Choir Soloists: Divisi or Instrument change?

Dorico
1

Hello,

I am trying to setup an oratorio project intelligently.
In the original for the singers there exist 4 part books (CANTO, ALTO, TENORE, BASSO), each of them containing parts for the choirs and the solo parts for the arias.
It seems it was expected that a choir soloist would sing the arias - or even the choir part might have been sung by one singer only.

So I setup the Score in Dorico for the four singer parts to be a section (choir).

Now when it comes to the solo arias:
should I use the divisi function for the solo arias or
should I ‘change instrument’ to a solo singer (if that is possible)?

In a modern edition I would layout a complete score and a score with just the 4 singers (in one layout).

Thank you for suggestions.

2

I would just use four SATB Section Players, and mark the arias with a “Solo” text item (or the character’s name). Then add “Tutti” or “Chorus” above the staff for the choral bits.

You don’t need divisi unless you have Solo singing something different from the SATB chorus at the same time. I assume you’ll create one vocal score for all the singers – you’re not creating separate parts!

3

Of course, thank you benwigy.
This is the easiest way indeed and closest to the original at the same time.
… and I might be able to work on the project on my Dorico Elements 2 version :slight_smile: