Descendentibus in lacum.

Factus sum sicut homo sine adjutorio,

Inter mortuos liber.

Posuerunt me in lacu inferiori,

In tenebrosis et in umbra mortis.

Factus sum sicut homo sine adjutorio,

Inter mortuos liber.

Translation:

I am counted among those

Who descend to the depths.

I became like a man without help,

Released among the dead.

They have laid me in the lowest pit,

In darkness and in the shadow of death.

I became like a man without help,

Released among the dead.

Aestimatus.pdf

The text corresponds to Bible verse Matthew 28:5, translated as follows: "But the angel said to the women in response: 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified'." The addition of the initial "et" conjunction to the Latin text is not present in the Vulgate version of this passage, however its inclusion was deemed necessary to accommodate for the prosodic adaptation of the entire verse across the whole piece without disturbing the flow of the initial suspensions.

The choice of the text was based around Bible verses mentioning angelic contact, and more specifically those containing the phrase "fear not"/"be not afraid" as a more secular reference to the niche Biblically-Accurate Angel meme trend which inspired the compositional concept at the core of this piece.

YouTube video link: https://youtube.com/shorts/um0jb9Y8iJ4?feature=share

Canon at the 2nd a 7 Et respondens autem angelus dixit.pdf

"This rendition in NO WAY uses any kind of ai"

Nessun dorma from Turandot aria from the final act of Puccini's opera Rendition by Mavell.mid Nessun dorma from Turandot aria from the final act of Puccini's opera Rendition by Mavell.pdf

It has never been premiered with live instruments, never been published, and has never won any awards.

This is my first time participating in a major competition, so I'm not really sure how it all works.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmina_Burana_(Orff)

Carmina Burana OrffOld Spice Advert.pdf Carmina Burana (Orff) Old Spice Advert.mid

Here is a little thing that I wanted simple, in the spirit of the beginning of the century, evoking a little a song, to stick with the bittersweet character of this poetry of Laforgue.

Thank you for your opinions and comments,

JC

https://youtu.be/Ta7B6IZlmfo?si=xCh0K7gY20E74zYd

It's been a few months since I wrote anything. My last cycle on Laforgues poems had left me a little dry!

But this poet has not said his last word and continues to haunt me.

So here is a new piece, black, full of soot...

Note, you can activate the subtitle in English.

Good listening.
https://youtu.be/jXMz3lu6Jfk?si=tYOpdEBtnVSJVlfe

I’d like to share part of my Humanist (non-religious) Requiem project, in which I’ve set myself the following objectives:

To use a blend of contemporary and traditional languages

To use texts by poets who fascinate me

To write calm, short pieces

To mix Latin with English

I’m using Cantai for the vocals – it’s not the best it could be, but I’m happy with it. For the instruments, I’m using Noteperformer. Everything is managed within Dorico.

It’s an idea I’ve had for a long time, one that expresses – or at least attempts to express – my concerns in this life.......

Best regards.

Introito- The Origin.pdf

About three years ago, I penned this song cycle for a friend from El Salvador, based on poems by the beloved Salvadoran poet, Alfredo Espino. These hold a special place in my heart because they're the last music I've ever written, though they were sadly never performed. The songs and directions are completely in Spanish. Here they've been rendered by Cantamus (unfortunately sung in a Castilian accent and not the Latin American accent spoken in El Salvador) and the piano accompaniment has been [poorly] played by me. They're not the best recordings and some of the lyrics didn't render properly, but hopefully they deliver the music effectively.

The cycle is chiasmic in structure (i.e., the first and last movements and the second and fourth movements mirror each other) and it tells the story of a day in El Salvador.

I. Madrugada: This means early morning. The lyrics and music represent the waking of the Salvadoran countryside: farmers starting their day, roosters crowing, birds chirping. It begins mysteriously but soon "warms up," preparing us for the rest of the song cycle.

II. Plombagina: The title is about a tiny flower found along the riverbanks in El Salvador; here it represents the playfulness of the river and the hopefulness of midmorning. This one is unmistakably waltzlike and lyrical.

III. Tardecitas: "Little afternoons" is a piece about watching the rainfall in the heat of the day. It's lazy and less ambitious than the others in the cycle, representing the languor of a dreary, rainy day.

IV. Estrella in el río: We return once more to a song about the river, this time in a more contemplative frame of mind. "Star in the river" is shimmering and reflective, capturing the tranquility of twilight as the stars begin to pinprick the sky and cast their reflections into the river below.

V. Nocturno: While "Madrugada" expresses the joys of a new morning, "Nocturno" explores the angst found at the close of the day. It's by far the most restless of the cycle, employing a sort of perverted tango rhythm in mockery of the soothing sway of a nocturne. In it, you'll find themes of grief and fear and anxiety, embedded in harmonies very reminiscent of Spain/Latin America.

Even if you don't understand Spanish, I hope these songs move you and perhaps inspire you. As ever, I'm happy to receive any feedback you may have.

Best,
Jordan

Canciones de El Salvador.pdf

I have also attached the aria "Nun Töne Lied". These form a recit-aria pair, part of my WIP cantata.

Any suggestions for a song cycle? SHORT Keats poems, no operas here!

This is a test to see how the orchestra (with its rather unconventional choice of instruments and sections) fits in with the harmonic system I’ve used, the vocals, and the mix of English and Latin.

Is it worth it?

Preludio.pdf

The Beatitudes from The Sermon on the Mount

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

There are a few more beatitudes, but given the times we are living in, ending with peacemaking seemed like the right choice.

I wrote this so that choirs with fewer tenors and basses could combine them into a single section and have better balance against more numerous sopranos and altos. There are a few short splits for the baritone part to keep life interesting, but they are all doubled by the piano part so that the whole section can decide to sing just the upper part if they are mainly tenors, or just the lower part if they are mainly basses, or divide between the two.

Enjoy! Maggie

Blessed Are They-Furtak.pdf

A short song I wrote in two days. Do you guys have any critique on any "breathing issues" that may arise? Also do you think it ends too abruptly, or is it okay for a short piece? Though it's mostly classical, do tell me if it works in your opinion.

Note: I usually sing my own songs if I can--but this one was way too difficult for my cigarette-smoking, untrained throat to handle XD. So I used an AI-based vocaloid sort of. (Yeah, I kind of feel guilty for using an AI vocaloid, but everything else just sounds so trash, I wanna tear my hair out. Sorry ;_;)

I am being commissioned by a local middle school to arrange Umbrella. I have just the bridge and a final chorus to add, but I wanted feedback. My background is percussion so I don't want to accidentally make anything to jumpy or impossible. Please be specific in critiques, I'd appreciate it!

Thank you!

For four equal voices, a cappella, this will work equally well for men's or women's voices, or could be used for a mixed choir. Three voices are in canon for all but the end of the piece, while the last provides a verse in an additional musical layer.  It marches along at a good tempo for protest.

The text explores three different approaches to working toward justice: boycotting the economy of those in power in favor of hands-on work in your community, peaceful self-sacrifice to earn respect and spread your message, and educating people about uncomfortable truths, so that they can base their future actions on an accurate picture of the situation.

In 1891, the African Jubilee Chorus embarked on an extended concert tour of England to raise funds to start a college in Kimberley, South Africa. They sang to sold-out crowds, but were also met with constant racism. Choir member Katie Manye declined to participate in future tours, deciding hands-on work for her community was a better use of her time. She dedicated the rest of her life to a career in nursing.  Speaking about her decision, she said, "I don't sing for people who do not see me."

An anchoress nun, Julian of Norwich was chosen to be walled into a tiny cell of a church until her death as a living sacrifice. At a time when women in positions of power were actively suppressed, particularly by the church, Julian’s cheerful and calm acceptance of her fate earned the respect of her local community and gave her a voice that the authorities couldn't silence due to her ever-growing celebrity and popularity. Although she could not leave, a stream of important visitors came to her to seek her council, and her writings escaped and were published. Dating from the late 1300s, her books are the oldest known works by a female author in the English language and speak of comfort and hope in the face of adversity. One of her most famous quotes was the simple statement, "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well."

A prolific author, scientist, and activist, W. E. B. Du Bois believed speaking truth to power, especially when the truth was uncomfortable, was essential to achieving change. He felt that if we believe in a just society, we must speak up when society falls short, and teach both the good and the bad chapters of our history to have a clear picture from which to move forward. In addition to being one of the most important early voices for civil rights in America, Du Bois helped citizens in Africa and Asia organize for their rights against colonialist powers.  The verse of this piece comes from his 'Black Reconstruction in America,' "Nations reel and stagger on their way; they make hideous mistakes; they commit frightful wrongs; they do great and beautiful things. And shall we not best guide humanity by telling the truth about all this…?"

I consider it a sort of Tolkien setting, because he liked this Child Ballad, and quoted this fragment of it in an essay.

I'll get the other two in!  Here's a start.  The Windhover.