Lesson with Daniel

NOTE: if anyone other than Daniel has questions related to the topic of this lesson, please PM them to me and I will consider adding them in as comments.

We will be exploring a piece that Daniel is working on right now, a setting of Keats' poem "To Autumn" for voice and piano.

To facilitate things, I'm going to break it into smaller pieces, so that we can go over smaller details first before examining the entire work.

This will also allow me to place markings in the score for any interested persons to follow along.

First thing we will examine is the opening line.

Opening line recording

The vocal part is here played by an oboe.

I placed circles in the score where I first off see some problems.

From the stand point of prosody, the long melismatic passage on "fruitlessness" is uncomfortable. Not the word itself, but rather WHERE the melisma come into play on the word.

My recommendation would be to split the A flat of "..less..." into two quarter notes and assign that syllable to the final quarter note of measure 5.

I'd also recommend reversing the rythme of the final measure of the first line for the vocal part. It would allow a bit more time for the breath that needs to be taken.

The reason I circled the piano part at measures 4-5 is that there's a sort of "hole" there in the accompaniment. You don't need a majorly melodic line in the piano part, however, some sort of movement would keep the flow of the accompaniment going. This is particularly important considering that the subsequant measure has that dotted quarter syncopation.

Of course, that also makes me question the actual need for that syncopation. Don't forget that rythme, along with melody, are tools to bring out moments in your music. That particular instance is basically a final cadence for the line. You need to ask yourself whether or not that particular instance of syncopation really brings something to the line or not. My sense is that it does not.

This brings up an interesting topic in this sort of work, of course. The transition. That final measure of line one would be a good moment to bring in transitional material that prepares the following sequence of 1/8 notes in the left hand. Might you consider, for example, making that left hand chord into an arpeggio that leads directly into the subesequant material?

You might also consider making that measure an extra beat long. There is nothing forcing you to remain in 3/4 all the way through and on every single measure.

Now, back to the opening notes. It starts quite firmly planted in Bb. Would you consider transposing the onening two measure of the vocal part down a 3rd? This would allow the voice to enter solidly supported by the piano, it would also not place a musical summit (the high F is the highest note of the first phrase) immediately in the first measure.

Maybe something like Bb - C - D - D---- Eb - and the rest as-is.

This would place a nice accent from the repeated note F - F on the words "and Mellow".

My problem in line two is with the melisma on the word "the". I will ALWAYS deduct marks for placing an accent on such an insignificant word - unless there's a VERY special circumstance.

"of the ma-" should have been shorter notes, allowing you to place a melisma on "...tur-" where the natural tonic accent wants to fall.

It is very important when setting text to music to allow the words to create their own natural rythme.

You wouldn't say "close bosom friend of THE maturing sun" would you?

Let loose, rewrite the end of that phrase and let the singer do a lovely long melisma on "ma-TUR-----------------ing sun". You may require the addition of a measure or two to do this, but it will be worth it.

You might have noticed I made a few changes to your score before making the image. In vocal music the dynamics always go above the staff. And in Piano parts, the dynamics only go between the two staves of the grand staff, unless a VERY specific effect is needed.

Good advice - I will make some emendations now.

The sudden halt in motion in measures 4-5 is because i had merely filled in the harmony, and not yet provided any "figuration", so I will do that as well.

I'm having bother with the lyrics tool, so I can't fix those problems yet, but I've done what I can, and will send the file. I'll get some proper work done tomorrow.

When transposing the first bars down a 3rd, the best solution I have for "mists" is e natural. Unless I change the underlying harmony to contain an Eflat instead of natural... I may do that actually.

yes, I'm sorry, the E nat. would be perfect.

Of course, now you might have to alter the second line where you actually HAD the rising figure Bb - C - D etc... (a third lower than the original opening bars)

this gives you the chance to look at how you might deal with the second "repeated" phrase in some way other than an outright repetition or echo.

I'd actually like it if you could create something different for the second half of ths phrase "close bosum friend.. ", rather than repeating the same melodic outline as the opening.

