Sacred+Art+Music+-+Choral

=Sacred Art Music - Choral= - Elizabeth Johnson

Sacred Choral Music
 * Sacred music is created for holy divine worship. It's purpose is to glorify God.
 * Choir usually is formed from SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) but may also include SSAA (soprano 1,soprano 2, alto 1 and alto 2) or SSA (soprano 1, soprano 2 and alto 1)
 * Can be made up from an existing Hymn, latin words of spiritual meaning, or other lyrics made up by the composer.
 * Example of composers is: John Rutter, Zoltan Kodaly,
 * Scared Choral music is in many different forms such as; gospel, church choirs (otherwise known as chamber choirs) and various different community choirs that choose to sing a range of sacred songs.
 * The Latin Mass became one of the most important musical forms of the Renaissance. Hundreds of mass settings were written by composers during this time.
 * Sacred music is holy and has a sence of beauty.

Characteristics:
 * Unison
 * Harmony
 * Call and Response
 * Dynamic changes
 * Counter melodies
 * Legato

Song Analysis - Ave Maria, Zoltan Kodaly
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Duration:

 * Use of rests in first section creates silence
 * Time Signature: 2/4
 * Andante
 * 54 BPM
 * legato lines
 * combination of short and long notes
 * "Amen" sustained at the end
 * no anacruisis
 * simple time
 * rubato
 * some use of syncopation - not prominent in piece
 * section B - polyrhythm
 * ostinato "Ave Maria" in section A
 * ritardando at end of piece
 * some use of accents - not prominent in piece
 * rhythm is free in section A
 * rhythm is more strict in section

Pitch:

 * Counter Melodies
 * B flat major

Structure:

 * Binary form (section A and section B)

Texture:

 * Section A: thin texture
 * Section B: thicker texture
 * A capella

Tone Colour:

 * A capella

Dynamics and Expressive Techniques:

 * legato
 * Cresendo each time soprano 1 and 2 sing "Ave Maria" in section A
 * Decresendo at end

=Composition Reflection=

To create my composition, I used Sibelius. It is a choral piece made for Soprano 1, Soprano 2 and Alto. For the lyrics, I used traditional Latin text. To write my composition I began to write melodies and then writing the harmonies in the rest of the parts. After I initially wrote that, I then went back and changed the chords until I liked the sound of them. My composition is in five sections: The Kyrie, The Gloria, The Sanctus, The Benedictus and The Agnus Dei. For each section I wrote different melodies, but if a phrase was repeated I used the same melody for that phrase, and sometimes changing it. I like the majority of my composition especially the Sanctus section where the phrase "Sanctus" is repeated in sort of a round as well as the "Hosana in excelsis" part, I like the phrase and the sequence of notes. I also like the Benedictus to the end, the way all the parts become complicated and run into each other. I'm also happy with the ending. What I don't like about my composition was a few of my harmonies which I've tried many times to fix it but it never sits right musically. Eventually I've had to change whatever I didn't like to something very simple, like just a C major chord and leave it. I also don't like the very beginning but I didn't have time and I didn't really have any idea what else I could do. I also don't like the beginning of the Agnus Dei section, mostly because I had to rush it and I didn't have as much time to change the chords around and see what I liked and what I didn't like. I also don't like some of the ways the lyrics fit with the rhythm. I also don't like the fact that I didn't have time at the end to add more dynamic changes. What I would do differently next time is sit down and figure out all the chord progresions first and then write the melodies and harmony to fit those chords. It would be more efficient and easier to write. Especially as this has taken alot of time to write the way that I've done it. Overall I'm happy with my composition and the way it sounds.