Hosanna is an 8 person Choral Reading taken from the viewpoint of bystanders wondering what is going on. Perfect for a sermon setup for Palm Sunday! And, of course, Easter. No memorization needed.
Hosanna! - A Choral Reading
Performance time: 8 minutes
Cast: 8 performers, male, female, young old, any mix.
Director’s notes:
As this is a choral reading it is unnecessary to memorize the script. In the first presentation I acted as a choir director, sitting in the front row (so as not to be a distraction) and guiding the choir (yes, we call them choirs even though no one is singing). My signals were subtle. You can opt to have no one direct or have them stand in front as a normal director would.
Tempo is important! Choral reading cannot be rushed. It is not the idea to get it done as quickly as possible, but to give each stanza the weight desired.
Dynamics are important! Speak softly or at volume as needed. Crescendo and decrescendo. Holding some syllables out can be effective.
Unity is essential. Although the opening is cacophonous, most of the piece needs unity and timing needs to be addressed. If three people are to say a word or phrase they must do so and sound like one voice. Sometimes a single word within a sentence is spoken by a soloist and others join in the balance of the sentence. Care should be taken to decide how much the soloist’s word is separated from the rest of the sentence.
Position is essential. Voices come from different places intentionally.
An effective Choral Reading takes a lot of practice
No memorization needed, no set required, no special costuming.
7 chairs in front and one player standing behind those seated.
