Music, themes, and collaboration

141 titles.  That's what my librarian pulled a single copy of and placed in binders.  I have dedicated the first week of August to music selection.  This is what I'm most anxious about getting started.  Once music is selected, I can begin preparations.  I will sit at the piano in my office, I still sing in each part, I will play the music while singing, I will wave my arms, and then I will sit in silence and hear the music in my head.

Conductors are crazy.  We wave our arms to the voices we are imaging in our heads.  And we convince people to trust our ideas of the music.  I'm so grateful for singers.  Of course, without them I would not have a choir.  But people love to sing, and then they join choir.  And they want to sing well and want to learn.

Choir auditions are in less than a month.  It's a fairly normal audition process, with sight reading and singing a solo selection and pitch recall.  They will also each prepare a excerpt from the Gloria in Haydn's Harmoniemesse.  The collaborative artist faculty member is going to play, and she invited one of her students to play as well, which means I will get to also work with a young collaborative artist.  I enjoy that!

A few other things I know will be on the docket this fall: Stanford's "Beati Quorum Via," Haydn's "Der Greis," Elgar's "My Love Dwelt in a Northern Land," Eberlin's "Christus factus est," Senfl's "Das G'läut zu Speyer," and I'm hoping a Czech madrigal.  I'm looking at some English choral/organ stuff for my non-auditioned choir.  I have a huge list of potential pieces, but I'd like to narrow down a theme.  I am finding it difficult to pick a theme, mainly because I do not know my choirs and want to make sure the music I select is appropriate.  I think I will likely come up with two programs for the October concert: One program will be "safe" music I know that each choir should be able to do, and the other program will be what I hope the choirs will be able to do according to what I think they should be able to do.  Unfortunately, because the program needs some TLC, it might limit the first concert.

I am more and more convinced, however, that it is going to be a great year.  The students seem eager to learn.  They want to do well.  They want to have expectations placed on them.  The head of the voice department is also doing great things, so I also think that what the voice teachers are doing will work in tandem with the growing choral program.

It's a good time to be a Maverick.  (The UNO kind, not the Sarah Palin kind).

First Tweet

I emailed L.K. (the retired musicologist in Russia).  She responded and said she would be happy to help me locate any manuscripts.  I am incredibly inadequate as far as expressing my gratitude in Russia, as well as my appreciation for her informative research within the field.  She did thank me for the kind words, so I think she understood.

My proposal is written.  It's terrible, but it is written.  Revisions and clarifications come next.  I'm taking volunteers for whoever wants to read my proposal and give me feedback on clarity.  I will provided the suggested layout and what the proposal needs to cover.  Any volunteers? ... I don't know if I would volunteer to read 15 pages double spaced of a dissertation proposal either.  I do have some people I trust completely to read and give wonderful feedback.  I am grateful that I know such intelligent people.

Tomorrow begins a month of preparation work.  Now that travels have finished and all that stands in front of me and the beginning of the next semester is a month of time, I will continue my four-hours-a-day on dissertation writing.   I will intersperse that with about four hours of work on school prep, which will mainly consist of emails and music study.  I have this wonderful choral librarian at work who has already pulled all the music I requested.  To be fair, I don't know how wonderful he is, but I was so impressed with his "go getter" attitude, how could he not be wonderful?  I've seen this focus in other students of mine, as well.  Already.  I haven't even met them, and I can already tell they are some of the most focused, hard working students.  No bias, of course.

In other exciting news, I have posted my first tweet.

The Process of Long-Term Research

Exciting news: I was given the email address of a woman who has written a lot about Taneyev.  She is a Russian scholar and I don't think she speaks English, so I wrote her an email.  I would like to find out if she knows where any other Taneyev manuscripts maybe be located.  I am looking forward to when she responds.  Hopefully she will.  Her writing is very helpful, concise, and new.  She does not recycle the same information.  I'm having a lot of her scholarship translated into English so I can use it.  If only my Russian skills were developed enough... but they are not.

Dissertation researching is a long process.  I move quickly, but when I consider the amount of research to be done, it seems slow.  There are days I feel like I am on track, but most days I have concern about getting everything done to a degree that my committee will approve.  These are the hoops we must jump through.  By calling it a "hoop," I am not saying it is not important, but that there is a lot of "i" dotting and "t" crossing.  

