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Tuesday 24 June 2008

New Compositions, Music Reading Session

As pledged, a few words about the new music presented at the CMAA Colloquium:
Crucem Tuam a 4, Aristotle Esguerra, beautiful, well-crafted, contrapuntal, I could see programming during Lent, I wouldn't risk for Good Friday when we do everything a capella and work schedules could leave us with some sections under-manned ( or -womanned)
On Wisdom, Edward Sywulka -- interesting, not particularly accessible, rangy. Not sure if it would have a liturgical use, but certainly a composer to keep an eye on.
A very intriguing harmonization to Kyrie XVI by Heath Morber, as well as some gospel acclamations, (very like those I already write, although his a a darn sight better crafted)
Good, practical psalms by V Dudych, (but I think I'm already set on settings for both of those psalms.)
Excellent new harmonization of PICARDY, one of the GREAT hymn tunes, by James Carrano We already do the RVW setting with "Let All mortal flesh..." (also one of the great texts,) but I would love to use the tune more, for different texts, so I shall look into that.
Two Christmas pieces by Kevin Allen, I particularly liked the Vidimus Stellam, but I think I would take it at a slower tempo, (if I directed a motet giocoso alla giga, I would lose my reductio ad absurdum argument against the mariachi or polka Mass --"they're dances, would it make any sense for me to have a Tango Mass, or a Grande Valse Mass? or maybe a Jig Mass because I have some Irish ancestry?"
Lovely, lovely harmonization of Jesu Dulcis (surely the most beautiful of all chant hymn tunes,) by Kurt Poterack.
The beginning of a strong fugal setting of Jeremiah 29:11 by Nathan Page, I'd be interested in the rest of it.
A stirring Tu Rex Gloriae Christe by James Roach, good and interesting (without being unexpected for the sake of being unexpected,) vocal lines, nice divisi only to fill out the end of the piece (rather than making it pointlessly difficult throughout.) I'm not sure if the rhythms aren't unnecessarily tricky.
Part of an ordinary and a very fine setting of Christus Factus Est by Don Roy, (an on-line acquaintance whom I mistakenly assumed was a priest and was whimsically using an Italian term of address... his compositions are as worthy as his opinions) (by which of course, I mean that I usually agree with him!)
Jesu Parvule, a Christmas motet. Two voices, Latin, in the style of Di Lassus, by Georg Bagan, very nice indeed, I think I will definitely be using this with the Scola Scelati, transposed up a fourth.
The piece I am most looking forward to trying with my choir, (although we already have the Stainer setting of the text firmly in our repertoire,)is God So Loved the World by Kile Smith, hauntingly beautiful, really effective for its simplicity.
And finally, the exquisite Lux Aeterna by David Adam Smith, simply and utterly gorgeous. Not sure I could ever sing it without weeping.
Oh! And kinda along the same lines, two EXCELLENT hymn texts by the new Ephrem over at Hymnography Unbound. Well done, Kathy (the one person who was EXACTLY what I expected from her online "voice.").

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