New Gloria Translation Composition
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    I would be grateful for any comments or suggestions about this composition:

    Gloria using new translation

    Obviously, it is a work-in-progress.

    Write me at jeff@ostrowski.cc if you have any comments. I would love to hear from you
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    I don't think the hemiolas work. To my ear, hemiolas really require a shift between 3 and 6 (rather than 3 and 2). It is difficult to tell whether the 3 or the 2 is the underlying rhythmic pulse in the recording; I almost feel it entirely in 2, which means that a congregation without my musical training will more than likely butcher any measure with 3. Also, I don't share your love of mm7 chords (being much more a MM7 guy!) so perhaps you may consider writing a more standard accompaniment, given there's little in the melody to call for every chord being either a mm7 or 6 chord. That is, more concrete functional tonality (again, not something I usually advocate for, but I feel it would match the melody well).

    So to sum up:
    - Good melody, but needs rhythmic integrity. (If I were writing with hemiolas as used, I would have the dotted quarter measures use 8ths along with them, but at this tempo and in this style that doesn't seem appropriate)
    - More use of functional harmony in the accompaniment, again to provide integrity with the melody.
  • Bruce E. Ford
    Posts: 429
    I think that the piece is a chant, in which the rhythmic groups--some of which are binary and others of which are ternary--are based upon word accents. I think, furthermore, that you have respected the verbal accents, giving due prominence to the important ones. I would, however, set "good" (in "people of good will") to two notes. I also question your use of episemata in a number of places. I see no warrant for it--musical or verbal

    In the singers' score, typeset in modern chant notation, the piece clearly appears to be a chant; but the accompaniment obscures its character and gives rise to discussion about hemiolas, etc. I think that the accompaniment is too chordal. The singing would flow better if--except in rare cases--you changed chords only on accented syllables. (Accompaniments based on Mocquereau's theories, in which chord changes occur where Mocquereau would place the ictus, hinder rather than help congregational singing.)

    In general, I like the piece very much.
  • Dale Fleck
    Posts: 49
    Jeff, I like it very much. It is very easy but has great interest.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Jeff:

    I spent two hours this morning playing, reviewing and writing a constructive critique on your piece (I was reviewing the four-part version). Overall, I like the direction of your work as it is refreshingly new and adventurous. I truly admire the fact that it is rooted in the chant of HMC.

    Unfortunately, I lost my entire detailed critique which outlined numerous examples, measure numbers, etc. as I was composing it in the comment window. (that isn't the first time this has happened to me or others). BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMER!

    In a nutshell I was addressing four items.

    1. modality
    2. rhythmic structure (melodic and skeletal) including sections and cadences
    3. syntax
    4. voice leading (mainly interval issues)

    I was mirroring comments concerning rhythms (from previous comments above), but mostly addressing voice leading issues. Mostly parallel 4ths and 5ths and some unusual leaps in bass part (double descending 4ths and ascending 6th "receive our prayer', etc.

    Other suggestions included employing more suspensions to ground the harmonic progression (across measures with ties) and to lessen the successive leaps in larger intervals. Also, look at the structure of the prayer, and perhaps try to give a sense of sections by adding cadences or variations in the harmonic treatment. Hope this helps.

    I like it! Keep up the good work!
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    I appreciate all these comments very much
  • G
    Posts: 1,397
    I realized this morning while singing (an inferior setting of,) the Gloria, that without ever having stated it, one of my standards for suitability and the quality of the setting, and a tool for determining appropriate tempo is -- can the Holy Name be properly reverenced when it occurs in the text?
    Without incurring whiplash?

    (Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    To all those who have been E-mailing me with comments: THANKS!
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