Each new discovery, no matter how small, is important.  An email address, other potential archives, a new scholarship translation, an email from a colleague who studies Taneyev piano music, etc.  This is all important.  Through this research, I have discovered what a rabbit hole research can be.  There is always more to be done, another lead to follow-up, more questions to be asked and other questions that are unanswered.  

In a way, research is similar to music performance.  When we perform, the music is never perfect.  There are always musical ideas that can be changed or improved.  It is a never ending quest for more musical involvement.  Yet, at some point there is an end.  Normally it's a performance.  We sing, then we put it away.  We research and then we have to start writing so we can turn in a dissertation and become the doctor we have always dreamed of becoming.  

Onwards and upwards!

More Leads

I received an email today from a musicologist in St. Petersburg with a few more tips on where to find Taneyev manuscripts.  I had already looked into some of her suggestions, but it did prompt me to write a few emails (in Russian) to some institutions.  I'm running out of time.  

I feel more stressed than I should about this.  Mainly because I think I'm fine as far as documents go, but just in case... just in case I find more manuscripts of works I haven't found yet, or some sketches, or something... anything.  

Doing this research has really made me realize that I have to narrow the scope of my dissertation a little bit.  While I will give a background on the pieces in my editions, I cannot recount Taneyev's entire history.  Not for my dissertation, at least.  I want to do it all, but I want to finish my dissertation.  This will give me a beginning platform for more research.  And this beginning platform will have to be extremely solid.  

Glinka Museum Research

So, I finished the majority of my research at the Tchaikovsky Museum yesterday.  I may have to go back next week to pick up the images, or we'll find some other way to get them to me.  I downloaded the first set of images yesterday (they gave them to me on DVD).  I have to go through and label all of them yet.  Hopefully I'll remember which is which.

I spent some time looking at the electronic Glinka catalog (online).  I could have protentially done this before, but I didn't have the Russian or research skills.  Even after just three days at the Tchaikovsky Museum, I know so much more.  When I was on the Glinka Museum website, I realized a couple of things:

1) Their research room is open, but all they can pull is printed sources, no manuscripts.  This is because the archivists are all on vacation.  I was told the reading rooms might be closed, and I emailed and asked two months ago.  I was told they would be open.  Well, it turns out they are, but it doesn't do me any good since the archivists are not there.  Beyond that, I have to order in person (at least, that's what they told me today).  And when I come back (hopefully I will), I have to have a new invitation from the director of the Museum.

2) They really don't have a lot of hand written documents.  I still want to look at what they have, but they don't have a lot.

3) I went to the Glinka Museum.  I signed in.  I looked at their card catalog, and there were a few things there that were not listed on the website.  However, they are even working on getting some things digitized.  Taneyev stuff, however, probably doesn't take priority.  At least that is my guess.  So, I made a list of things I would request.  They gave me their email, and when I come back to Russia, I can email them ahead of time with my requests, and they will be ready for me when I arrive.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Now... I'm in a bit of a pickle.  There are works by Taneyev for which I cannot locate a manuscript.  When I originally did research, I was told the Tchaikovsky Museum at the majority of them, and the Glinka Museum had the rest.  That's just not true.  First, there is more music out there than New Grove lists (darn New Grove... never trust it!  Just kidding.  Do trust it, but know it might contain incorrect information).  There is no complete list of Taneyev choral works.  I don't know if I will be able to create one, but this will be the beginning of a lifelong project.  There are works that have not been considered choral works but were intended to be considered for choirs.  There are loads of canons, but I think most are still in manuscript form.

I checked the Moscow Conservatory Research Library, and they don't have anything I need.  Maybe some stuff I could check out at a later time, but nothing at the present.  So where are the manuscripts?  I read some Russian scholarship that said the manuscripts are missing for some of his Opus 35, which is a cycle of 16 choruses for men's voice.  Could they be in private collections?  In other museums that have not been listed or mentioned?  Could they be destroyed?  The answer is "yes" to all of these- but I just don't know.

So here is my recourse: I hope to schedule a meeting with the head conductor of the conservatory for Monday.  I don't know if that will happen.  I am going to email a Taneyev scholar.  She's retired and living in Moscow.  If I could meet with her, that'd be wonderful.  Even getting her knowledge over email would be great  I will also speak to the archivist at the Tchaikovsky Museum again- she would likely know where other manuscripts might be.  Additionally, one of my contacts in England has introduced me to a friend of hers in St. Petersburg that might be able to lead me in another direction.

