Fugue "Libera me" in C-sharp minor for SATB Choir.

After undergoing plenty of struggle to find a proper textual setting capable of matching the rhythmic patterns of this vocal fugue, I decided to settle for an altered version of the "Libera me" movement commonly found on Requiem masses.

Despite the minor changes required for the text to fit the subject of the fugue, its treatment throughout has been a conscious attempt to make it as audibly intelligible as possible, as opposed to the vast majority of my previous vocal works, where any regard for the text was completely secondary to the music.

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Hi again @Fugax Contrapunctus!

Isn't it wonderful that human voices don't have particular set-in-stone range limitations?  I'm working on a Christmas piece right now that requires the Basses to go down to a Bb below the staff so I'm probably going to have to transpose the whole piece up a step so the lowest note is a much more manageable C.  You have the Altos in this going down to an F# below the staff which I think is manageable despite the commonly regarded lowest note for them being a G.  I love the treatment of the fugue subject and the tempo changes here!  Is this technically a double or triple fugue?  Or perhaps a series of fugues, with a stretto treatment towards the end?  Thanks for sharing!  Will you be participating the in the Christmas Music Event?

5 minutes ago, PeterthePapercomPoser said:

Hi again @Fugax Contrapunctus!

Isn't it wonderful that human voices don't have particular set-in-stone range limitations?  I'm working on a Christmas piece right now that requires the Basses to go down to a Bb below the staff so I'm probably going to have to transpose the whole piece up a step so the lowest note is a much more manageable C.  You have the Altos in this going down to an F# below the staff which I think is manageable despite the commonly regarded lowest note for them being a G. [...]

And I thought those low D-sharps on the basses were far too excessive! I couldn't even bring myself to sing below a very awkward-sounding E despite technically being a baritone. I wonder how potent of a voice a deep bass singer must have for such a B-flat to be remotely audible as pitch instead of pure vibration. To me, such extended ranges seem far more extreme than the usual alto-contralto range, which I believed is usually cited to reach down to an F below the staff.

In any case, the concern is understandable. This fugue was originally set for D minor, as much of a nod to Mozart's heavy association of death with this particular key as a matter of convenience in order to adhere to the standard ranges for vocal music, which as we know often tend to require more conservative estimates in choral settings. Unfortunately the digital choir soundbanks I'm using struggled far more just a semitone above in certain passages, with certain octave leaps in the tenor part sounding especially screechy, so in the end I was forced to choose the lesser flaw and thus had to resort to lowering the whole piece to its current key.

23 minutes ago, PeterthePapercomPoser said:

[...] I love the treatment of the fugue subject and the tempo changes here!  Is this technically a double or triple fugue?  Or perhaps a series of fugues, with a stretto treatment towards the end?  Thanks for sharing!  Will you be participating the in the Christmas Music Event?

I hesitate to even call it a double fugue, as what might appear as the 2nd subject is in fact merely derived from the first, and I certainly would not dare label it a triple fugue, despite the relatively minor changes undergone by the subject that would normally not be explained by a conventional tonal answer. The stretto treatment is undergone first by what could be considered the 2nd subject following its own development section, and only then does the stretto for the original subject come about, thus helping cement an overarching ABA' superstructure that unifies the piece as a whole beyond mere exposition, development, stretti and codae in cycling motion.

As for the Christmas Music Event, perhaps I might be able to submit a proper piece before the deadline. As of lately I've been considering a 5-part motet rendering of "O Magnum Mysterium", though I may consider other related texts to the same effect. In any case, I'll let you know in the dedicated thread if I manage to finish anything suitable in time. Thank you for your review!

Hey Pabio @Fugax Contrapunctus,

I really enjoy this older style counterpoint. The subject strongly reminds me of the first subject of Contapunctu XIV in Bach’s Die Kunst der Fuge. May this piece also dedicated to the victims of the Hong Kong fire recently happened.

Henry

On 12/2/2025 at 2:26 PM, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

Hey Pabio @Fugax Contrapunctus,

I really enjoy this older style counterpoint. The subject strongly reminds me of the first subject of Contapunctu XIV in Bach’s Die Kunst der Fuge. May this piece also dedicated to the victims of the Hong Kong fire recently happened.

Henry

Greetings Henry.

Indeed I had expected the similarities between the primary subject of BWV 1080 and the ones used here would end up seeming far too glaring. Perhaps it may serve as a testament to the versatile simplicity of this kind of subjects, whence far greater complexity may be properly built upon. In any case, another fair reminder of Bach's genius and the omnipresent influence of his fugal developments.

With that out of the way, I must apologize for not replying sooner with regards to the recent calamity. I wholeheartedly hope none of your acquaintances were directly affected by the fire. I initially hesitated to properly dedicate it to the victims due to its magnitude and devastation, and especially because of the gruesome suffering, mourning, affliction and grief so many families and friends of the deceased must be going through, for which this humble composition of mine could never properly stand up to provide nearly enough consolation.

However, I should have realized sooner that not acknowledging it at all would be far more insensitive and disrespectful towards the victims and their loved ones. As such, albeit rather late, the dedication has been included in the score document. My utmost condolences. 節哀順變。

1 hour ago, Fugax Contrapunctus said:

With that out of the way, I must apologize for not replying sooner with regards to the recent calamity. I wholeheartedly hope none of your acquaintances were directly affected by the fire. I initially hesitated to properly dedicate it to the victims due to its magnitude and devastation, and especially because of the gruesome suffering, mourning, affliction and grief so many families and friends of the deceased must be going through, for which this humble composition of mine could never properly stand up to provide nearly enough consolation.

However, I should have realized sooner that not acknowledging it at all would be far more insensitive and disrespectful towards the victims and their loved ones. As such, albeit rather late, the dedication has been included in the score document. My utmost condolences. 節哀順變。

Thank you Pabio, I do not suffer much except emotionally, and much less than those who were engulfed in the fire and residents there. I don't think you are insensitive and disrepectful towards the victims at all, so you don't have to blame yourself for it. Thank you so much for your condolences and dedication. I wish you have a good day.

Henry