New Book: Three-part polyphony [SSA, ATBar & TTB versions]; Reboot of CantemusDomino.Net; &c.

Aristotle Esguerra

Hello everyone,

I am pleased to make the following announcements.

New Book: Three-part polyphony [SSA, ATBar & TTB versions]
I have completed a modern-notation transcription of Missae duae decemque sacrae laudes tribus vocibus concinendae by Giammateo Asola (c. 1532–1609) from scans of the 1588, 1595, and 1624 printings. While isolated pieces from the collection are freely available at CPDL, etc., a full transcription has not been undertaken until now (at least not to my knowledge).

For choirs seeking to expand their repertoire into imitative polyphony, this book (especially with its attendant support materials—more below) may be an excellent solution. The music in this collection is straightforward and compact, falling comfortably within the ranges of most; every piece is usable. The longest motet clocks in at around 3:00; most are between 2:00–2:30 in length.

Contents:

Notes for Liturgical Use
Missa prima
- Kyrie
- Gloria
- Credo
- Sanctus
- Benedictus
- Agnus Dei
Adoramus te Domine (Passiontide, Holy Cross)
Missa secunda
- Kyrie
- Gloria
- Credo
- Sanctus
- Benedictus
- Agnus Dei
Deus canticum novum (Ps 143:9; 117:28 — General Use)
Decantabat populus (Easter Time, Dedication of a Church)
Bonum est confiteri (Ps 91:2 — General Use)
Benedicam Dominum (Ps 33:2 — General Use)
Cantate Domino (Ps 95:1–2 — Christmas)
Gustate et videte (Ps 33:9 — Holy Communion)
Ad te Domine levavi (Ps 24:1–3 — Advent, Lent)
Introduxit me rex (Cant 2:4–5, 7 — Assumption)
Surge propera (Cant 2:10, 12–13 — Nuptial Mass)
Surge amica mea (Cant 2:13–14 — Nuptial Mass)
Alphabetical Index with English Translations

Transpositions are available for SSA, ATBar, and TTB choirs; preview and purchase the book from Lulu.com (54 pp., 8.5x11 paperback). The first fifty copies will be available for $15 (plus S+H) — a 50% discount (all versions included in the tally).

Giammateo Asola: Masses & Motets for Three Voices

Reboot of CantemusDomino.Net
Also, if things go according to schedule, the reboot of CantemusDomino.Net should occur by the end of March. The site will not be like the first iteration (blogging on all matters church-musical); rather it will market support materials for small choirs (primarily rehearsal audio), focusing primarily on unaccompanied sacred music for 2–4 voices not found elsewhere. When the site launches, rehearsal audio files for each version of the Asola collection will be available for purchase.

&c.
Additional projects in the pipeline include:

A transcription of a collection of six Masses for four voices by a Italian cathedral choirmaster and composer of the late Renaissance;
A transcription of a large collection of two-part motets for equal and mixed voices by a German composer of the late Renaissance;
A simple three-part Mass setting (KSBA) by yours truly, in four transpositions.
Rehearsal audio for all the above.

donr

is it possible to get an SAB version?

Aristotle Esguerra

The ATBar transposition is the closest to a pure SAB version, but the lines will sit low for sopranos and altos, and high for basses.

Alternatively, the SSA version can be used in an SAB setting by assigning the sopranos to S1, altos to S2, and basses to A transposed down an octave. (The TTB version could work similarly if the basses need a bass clef staff to read from; in that case, transpose T1 and T2 up an octave and reassign voices accordingly.)

VocesCapituli

I just bought the TTB version. Thank you very much for all the work. We have a small 'schola' (2 tenors, 1 bariton, 2 basses) and we are always looking for music to be sung during liturgy.

ryand

Would it be possible to access the other transpositions in a digital format, if we've purchased a physical copy of the book? SSA is all I have to work with at the moment, but when we get some men in the picture it might be nice to do ATBar or TTB.

When I purchased Heath's Bread from Heaven there was a website and a password provided that allows downloading digital files. Maybe that's already in this book... or if not, maybe it's something you can provide to those who have purchased a hard copy.

CCooze

there was a website and a password

I was thinking something similar. That if you've bought the book(s), you should maybe gain access to the rehearsal files, rather than paying for them separately..?

Aristotle Esguerra

@ryand and @CCooze, I'll consider those possibilities in the future should things here settle down, my production pipeline stabilize, and this initiative prove itself viable (or not).

As far as the rehearsal files go, they are designed to assist the beginner or beginner-intermediate singer much more than do the MIDIs and MP3s currently found on the free sites, so I am more open to exploring the viability of those as for-fee products (esp. as I'm paying for the hosting costs, at least initially). Intermediate and advanced singers would likely find very little value in them.

Thanks for the input!

Dixit_Dominus_44

were practice recordings, indeed, made available for these? are there any sample pages?

kcornishscott

I am combing through the archives in search of SSA rep and came across this thread. Did you ever reboot your website? the url above leads to a site in an Asian language!

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