It's a bit like being a detective.

Exciting Discovery!

Here's what I learned about researching today: When you request a copy of a document, you might have to wait a little bit before you receive it.  When you request a copy of many documents, you might have to wait weeks or months.  Make sure the research institution you are working at can accommodate.  Thank goodness- I think mine can.

Today I looked at MANY excellent manuscripts.  I think I will see many great manuscripts again tomorrow.  They likely won't be able to get them all copied for me while I'm here, so we will have to work out other arrangements.

There is a slight chance I could be done tomorrow at the Tchaikovsky Museum.  Then, either on Thursday or Friday, I will get started at the other museum.  I'm hopeful that I won't need to ask for as many documents at the Glinka Museum.  I'll be more selective, mainly because I have to be realistic- I only have a few weeks here.  I could order some documents and potentially wait around for two weeks, and miss John's family vacation.  Or, I could be more selective in the documents and only order things that are on my "top" or "second" list.  That way, I could fly home earlier and get some relaxation in.  I have things I can use for my dissertation.  I'd love to find a few more things, but I won't be able to take everything with me.  I wanted to take everything, but I won't be able to.  Not this time.

I mentioned my "top" and "second" list.  I have four lists.  I'd love to find ANY manuscript on my top list (there are four pieces).  I have found a few on my second list- and that is very encouraging.  My "second" list is a larger than my top list, but not as large as my other two lists.  This helps me prioritize what I am looking for and how much time I will spend on a manuscript.

Ready for something exciting?  I also found some other pieces that are not listed in New Grove (that source always leads me astray) that Taneyev listed both as "quartet" and for "хор" (choir).  So I'm getting some copies of some of his quartets.  These could easily be sung by a choir.  This was an unexpected and delightful surprise.

I still have a lot of work ahead of me, but this is all excellent.

Russian Research, Day 1

Today was a great day!  It was stressful and slow in the middle- but it turned out wonderfully. 

I woke up this morning at 4:30 AM.  I had meant to wake up at 5:30 AM, but the sun rises just before 4:00 AM.  There must have been a noise or something jarring, because I woke up early and had a difficult time getting back to sleep.  I was extremely tired, because I couldn’t fall asleep until after 1:00 AM.   Okay, this is a long enough paragraph about waking up and sleep.

We took the metro to the bus stop, and the bus was waiting at the station when we arrived.  We boarded immediately and paid the 340 rubles for two tickets (a little over $6 for the two of us... about $3 for a one way, one person).  I said “Tchaikovsky Square” in Russian.  Kind of.  I actually said, “Of Tchaikovsky square” in Russian.  But the driver understood.  The bus ride out was easy enough.  Some farm land.  It actually looks a lot like the Midwest as far as landscape.  A lot of green, a lot of trees.

We got to Klin a little over an hour early.  The Tchaikosvky Museum was not open, and we went to a café that was selling pastries and coffee (espressos and Americanos) in a BP.  Yes- a BP.  Like we have in the states.  We then traversed over to the Tchaikovsky Museum, read some signs, and took pictures.  At about 9:45 AM (it opens at 10), we went in because the main hall was open.  I spoke to security- who asked me fairly quickly if I needed to see the exact woman I needed to see. 

After a few minutes, we were led through a back hallway, into the basement, around some corners, down a hall, around to the right, and at the end of the hall, there was a small research room.  They call it a reading room.  I washed my hands, was given some forms to fill out by the only woman who speaks a little English.  I filled them out (although I didn’t know some of the words.  I had no internet access so I couldn’t look it up.  I felt so silly).  Then they brought me the fond (Фонд) in which I was to look up opis (Опись) and write down the number.  This was an order form, of sorts.  So, I filled out every line on the order form (maybe 25 different manuscripts).  I still want to order more documents.  I asked the lady if it was a lot.  Actually, I didn’t know how to ask that, so I simply said, “Много?“ And she told me it was normal (in Russian). 

I was quite frustrated at my lack of ability to communicate in Russian.  I’ve been studying for just over a year- and I can communicate some, but trying to do scholarly work and answer questions can be very frustrating.   It's harder to understand when people speak fast.  

I received my documents about 40 minutes later.  Actually, I only received about half of them.  Not even.  I looked through them, and then asked to make copies.  This was the business- I had 42 pages I needed copied.  And it cost 150 rubles- or 6300 entotal.  I’m not going to tell you how much that is in dollars.  It’s quite a bit of money, and I’ll have to get more copies.  But they can charge me because I need it (I was told 100 rubles per copy via email about a month or two ago, but I don’t want to argue.  I don’t know Russian well enough and I want them to help me, not hinder).  So I paid.  I will get the documents tomorrow.  I returned the manuscripts and will get the other manuscripts I ordered tomorrow.  I suppose this is the cost of research.

In preparation for tomorrow, I will need to make a list of the other documents I need.  They will try to pull them for me tomorrow.  I’m hoping I can get two loads of documents looked at tomorrow- plus get copies made.  I’m also taking notes on the documents (their physical qualities).  So, a lot of work needs to be done tonight. 

There was a lot of writing involved.  I couldn’t take the list of documents with me (it was in a book I was looking through), so I copied it by hand.  I asked about taking a picture, but they said no.  Over 500 documents in this one book of Taneyev.  There are many, many more books, too, but those contain other works- not his choral music.  I’m very grateful I had the foresight to start copying the list by hand while I was waiting for my order. 

The women working in the reading room are very kind.  One of them knows a few English words.  However, she mainly communicates in Russian.  By the end of the day, I was a little less frustrated with my Russian.  I don’t know if I got any better as the day went on, but I became more strategic with the words I used.  I have to simplify all my thoughts.  It’s very humbling.  The archivist I am working with speaks English, and she told me I could come Wednesday, even though the sign to the Tchaikovsky Museum says it is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. 

I spent a lot of the day working, focusing, and waiting.  It wasn’t until the end of the day that I felt like I made progress.  I have some music I can use in my dissertation!  Once I transcribe it, at least.  This was quite an experience. 

The other thing I need to do is make a list of manuscripts I haven’t found which I need to find.  I will look for these at the Glinka Museum. 

Overall, this was a very successful day.  I felt like I was communicating better at the end.  People were kind and helpful.  I will hopefully receive my first batch of photocopies tomorrow.  And... I had the opportunity to look at, to touch, and to examine Taneyev manuscripts. 

Almost Ready to Research in Archives

I begin research tomorrow in the Tchaikovsky Museum.  The past few days, I have done prep work for this research.  I have been to the bus depot that will take us do the Tchaikovsky Museum.  I have also been to the Glinka Museum.  Today we went and looked at their exhibits.  Everyone was so kind.  I didn't understand most of what the lady at the desk told me, but I understood bits and pieces.  The main exhibit was that of musical instruments around the world.  It was incredibly interesting.  The ladies who worked in the gallery were very helpful, and quite resourceful in the way they could communicate.  With my limited Russian, I was able to understand most of what they said.  

The exhibit was also quite neat because whenever a child was there with his/her parents, there was a designated tour guide for them.  The tour guide allowed them to play different instruments, asked them questions, and involved their parents.

Last night I made a list of the music I wanted to look at in the museums (prioritized list).  Today I will write out what I will say the guards at each museum, so they will let me in to the reading rooms to research.  My father-in-law is going to help me, although I hope they will let him in- I have letters of invitation and he does not.  I hope to explain this to the guards and/or librarians and/or archivists.  These are the things I must write out.  Also, I will put my papers together this evening.

Also, last night my father-in-law and I went out to dinner with a man named Vladimir, and his wife.  Vladimir is a faculty member at the Moscow Conservatory.  He is extremely kind, he loves music, and he is extremely interested in collaborative partnerships between musicians in Russia and the US.  This is right up my ally!  

Overall, I have been extremely impressed with people and music the last 24 hours.

Arrival and Elevator Music

Today I arrived in Moscow.  Now, I will attempt to comment very little on things outside of music or those things unrelated to my research.  This is, after all, a music blog.

However, a few observations:

- Drivers rarely use their horn.
- Food, especially street food, is cheap.
- Don't exchange your money at an airport if you can help it.  Exchange it at a bank.
- I need more time to process things in Russian than I do in English (no duh, right?).
- It's difficult to find the name of the subway station when the metro pulls up to the station.  I think I'll have to count how many stops we make every time, or learn to read faster in Cyrillic.

and finally...

- I heard street musicians today!  In the subway.  And it was actually a string trio playing "Time to Say Goodbye."  Despite the elevator music choice, I was very impressed with how they sounded!