Live Recording: Ave Maria (SATB Divisi)

Hi Jason,

Really lovely, sensitive writing. At first I thought there may have been too much "A" tonality throughout (as shown in the bass line). Clearly you meant to stay with the mode (the only accidentals are lowered leading tones). As a device, that creates a certain timeless tranquility. If that is what you were after, you have succeeded.

Have a great New Year, and keep writing choral music!

In proper Latin, the rule is:

The accented syllable is always the second or third from last. The accented syllable is second from last if it contains a long vowel or diphthong OR ends in a consonant, otherwise it is the third from last syllable.

Therefore, in proper Latin, the word is pronounced doh-MEE-noos. (i is a long vowel)

If you're doing church Latin, I can't help you. :p

I'm far from a Latin expert, but I think this is wrong. Vowels in Latin are not automatically long or short (like Spanish for example) and you have to learn which they are for each word. My Latin dictionary has dŏmĭnus with a short ĭ, which they indicate with a breve, a curved line above the letter. So by the rules you mention for accentuation in Latin it should be DO-mi-nus.

:( Sorry, I used to know a fair amount of Latin... though now I've forgotten most of it.

Post the mp3 again, it's gone. :(

I have talked to my friend who sings in a choir, this piece could be performed :D

I have talked to my friend who sings in a choir, this piece could be performed :D

Well...seeing as how it was recorded by an actual group...I'll bet it could be performed by an actual group too...:w00t:

Beh, the mp3 link doesn't work!

Wow that is truly amazing. Nothing bad to say. It is super relaxing and inspiring. This piece is like if like Michael McGynn and Eric Whitaker had a love child!!!

Yep, that's a very nice piece indeed!

I heard more of a Morten Lauridsen influence in this than Whitacre actually. In a lesser piece I'd have picked at the rather difficult voice leading in spots, but the effect is worth the difficulty, and choirs are growing accustomed to negotiating this kind of writing. Your voicing of the bass parts is very resourceful; in several D major chords, by putting the 5th in the bass and the root above it in the baritone, it sounds like the fundamental low D is sounding...nicely done.

As admirable as this recording is, I hope you're able to get a somewhat larger professional chorus to sing it someday. This piece would be at its best sung by mature, seasoned voices, partcularly in the bass section.

Congratulations, and my sincere compliments.

Thank you for the feedback!

I actually did recently have this piece performed by a professional choir, the Opus 7 ensemble in Seattle, Washington. You can listen to it here, and I'll change the top post too!