Improperium Expectavit - SA
  • Drake
    Posts: 221
    This composition is a relatively simple two-part motet for Soprano/Alto (probably could be sung an octave down by Tenor and Baritone) that I wrote for the choir of women and girls at my parish. I hope it may be of use to someone here as well.

    https://www.catholicliving.net/improperium-sa/
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen trentonjconn Chris Garton-Zavesky
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,199
    Beautiful, just beautiful!
    Thanked by 1Drake
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Wow.

    I'm very impressed. I have only one question. In bar 19, would the movement toward a cadence be better served by the 4th beat in the lower part being either a grace note or a B?
    Thanked by 1Drake
  • Drake
    Posts: 221
    Thank you very much, Chris!

    I’m not quite seeing the spot you mentioned. Measure 19 is the open fifth with the fermata, so I think maybe you meant bar 18? However, there I’m resolving the leading D# to E in Alto beat 4. The Soprano has B already. I suppose the D# could be held by an additional 8th note count and the E shortened and a bit emphasized, treating it more like a grace note. But there is also a syllable that needs to be enunciated there.

    Maybe I’m not looking in the right place.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Sorry. Can't count. 18 it is. It sounds as if you repeat the 5th across the bar line, with the effect that you resolve (or arrive at the cadence) on the weakest beat of the bar.
  • Drake
    Posts: 221
    Okay, I see what you’re saying. Maybe if the alto repeats D# on beat 4, the resolution would then fall on beat 1 of bar 19, and that would be more pleasing. I’ve apparently repeated the early arrival of the cadence at the end of the piece as well.

    I don’t dislike the way it is currently, but I could see repeating D# instead. Thank you for the suggestion.
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