Friday, August 21, 2009

I've started over.

Yes. Longtime readers will remeber how I used to gloat about that SATB mass setting with difficult organ accompaniment that I was writing. Well, I've scrapped it. I don't like it, it's rather trite, modern and not my style. I got all the way to the end of the gloria and started the sanctus before I quit it. I think I'll keep the agnus dei for another setting in the classical style, something I'll write in the future.
For now, I'm doing something in my own style. It's unaccompanied polyphony. Think early 15th century polyphony with some modern influences from late Vierne, Durufle and Langlais. Because I don't have much access to any kind of keyboard instrument, It's going to be very slow work. I spent my whole hour and 15 minutes of organ practice this Wednesday beginning it, and I only got the first part of the Kyrie done. Luckily, I came up with the Sanctus many months ago, some time last year, but never wrote it down. Also, the setting is a setting og the forthcoming English translation, it's not a Latin mass setting. There's plenty of great liturgical music in Latin, but at least for Roman Catholics, not much good music in English.
After it's done, I have plans to write some settings based on gregorian chants. (If I can manage it!)

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