SSAA

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

March 15, 2019 by Shelbie L. Wahl-Fouts 1 Comment

#45: Friday, March 15, 2019

“Wild Embers” by Melissa Dunphy
Text by Nikita Gill
SSAA, a cappella

I met Melissa at the Composer’s Fair during the recent ACDA national conference in Kansas City. On the hunt for new women’s/treble music, I especially wanted something that would speak to the singers in my choir. When I walked up to her table, I knew I’d found the right place. She had a number of works for SSAA ensembles, and every one of them had a purposefully-chosen poetic text that rose off the page along with the music. Her work had life and energy and feisty passion, and I wanted to program it all! Besides being an award-winning composer, Melissa herself is an amazing soul, and is the embodiment of the creative artist I want my students to know exists as a role model. Among her works, “Wild Embers” is at the top of my list for a future performance.

The text for Melissa’s piece is by British-Indian author Nikita Gill. She is often labeled an “Instapoet” for her fame as a writer among the social media crowd, but her poetry has far more substance than the name may imply.

Wild Embers
We are the descendants
of the wild women you forgot.
We are the stories you thought
would never be taught.
They should have checked the ashes
of the women they burned alive.
Because it takes a single wild ember
to bring a whole wildfire to life.
–Nikita Gill

I read the poem on the front cover of Dunphy’s score, and was instantly drawn to the imagery. There is a power and a presence in the text that I know my singers will grab on to – a story to be told that is very real and vital to them.

Thinking in the future tense, I can see this selection being the contextual centerpiece for a choir’s tour or festival set, or for a thematic concert. You could focus a whole set on Fire: both the literal flame and the metaphorical passion/strength/energy. I got going on this idea after looking at “Wild Embers,” and now I’m hooked. You know that feeling once you go down the rabbit-hole of programming…an idea sparks, you run with it, which takes you to another idea and another concert, and so on. I’m already making a list of other possible companion pieces and can’t wait to see what this future concert set becomes.

Dunphy’s musical setting is a nice balance between difficult and accessible. The piece is SSAA, unaccompanied, in 3/2. At certain places in the music, there are four separate musical or rhythmic ideas happening. So, the piece is truly SSAA in areas and may be challenging for groups that struggle with part independence. However, there are also places which are S1+S2 and A1+A2 (two-part with harmony), or homophonic, or unison.

The piece does includes some tight dissonances, voice crossings, and a few tricky rhythms in 3/2 (including borrowed figures). However, with practice, these are all within the grasp of most ensembles.

The nature of Dunphy’s composition emphasizes Gill’s story, beginning with the pp “Shh” that opens the piece. The “shushes” come back at varying points throughout, as if they are the wild ember bringing the fire to life. Dunphy’s opening motives build to a ff melismatic point at “Wild wild women,” and adjust the tonality with added flats. After the ff dissipates back to p, the “ssh” returns, along with a single stomp and thigh clap at the beginning of each measure. This very simple, very clean body percussion brings a rhythmic cohesion and drive to the piece, but doesn’t add additional tonal complexity or visual distraction. Another p ff pp progression happens near the end of the piece, as the wildfire builds and generates energy, then dissipates into a final “ssh.”

I was pleased to meet Melissa and her music at the Composer’s Fair, and I hope many other similarly serendipitous meetings happened with other composers and conductors. Her work has energized me as a conductor, and I look forward to approaching this music and the text with my students next year, as we prepare for a concert set yet to come.

Title:	Wild Embers
Composer:	Melissa Dunphy
Date of Composition:	2017
Author:	Nikita Gill
Date of Text:	2017
Subject(s), Genre:	Women’s history, fire, strength, passion
Language:	English
Listed Voicing:	SSAA
Voicing Details:	SSAA
Ranges:	S1: C4-Ab5 S2: C4-E5 A1: C4-D5 A2: G3-D5
Accompaniment:	A cappella
Duration:	~3:30
Tempo:	Moderato, MM=52
Commissioning Ensemble:	Acalanes High School Bella Voce; Bruce Lengacher, director
Publisher:	Mormolyke Press (mormolyke.com)

Further descriptions and details, including program notes, audio, perusal score, and purchasing:
http://www.melissadunphy.com/about.php
http://www.melissadunphy.com/composition.php?id=7

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.

