January 6, 201115 yr A kyrie as the first part of a Missa Brevis. I've started on the gloria, but it's nowhere as finished as the kyrie. The kyrie starts, of course, with 'kyrie eleison'. 'Kyrie eleison' is sung three times. They all start with the four voices building a chord and they all sing 'eleison' together. After the 'kyrie eleison' comes 'Christe eleison'. It starts with five bars in counterpoint, followed by three times 'Christe eleison' with all voices beginning on the d' and expanding each time a little further around that d'. Then comes again the kyrie, it starts kinda like in the beginning, but then there is a soprano solo while the other voices lay still. After that 'kyrie eleison', there is one more 'kyrie eleison', completely homophonic, ending on an open chord (d-a-d'-g'). I don't compose (if you can call it composing) very much, and most of what I've done so far is very tonal, very easy. With this composition, I tried to go a little further and add some not-so-tonal chords. But nothing too atonal either. Just not so down-to-earth. Kyrie
January 7, 201115 yr This sounds interesting. Daring even at times, the end for example. I love when people try to go a little further away from the easy/early romantic harmonies. I this work though I can see rhythmical relation of the motives, but in terms of pitch, I do not get how there is economic use of the material. I see that the builb up chords are loosly related (The opening was an interesting part of this work). Declamatory, each entry. I love all the lush harmonies. But miss the connection. Suggestion for the final chord (although it is more tonal then) I'dd like to add a low G in the bass as well. I think that will be a more satisfying ending. Oh and BTW. I prefer eleison to be broken down in syllables as E-LE-I-SON.
January 7, 201115 yr Author I know, most of the time I prefer e-le-i-son as well, but I've seen it used in both ways, e-le-i-son as well as e-lei-son. I think it depends on where you're from, even though it's the same language, people from Germany will pronounce it differently than people from France of Italy of England or... Even in my own little country Belgium, I find that it can be pronounced differently: éléison or èlèison... And I'm sure in the whole world there are people who prefer e-lei-son... I like both, actually. As for the G in the basses at the end, I tried it, but I think it makes it too dense (if that's the correct word). I'd like it to be more open. Thank you very much for your comments!! :happy:
January 7, 201115 yr nice work, reminds me something of Whiteacre in the armonies and in the melodic semplicity (for me this is a compliment :) ) the only thing i dont like is the melody in bar 16-20. bye
January 8, 201115 yr Author nice work, reminds me something of Whiteacre in the armonies and in the melodic semplicity (for me this is a compliment :) ) the only thing i dont like is the melody in bar 16-20. bye Thank you! The melody in bar 16-20 was used to make a difference between the 'kyrie eleison' and the 'christe eleison'. Is there something about the melody specifically you don't like? Or just the melody as a whole?
January 8, 201115 yr Not sure whehter I know what you mean with "dense". Did you mean it is too final, too much of an ending? Then we just disagree, and no harm done. But if you mean by dense that the G and D in the bass gets too dark, too drowned (or Dutch: te wollig) you can just leave the D out, which is in the alto anyway. I like the quartal sound, with the missing third, which gives me still a sense of openness. Like the resolution (to the 3rd) that never comes... Anyway. Keep up the good work. See you around!
January 8, 201115 yr Author Not sure whehter I know what you mean with "dense". Did you mean it is too final, too much of an ending? Then we just disagree, and no harm done. But if you mean by dense that the G and D in the bass gets too dark, too drowned (or Dutch: te wollig) you can just leave the D out, which is in the alto anyway. I like the quartal sound, with the missing third, which gives me still a sense of openness. Like the resolution (to the 3rd) that never comes... Anyway. Keep up the good work. See you around! It's both, actually. But most of all, it sounds too dark. I tried to put only the G in the bass, not the d anymore, but then I feel like the distance between the tenor and the bass, or even between the Soprano, Alto, Tenor and the Bass is too big and if I take the G one octave higher (g) then I think it feels to crowded. I tried both of your suggestions (thank you very much, by the way! :) ) but I think I still prefer the d. :happy:
February 6, 201115 yr I love the sheer simplicity of this work! It's very blunt, very organized, and very respectfull of the text .
May 28, 201114 yr Koen, you may not write often, but you have talent. I don't have much more to say than what others have said previously, but I love what I'm hearing here. By all means, I hope you continue writing this Mass and post what you have.
May 30, 201114 yr It's probably cheesy but I really really want that G to resolve to an F#. I'm all for unconventional harmonies and whatnot but ending the piece like that is like giving the whole audience an unscratchable itch. Maybe have the G AND F#?
May 31, 201114 yr Author I love the sheer simplicity of this work! It's very blunt, very organized, and very respectfull of the text <img src="http://network.youngcomposers.com/elgg/ipb/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif" alt=":D" />. Koen, you may not write often, but you have talent. I don't have much more to say than what others have said previously, but I love what I'm hearing here. By all means, I hope you continue writing this Mass and post what you have. Thank you both very much for your kind replies. I maybe finish the rest of the mass later, but first I've got to get through the music theory exams in school. :toothygrin: Though that shouldn't be any problem,. :happy: It's probably cheesy but I really really want that G to resolve to an F#. I'm all for unconventional harmonies and whatnot but ending the piece like that is like giving the whole audience an unscratchable itch. Maybe have the G AND F#? Thank you for your reply. I tried out what you said, but using that in the last bar is only good for ruining the entire piece. If I use the f#, I might as well throw the entire thing in the trash can, because everything the piece is, is worthless from that moment. In my opinion, of course. Using the f# is waaaaay too cheap there (in my opinion) and using them both is completely evading what I've written that chord there for: I tried to give a sense of openness, of endlessness. g and f# together ruin that experience.
