October 23, 200718 yr The text for this choral work is a poem written by my friend Lindsey. I have always wanted to turn her words into music, and I got my chance this year by taking an independent study course in composition. The piece itself is arranged into SATB form, and it switches between homophony and polyphony. It's sort of free-form, as the melody is largely directed by the text. It also deliberately ignores some of the classic rules of 4-part writing in favor of more interesting harmony. See how you like it. LovelySATB.mus
October 25, 200718 yr I would lavish constructive criticism if only you had posted a midi file or mp3 and a pdf.... sigh.... I will have to forever keep my witty outbursts silent.
October 25, 200718 yr Author MIDI file GET! Here are the lyrics as well Lovely the sad heart of the weeping willow, holding its boughs higher than i can reach the sky if i could but i can't listen everything is black and white and polka-dotted spilling across the endless sky made out of oriole feathers your picture frame gets lost in the sand but becomes the ocean when all you can hear is heaven. LovelySATB.mid
October 28, 200718 yr Ungh.... I downloaded your midi file and try and get it setup in sibelius but it's just not happening. Why no pdf?
October 28, 200718 yr I like it, but the tempo is positively funereal. I'm assuming in actual performance some sections would flow faster and the conductor would have some leeway with the tempo. The only criticism I have is that the basses are trapped in the basement for the duration of the piece. I would encourage you revamp some of the lines to a.) allow the basses to either sing in a high tessitura, b.) revoice the chords so that more of the bass line is not stuck on the tonic, or c.) omit the bass altogether in some sections. Personally, I'd choose a.)
October 29, 200718 yr Author I like it, but the tempo is positively funereal. I'm assuming in actual performance some sections would flow faster and the conductor would have some leeway with the tempo. Exactly. That's the idea. I also recieved the bass comment from my school's choral director, so there's a likelyhood that I will address that in the future.
November 29, 200718 yr Very nice piece. I'm glad you agree with flint-wwrr's comment about the flowing of sections. Very beautiful counterpoint. It would be really nice if you could get this performed. Best, Kyle
December 4, 200718 yr I think its to major. Its also very static (it never really leaves the key center). Dont go back and try to add accidentals and key changes now (I've tried it, and it almost never works), just try and use some non-diatonic chords a little more.
