Psalm 23:1-4
  • achoyce91
    Posts: 173
    Let me know what you guys think about my short choral piece.

    Here's the audio link:
    https://soundcloud.com/alexchoyce/psalm-231-4?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

    Here's the score link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/wxgrpxucss87knl/Psalm 23;1-4 - Score.pdf?dl=0
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Interesting. What's your intended use of the piece?
  • achoyce91
    Posts: 173
    More concert rather than liturgical purposes. I'd need to compose other Psalm settings because a minute 15 seconds obviously won't do. I'm not sure what Psalm I want to do next. Don't want to do the second half of Psalm 23. I'd love suggestions and I'm definitely one to credit where credit's due.
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,883
    My one fear is that I think you've possibly allowed midi playback to fool you about what people can actually sing. (My apologies if I've misjudged this.)

    Tenors will most likely not be singing a high g 'piano' unless they are highly trained. You also have voices jumping tritones which is rather difficult. And your chords are rather 'spicy' in a few spots (split seconds) so you need to expect tuning issues.

    I don't mean to disparage this work, believe me, but I'm a full-time choral director and I shudder to think how much effort this would take to teach my choir and get the entries and tuning right. I honestly wouldn't even attempt it with the crew I currently have, concert or not. A college choir, perhaps. As long as you understand those limitations, then it is OK, but do know that the average parish choir probably wouldn't attempt it as it is currently written.
  • achoyce91
    Posts: 173
    You're right in that the average church choir cannot perform at this level. It is intended for professional choirs as sacred art. My main predicament is that I need to write more professional-level Psalm settings that complement the idiom of what is posted here. One Psalm setting lasting a minute and fifteen seconds won't do.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Alex,

    Have a look at your post here:
    I need to write more professional-level Psalm settings that complement the idiom of what is posted here


    What do you mean by "professional-level" psalm settings? and how do you intend/hope to "complement the idiom of what is posted here"?
  • achoyce91
    Posts: 173
    ServiumScores gets it. His or her third paragraph mentions this as being academia-level material. And by idiom, I mean it by its pure definition: a characteristic mode of expression in music. There are lots of minor seconds between the melody and harmony: measures 15 through 18 exhibits really challenging material (that's not the reason I selected those tones, however). Measure 16 sits on a Bb #11th. I was not intending for this to be "difficult" but it just came out that way.

    This piece shifts a lot between a minor and A Major in the melody, so I'd probably do similar shifts in modality with the other complementary compositions. Also, I notice I use the flat-seventh chords G major7 and G minor7 a lot, which are neat to listen to.

    Chris Garton-Zavesky, I hope that makes sense.
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,883
    ACH, if you have college choirs in mind, then my only comment that still stands is the high G. It can be done, but it might be iffy depending on the crew. But it seems you do have a clear understanding of how the work lands, so if you're OK, then I'm OK, as it were.

    (My real name is James, by the way—nice to internet meet you!)
  • achoyce91
    Posts: 173
    Nice to internet meet you too!
  • Schönbergian
    Posts: 1,063
    ACH, if you have college choirs in mind, then my only comment that still stands is the high G. It can be done, but it might be iffy depending on the crew
    Any properly trained tenor (and I would hope those in a college choir would qualify) should have no issues singing a high G quietly.
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