Sweet Dreams (a Choral Lullaby)

Hello all! This is an extensively reworked version of my lullaby I had posted a couple of weeks ago.This is approximately version 5 since my initial first version. I've worked on elements of polyphony, dissonance, and chord structure since its debut.Some of the dynamics may seem unnecessary, and this might be true, but I left them there because it made the Finale-export sound as (relatively) good as possible.It's inspired by Eric Whitacre's 'The Seal Lullaby', and it's probably easy to note the relation if the listener has heard that piece by him.I would love some feedback, as I am relatively inexperienced and this is only, like, my third or fourth complete SATB vocal work.Enjoy the sounds of Garritan's wonderful mess of "Ah's" dancing around in harmony! Cheers!-Keeg

Sweet Dreams (a Choral Lullaby)

I think this has some nice potential in it. I was hoping for a little more adventurous harmony - but I think the clean harmonies are very beautiful, if not a little repetitive throughout. Its a shame that garritan hasn't gotten around to creating better vocal synths though. Thanks for sharing!

I didn't really get the relation to "Seal Lullaby." The piano part is similar with running eights, even though they aren't in the bass line. The only thing that I find similar is the obnoxious key. I can't really sugar coat this, but keys with anymore than 4 flats or sharps make me want to shove my piano out a window. Those keys are okay when it's a capella or for 10-20 measures in an instrumental ensemble piece, but for choir with piano it's somewhat unneeded.. I guess the piano part is quite easy in the bass line which provides a little room for difficulty within the right hand even though you could get by in this piece with moving your hands very little. There has to be some more creativity within the piano part, and trust me, I know it's tempting to write the same thing for the piano through the whole song, which you did, but some variation can really add to the song.. Now onto the choir parts. There could have been more range within all the parts. Ignore books that tell you what basic ranges are for the satb. No book can tell you that the lowest note you can write for a bass is A, or the highest for soprano is E. I've sung songs that for me (a second bass) have gone down to C# (Lux Aurumque). I have also sung songs where the soprano has gone up to a high C (My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord.) Of course these are the extremes of ranges, and not all choirs have voices that can perform these notes, but I can tell you from the second bass end, that composers that write low notes for us, are the composers that we like better. Next we can talk about the harmonies. Obviously they are beautiful, but make more use of the fact that there are 4 different groups of voices that you can split into 2, 3, or even 4 parts if you would like. Make words sparkle with tone clusters, use minor chords to disrupt any predictability within the chord progression. There is definitely some great potential for this piece, keep working on it.

I didn't really get the relation to "Seal Lullaby." The piano part is similar with running eights, even though they aren't in the bass line. The only thing that I find similar is the obnoxious key. I can't really sugar coat this, but keys with anymore than 4 flats or sharps make me want to shove my piano out a window. Those keys are okay when it's a capella or for 10-20 measures in an instrumental ensemble piece, but for choir with piano it's somewhat unneeded.. I guess the piano part is quite easy in the bass line which provides a little room for difficulty within the right hand even though you could get by in this piece with moving your hands very little. There has to be some more creativity within the piano part, and trust me, I know it's tempting to write the same thing for the piano through the whole song, which you did, but some variation can really add to the song.. Now onto the choir parts. There could have been more range within all the parts. Ignore books that tell you what basic ranges are for the satb. No book can tell you that the lowest note you can write for a bass is A, or the highest for soprano is E. I've sung songs that for me (a second bass) have gone down to C# (Lux Aurumque). I have also sung songs where the soprano has gone up to a high C (My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord.) Of course these are the extremes of ranges, and not all choirs have voices that can perform these notes, but I can tell you from the second bass end, that composers that write low notes for us, are the composers that we like better. Next we can talk about the harmonies. Obviously they are beautiful, but make more use of the fact that there are 4 different groups of voices that you can split into 2, 3, or even 4 parts if you would like. Make words sparkle with tone clusters, use minor chords to disrupt any predictability within the chord progression. There is definitely some great potential for this piece, keep working on it.

Thank you very much for your review! I totally understand what you're saying with the ranges. It really does seem like it takes a small range for each voice. And I'm RIGHT with you on the bass II low thing; as I am a bass II and can hit C# (though I never have had to, I've never sung Lux, WHICH I LOVE TO DEATH), so I know that the basses love dropping into the basement. The only thing I don't understand is where you're speaking about in my piece, because the basses drop down to a low E at one point. Also with the chords, yes; some of those have been worked on. I've changed it so much already since this submission. On one of the many versions I have saved, I have a whole section switched into a minor key.

Again, I really thank you for the encouragement! I had basically given up on this piece over the course of the past week; but now I'll definitely work on it when I have the time.

-Keeg

good attempt! there are some good developments in the beginning the second part sounds a bit cheesy and cliched, but the mood is nice and so is your stuff, keep searching for the good stuff.