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

February 1, 2019 by Shelbie L. Wahl-Fouts Leave a Comment

#42: Friday, February 1, 2019

“An Oiche” (The Night) by Michael McGlynn
Text: Traditional Irish
SSAA, a cappella

Greetings from Ireland! The Hollins Choirs are just returning from Ireland, and I wanted to share our experience with “An Oiche,” by Michael McGlynn.

On the trip, we were based in Dublin, Galway, and Limerick, with day-trips to other locations and performances. Our tour coordinator (shout out to Lauren at Music Contact International!) had set up a workshop for us in Dublin with the educational coordinator from the vocal group Anúna. Before preparing for the tour, I had heard of Anúna and had listened to them, but wasn’t well-acquainted with their full repertoire. When their educational director, Lucy Champion, reached out to prep for the workshop, I made a point to choose a piece from Anúna’s catalog to add to our tour folder.

“ANÚNA is Ireland’s flagship a cappella vocal ensemble representing the beauty of Irish musical heritage and literature all over the world. In 1987, Irish composer Michael McGlynn founded the choir in an effort to create a physical voice for his compositions, some of which are strongly influenced by the history and mythology of his homeland.
(from ensemble’s website, http://www.anuna.ie/ )

Composer Michael McGlynn, founder of Anúna, has written and arranged an extensive catalog of music, for a variety of voicings and instruments.

“Born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1964, Michael came late to choral music, singing in his first choir at the age of nineteen. Despite the rich and sophisticated musical forms that lie at the centre of Irish traditional music, choral music does not exist as part of that tradition. His love of traditional song and the literary culture of his homeland led him to create the choral ensemble ANÚNA in 1987 as both a vehicle for his compositions and a unique choral form for Ireland.”
(from composer’s website, http://www.michaelmcglynn.com/ )

For more detail about Michael and his compositions, see these excellent resources, taken from the composer’s website:

· Doctoral dissertation at the University of Miami, Florida “The Choral Music of Irish Composer Michael McGlynn” (Dr. Stacie Rossow) available to download from their site in PDF format HERE.

· Dissertation at the University of Louisiana entitled “An Overview of the Choral Music of Michael McGlynn with a Conductor’s Preparatory Guide to His Celtic Mass” (Dr. Karen Marrolli) is available to download from HERE.

For my students, I wanted their first foray into Irish to be successful, which meant choosing a piece from Michael’s repertoire that was slow enough for them to catch the text of a language that was unfamiliar to them. I ended up going with “An Oiche,” a lilting 6/8 piece in SSAA, with S1 melody. It’s a beautiful selection, and one well worth the time. (We did it a step down, which fell better for the S1s).

You can hear Anúna’s performance of the song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXS4XVEAtoA

Pitches can be learned primarily on solfege or through rote patterns. Rhythms are standard for compound time, with nothing out of the ordinary. In rehearsal, I was able to send S2/A1/A2 off to sectionals run by student leaders, while I worked with the S1 melody line. With the full group, I focused on the ebb and flow of dynamics, to give the work shape and life.

The sheet music for this and other selections by Michael can be found on his website. Pieces come with IPA transcriptions, translations, and often an mp3 of the pronunciation as well. This was invaluable to me in rehearsal. The text is a traditional Irish story of relationships and love.

What made this piece such a success was how it permeated the ensemble. Wherever we happened to be, during our pre-tour preparation, the melody would inevitably start floating up from the group. Someone was always humming a phrase here or a line there.

When we had our workshop with Lucy, Anúna’s educational coordinator and long-time member, the work she did with us was amazing. Anúna performs conductor-less, so much of her workshop was about my students finding the pulse within themselves and taking responsibility for the beat/forward motion/precise entrances. We have worked on those things on our own, but sometimes hearing it from someone else is what it takes to make them real.

