRIEF!" ff (tenuto)
"breath fades away..." sub. pp
A. Text Painting in Blevins' Score: In mm. 21–26, Sherry Blevins moves from a delicate pp on "Darkness fell" into a sudden climactic ff on "A CRY OF GRIEF!" How does this dynamic arch mirror the emotional trajectory of the text?
B. Mastering the Subito Drop: At m. 27, the dynamic plunges instantly from ff to subito pp (morendo). What must a choral singer do physically to ensure the tone drops to a whisper without sagging in pitch?
C. Dark Vowel Modification & Blend: Notice words with dark vowels like "darkness", "fell", and "grief". How must your section unify vowel shape across varying dynamic levels so tone stays resonant and in tune?
CHORAL MUSICIANSHIP SERIES • "DARKNESS FELL" (SHERRY BLEVINS) PAGE 1 OF 2
Vocal Rehearsal Lab
Expressive Dynamic Shading in Sherry Blevins' Repertoire
Performance & Application
Blevins Expressive Principle: In introspective choral literature, dynamics communicate emotion. Soft dynamics (\(pp\)) demand maximum breath connection and vocal ring; loud dynamics (\(ff\)) demand warm resonance and open acoustic space, never raw volume!
3 Phrasing Workout: Three Expressive Etudes from "Darkness Fell"
Sing each phrase with your section or partner
ETUDE 1 The Somber Swell: Expansive Crescendo & Decrescendo (Messa di Voce)
pp < f > pp
Introit
"Darkness fell..."
pp (whispered tone)
Emotional Apex
"...and shadows covered all the land..."
< < cresc. f dim. > >
Return to Silence
"...in peace."
pp (delicato)
Singing Focus: Maintain steady intercostal breath support throughout the swell so the pitch doesn't sag when returning to \(pp\).
ETUDE 2 The Grief Climax to Subito Silence: High Contrast Drop
ff \(\to\) subito pp
The Outcry
"A CRY PIERCES THE NIGHT!"
ff (Full, Tragic Resonance)
The Sudden Stillness
"Hush... not a sound."
subito pp (Breath tone)
Singing Focus: How do you instantly release air pressure after the climax without gasping or letting your chest collapse?
ETUDE 3 Morendo: Decrescendo al niente (Dying Away into Nothingness)
mf \(\to\) p \(\to\) ppp (al niente)
Echo 1
"Fading away..."
mf
Echo 2
"into shadows..."
p
Dissolution
"...lost in dark."
ppp (morendo)
Singing Focus: When singing morendo, how does the singer keep vocal spin active until the conductor closes their hand?
4 Partner Listening Checklist & Self-Assessment
Peer Evaluation
Partner Vocal Checklist (Check \(\checkmark\) what you observe in your partner's singing):
Audible Contrast: Obvious dynamic distinction between \(pp\), \(mf\), and \(ff\).
Intonation at Pianissimo: Pitch remains lifted and in-tune during very soft singing.
Warm Climax Tone: Full fortissimo without harsh shouting or vocal strain.
Expressive Hairpins: Seamless swells and decrescendos matching the poetic text.
Rehearsal Sign-Off
Partner's Name:
Partner Voice Part:
"Sing the shadows, reveal the light."
Director's Challenge / Personal Rehearsal Goal: In "Darkness Fell", which expressive dynamic transition is most challenging for your voice, and what physical adjustment will you make?
CHORAL MUSICIANSHIP SERIES • "DARKNESS FELL" (SHERRY BLEVINS) PAGE 2 OF 2
