matchboxmatt

But they're not triplets. They're 3/3/2 patterns. :huh:

East Carolina University Choral Scholars

On measure 76, I'm hoping to achieve a cool effect there to prepare for the next section, I guess sacrificing diction for illustration. I'll definitely keep an eye on that though when this gets read during the rehearsals. For the SATBB balance issue, the choir I'm writing this for typically has a lot of men in the bass section, so three sections on the bottom makes sense. I can definitely see the possibility of it becoming somewhat of an issue in non-collegiate level choirs, so I have some instances of the Baritones and Basses doubling before they merge at Rehearsal H, but I understand your point. I'm confident that it won't become too large of a problem though. You guys really want to fill the final open 5th! I never thought I would write an ending with one until I journeyed through this thing. I really couldn't imagine ending it any other way, but I'll keep an open mind. Thanks for giving it a read! I appreciate it. Also, Maestrowick, I tried rewriting the middle section in Gb, but I think I quickly saw why I had it in F#. The smoothest way to write the C-major section transition is with sharps, which naturally leads to F#. If I chose to write in Gb, I would either have to use double-flats or courtesy markings similar to the ending of F# section. Writing in Gb also leaves me with augmented seconds from Db to E-natural right off the bat, meaning I'd have to rewrite them as F-flat. It looks like I would have more F-flats than B#s, so my other option would be penciling in C-naturals in the piano reduction or just figuring out whether the choir finds B# or C-natural as a more obvious way of asking for a minor second interval. I'll keep at it though.

The MIDI Eb is from having two layers playing a single line in the piano reduction, so although it reads the natural correctly on the score, Finale doesn't. Will do on the lyrics, and I'll definitely try out Gb, thanks! Gotta love a bitter-sweet ending, eh?

After the past year studying music, I wanted to write something that encompassed everything I had learned and absorbed. I wanted to challenge myself to write something that wasn't only beautiful (to my ears at least), but mentally stimulating. So for the past three months, I set out to do that, and right now, all that's left is a bit of the piano reduction work (my first time making a piano reduction for a largely polyphonic piece).The focal point of the piece is the idea of motion, the study of form and the writing process (seriously, three months), and a touch of post-tonality. I guess you could say I was aiming for something like a master work, but really I just wanted to apply all the tools old-school theory has given me to create music that I didn't just hear in my head. I spent a lot of time studying Brahm's Zwei Motetten: Schaffe In Mir, Gott, Britten's Hymn to St. Cecilia, and Pierre Villette's choral works while writing this, in case you want to know where I'm coming from.In short, this choral piece is a summation of my influences, my style, and my beliefs. Check it out.And if you have any ideas or suggestions about the piano reduction, send them my way. A Testament of Faith (SATBB)

Yeah, he really is a fantastic composer, so I'm glad you drew upon some of his best elements for your song. I love the zen-like quality, and I think you took it a nice step further. Looking forward to the recording, fo sho.

This a really fantastic cool-jazz kind of song you got here. I especially like the closing texture. The way you handle the voices in the first half reminds me a little bit of Stravinsky, and the second half of Michael McGlynn (writes most of the stuff for the Irish choir Anuna, and Chanticleer's best hit, "Agnus Dei"). I enjoy it a whole lot. Everyone has already given you flack about the hand-cramping, so I won't touch that. I think that at the end with the low Ds in the Basses, I would double it in the organ with a foot pedal so that it comes out clearly. Otherwise it will be over-shadowed by the organ and the thick choir texture, and spaces equipped with organs tend to have high reverb and therefore carry higher notes a lot stronger than lower ones. Great job.

Right off the bat, I can tell you that this isn't written for choir. It's written for playback. Few Sopranos can hit below middle C. Few Altos can hit low Fs. Few true Tenors can hit below a low C. Having basses split into a major second at the bottom of their range with a low A on top is not only ridiculously tough to sing, it's going to sound muddy. On top of that, anything below a low E means that only true basses can sing it (low G or F for baritones). When writing for choir, you're writing for the human voice, which cannot naturally sing several consecutive large leaps very pretty or confidently. You also have the women singing at their break a lot (around high C). Some of the range stuff can be fixed if you gave baritones the low tenor part, tenors the low alto part, and the high alto part to the sopranos at m.6, but it doesn't address what you're asking of the choir in both the highest and lowest range. Editing issues aside, it's has some nice moments, but you max out the range almost immediately, and it's not left with anywhere to go. If you want lots of leaping and precise clusters, I'd write for String Orchestra instead. The texture you're demanding is just not possible for a choir to pull at a whim.

I disagree, I think he set the text very well. I especially like the judicious use of chromatic movement. You create a really nice dark and dense texture until you hit the release from all that built up tension in the humming section. Great sense of pacing with the tension and release. What I'm interested in is what you were focusing on when writing this. Did you use pitch class sets or think a lot about the neighboring chromatic motion? Also, kudos to the choir for nailing all those parallel seconds.

Hey, thanks for letting know! The tagalog section was the toughest to put together since I don't speak very much of it. Would "ipikit ang mata mo at ipahinga ang ulo mo" work as well?

It's finished, and I just fixed the spacing a bit. I plan on getting it premiered this spring, so I'm pumped. Thanks for the positive feedback you guys have given me so far, I really appreciate it.

Nice carol. I especially love the passing chromaticism at the beginning and the final cadence. It's a really nice looking score. Since its all homophonic, have you considered combing the womens parts onto the treble staff and the mens on the bass? You know, typical hymnal format. More of a suggestion though, it's competely fine how it is.

Song's groovy as mess. Some really clean writing.

Really nice, I think it's pretty. To answer your question, the leaping in measure 4 to 5 can be avoided, since you basically just had them all jump down a part. Instead of doing that, have the baritones take the tenor part, tenors the alto part, and have the altos go up to the E with the Sopranos, so when it splits for the resolution the altos just stay on the E. This will make it easier to sing since right now it's written harder than it should be, especially since not all baritones can hit a low E. It also makes better voice-leading sense into the next phrase. On measures 7 and 8, the note for the sopranos isn't necessary, and you should remove the "oo"s from under each note. You placed in the lyrics correctly for the altos, so I'm not quite sure why you did that. I think what you meant to do was place a slur over the final three notes in the soprano, since more than one note is sounded on that vowel. On the top of page two, if you're using Finale, remove that note about the sopranos, and click on the number "2" on the bottom left to switch to a second layer. Put in a rest and the notes for the soprano 2s, and change the soprano 1's first two notes to a half note. If you don't have Finale, look up how to write in layers for Sibelius. Other than those editorial errors, it's a great song.

This is a song I wrote for my grandmother. She is not doing too well, so I wrote this in hopes that she would get better. MP3: a song for mama If there are any courtesy accidentals I missed or any editing errors, please give me a heads up. I hope you enjoy it. a song for mama.pdf