What’s your favorite kind of rehearsal?
I’ve had some of both in recent weeks: a two-hour rehearsal spent almost exclusively on one piece, and a two-hour rehearsal with no more than 15 minutes spent on a piece.
The value of a deep dive rehearsal on one piece is in making concerted progress on difficult repertoire. It also helps an ensemble gain perspective on just how many details come into play on the piece. For the motivated ensemble, this can be the moment that their relationship with a piece changes.
The value of the shallow wade rehearsal is multi-faceted: check-ins on all of that repertoire, finding musical ideas that hold true among multiple pieces, upbeat pacing that keeps distracted minds engaged.
I personally have always loved a good deep dive rehearsal, getting into the nitty-gritty of a piece or two; I’m less drawn to the shallow wade rehearsals but have learned to recognize their value.