Consider something that is non-linear?

a leap down and back up?

another melisma on "friend"?

this is very rich poetry, it sort of demands a rich vocal treatment.

While this shouldn't be a Finale lesson, I don't mind going over a few things if you have difficulty with the program. It's not exactly the easiest program to learn considering the mass of functions it contains.

If you wish to adjust text, select the text tool, then from the new menu choice that opens up at the top, you have a number of options. In there, you will see "edit text". This allows you to actually write out the entire text you will be using. You can format your text within that window relatively easily, however, the simplest thing is simply to divide the syllables.

If you know there will be melismata, do not bother indicating those in the text. You will create those from within your score page. Separate any multi-syllable words into their component syllables with a hyphen (use the "minus sign"). For example:

(and this is where an English language dictionary comes in handy.. they normally contain the usual hyphenization of words)

I speak Spanish poorly

becomes

I speak Span-ish poor-ly

If I had wanted a long melisma on the word "speak", then by clicking on a much later note to add the first syllable of "Spa-nish", Finale would include a text extension in the score after the word "speak" to indicate it continues under all those notes:

I speak____________________ Spa-nish

If the melisma were under the first syllable of "Spanish" then FInale would add hyphens under the notes to indicate that the word is not yet complete.

I speak Spa - - - - - - - - - - - - - - nish

When you wish to create melismata, you enter the first syllable of a word using "click assignement" and simply click on the notes you've already entered where you want those lyrics to be.

Once you've entered lyrics, you can shift lyrics already entered, either to the right or left, by selecting the option.

If you want to enter lyrics directly into your score by typing them as you go, then to create a melisma or two notes under one single syllable, then once the first syllable has been assigned, use the key to skip over the notes that will be contained within the melisma, when you get to the next "spoken" note type in your text. Finale will automatically link the two syllables with the necessary hyphens. You then need to add a single slur to cover the entire melisma using the Smartshapes slur tool.

An additional detail, when adding Expressions (mp, FF, etc...) the easiest thing is to assign them to a quick key (press Shift and the key you wish to assign, a dialogue box will open, allowing you to select an expression).

I personally have all my dynamics assigned to the numbers 1 through 9, pp through FFFF.

Yet one more detail. When you are assigning dynamics, be sure to assign them to NOTES and not to the entire score. You can tell you are getting "note assigned" expressions when your cursor changes to a small black note. The colour of your dynamic when entered into the score will be different as well, to differentiate it from a score expression (like a tempo indication, which needs to be assigned to ALL staves in a score).

When adding dynamics to a grand staff (a piano staff) the convention is that there should be only one dynamic, between the two staves of the grand staff. If you have assigned your two piano staves to the same MIDI channel (which is the usual way to work with most scores) then simply applying the dynamic to a note in either staff will make it apply to BOTH staves. Sometimes, for example, the left hand plays, while the right comes in later, well, you'd add whatever dynamic you want to the left hand staff, then you would need to slide it up between the two staves. When your right hand part comes in, it will play at that dynamic as well.

Hmm. I'm having trouble getting the shift lyric tool to work.

I will check out all the tutorials as much as I can though, because I shouldn't be burdening you with this. (I'm sure you can see the Piu Agitato doesn't exactly work, later on!)

click the lyrics tool, select from the menu , then select either right or left (it will open a small dialogue box), then just click ON the lyric you wish to shift in teh score... you can keep clicking away until lyrics are properly shifted.

don't forget to change back to whatever other option of the lyrics tool you'd use most often, afterwards (click assignement, or type into score, etc...)

And also, don't forget: Ctrl+Z is your best friend when working in Finale. It will Undo your last action, and you can keep Ctrl+Z-ing until you have gone through all the changes you've made hehehe

Considering the nature of the piece you are working on, one thing I would like you to try is to write out the melody, or to sketch it out, one or two phrases at a time.

One of the important elements to explore here is the establishing of the lyrical line. How are you going to deal with the words, how are you laying out the vocal part.

For example, you have already used one lengthy melisma, and it might be important to plan out how many more melismatic passages there will be. Select the words that are of importance in each line. THOSE are the words that will require melismatic treatment.