Within the workshop, we also spent time with another member of Anúna, polishing our Irish. A few points that IPA doesn’t convey well:

Ts are dental, not hard
The vowels are more similar in mouth shape, and generally brighter, than you might think – try not to separate a / e / i / o / u as much as in Western classical music.

There were other subtleties to the text as well, and I would spend some quality time with the mp3 to discern those intricacies.

If the song floated mysteriously from my group before the workshop, now it was ever present. So much so that the next day when we stopped at Corcomroe Abbey in County Claire, my students spontaneously broke into the song while exploring the ruins of the 13^th century monastery. It was organic and haunting and magical to hear the harmonies drifting across the stones. I wish your singers the same beauty and joy with the piece as mine have!

Corcomroe Abbey. With a few seconds of "An Oiche" by Michael McGlynn.
Posted by Hollins University Choirs on Monday, January 28, 2019

Title:	An Oiche (The Night)
Composer:	Michael McGlynn http://www.michaelmcglynn.com/
Date of Composition:	1999
Text Source:	Traditional Irish
Subject(s), Genre:	Love, relationships, belonging
Language:	Irish
Listed Voicing:	SSAA
Voicing Details:	S1 melody plus S2/A1/A2
Ranges:	(as written, in Bb) S1: F4-F5 S2: Eb4-F5 A1: C4-Eb5 A2: Gb3-Gb4
Accompaniment:	A cappella
Duration:	~4:00
Tempo:	40 “Flexibly and with phrasing”

Further descriptions and details, including program notes, audio, perusal score, and purchasing:
https://store.michaelmcglynn.com/Sheet-Music/Detail/AnOiche

Until next week!
-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.

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

January 4, 2019 by Shelbie L. Wahl-Fouts Leave a Comment

#40: Friday, January 4, 2019

“Sweet Radiant Mystery” by Catherine Dalton
Four-part equal voices, piano or handbells

From a teaching perspective, this one should be a quick read, even for less experienced ensembles. In general, the piece is an extended round, with minimal complications, suitable for a number of concert themes and pedagogical uses. It is so much more than “just” a round though. There is beauty found between the notes, and within each overlapping imitation. Savoring these moments creates a contemplative cloud that envelops the singer and the audience alike.

Catherine Dalton, composer
Photo credit: Rick Spaulding; catherinedalton.net

To begin, there are essentially 28 measures of material to learn initially. The main melody (those 28 mm) is presented first in unison across all four voice parts. Then that melody is imitated across all four voices. Each voice part sings the same material, now in canon.

The learning process can be hastened by rehearsing each section in unison first, and then breaking up into imitative subsets. One caveat with the imitation is that the overlap of the round changes by phrase – sometimes it is one measure offset while other times is two, or none (i.e. all in unison). This aspect is worth noting specifically for your singers, so they don’t expect all the imitative entrances to be the same amount of time/pitch apart.

The work has no key signature given, but the voice parts can be read as if in d (natural) minor. This is great chance for la-minor solfege! Its rhythms are all half notes and quarter notes, along with some ties, and so can be sight-read. All in all, the piece will likely not be difficult to learn.

The beauty of this work, though, comes not from its difficulty, but from its spare nature and clarity. The interest lies in the breaths between phrases and the space – vocally, metaphorically, and otherwise – created in the moment. The piece will not take a great deal of rehearsal time to learn, but it provides ample opportunity for the growth of your ensemble through phrasing, breathing, and word stress. The intentionality found in each note, each phrase, each lift, can be stunning.

The accompaniment is a four-measure pattern which repeats continually until the end of the song. It is intended to be played on piano or handbells. If using piano, the chords should be approached with bell-like clarity. Another option might be educational hand chimes, if you wanted the ensemble to accompany themselves, but that might take away from the meditative nature for the singers. If the performance goal is to involve other ensembles/departments, you might be able to use a small combination of Orff instruments, marimba, or vibes as well, but that likely depends on the resonance of your space and your instruments. The goal is to use something that will strike clearly and continue sounding until dampened.

Programmed frequently by Unitarian Universalist churches and community organizations, this work is also quite appropriate for school and university groups. The lyrics are not overtly religious nor tied to a specific belief structure, but neither are they especially secular. Woven together with great care, the phrases foster a contemplative, meditative feeling. Thus, the text transcends the typical sacred/secular divisions of our usual choral repertoire.

