I'm sure I've posted this here before, but - to maximally incentivise christmas cheer - here's my SATB setting of the medieval carol "I Sing Of A Maiden", recorded by ORA Singers. https://youtu.be/tuJU1XaWY8k?si=6kQGVT3HYuteuNbP
Self-promotion is the true meaning of christmas, after all.
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I'm glad I did as instructed. You'd be marked down if strict rules where to be applied but we don't answer to the Pope anymore as musicians even though to my modern ears the music has real soul.
I did miss the odd suspension here and there but that's just me, there's plenty to be had with a straight chordal setting.
You were exempt from my instruction as surely you've heard this before, I never shut up about it. But I'm glad you like it. I've certainly been more suspensiony in other works - the generally simple homophonic approach, with slowly tautening harmony culminating in the major/minor clash at b32, was very deliberate.
This was one of the pieces where I started to pay attention to parallel movement. Looking back, my rules were seemingly:
Avoid 5ths/8va in tenor and bass;
Thirds? Who cares;
Oh shit there's some hidden unisons and parallels between lower and upper voices;
Send to printer anyway, it's 85% there. Call me when the Pope can rip a blues guitar solo.
Very nice, Dave. I listened, and it was not regrettable.
You mentioned Tallis as one of your favorite vocal composers, and I share that sentiment. Was there a strong Tallis influence in this work, or in general, in regards to your SATB writing and development?
Thanks, other David. I know the opening bars - unison octaves leading to restated full chordal harmony - is something I outright took from Tallis but I can't recall which piece. I actually don't listen to him much, because he's SO good that I'll just end up aping him badly.
I listened and also did not regret it... In fact I quite enjoyed it, especially Page 3! :D
Beautiful, Dave. Also, great performance! Some wonderfully surprising chord changes at choice spots.
I did hear some Tallis influence, though it still sounds all yours. I love his music as well, and have played some of his chamber music.