This is the fifth setting in the Psalm Imitations composition;
a set intended for 3-part performance (Soprano, Alto, Tenor).
I will publish it in full when a performance/ production is established. on my website.
An English translation is provided below the beginning of each phrase.
Any recommendation on improving a playthrough , or does anyone know of a way for Dorico to move with the playhead in a setting such as galley view, or even in normal view as long as it shifts systems properly?
Hi Frank, congratulations on what is clearly a large but very personal endeavour. With this 5th setting I can see and hear all of your influences. Very early renaissance – much of my favourite music comes from that time. In a sense you have put a modern slant by keeping it in the major key. The choral sounds do not do your work justice (but you know that already) but my ears were yearning for some dissonance (perhaps with the use of accidentals) and less use of the perfect cadence. But, I am a modernist and dislike conventions so you must take my ears with grain of salt.
I think I understand why you used the alto clef for all 3 parts but, then again, I am confused as I don’t believe it’s necessary and modern singers may find it difficult, at first, to pitch. The sopranos, for instance, could be scared by the high looking notes despite the part only going to the high G.
Good luck with your work and I hope you can find the singers to do a decent recording.
Thank you for your input! Yes, I agree there natursally tends to be a modern slant with the Ionian. It is also the reason for being the one to post as an online ‘marketing’ for this project. Nevertheless, with this type of composition set, I have set out to, for the most part, follow the conventions of the style. The rest of the pieces are also complete.
I have used the older clefs as it is easier to compose with for this style (mostly because I have got used to it, but also for range considerations, it just looks better to me) I have a performer copy prepared (and a transposed one as an option) that utilize the treble clefs to address this very situation, although I post in the original clefs anyways - as it is what I have composed the settings with, and to retain a measure of the authenticity.
It may take a while to get a performance/ production together, but it will be in pipeline for when the time is right. I appreciate your thoughts, and can definitely use some good luck!
Hi Frank, could I make sure I understand what I’m listening to?
You composed this in a Renaissance style from a text that I am not sure where it came from?
You created the audio using the default sounds of Dorico, sort of like what you can do with Sibelius? I don’t use either, so I’m not familiar with the possibilities here.
And, to counter Mogg’s point, it wouldn’t make sense to modernize the music, since your point is to create something in pure Renaissance style. Did I get that right?
Whatever the case, I really appreciate that you’re trying to do Renaissance music, and the view into Dorico, which I don’t have.
I hope you are able to get a performance together. I really enjoy Renaissance vocal music.
Good points, Leon, but just to clarify, I think staying in the Ionian is the modern slant particularly with the perfect cadences. I was hoping for the dissonance I love to hear in renaissance music where modalities flow in and out and accidentals add colour.
The text is a biblical setting, from Psalms 30:6 [LVB, Latin Vulgate Bible]. It is in Latin, but I have provided the phrase translations below the text.
The audio is similar to the Dorico presets - I am using Olympus Elements (I think Olympus Micro is in the presets?) through Kontakt as a VST. You can also do this with SIbelius, although Dorico I think makes this process a bit easier
It is not modernized by intent, what I meant in response to moggs is that I chose this piece out of the five to represent the rest, because the Ionian mode tends to resonate to the modern ear more. The modern ear is used to the major key /minor key common practice system, and Ionian is in essence the major key. The rest of the pieces are in the other main modes of the late Renaissance (although my Dorian piece turned out to sound very Aeolian, which can be somewhat expected if you study the style deeper).
This is a process in my style studies in counterpoint - my intention was to learn, and enjoy - not to keep it purely Renaissance, but still as much as possible in the style. I have very small deviations of mode and mixture in some of the other pieces, which I address in foot notes.
I am currently working on a 4-part motet set inspired by the Renaissance style (which gives more room for modality flow, among other things).
I’ll jump in on this too. I also really enjoy this older style of European music. You did a nice job with it. I enjoyed the fact that it was so formal, but obviously involved synth voices. It’s a lot of fun to open up the cookie jar to see how we can play with these soft synth voices. Guessing you might work more normally in early music settings, but to someone like me who doesn’t, it was interesting to see another avenue to pursue with the aforementioned, and in this case choral, synth voices. Nice work.
Yes, not only is it an excellent way to advance in counterpoint, but the Renaissance style is so beautiful to work with. I focus on both Renaissance and Baroque in my studies, with Classical also in order (especially. when it comes to orchestration time).
I am using the Olympus Elements vst because it gives the most realistic feel (minus using a word builder) before actually hearing it performed in set.
This is superb. What a privilige it is to have your work performed by real singers or instrumentists. Manus Tuas is my favorite piece. Thanks for sharing.
This work in the Renaissance style for 3 voices is very well done. You have to really appreciate the genre to use this technique of writing, on the other hand it is certain that you will benefit from it in other musical styles.
For my part, I’m not very fond of the music of that time, probably because of the too religious side which reminds me of all the aberrations committed by the churches, the Catholic Church among others… On the other hand, I still appreciate certain composers of this period, particularly Gesualdo and his Madrigals, especially because of the presence of dissonances which gives a somewhat twisted character to his works.
Also, the use of the C key first line poses no problem, because any musician with classical training should have this ability to read easily in all the keys. This is also the ideal key for transposition. In addition, it was used for the right hand in keyboard music (manuscript by Bauyn), also in vocal music for sopranos of those times.
Your work acquires all its value when it is sung by real singers and this is much more appreciable. Dorico serves to produce the score and to give an auditory impression of this score and it stops there. It’s an excellent score editor, but as far as musical reproduction is concerned, it’s like other editors of its kind, that is to say not very convincing.
In Manus Tuas certainly is a favourite. It is notable that they were composed in the order presented in the performance. It was indeed a privilege and quite the effort to pull off the production - certainly worth it. The right people helping to network also makes a crucial difference.
I did not expect to fall in love with Renaissance vocal music when I began species exercises, nevertheless it is a great foundation of counterpoint studies - especially as the route I took (the Palestrina model / Jeppesen text). Having it performed in person does indeed bring the level of satisfaction as a true completion beyond words.
Thank you all again for taking the time to watch and listen to the performance
Very nice, and I’m sure it was quite gratifying to have this done. I really haven’t listened to this kind of music in quite some time. I did once listen a bit to works from Orlando di Lasso, Palestrina, and a few others. My only real connection lately has been listening to Jan Garbarek with the Hilliard Ensemble, or when my wife, who sang in the Cornell University Chorus, takes me to something more chorale in nature. It is quite beautiful, and you did do this very well.
There was a lot of Palestrina listening and analysis for this kind of composition - Orlando di Lasso also, William Byrd, and sprinkles of others. I am glad you liked it, and hope you continue to enjoy more of this kind of music over time. Thank you swetch!
