Carol for Horn and SATB divisi

Hello all,

I thought I would start out my active career on YCF by posting an old work as something of an object lesson (as well as snark bait). This work, entitled The Night When The Stars Sang, was written five years ago for my high school choir's Christmas Gala. The piece itself is obviously flawed, but more importantly, I believe it was a moment of epiphany for me musically.

It helped me realize where my strengths and weaknesses lie as a composer, and the purpose and drive for which I write...

In addition, when self-doubting or under the gun while scoring a film (which is what I do most of the time), I can look at something like this (a mediocre past work)to help me remember just how far I've come in five years.

Thoughts?

Oh, yes, here is the score.

I've converted it from Sibelius to the most recent Finale for ease of reading for the hoi polloi ;) so goodness knows how messy it will actually be.

Also PDF export.

Carol2Final.MUS

NWSS.pdf

That tenor part goes to the extremes! You got some really low notes and then those top A and Ab (middle A and Ab)!!

Do you have a recording, either by real people or maybe a MIDI? Not everyone has Finale, for example...

That tenor part goes to the extremes! You got some really low notes and then those top A and Ab (middle A and Ab)!!

Do you have a recording, either by real people or maybe a MIDI? Not everyone has Finale, for example...

:P As a singer myself, yes, I'm aware of the challenges it presents... most of this was due to a (perhaps juvenile) desire to push some of my buddies in our HS choir to the edge of their comfort zones. But it is definitely a) intended and b) singable.

And alas... the crappy amateur recording is one I wouldn't post even if I could find it!

:P As a singer myself, yes, I'm aware of the challenges it presents... most of this was due to a (perhaps juvenile) desire to push some of my buddies in our HS choir to the edge of their comfort zones. But it is definitely a) intended and b) singable.

And alas... the crappy amateur recording is one I wouldn't post even if I could find it!

Oh I don't debate it's not singable, just that tenors are comfortable with a certain range. If they are not, they are demoted to baritone, and should say it, bass! :whistling:

Your tenor part encompasses all. So, who are the real tenors, and who are the fake ones? :toothygrin:

Oh I don't debate it's not singable, just that tenors are comfortable with a certain range. If they are not, they are demoted to baritone, and should say it, bass! :whistling:

Your tenor part encompasses all. So, who are the real tenors, and who are the fake ones?

:D Well, from my vocal experience (of which there's a fair amount), I find that most choral tenors tend to be comfortable from approx. B2 to A4. It may be that my latent resentment of tenor gloryhogs (possessed by all good baritones) caused me to push the line in this piece just a hair beyond the usual "comfort zone" for them.

So in answer to your question, 90% of them are real tenors, while the remainder are probably lyric baritones or baryton-martins too gutless to assert their identities and thus are forced to hang out on the lower divisi passages. ;)

And "demoted to baritone"... how dare an intelligent composer utter such foul heresy! :angry: