Richard: The breathe markings are indeed optional, and can be changed. I was using Musescore. Chant-like is mainly having to do with the bass in which the rhythm is obscured from the 4/4 because of the grouping of three's and two's. Also, it is the feel of that section that I wish to convey, such as what a smooth and reflectiveness such as chant has.

This is Opus 1 for a sacred motet, and I left it in F# because when I first discovered the melody, it was in that key. The key can (of course) be changed if necessary to accommodate those who cannot sing in F# . However, the range is not bad for being in F#; it's just that it has many sharps.

Thank you for your comment! I really appreciate it.

Well, it's not really a translation; it looks like it's intended as a singable English text for the same melodies.

Mark:  Because of the musical line, I decided to have the "quia" pronounced on one note, such as when in masses they have "kyrie eleison" where the eleison is with two notes, although it is typically done with three syllables.  The phrasing with the bass line is to give the exact phrasing of the line for the bass.  It is to indicate the groupings of the notes, similar to the Solemes method, which is 2 groups of neums of 2 neums or 3 neums.  If the marking had not been made, the polyrhythm which is present in the page would not occur.  They would just rather go with the tendency to fall into a 4 count.  I do know that the English Translation is not the truest to the text, but that is why I put the literal translation in. However, the words themselves do convey a similar idea of what the piece is praying.

Chonak: I agree with you.

Francis: I will have a recording when the Camerata of Ave Maria sing it, or when the Ave Maria University 10am mass group sings it (which it is scheduled in 3 weeks).  I would send the midi file, but I don't think it does the piece justice.  There are just too many pauses and fermatas or swells or increases in the movement of the piece that it would not be worth the time getting together.

send midi file if you can... i always prefer to do an aura-theoretical analysis that often sheds light on artistic [harmonic spatial relationships (both vertical and horizontal)] that simple visual analysis can not.

Hey Melissa! Yeah, of course I remember you! :-)

In fact, I asked all the professors I knew at Ave, and they just directed me to Dr. McDonnell; he has it already and is looking at it. I've also given it to the composer Kevin Allen.

Did you find anything?

Sincerely,

Richard

Richard,

I haven't had time yet to examine it closely, but some things I've noticed:

1. F# is just a nasty key. And it really doesn't match the motet style.
2. Get rid of parallel octaves!
3. Your dynamic markings are very, very thorough, and that's good insofar as it helps other groups to perform the music as you envision it - but it's a very Romantic trait, not in the motet style. I don't know how authentic you're aiming to be stylistically, though.
4. You begin the piece with a dissonant chord due to the basses' B. If you are looking for an authentic, Fux-approved sound, this isn't going to work. Even if you're not trying to be perfectly authentic, bass is boss (as I'm sure you've heard a million times!) and it really confuses the ear as to the key of the piece. I don't advise bringing in that much dissonance until you've thoroughly established the tonality of the motet.
5. 2 before A, the bass leaps down a tri-tone. Soprano melody leading into the 6/4 time (1st page, ultimate measure) is a diminished chord (not obvious within the texture - the contrary motion between S&B is good) but again, it messes with the tonality of the piece, and strays from the stylistic understanding of harmony/dissonance. You'll rarely, if ever, find diminished chords figuring prominently (i.e., in an exterior voice) in a typical Palestrina/Bach/etc. motet, and tri-tones are practically punishable by banishment.
6. Examine carefully for parallel 5ths and 8ves (I haven't noticed any particularly - they were just the bane of my theoretical existence so I always warn about them!)

I'm extremely impressed with the initiative and energy, to say nothing of the love for music, you're showing by your musical endeavors. You're adding so much to the department - to say nothing of learning in the best way possible, by trying, making mistakes, and learning from them!

Melissa

Mm. 11-12 has the bass (not the tenor) singing an E# (=F) then a B natural. Tritone.

I shall stop analyzing it from a Renaissance perspective, then ;) And in that case, I commend you even more strongly, since it was evoking the composers you mention.

This is a midi (I don't really call midi files recordings. I think of them as practice tools). When I speak of recordings I speak of real choirs or vocal ensembles that sing and record a live performance or production of a piece.

But here it is: "O Bone Jesu" (now in G major), which makes the lowest note in the basses an F natural. I will later on take out the parallel's when I get a chance.


...it says this: "File upload failed. Reason:

(O Bone Jesu_Romantic style.mscz.mid) Uploaded file type is not allowed."

What can I do about this?

thanks Richard! This .mid file is certainly only a very rough version of this piece. It doesn't take into account dynamics, blending, tempo differences, nor fermatas.

anyway, here it is.

RK