To The Nile! (Not-As-Rough Cut)

My latest piece for SATB a capella chorus. It is a setting of John Keats's "Sonnet to the Nile" which is ABSOLUTELY in public domain - one of the reasons I chose it!

Anyway, I wanted to try more of a show piece, with several different moods, bit more complex rhythms and such, and overall faster and more exciting - while still keeping those delicious dissonances I love so much.

For this piece specifically, I call it a "rough cut" because I'm certain this isn't exactly where I want it to be, there are several sections which just don't carry the "oomph" I want them to, certain harmonies or whatever that don't yet sound quite right - but aside from that, the entire poem is set and accounted for, and no more major rehauls will be done (that I anticipate).

The areas I'm most looking for commentary/suggestions on:

-The end, after the climax - the harmonic texture is there, but perhaps the transition isn't smooth enough? I don't know, it seems like I still need some sort of bridge to make that part completely cohesive.

-Overall I'm concerned that I change moods too quickly, shifting from fast to slow, loud to quiet, etc. too suddenly. I'd definitely like to hear some opinions on that.

-The build to the climax ("the pleasant sunrise") - it seems to cheesy and unnatural to me. I dunno.

And of course any other commentary you happen to have is welcome!

MP3: tothenile.mp3 - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

REVISED VERSION: tothenilerev.mp3 - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

tothenile.pdf

tothenilerev.pdf

aw c'mon guys seriously guys c'mon please seriously guys c'mon guuuuuyyyyysssss

Hey!

Overall it was a nice piece. You had some interesting harmonies, but I worry that the text might get lost a bit in so much dissonace. You might consider toning down some of those tight intervals. (Some, but definitely not all.)

Also, the change to the Party Time! section seemed really abrupt. You might change those measures leading up to it so it's not quite as bipolar.

Overall it was really nice.

Good job

Price Walden

Honestly... Well looking from this from a choral student's point of view, it's dreadful. From a the average choral director, a nightmare. But from a composer of choral music's eye, I appreciate the difficulty and abstraction of this piece but the text does get loss with the dissonance. The harmonies are good. Instead of getting the appreciation the song deserves it may be overlooked because you can't take everything in all at once due to the kinda of odd way its arranged, if you know what I mean...

To my mind, the style and subject-treatment text is so dated anyway that it doesn't matter if we hear the words. We're a long time past rhapsodic exhortations to hills and trees.

Great musical stuff. From a choral student's point of view, it's a fun challenge. From the average (adequate) choral director, it's a strong challenge. But luckily, there are actually (surprise) good conductors who could do this with little difficulty. :P

I like the pick-up in tempo. It becomes very orchestral there, which is something I tend to favor.

REVISED VERSION NOW UP - tothenilerev.pdf (SEE OP)

There are definitely some good things in this piece. It is very unique, and very difficult. Only a very successful collegiate chorale could pull this one off.

One thing that I think would benefit the piece is if you relooked some of the dissonance. Now, I love dissonance and everything, but there are several places throughout where you really can't discern what's going on. It just sounds a bit mushy. It doesn't happen all the time, but there are several places throughout, and I think if you give it a really hard listen, you will hear what I'm talking about.

But overall, a very unique piece. Keep up the work!

To my mind, the style and subject-treatment text is so dated anyway that it doesn't matter if we hear the words. We're a long time past rhapsodic exhortations to hills and trees.

True, most pieces do tend to go overboard on the same subjects.

But if you are not going to add anything to or enhance the text you're setting, the choir might as well be singing their ABCs.

I agree, this is WONDERFUL music, but it fails to paint the text, IMHO.

I agree, this is WONDERFUL music, but it fails to paint the text, IMHO.

I was actually aiming specific for a more...ehh, for lack of a better word, "tribal" feel to the music, as the poem is about Africa - thus, the quick/odd rhythms, chords outside of the key, etc. I didn't do what I generally do, i.e., word-paint on a line-by-line basis, but rather try to capture one general feel throughout. Except I still did some specific musical things, such as the sunrise line.

and @ Ethan, I feel like errrrrverything sounds mushy on a midi sample such as this. Sometimes I get so discouraged when the playback sounds so muddy, but actual voices tend to make most things sound great.