New SAB + Organ Setting: Tantum Ergo
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,887
    Greetings all,
    I wanted to share my most recent work, an SAB+Organ (obbligato) setting of the Tantum Ergo. I've written this in a lilting, gentle style that I'm jokingly referring to as a "Eucharistic Lullaby" since I wrote it the week of Epiphany. I specifically wrote it to be one of those good "bang for your buck" works where the music isn't very difficult, and a little effort goes a long way. It's 3-part, because that's an increasing need these days, and the ranges for each part are fairly moderate. Nothing extremely high or low.

    To listen to the work, please visit: https://psallitedomino.com/store-1/p/tantum-ergo-in-ab-jamesrichardson I'm asking a nominal fee to download the PDF (we are expecting our third child, lol) but purchasing permits you to print as many copies as needed.

    I'm attaching an image of the first stave so you can see more clearly the quality of engraving, if that is something that is important to you (it is to me).
    Tantum 1.pdf
    60K
    Thanked by 3liampmcdonough Lars Joseph Michael
  • btodorovich87
    Posts: 101
    Stunning. If I could have half your talent someday, brother....
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • RedPop4
    Posts: 50
    I just listened to this on the YouTube machine last night. Wonderful.
    I plan to use it at some point in the next two years.
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,887
    Thank you both!
  • liampmcdonough
    Posts: 297
    This is lovely and eminently practical. The accompaniment, in particular, is well thought out and fleshes out the harmonies in subtle ways. For instance, in m.10 I wished immediately that the altos had gone to the Bb-Ab appoggiatura and then realized the accompaniment echoes this exact idea.

    I would suggest that the doubling of the pedal line by the bass in the left hand is unnecessary much of the time.

    One thing that struck me immediately is that the harmonies could be elaborated in some sections with an obligato part, either a solo soprano, or a solo in the right hand with the left hand playing the entirety of the accompaniment. For instance, right at the beginning a descending scalar melody on a clarinet a la Elgar's O Salutaris No.3 would fit quite easily, or consider RWV's O Taste and See with it's give and take between soloist and chorus.

    It is very beautiful as is though!
    Elgar_O_salutaris_hostia.pdf
    148K
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,887
    Liam, these are good, interesting ideas. I think this will remain largely fixed in it's current state, but this (God willing) won't be the last thing I'll be writing, so I will definitely take the Elgar ideas to heart. I've never seen that setting before, so I'm quite excited to listen to it. (things become difficult once I put out a demo of it, because then it has a fixed form, so I get leery of changing it too much...) Then again, you never know. I'm one of those composers who enjoys revisiting and tweaking previous works.
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,887
    Well, I was proud of my little schola. We were down a few voices, and this is just a rip from a noisy live stream (with a little EQing), but I still think the public debut of this work went well. This was a modest choir of only 10.
    Tantum Ergo in Ab (Live SJ Performance 1.15.23).mp3
    6M
    Thanked by 1PhilipPowell
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