Ontology; for three choirs

Text by Stephen Crane, from The Black Riders and Other Lines. Three poems, mixed together to form a dramatic dialogue.

Please don't just listen to the MIDI - all the breath-sound at the beginning comes out as a Db pitch.

All the text is contained in the .pdf file, independent of the music.

The three choirs are actually designed to be one choir, split into three uneven voicings, with approximately three voices on each part.

The compositional material is a set of interval relationships. Each text has its own sound, somehow related to a pentatonic scale (though not always audibly). The four collections are: "Heaven/blades of grass," "three little birds," "God," and "huddled procession." After the middle section (the "huddled procession"), the identities of the pitches start to mix a little more.

ontology.pdf

ontology.mid

Just reviewing the score a ton of great things going on - the aspirated tones especially in the mens' falsetto range I'd LOVE to hear ... it would be so beautiful it seems. Great examples of voice exchange and hocket abound in this work as well as some word painting (esp the "God ponders" the use of the grande pause and the chatter of the three little birds).

Questions and concerns:

The consonants in sixteenths - what exact sound are you aiming for? I have an idea it is something softly percussive but insistent yet I wonder how well this would work. Did you use a model for this or tried this out before successfully in another work?

Around measure 112, I wonder how well the ashamed bird's response to God will be heard. Also, it seems after God saying "Oh best green blade of grass" it is a little anticlimatic hearing the expression from the three little birds. There is nothing wrong in doing that - I think it will be very effective especially with the vocal aspirations following the commentary about the three little birds. I just wonder if it is needed to reinforce more God's opprobium of the bird's life. Maybe a soft echo of God's words would assist and then a shorter pause? Or are you confident the ff to pp dynamics are sufficient?

Anyway the above would be answered with a reading or from your own experience (I have written little choral music so far).

Oh, last, check bar 80 Bass, choir one, the triplet bracket collides with the text.

The consonant sixteenths are something akin to the "rabble rabble" used in South Park. It's reminiscent of crowd-noise. The technique here is actually drawn from a cappella arrangements of pop tunes. It works because of the small numbers of voices on each part, and would be pretty ineffective in a large group, unless you maybe slowed it down a lot.

As far as hearing the soprano solo, I'm not too concerned. That soprano will be standing center stage, while the other choirs will be off to the sides. She will be singing out, while the other choirs, providing commentary, will be singing quieter. It might require some editing once we start rehearsals in February, but for now, I think it should be fine.

Well Chris then it sounds like it'll be great. Lucky you to get it performed - is this thru your school or another organization or networking?

It's the Oberlin College Choir.

The performance of "Ontology" has been confirmed! Rehearsals begin Wednesday (Feb. 4)!

"ONTOLOGY" was premiered on April 17 by the Oberlin College Choir in Oberlin's Finney Chapel. The performance was well-received. I'll put up a recording as soon as I get one.

Sexellent!

I will be most curious indeed to hear a recording of this. There was a lot of things happening in the score that I saw and REALLY wanted to hear. The consonants, especially, and the passing between choirs of the opening.

I'm curious (and ignorant): are you aware of any other pieces that require the multiple choirs split up? In that fashion? I, like I say, am quite ignorant. I really liked that idea though!

I love the beginning and the use of so many voices, the exchanges are great, I can't wait to here the recording.

@Carlos: Probably the most famous example of multiple choirs is Thomas Tallis' "Spem in alium", a 40-part(!) motet. That piece is similar to this one in that it uses the different choirs' physical locations to produce a specific effect. Pieces for double choir are more common, such as Eric Whitacre's "Her Sacred Spirit Soars" and Mack Wilberg's "Cindy".

When will there be a recording

As soon as I can order one from Oberlin's Conservatory Audio. They're closed for the summer. Third week of August, I believe, for the order - and then first week of September for the actual recording.

*sigh* I love it... No criticism, just bowing. haha. I cannot wait to hear the recording.

I'm still extremely interested in hearing this...