You also need to be establishing thematic material from which to develop the subsequant verses.

So it might be an idea to establish some sort of series of melodic outlines that will be used as framework for the next lines.

I would really like to see you write out only the vocal part of the opening two lines. Inserting melisma, pauses, high points, etc... with care.

Consider the range of your singer, consider the highest and lowest notes they are capable of, and consider WHERE those notes can and should come into play during the song.

Considering the nature of the piece you are working on, one thing I would like you to try is to write out the melody, or to sketch it out, one or two phrases at a time.

This is a 3 stanza poem; I have the first stanza "completed", but nothing for the subsequent two. After working through the first, would you then like me to sketch out the vocal line for the 2nd stanza?

I will finish putting the 1st stanza into Finale, and then we can work on it, and I'll start sketching the vocal line for the second stanza.

how about posting the 3 stanzas senza musica...

I'd like you to bold the syllables that appear important to you.

in other words, let's see in advance where you can plan on putting in either high points, or melismatic passages, or important dissonances.

It's important with vocal music to have a sense of the natural rythme of the text before setting any music to it.

I of course do do these things, but I have only worked through the first stanza. However, I will later edit into this post the 3 stanzas, senza qualsiasi musica :horrified: and I will try to show stresses etc. I'll see how it goes.

I

Season of mists and mellow fruitlessness!

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;

To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,

And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells

With a sweet kernel; to set budding more

And still more, later flowers for the bees,

Until they think warm days will never cease;

For Summer has o'erbrimm'd their clammy cells.

II

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?

Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find

Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,

Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;

Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,

Drowsed with the fume of the poppies, while thy hook

Spares the next swath, and all its twin

I'm very busy this week, but I'll try to post a proposed melody for the 2nd stanza, and outline the harmony. In basic form so we can work on it.

How does that sound?

I'm very busy this week, but I'll try to post a proposed melody for the 2nd stanza, and outline the harmony. In basic form so we can work on it.

How does that sound?

sounds good.

(I'm also quite busy these days... putting the final touches on a clarinet sonata for a concert next year)

my suggestion is to not try and go into too much detail just yet.

outline, sketch, framework...

something from which you can then expand or contract if need be.

Unfortunately I'm going to have to rush this one, to get it done, so I will be trying to do what you have suggested, but under the constraint of time.

However, I'm starting another song once I've finished this, so I can do everything the right way with it. You may know it - "Chanson d'Automne" by Verlaine. I'm planning a very very bare/simple setting of it.

I have the second stanza "finished", and I'll post it here later.

I need to use hours as having two syllables hou-rs and I know that's wrong, but it will work. The singer is local anyway, she will have the same accent as me.

Also - maybe the two piano staves aren't assigned to the same midi channel, because dynamics for one stave were not affecting the other, so I have had to place dynamics on both - I will read up and try to fix this in due course.

Edit: 2nd stanza attached as is.

to autumn 2nd stanza.MUS

I would suggest not breaking the rythme of flowing 8th notes so suddenly in the beginning.

you might consider, for example, switching the 8ths to the piano's right hand at measure 4, perhaps by adding passing notes between those quarter notes that are already there? this would suggest also raising the next emasure an octave or so... I changed the measure in question to show you what I meant.

Since you have a deadline, it makes it a little difficult to work on this piece with you in this way, so I can only make cursory suggestions.

If you want to use pedal markings in Finale, the best way to do so is using the Smart Shapes. There is already a "Ped. ---- *" marking, ready to use.

to autumn with suggestions.MUS

Thanks for the advice... I've got a deadline to work to, but I will try to do as much as I can of anything you want to suggest.

I will try to work on the rhythmic transitions in the piece, and get them as natural as I can.

And I'll use Smart shapes for the pedal.. the articulation way is awful..

3rd stanza should be appearing within the next couple of days.

btw, I just wanted to elt you know I ALSO find this very interesting musically.

I like how you are dealing with the polychords.

Thanks :D - that's encouraging.

Here's a mus of a very rough "finished" version.

I had to finish it by last Monday, and I made a lot of edits which only affected the printed copies, and so this score is awfully messy, and even wrong in places.

