New Round - Thou Art Peter
  • TCJ
    Posts: 986
    With all the talk of rounds going on around here (no pun intended), a few days ago I decided I'd take a crack at it, especially since I've not tried a round before. For the text, I just snagged what I had been reading a few minutes before (Gospel acclamation from the day) and punched out a tune.

    Does it work as a round? Yes. Am I happy with it? It's not something I would try to publish, but I'm happy that it actually works as a round. Have to start somewhere.

    So have at it. Criticize, nitpick, deconstruct, comment all you like. No offense will be taken. If you tell me to trash it, then you'd only be speaking my own mind! Even should I do that, I think there's value in getting feedback on it for future endeavors.
    Thou Art Peter - Round.pdf
    45K
    Thou Art Peter - Round.mp3
    980K
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen LauraKaz
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,888
    Don't sell yourself short! This is actually a very nice work. It may be a round, but it strikes the ear almost as a through composed polyphonic motet. I quite like it.

    My singular worry, if you can even call it that, is that the range is an octave and a half. Doable, for sure, but it will stress the weak ones. That said, I still like it how it is currently written. I'm seriously contemplating putting this in front of my choir. I could just have the altos jump down at "the gates of hell shall not prevail". Should do the trick.
  • TCJ
    Posts: 986
    Don't you know? It's a composer's job to sell himself short!

    Thanks for the compliment, however.

    I could just have the altos jump down at "the gates of hell shall not prevail". Should do the trick.


    So that's what you think of altos, eh?

    EDIT: In general, if anyone uses something I compose, I'd be quite interested in hearing a recording if you happen to make one. Not required, of course.
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,888
    "tally hooooooo......"
    lol
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    On the subject of altos, I wonder if the era in which the piece is being composed in deciding whether the altos are capable or not: in the days of male altos (yes, they still exist) a much lower range was possible, regardless of how high the part needed to go. Having sung Bruckner's graduals, both as a treble and a counter tenor, I know that some composers simply expect their choirs to sing large ranges.
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