Product Description
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Canzona alla terza "Verbum supernum prodiens" was composed late one night after I was
inspired by the chant melody as found in the Hymnal 1982, hymn 63. Rather than compose on the computer as I
usually do, I wrote by hand as I determined the best four-part canonic
treatment for each of the phrases of the chant. Composing this was akin to
assembling a puzzle, both in mindset ("this note fits best here") and addictive
quality ("need to finish this now!"). Originally conceived as a short organ
piece, I quickly chose to add the English text from the Hymnal 1982 then text directly from the Liber Usualis, a Catholic book of Gregorian chants commonly used
until the reforms of the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II).
This
piece is similar in style to an Italian Renaissance canzona or early German Baroque kanon.
It should be performed with performance practice of those eras in mind,
including lifts after dotted notes, metric accents, and minimal vibrato,
especially at cadences. It may be performed in alternatum with one of the
choral versions (SATB English, SATB Latin, SSA/TTB Latin, or SSA/TTB English)
or with a soloist(s) on the chant or as an organ solo. I have provided the
first line of chant below and all six verses in Latin with translations on the
next page.
The SSA Latin version was adapted from the original SATB version for the
women of the Hillcrest High School choral program under the direction of Dr.
Khristi Motley in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It reduces the original four-voice setting
to three voices without sacrificing any canonic entrances. Either the two-staff
or single-staff version may be performed by solo organ. In the single-staff
version, stem direction decisions were made primarily for readability, not to
show voice leading. Refer to the four-part, two-staff version for voice leading
questions.
Also available as SSA/TTB in Latin or English. SATB Latin/English versions coming soon!
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.