I can see this piece being used in a number of thematic concerts, as well as a standalone work chosen for its pedagogical qualities (minor solfege, part independence through rounds, etc.). For my ensembles, we first approached the piece during a concert sequence dedicated to mindfulness, and then ultimately performed it during a winter holiday concert/service, when I needed a “feels-sacred-but-is-not-explicitly-Christmas” piece. We all have those type of programming needs, right?!

Ultimately, Catherine Dalton’s selection is readable and/or easily-teachable, with immense opportunity for reflective practice and shaping of musical moments. If done right, there is potential to shape hearts and minds as well.

Title:	Sweet Radiant Mystery
Composer:	Catherine Dalton http://www.catherinedalton.net
Date of Composition:	2008
Author:	Catherine Dalton
Language:	English
Listed Voicing:	Four equal voices
Voicing Details:	SSAA
Ranges:	All parts: C4-Bb4
Accompaniment:	Piano or handbells
Duration:	~4:30
Tempo:	Meditatively, Dotted half = 40 (Written in 3/4; should feel as if in 1)
Publisher:	Hickory Street Publishing

Further descriptions and details, including program notes, audio, perusal score, and purchasing:
http://www.catherinedalton.net/works/sweet-radiant-mystery

Until next week!
-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.

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

December 14, 2018 by Shelbie L. Wahl-Fouts Leave a Comment

#37: Friday, December 14, 2018

“Ardaigh Cuain,” arr. David Mooney
Traditional Irish words and melody
SSAA, harp (or piano)

In “Ardaigh Cuain,” David Mooney has arranged a traditional Irish text and melody into a lovely, lilting selection for women’s/treble choir and harp.

There are four verses to the Irish text, with a four-measure refrain. Set in compound time, most of the song is in 6/8, with one measure of each refrain in 9/8. I love the flowing nature of Mooney’s arrangement. It is slow and deliberate, but never sluggish. The melody gently tumbles from one measure to the next, cascading as if a waterfall.

Verses 1 and 4 are both in unison, with arpeggiated chords from the harp underneath. These verses bookend the song, giving it a rounded form. If looking for solo opportunities, one or both verses could be a solo or small group, with the full ensemble entering for the refrain. This can also cut down on the amount of text to learn as a full choir, if you are pressed for time. However, tutti unison with treble voices can have such a haunting quality when done well; I would encourage full-choir unison on both verses. Unison singing provides the opportunity to refine the tone and blend of an ensemble, no matter the level.

The main section of Verse 2 is a 3-part canon on the melody. Soprano 1 enters first, with Soprano 2 and Alto each half a measure behind. Because this section is a direct presentation of the melody from Verses 1 & 4, there is no new material to learn. The octavo here is marked as S1/S2/A1, as if the Alto 2s do not sing here. Despite the marking, an even 3-part SSA split would likely be best, as the voices need to be balanced. Another option would be to assign students from each voice part to each canon entrance, so that the timbre is as consistent as possible across each line.

For the four-measure refrain after Verse 2, the setting becomes SSAA. Texture is now homophonic, as opposed to the imitation of the preceding verse. The moment where the music coalesces from overlapping entrances to a strong chordal presence is entrancing. This is also the first place in the song where the alto voices sing in a lower tessitura than the general melody. Adding those few pitches below the staff expands the vertical stability of the harmonies. It feels weightier and more settled for those measures – a lovely contrast to the earlier unison and canon.

Verse 3 is melody plus harmonic “oohs.” There is a small amount of divisi within each ooh line, usually one additional chord tone here or there. In the score, the melody is written in the S1 line, while the harmony is written to be sung S2/A1/A2. For practical purposes though, the top harmony line is likely best suited to your lighter, more floaty S1 voices. One option is to read the score as S2/S1/A1/A2, which puts your S2s on the melody, and brings your S1s down to read the higher harmony. Another possibility is to make the melody line a solo or small group and distribute your ensemble as standard SSA. No matter how you conquer this verse, it is a lush harmonic framework that is designed to stand alone a cappella without the harp.

