Kim: "Our Father" for Acapella SATB Choir

When I began writing this piece, my main goal was to further experiment with the unique voice-leading and textures possible with choir writing. Since I wanted to devote my full attention to those ideas, I wanted to set an existing text rather than writing my own lyrics. I was heavily influenced by Josquin des Prez's "Ave Maria, Virgo Serena" use of texture to illustrate a liturgical text and wanted to try my hand at something similar. The "Our Father" was my first choice as the text offered numerous possibilities of tone painting and interesting combination of voices.
Though I wrote the music by following each line of the text, a natural form began to emerge for the overall composition. The piece can be viewed as a loose ternary form, sharing some minor resemblances with sonata form. However, the piece lacks the tonal changes usually found in the second subject and has a reversed recapitulation (starting with the second subject and then going backwards). I've provided labels for both interpretations in my analysis.
"A"/Exposition (0:00-1:24)
-0:00 (T1) In the setting of the opening line, I have emphasized the word "our" rather than the more correct first syllable of "Father." To me, this better emulates the way the prayer is usually spoken. Texturally, the music is in a simple fugato, emphasizing each individual voice's longing for heaven. The main motive of the piece (T1) is a quotation from the 8-voice fugue subject found in Alkan's "Quasi Faust" movement in the Grande Sonata "Les quatre âges," where it represents a divine apotheosis.
-0:43 (TR) Here, I wanted to provide a dynamic and harmonic contrast. The sound of open fifths provides both a new harmonic color while also evoking the practice of organum in older liturgical music. Due to their position in the overtone series, fifths are also remarkable resonant and create a very grounded sound in a choir.
-0:50 (T2) For this section, I use an chromatic ascending fifth, a common cliche I've encountered in jazz-influenced music ("Losing My Mind" by Stephen Sondheim and "Brazil by Ary Barroso"). The movement of the fifth in the Ab major chord, creates a series of interesting passing chords: Ab+, Fmin/Ab, and Ab7. Because of it remains in Ab, this section does not quite fit into sonata form.
"B"/Development (1:24-4:03)
-1:27 As the altos are the most frequently neglected voice part in the choir (tenors are a close second), I wanted to give them a moment shine. Here, I develop T1 as a call-and-response figure between the altos and the rest of the choir. In order to return the altos to their normal configuration below the sopranos, I use a voice crossing to smooth over the transition and keep each part's line.
-2:21 To illustrate the line "give us this day our daily bread," I set the text to a derivation of T1 in double canon. The basses lead with the tenors following a fifth above which is copied in the altos and sopranos.
-3:08 I introduce a new homophonic texture in F minor to emphasize the universal prayer for forgiveness. Throughout this section, I add a soprano descant to increase the emotion and a low bass split to introduce the next line of text. The music reaches its climax on a diminished 7th chord with the added words "Oh Lord."
-3:51 After emphasizing "forgive us," this section emphasizes "forgive them," emphasizing the dominant of F minor. Suspensions in the upper two voices create tension which carries into a high C in the soprano part.
"A"/Recapitulation (4:03-6:22)
-4:03 (T2) Here, two texts are overlayed: the original text from T2 and the next line of the prayer. The original melody from T2 is reharmonized in the tenors and basses while a new melody in the sopranos and altos continues the text. The counterpoint between the two melodies and texts combines the meaning of the two texts into one idea: that salvation from temptation is a result of God's "hallowed name."
-4:32 (TR) The open fifths again return, this time in a six-part split. On the word "evil," the choir lands on an uneasy Ab+ chord. The music then builds to a large half cadence on V of Ab major, leading into a large pause.
4:57 (T1) Now the opening material reappears in a six-part double fugato. The opening motive is now accompanied by a new countermelody whenever it appears. Here, I wanted to try experimenting with a texture of pure sound and movement. While the words are important, it is less important in this texture for them to be intelligible. The effect should be one of submersion in a constantly moving stream of counterpoint.
6:00 (Coda) After the music winds down to a cadence in F minor, the open fifths figure reappears one last time, cleansing the thick texture of the last section. A very simple melisma on an "Amen" leads to a very traditional cadence in Ab major.
If you enjoy my work, please share it with others.
Audio made using MuseScore Studio playback. (Strings were used for clarity since the vocal sound font is a bit muddy.)
#choral #acapella #composition

[@savethesalamanders6967]

It's so beautiful the way the tones are layered