I have completed setting the first Native American saying and I am ready to move on to the second saying. I will begin my discussion at measure 14. The setting of the text here is like sung speech. I fill the silences between the text first with tom-toms then with a flute motif added. The flute motif varies each time as I try to recap the previous harmony while setting up the new harmony using the five note arpeggiated idea. At measure 20, the voices become more lyrical as they sing the title line. I repeat the first phrase three times leading to a F climax. The harmony is interesting in this section. It starts out triadic with moving parts in the inner voices and as it reaches toward the climax, the harmony is in fourths. This produces both a rich sound and an openness that suggests nature. After the climax, the harmony becomes more triadic. I was very careful with voice leading in this section as it is not clearly in one tonality. The tom-toms and rattle add color and keep the section moving forward. At measure 26, the flute and percussion both recapitulate part of the introduction and also transitions to the more ethereal setting of the second saying. Since the choir ended in Bb minor, returning the flute to the G minor tonality was a little too abrupt. I solved that problem by turning the G double dotted quarter note into a appogiatura G quarter note that resolves to F. This ideas is used again in measure 29 to help set up the new tonal center when the choir enters at measure 30.
To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.net/walk_in_balance_and_beauty_blog.html
Dr. B
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