Because of the strophic nature of the verse and chorus, the learning of the pitches and rhythms for this piece can come together rather quickly. On one hand, the material can be taught by rote on a neutral syllable. Or, the repetition can be an excellent way to reinforce the reading of minor-key solfege and of subdivided rhythms in compound meter.

The harp accompaniment consists mainly of repeated patterns or block chords, with brief interludes of more complexity between the verses. It is likely accessible by a strong intermediate student. I previously programmed the work with the Ball State Women’s Chorus using a grand (pedal) harp, and now am hoping to introduce the selection to Hollins students next year and utilize our folk (lever) harp. If a harpist is not available, the part can be played on keyboard or piano.

The most difficult aspect of teaching or learning this piece will be the language. Once it is learned, it flows beautifully. However, for English-speaking singers, even those who have studied Italian, French, or Spanish, reading the Irish text can be a challenge. Especially with the vowels, what you see is not necessarily what you get.

I will be honest – I initially came across this piece as a first-semester master’s student, leafing through boxes of repertoire at a conference booth. It sat in my “to program” stack for a bit, because I wasn’t confident I could teach the Irish text correctly. Once I had more experience under my belt teaching languages though, I jumped at the chance to program it. Thankfully, this edition has an IPA transcription at the front of the music, as well as a phonetic transliteration in the score. With these two tools, and frequent reference to recordings made by the composer and native Irish performers, accurate pronunciation can be easily within reach.

This arrangement is an elegant setting of a traditional Irish melody and text. Along with other selections in Mooney’s Irish Choral Series, this piece provides a beautiful glimpse into Irish musical heritage and tradition. It is a quality addition to any program and a beautiful lyrical selection for your ensemble.

Title:	Ardaigh Cuain
Music Source:	Traditional Irish
Arranger:	David Mooney
Date of Arrangement:	2000/2002
Text Source:	Traditional Irish
Subject(s), Genre:	Longing, home
Language:	Irish
Listed Voicing:	SSAA
Voicing Details:	Unison, SSA, SSA div, SSAA
Ranges:	(assuming solo/small group, with SSA oohs, on Verse 3) S1: D4-G5 S2: D4-F5 A1: Bb3-F5 A2: G3-F5
Accompaniment:	Harp (or piano/keyboard)
Duration:	~4:30
Tempo:	MM=40 (Dotted half)
Series:	David Mooney Irish Choral Series https://www.canticledistributing.com/choral.html?choral_series=16475
Publisher:	ECS Publishing / Canticle Distributing

Further descriptions and details, including program notes, audio, perusal score, and purchasing:
https://www.canticledistributing.com/ardaigh-cuain.html

Until next week!
-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.

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

December 7, 2018 by Shelbie L. Wahl-Fouts Leave a Comment

#36: Friday, December 07, 2018

“Hail, Christmas Day” by Abbie Burt Betinis
Text by John Harris Burt
SSAA, a cappella

“Hail, Christmas Day!” from Abbie Betinis is an earworm in the best sense of the word. More than once I found myself, and my singers, bouncing down the hallway to the opening melody. The tune is hummable and catchy, and sticks with you quickly. It is a spry combination of mixed asymmetrical meters, and certain to keep your singers on their toes. If you are looking for an uptempo, cheerful addition to your holiday concert, you’ve found it!

Abbie Betinis composes a new Christmas carol every year, following in the long-standing tradition begun by her great-grandfather, Rev. Bates Burt. For more information on the family history of carols and Christmas cards, please visit: http://www.abbiebetinis.com/writings_burtcarols.html. This joyful carol features music by Abbie, with text by her grandfather John Harris Burt from 1953.

In Abbie’s musical setting, the mixed meters feature strongly, alternating between a measure of 7/8 and 9/8. The 9/8 is always divided up into 2+2+2+3, while the 7/8 comes up as 2+2+3 or 3+2+2, depending on its position in the phrase. We started the rehearsal process by dissecting each of these, learning how to count them and how to conduct them, and how to discern between the variants of 7/8. There were many rehearsal moments spent writing-in and chanting 1-2-3-1-2-1-2; 1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-3, etc.