I also didn't have a lot of time to make changes, so as a result, some of them unfortunately weren't made.

Oh well. Here's the file, and I'm getting it played and recorded on Wednesday coming, so I will post that mp3.

To Autumn full2.MUS

I just realized that at least an entire linking section between 2 stanzas was missing from that .mus. Oh well - recording by Wed/Thurs if the performers are up to it!

Ok, I examined all the inversions of the C+/D+ polychord.

I must say, out of all the polychords I've thus far examined (yes, I haven't worked through all of them..) this one has been the one with the least difference between inversions. Or at least one of the ones with least difference.

The different inversions definitely do have different characters though, but something more like different shades of the same colour.

Btw, F.I. stands for full inversion, which I use whenever I invert a polychord without omitting any tones. I can't remember if I stole the term from you or not. :w00t:

Root Position

Somewhat unsettling, and fairly dissonant. One gets a sense of the three tritones present. One also gets a large feeling of the whole-tone scale, every note of which the chord is comprised of.

F.I. I

Texture is somewhat less rich. There is the more exposed major second (dim. 3rd) on top, and thus highlighted. This chord is not far removed from the root position chord.

F.I. II

More harshly dissonant as there are two tritones at the extremes. Texture is perhaps again richer.

F.I. III

Possibly slightly mellower than the root position chord. There is a tritone formed between the uppermost and lowermost notes. I find little difference between this chord and the root position chord in "amount" of dissonance.

F.I. IV

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I found this to be the most dissonant of all the inversions.

F.I. V

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Not as dissonant as F.I. IV. Prominent major second at lowest extremity. Somewhat richer in texture than IV.

Sorry that I was so vague, and was able to say so little, but I find it a rather hard thing to describe with words. Plus this chord seemed to change so little throughout the inversions...possibly something to do with its being comprised of the whole tone scale, and also the two different augmented chords in there, which lead to other augmented chords, so the texture/harmony ends up oddly homogeneous.

Also, unfortunately could only include 4 images in the post, but oh well.

well, that will teach me to use abreviations that are non-standard.

hehehe, I meant D major (D+ as opposed to D-) over C major.

I'm very sorry. I keep forgetting that english people use the + as "augmented".

How about from now on we agree that capital letters are major chords, lower case letters are minor, and the + and - are augmented and diminished?

But since you worked on this chord structure, I'd have to say that yes, using augmented chords like this creates (as I'm sure you noticed) basically a pan-tonal chord on the whole tone scale. So the different inversions will have considerably less tonal difference between them.

What I think would be interesting now would be your take on the different inversions of a more interesting chord.

Care to choose one?

I think it would be interesting to explore the inversions, as well as the diminutions (removing notes from the polychord) and how they affect colour.

I'd really like to see you use only one chord (you can transpose it all you want and invert and diminish it), but basically a single TYPE of polychord for a very brief piano piece. No more than a dozen measures, a fragment, really.

So let's say you use a type-1 polychord (two chords, a major 2nd apart), you would use ONLY type-1 polychords throughout the piece. But it's your choice, whichever you feel like playing with. Have fun with it. Oh, and don't worry about my nomenclature for the polychords. Give them your own names if it helps.

After that we can look into creating progressions from one Type to another.

Does that sound OK?

That sounds good.

I'm glad I did the augmented instead of just major/major T1, because I've already explored that, and this was new for me.

So would you like me to create a short piano piece based on this interesting polychord? Or just on a more normal polychord?

T1 would be good if I'm only allowed one type of chord, but it will still be challenging. I'll probably just do T1.

As for more interesting chords, had you any ideas?

well, the augmented T-1 (the one you analyzed) can be extremely limiting, as I'm very sure you realized, because of its intimate relation to the whole tone scale.

So whatever you want.

Play around with a few, try some mixed-mode chords too (like major upper, minor lower, or major and augmented, etc...)

Don't let yourself feel "limited" by your choice, this is not to start a major work here, it's to sketch out a quick little doodle and try things.

I'm so curious about how you will deal with this :o