Love is As a Flow'r

I wrote this quite a while ago, mostly as a study in choral sounds. Originally it was to have "ahs" and "oohs" rather than words, but somehow I was talked into putting words to it.Original title: "Tranquility", new title "Love is As a Flow'r". Technically the piece is not finished, but that's only because I haven't completed the lyrics. Suggestions would be helpful - but mostly I have to sit back and work on it again and I'm sure it'll get done.Hopefully Finale's basic MIDI sounds can do it a little justice while you listen. Enjoy!

Love is As a Flow'r

Technical things first:

When you have a monosyllabic word held over multiple notes, you don't have to divide it up. Ex. mm. 30-1, you have "Lo-ve" "Bre-aze" and "wa-rm" marked. Unless you actually want the singers to sing "luh-vuh", you should write the full word (e.g. "Love") under the first note and draw a line (finale does it for you if that's what you're using)under the remaining notes, as well as slurring the notes that are sung on one syllable. Interestingly, you do exactly this in other places.

Dynamics go above the staff in choral writing (mm. 33-4 for instance).

You use the dotted slur correctly in m.4 but incorrectly in m. 6-7. For notes that are sung on the same syllable, use a full slur. Dotted slurs are either a) works with verses, such as hymns, where the notes may or may not be tied depending on the words in the verse or b) to indicate strong connection/no break between different syllables, as you have done. That may or may not be a complete list.

While it is a nice gesture, in scores like these measure numbers on every measure are not necessary. The beginning of each staff should suffice.

Now, for aesthetics: up until the key change (m. 66) you have chord changes on the downbeat of almost every measure, the chord lasts all four beats, then changes. This becomes veeeerrryyy stagnant. Your writing in the "B" section (after key change), however, is much more varied and interesting. I would expand some of that writing to the A and A' sections - not killing your mood of tranquility, of course, but at least creating a bit more interest.