During the initial learning phrase of rehearsals, the constantly-changing meter signatures presented an obstacle for my singers but, after repetition, it became second nature. Encouraging singers to physicalize the meter through conducting helped as well, as it emphasized the asymmetrical aspect. My singers were always asked to conduct through the piece as they were rehearsing it.

The work is straightforward in form – four verses, each beginning in English and finishing in Latin. The first and second verses are in unison, with added octaves at the end of the second verse. While you may feel that singing in unison might not present enough of a challenge for your singers, or enough interest for your audience, I encourage you to set aside that notion here. The unison melody line is full of mixed and asymmetrical meters, phrasing over the barline, accents, and large jumps, all of which creates a lovely sense of urgency and energy.

Verse three begins with the melody in the Soprano 2 (or a solo), and harmonic Oohs/Aahs in the outer voices. There is some divisi in the outer voices, but not much; it reads like SSA with a bit of divisi. The meter can be a little tricky here for the voice parts with the longer harmony notes – it is more difficult to feel the pulse when you have half-notes, as opposed to quarter notes and eighth notes.

Having the melody line do the chant-counting while the harmony parts rehearsed was helpful, as was reminding singers to always keep the pulse physically connected in their body (tap, patsch, clap, step, snap, conduct, etc.). The second half of verse three engages all voice parts in the text, now with contrary motion and added harmonies. This is the first time that the dynamic forte has appeared thus far in the piece, and the build up to it is a great moment.

The fourth verse is a round in three parts. While the earlier unison verses solidify the metric and tonal patterns for the choir, this verse is all about part independence. I loved the first time rehearsing this verse, watching singers concentrate so strongly to keep the asymmetrical meters lined up together. After completing the fourth verse, there is a final coda to wrap-up the work.

The energy and drive in this piece is palpable. If you need a fast and buoyant selection to compliment the rest of your holiday program, look no further. Just know – you will find yourself humming it for weeks to come!

Title:	Hail, Christmas Day!
Composer:	Abbie Burt Betinis
Date of Composition:	2003 (rev 2010)
Author:	Rev. John Harris Burt
Date of Text:	1953
Subject(s), Genre:	Christmas, sacred, holiday, winter, joy
Language:	English and Latin
Listed Voicing:	SSAA
Voicing Details:	SSAA (unison, 2-part, SSA, and SSAA)
Ranges:	S1: D4-F#5 S2: D4-F5 A1: G3-F5 A2: G3-F5
Accompaniment:	a cappella
Duration:	~2:00
Tempo:	144-160, Joyfully!
Premiering Ensemble:	Pike Kor, Luther College, Sandra Peter, conductor
Series:	The Burt Family Christmas Carols
Publisher:	Abbie Betinis Music www.abbiebetinis.com

Further descriptions and details, including program notes, audio, perusal score, and purchasing:
http://www.abbiebetinis.com/works/hail_christmas_day.html

Until next week!
-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.

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

November 30, 2018 by Shelbie L. Wahl-Fouts Leave a Comment

#35: Friday, November 30, 2018

“Ad Amore” by Lee R. Kesselman
Text by Dante Alighieri
SSAA, unpitched bells

This piece clocks in under 2 minutes, but it hits the ground running and keeps your attention the whole way. Festive fanfare rhythms, close harmonies, and lively unpitched bells, coupled with Dante’s spirited text, make “Ad Amore” an excellent choice for the opening of your next concert sequence.

The song begins with a roll of bells. In the score’s notes, the composer mentions that these should be unpitched bells, such as triangles and other metal objects of varying sizes, as opposed to orchestra bells or handbells. The goal is to create a cacophonous sound like pealing church bells or a call to attention.

When I first programmed this piece for an honor choir, we raided the band room of the school where we were rehearsing (with permission!), and grabbed just about every cymbal, triangle, cowbell, crotale,and metal object that we could get our hands on. The sound needs to be stopped and started on cue, so windchimes and the like are not a great choice. Singers loved the chance to add an extra layer to their own music making.

