Choral "Gloria, Alleluia"

Emily Bond July 25, 2011 at 12:58pm

Steve, really beautiful choral writing! My only thought is the changing of keys ( m. 86) while they're all singing in unison doesn't quite work. I think with this modal sounding piece, it would work better to harmonize there. Since it's just a half step up, you wouldn't need any fancy modulation tricks. When a choir suddenly breaks into unison, my sense is it's to make the line more emphatic, which is totally okay in my book, but it felt a bit jarring here, and maybe that was because the melody came in on the 6th scale step of the new key without any support below to tell us what was happening. All of that aside, I thought it was a very well thought-out piece that gave interest to all of the voices and should be quite beautiful with real voices.

Steve Campagnoli July 25, 2011 at 9:56pm

Emily:

Good thoughts. The key change is an attempt to tweak the listeners ears. Maybe just going into unison will be enough for that effect. I was looking for "interesting" rather than "jarring". I will revisit that movement.

Campy

Emily Bond July 26, 2011 at 10:59am

Steve, I'm a big proponent of key changes to liven up a composition, and the move up a half step is usually very effective. I wonder if you kept in the unison part in g# minor, but then harmonized when you repeated the melody in a minor? Just a possibility...

Steve Campagnoli July 26, 2011 at 4:00pm

Emily:

I am playing with the possibilities of that suggestion.

Thanks

Campy

Amir Bitran August 24, 2011 at 1:36am

I like the textures you've created with this piece. It has a lot of polyphony, and the voices interact in various manners to create a pallet of textures, which I liked. I understand that you're composing in a modal style, but to be honest, in my opinion it started to get a little monotonous a little into the piece. What I would suggest is that you vary it up a little more harmonically, either through conventional progressions and harmonies, or in a more contemporary manner -maybe you can have one of the voices singing the modal melody, while having the parts create modern sounding harmonies, for instance. You can do this either tonally or even by incorporating atonalities. Also, the key change felt a little abrupt, and I didn't quite understand what you were trying to do with the cadence at the end.
Just some things to think about, but overall, good work here. It's definitely an accomplishment!

Steve Campagnoli August 24, 2011 at 3:12am

***Thanks for you ideas.

Also, the key change felt a little abrupt,

***My latest rewrite eliminates the key change. I will upload the revised piece after I polish it some more.

I didn't quite understand what you were trying to do with the cadence at the end.

***Just trying to create a little uplift for the listener. “Alleluia” seemed like it should have a more positive impression at the end.

***The professional choir that I sing with will be premiering this at our holiday concert. I’m stoked!!

Campy

Chad Sir Wick Hughes August 24, 2011 at 9:42am

Amir Bitran said:

I like the textures you've created with this piece. It has a lot of polyphony, and the voices interact in various manners to create a pallet of textures, which I liked. I understand that you're composing in a modal style, but to be honest, in my opinion it started to get a little monotonous a little into the piece. What I would suggest is that you vary it up a little more harmonically, either through conventional progressions and harmonies, or in a more contemporary manner -maybe you can have one of the voices singing the modal melody, while having the parts create modern sounding harmonies, for instance. You can do this either tonally or even by incorporating atonalities. Also, the key change felt a little abrupt, and I didn't quite understand what you were trying to do with the cadence at the end.
Just some things to think about, but overall, good work here. It's definitely an accomplishment!

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
I agree with a lot of this. The initial texture of this composition is wonderful. I must add that I think you can expand your harmonies in this composition. At measure 7, we've already heard the main motif. Why not harmonize? Same thing at measure 15.

Measure 29 is great. How about making this SSAA? The melody is so pleasing I think four-part ladies would make this stronger.

Measure 79 is another place where you can expand the harmonies. The sopranos are on "f." This is the highest they sing for a while. Why not fill up the sound spectrum?

Once again, this are just my suggestions!

Musically Yours,
Chad "Sir Wick" Hughes

Choral "Gloria, Alleluia"

For my first upload, I am presenting a choral SATB setting of the Gloria text.I used as my musical inspiration a small string fugue by Anthony Hend…

Steve Campagnoli August 24, 2011 at 3:29pm

Chad:

Thanks for you comments.

At measure 7, we've already heard the main motif. Why not harmonize?

I am hoping for a monkish thing here. I actually can't stand to listen to unison Gregorian chant too long because I keep waiting/hoping for some harmony to break forth. But I am going for contrast here.

Measure 29 is great. How about making this SSAA? The melody is so pleasing I think four-part ladies would make this stronger.

I am going for the "austere" here, as opposed to "rich." I am contrasting textures as much as possible.

Measure 79 is another place where you can expand the harmonies.

I mean for the harmonies to be organic here. Unison to 2-part to 3-part.

Again to contrast texture.

(I am uploading the latest incarnation of this piece)

Campy

GLORIA ALLELUIA SATB 8.1.11 .pdf

GLORIA ALLELUIA SATB 8.1.11 .mp3

https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8608081281?profile=original

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Choral "Gloria, Alleluia"

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