I'm Nobody- SATB

Heya,
So, here's a quick SATB setting of Emily Dickinson's "I'm Nobody". I really don't know much about choral composing; this is my first attempt for choir that i don't completely detest.

I've been really interested in early American shapenote singing lately, and i think it shows (i actually sketched out a draft of this piece using shapes). For those unfamiliar with the shapenote tradition, let me just say that it explains all the open fifths, parallel intervals and some of the dissonances. And the other dissonances are just because i'm a teeny bit deranged like that.

The text:
I am nobody, who are you?
Are you nobody too?
[Then there's a pair of us!]
Don't tell, they'd advertise, you know.

How dreary to be a somebody.
How public like a frog.
To tell one's name the livelong June
To an admiring bog.

So... what do you folks think? I really would like to learn how to write for choir, so any and all criticism would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a bunch!

Hey and welcome to YC!!!
This is a nice piece. You've done a nice job with the chorus, in a very classic way to write with them. You might want to do something a little different with the second verse. It got a little boring with the same thing over again. But, for your first time writing for chorus not bad. Your ranges in voice are right in place. Really this is a good start. Very singable. But again its a very typical way to write for chorus.
If you are REALLY interested in choral writing, listen to Eric Whitacre. A FANTASTIC!!! choral writing and I think really where choral writing is going.
Good work, any questions you can always PM me.

Have fun here!

-Scott

Alternately, if you're REALLY interested in choral writing, listen to Ligeti. His Requiem, "Aventures," "Nouvelle Aventures," "Lux Aeterna." Or Penderecki's "Kosmogonia."

Whitacre is not the face of new choral music. He's just the updated face of old choral music. His techniques are no different in principle than those used by Monteverdi or Gesualdo. I'm actually quite confused as to what the big deal about him is; I like his music a lot (it's very pretty), but it hardly seems groundbreaking.

As far as your piece:

The shape-note influence is clear. Be careful of having the bass end on the E in the final chord - it's an odd sonority. The repetition is stylistically appropriate, and fits the text well enough, given the second stanza. You've got a lovely little miniature here.

Thanks to both of you! I will check out all the works you mentioned; i'm much more familiar with the instrumental works of Ligeti and Penderecki, and never got around to listening to much Whitacre. Thanks again!

Hi,

Your composition is very nice. There are so many ideas that are quite new to newbies like me.

Originally Posted by Christopher Dunn-Rankin

Whitacre is not the face of new choral music. He's just the updated face of old choral music. His techniques are no different in principle than those used by Monteverdi or Gesualdo. I'm actually quite confused as to what the big deal about him is; I like his music a lot (it's very pretty), but it hardly seems groundbreaking.

*GASP* HOW DARE YOU!

Seriously, though, another vote for "check out some Eric Whitacre," especially "Sleep" and "Lux Aurumque" if you only have time for two.

Actually come to think of it he set an Emily Dickinson poem as well..."I Hide Myself" I believe it was.

Originally Posted by Dev

*GASP* HOW DARE YOU!

Seriously, though, another vote for "check out some Eric Whitacre," especially "Sleep" and "Lux Aurumque" if you only have time for two.

Actually come to think of it he set an Emily Dickinson poem as well..."I Hide Myself" I believe it was.

Thank you for that gasp. It was well justified.

In anticipation for the controversy that statement was bound to make, I actually created a separate thread for it, so we can keep this one about the music in question.

LINK: "Where choral writing is going"