Once the bells have demanded the audience’s attention, the energy immediately continues with forte, marcato, and accented seconds and fourths from the voices. The intensity is palpable, and remains so for the next 1min 40sec.

Because it does not require piano accompaniment, the selection can be performed from a variety of locations or configurations within your concert space. In addition to an on-the-risers traditional start, I’ve also had success performing this piece as a flash-mob-style opener, where singers enter unassumingly from all different areas of the performing space and then ring their bells with abandon, usually startling the audience! Performing in the round can work well, provided you have enough singers to surround the space without feeling spread too thin.

Kesselman chose to use text from the early 14^th century, by Italian poet Dante Alighieri:

Quello infinito
e ineffabil bene
chè là suè, così
corre ad amore
com’ a lucido corpo
raggio vene
—Purgatorio,Canto XV, lines 67-69

That Goodness, infinite and ineffable,
Which is above, runs to Love,
As light comes to polished bodies. [translation by the composer]

My singers definitely enjoyed working with an Italian text in choir. Often, they sing Italian in their solo voice work, but less frequently in a choral setting. There are some specific Italianate sounds that occasionally stymie a large choir – double Ls, double Gs, the [e] vowel, dental Ts vs hard Ts, etc. – but the IPA transcription included in the score can help significantly with those questions.

Kesselman’s musical setting is active and animated, and accessible to choirs of all sizes. I’ve performed this with both a curricular choir of twelve and a festival choir of 85. Ranges are limited, and the majority of the selection is homophonic. There are a few measures of divisi, but these are limited to an added second or third within the chord cluster.

One technical point to prepare for is the octave drop used in the Alto 2 line. Their part often jumps from A4 to A3 on the same vowel. The tendency will be to fall into this drop with added weight and volume. This can be a great place to reinforce good vocal technique for all singers, with vocalises and warmups that focus on descending an octave without adding heft.

Some rhythms may be challenging on first read (borrowed triplets, sixteenths with ties), but as all voice parts perform these rhythms, they will come together quickly. The composer’s use of tight intervals between voices adds energy and drive through the dissonance. Much movement is stepwise though, so the intervals are not difficult to find.

The aspect that interested my singers the most, I think, was the wide range of dynamics used in the 28 measures of music – including a drop from ff to pp in just one measure’s time. There are also opportunities for rubato shifts to the tempo, and moments to savor the diction.

As much of the piece is accented and marcato, the few legato measures provide a dramatic contrast. In particular, there is a four-bar sequence of staggered entrances in 5/8, which is the first legato, the first non-homophonic phrase, and the first asymmetrical meter. It culminates in all four voices being only major seconds apart from each other.

Frequently, up-tempo, energetic selections can be difficult to find for women’s/treble chorus (they do exist!…just fewer and farther between than TTBB or SATB ensembles.) And those that are out there are often meatier closers, or pieces more suited for the middle of a set. This crunchy, driving work by Lee Kesselman can serve as a wonderful opening focus-point, giving your concert just the right start.

Title:	Ad Amore
Composer:	Lee R. Kesselman http://kesselmanpress.com/
Date of Composition:	2011
Text Source:	Purgatorio, Canta XV, lines 67-69
Author:	Dante Alighieri
Date of Text:	14^th Century
Subject(s), Genre:	Life, journeys, love
Language:	Italian
Listed Voicing:	SSAA
Voicing Details:	SSAA w minimal divisi
Ranges:	S1: E4-A5 S2: E4-E5 A1: E4-D5 A2: A3-C#5
Accompaniment:	Unpitched bells (triangles, crotales, metal-on-metal)
Duration:	~1:40
Tempo:	Maestoso, =66
Commissioning Ensemble:	Allegro Community Children’s Choir for Allegro Con Brio, Christy Elsner, director
Series:	CME in High Voice by Doreen Rao, edited by Sandra Snow
Publisher:	Boosey & Hawkes

Further descriptions and details, including program notes, audio, perusal score, and purchasing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btwR25Gjcoc (Georgia GMEA All-State 2012 SSAA)

Until next week!
-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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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