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One from the Folder: Repertoire Thoughts for Women’s/Treble Choirs

October 26, 2018 by Shelbie L. Wahl-Fouts Leave a Comment

One from the Folder: Repertoire Thoughts for Women’s/Treble Choirs

By Shelbie L. Wahl-Fouts

#32: Friday, October 26, 2018

“The Road Not Taken” by Michael Bussewitz-Quarm
Text by Robert Frost

SAA, piano

Decisions. Choices. Possibilities. Self-doubt. Hindsight. Individualism. Rationalization. Robert Frost’s iconic poem delves into these ideas and more. This spirited choral work by Michael Bussewitz-Quarm, “The Road Not Taken,” is a lively, lovely setting of Frost’s text, perfect for your women’s/treble choir.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
–Robert Frost, In “Mountain Interval” (1916)

The Frost poetry is a work familiar to many individuals, from a wide variety of ages and backgrounds. There is slight question as to whether the poem is straight-forward, or if it was written with some irony, poking fun at one of Frost’s friends for his perceived pattern of indecisiveness. Either way, there are plenty of resources available to assist in studying the text itself. Given the poem’s ubiquitous nature in popular culture, it can be a draw to both singers and audience. Choices and decisions, large and small, are the backbone of our human existence; they shape who we were, who we are, and where we are heading in the future.

From the start, rhythm, meter, and text drive this work. Bussewitz-Quarm’s composition opens with a springy piano introduction in compound meter – switching from 6/8 to 9/8 and back. Some later 6/8 measures have wandering styles – most feel compound-duple (1+a 2+a / ta-ki-du ta-ki-du), but there are occasional measures still barred as compound-duple but which feel slightly like simple-triple (1+2+3+, ta-di ta-di ta-di).

Adding to the metric energy are frequent 7/8 and 9/8 measures. These moments of irregular meter give levity and forward motion. They can be tricky to read the first time though, if your ensemble isn’t familiar with mixed-compound and asymmetrical meters. Make sure to plan some time in rehearsal for patsching the meter, chanting the rhythm, and agreeing on the breakdown of 2+2+3/3+2+2/2+3+2/etc.

The day I handed out the piece, I split the choir up into small groups, across sections. Each group was asked to decide how certain asymmetrical measures were divided. Once each group had come to a conclusion, they presented their decisions and supporting rationale to the class. This exercise helped involve the students in the thought process, and engaged them in understanding the metric aspects of the work.

Within these meters, the rhythms are almost exclusively quarters, eighths, and dotted quarters. So, once the meters are understood, the rhythms themselves are not difficult to coordinate.

At the opening, the vocal lines start in two parts. Voices begin in unison for one note, but quickly go their separate directions, just as Frost’s roads diverge in the woods. Everything is 2pt homophony for the first 2/3 of the song – with harmonic differences between the lines, but no rhythmic differences.

The first split into 3pt (SAA) occurs at m40. This SAA entrance is imitative for roughly two measures, with each voice part entering separately. This is the only imitative, non-homophonic phrase in the song: “Yet knowing how way leads onto way…” It is as if the singers are seeing the varying roads and choices available to them, fanning out in front of their view.

The texture then quickly returns to homophony, but now in 3pt harmony. When the “two roads” text returns, the divisi returns to 2pt as in the beginning. The song itself is listed as SAA, but, technically speaking, is in two parts for the majority of the work.

This piece is a great way to focus on mixed and asymmetrical meters. You can work on metric accuracy, without complex rhythms, polyphony, part independence, or heavy divisi. It is also a lovely choice to utilize for text clarity and diction. In terms of music literacy, the song is almost entirely within the key structure, so it can be easily connected to solfege and tonal systems.

If you have a “small-but-mighty” ensemble, this can also be a wonderful choice for that group. Since the divisi is mostly 2pt, the metric intricacies can be achieved quite well by a small ensemble with strong rhythmic understanding.

My own small-but-mighty group performed this in spring of 2018, and thoroughly enjoyed the energy and the unique style. They loved Michael’s setting, and Frost’s poem, and made a point to ask about other works by the same composer. That’s when I know I’ve made a real connection. (To that end, Michael has many commission consortiums coming up. Check them out on his website. I am hoping to participate in the SSAA Radium Girls project in 2019-2020!)

Title: The Road Not Taken
Composer: Michael Bussewitz-Quarm
https://mbqstudio.com/
Date of Composition: 2010
Author: Robert Frost, from “Mountain Interval”
Date of Text: 1916
Subject(s), Genre: Choice, decision-making, self-empowerment
Language: English
Listed Voicing: SAA
Voicing Details: Frequently 2-part, with some divisi into SAA
Ranges: S: F4-F5
A1: C4-C5
A2: G3-C5
Accompaniment: Piano
Duration: ~2:15
Tempo: 106, Lively
Publisher: MB Arts (https://mbqstudio.com/) MB1014-4RSA1-OV
Further descriptions and details, including program notes, audio, perusal score, and purchasing:
https://mbqstudio.com/the-road-not-taken/ https://www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/89511/robert-frost-the-road-not-taken

Until next week!
-Shelbie Wahl-Fouts


Dr. Shelbie Wahl-Fouts is associate professor of music, Director of Choral Activities, and music department chair at Hollins University, a women’s college in Roanoke, Virginia.
Email:
Bio:     https://www.hollins.edu/directory/shelbie-wahl-fouts/

For a listing of all current and past blog entries by this author, click here.
For a spreadsheet of all blog posts and their repertoire, click here.

