It's been a long time since I've posted something on here. Last week, I was planning music for my choirs for the Triduum when I got this bit of inspiration to write a setting of the Reproaches. I wanted to keep it mainly homophonic, with vocal ranges to work well with an aging choir. I loved the Victoria setting, but I would not be able to get the choir comfortable with the polyphonic sections on a short notice, and I wanted something that had a sadder sound to attempt to portray Jesus weeping for how we treat him despite how good he has been to us.
Here is the current work in progress. I have the notes down paired (finally) with the texts from the Roman Missal (I had initially written portions of it with whatever translation the english version of the Victoria uses), I'm going to add dynamics that treat the english responses in the Triagion as echoes, and add some crescendos in the main portion (How have I grieved you).
I'm also trying to figure out the best way to notate the tempo differences in the piece. In the Trisagion, the greek will be about twice as quick as the english, so I imagine some use of cut time meters, but I couldn't think of how it would lay out easiest.
Thanks for your feedback and help!
Edited 2:03PM 3-14-2019 for an updated score and including an MP3 rendering
Thank you! As far as the tempo differences in the Trisagion (Hagios o Theos, etc.), would that be the most efficient way to use the time signatures? The echoed english part will be going back to a tempo similar to the first chorus.
I think this has a lovely, somber dignity. I wish I had discovered this sooner; too late to teach it to my choir now. I threw together a quick very simple chant-like version for my choir. Sadly, the Lalemant doesn't use the official text so that was out for us...
Regarding your score (which, on the whole is quite lovely!) I'd suggest at places like D and F you make the latter notes closer together. It can be very hard for a choir to read words (and notes) spread so far apart. Just condense them so it's easier to read and leave the rest of the staff blank. It's just par for the course with this type of thing. Bravo!
Not to piggy back here (the OP's version is SO much better than this one!) but if anyone is looking for a simple version to introduce the reproaches to their parish but wants the official translation, here's an option. It was quick and dirty to get the job done. Refrain during Part II only requires SAB (we are, of yet, a humble group.). I wanted to use the Lalemant but the words aren't the official translation.
For an English version of the Gregorian version, there is always Palmer=Burgess. (But of course it's in Old Church English.) Still, I must say again how profoundly beautiful Nate's version is!
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