Filed Under: One From the Folder, Treble Choirs, Women's Choirs Tagged With: Michael Bussewitz-Quarm, Robert Frost, SAA, The Road Not Taken, women's choir

One from the Folder: Weekly Repertoire Thoughts for Women’s/Treble Choirs

April 20, 2018 by Shelbie L. Wahl-Fouts Leave a Comment

Week 5: Friday, April 20, 2018

“Stepping Westward” by Libby Larsen
Text by Denise Levertov
SAA w div, oboe, handbells, marimba

“Stepping Westward,” composed in 1995, using text by author Denise Levertov from Poems 1960-1967, focuses on pioneer and frontierswomen from the Old West, sharing their tales of sacrifice, hardship, loss, joy, and independence. Larsen’s fascination with women’s views of the West continues from earlier works, such as “Settling Years,” “Songs from Letters,” and “Ghost of an Old Ceremony.” Each of these works studied various aspects of the physical and emotional conditions of women during the westward movement across the American frontier. Larsen once again brings women to the forefront of her composing, dedicating conscious time and effort into the creating of works honoring the women that paved the way in the new frontier of the West. The voices, along with marimba, oboe, and handbells, tell the story of strong West-bound women through their own perspectives, emphasizing the individuality and humanness of the women.

In this work, the opening text is set in the soprano voice, fairly subdued as well as limited in range, with the alto voices, marimba, and handbells providing an almost hypnotic, harmonic support. This changes at m26, when the ostinato ends and all three voices share the text “If woman is inconstant, good.” Larsen goes on to repeat the word “good” a second time and sets both as homophonic accented notes, as if to say Good…Great! The second “good” is also the first time we hear the sopranos move beyond their previously limited range. These compositional adjustments to range, texture, and dynamics positively support the notion of woman as a changing creature, able to adapt to her surroundings as she pleases, instead of keeping within the confines of a pre-established stereotype.

Larsen next supplants the perception of women through compositional changes in tonality. The work is generally in an A major space, though the diatonic triad in that key is rarely sung as a unit. Larsen’s first departure from the amorphous tonality is heard in m116-119, when F major makes a distinct, root position appearance. In this short section, Larsen emphasizes the difference between “glad to be…what?…woman” and “glad to be…who?…myself.” The former asks the question “what (am I)?,” putting the answer of woman on the same footing as an object, a thing. This answer is given as a hushed, subito piano. The latter question, the more personal of the two, “who (am I)?” is answered as myself, set as forte, complete with accents on both syllables in all voices. These changes in tonality and texture underscore the emphasis on women as a ‘who,’ as a person, rather than a ‘what,’ a possession or an object.

In terms of instrumental accompaniment, there is no piano line, though in rehearsal the accompanist could read handbells & marimba in the left hand, and oboe in the right. The oboe line is virtuosic – a strong player is needed. The handbell part works well with five ringers, and could be done by well-practiced students.

The vocal ranges for all parts are fairly concise. There are a brief few notes of soprano solo, and some divisi within the soprano melody line, but not much.

Rhythmically, there are two-against-three rhythms, but these are repetitive and easily grasped. No meter changes, but many tempo changes, based on the text. There are frequent close harmonies, but the motivic repetition of these harmonies eases learning. Some segments are imitative, which can be used in rehearsal to strengthen part independence among singers, without having an entire song which is imitative.

Title:Stepping Westward
Composer:Libby Larsen (www.libbylarsen.com)
Date of Composition:1995
Text Source/Author:Denise Levertov (1923-1997)
Date of Text:1960-1967
Subject(s):Women’s history, courage, perseverance, strength
Listed Voicing:SAA
Voicing Details:SAA, with occasional divisi in S
Ranges:S: D4-F#5
A1: A3-C#5
A2: A3-A4
Accompaniment:Oboe, handbells, marimba
Duration:~6:30
Tempo:120, with flexibility
Publisher:E.C. Schirmer
Further descriptions and details, including composer’s notes, audio, perusal score, and purchasing:

https://ecspublishing.com/choral/stepping-westward.html
https://libbylarsen.com/index.php?contentID=240&resourceID=1125 

Until next week!
-Shelbie Wahl-Fouts


Dr. Shelbie Wahl-Fouts is associate professor of music, Director of Choral Activities, and music department chair at Hollins University, a women’s college in Roanoke, Virginia.

Email: Bio:     https://www.hollins.edu/directory/shelbie-wahl-fouts/

For a listing of all current and past blog entries by this author, click here.
For a spreadsheet of all blog posts and their repertoire, click here.

Some source material for this week’s blog post was taken from my doctoral dissertation, “By Women, For Women: Choral Works for Women’s Voices Composed and Texted by Women.”  https://tinyurl.com/ydeyuyk8

Filed Under: One From the Folder, Treble Choirs, Women's Choirs Tagged With: Denise Levertov, Libby Larsen, SAA, SSA, treble choir, west, Women's Chorus, women's history

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