CHORALANALYSIS

Title:SingMeToHeaven

Genre:Sacred

Composer/Arranger:JaneGriner/DanielE.GawtrhopAccompaniment:ACappella
Publisher:DunstanHouse
Voicing:

Octavo#:

SATB

Range:
SopranoAb4F#5
AltoAb4B5
TenorE3E4
BassA3B4
Tessitura:
SopranoB4C#5
AltoC4A5
TenorG3D4
BassC2G3
Text: English
Source:
Vocal&TechnicalDemands:(e.g.melodicandrhythmiccomplexity,phrasing,
endurance,diction,articulation,intonation,etc.)
Formostofthepiece,thealtosandthesopranosareeitherinunisonorthirdssothatwill
definitelyhelpwithintonation.Thepieceismostlystepwisewithnotalargeamountof
skipsandleaps.Therearealotofconsonantsinthispiecesodictionisveryimportantso
thatthechoircaneffectivelycommunicatethetexttotheaudience.

LiteratureDemands:(e.g.vocabulary,text,composerhistory)
Thetextisinenglishsothechoirshouldbeabletopronouncethewords.Thedemands
forthetextwouldbethewordsthatpeopleinthechoirmightnotuseonafrequentbasis.
Gettingthemtoknowwhatthosewordsmeanandhowtocorrectlypronouncethem.

ElementsforTeachingFocus:
MelodicElements:
ForthedifficultleapsandskipsinthepieceImustfocusinonthoseintervalsand
practicegoingbetweenthedifficultintervalsforeachsection.Thiswilltakealotof
practicetoworkonandgetthesepartsasclosetoperfectaspossible.
HarmonicElements:
Therearentmanyaccidentalsinthispiece.Harmonically,whatthechoirwillhaveto
workonisthekeychangeImmeasures78.Gettingthatkeychangeinthechoirsear
willgetthemeffectivelysingthenotesafterthekeychange.Maybeplayingitonthe
pianosotheycanheartheirpartsgoingthroughthekeychangeandhowtheysoundwith
theotherparts
RhythmicElements:
Therhythmsinthispiecearenottoohardtoread.Therhythmofonpartalwaysmatches
atleastoneotherpart,andformostofthepieceallofthepartsaresingingthesame
rhythm.OnepartIwouldhavechoirmarkintheirscoresisthemeterchangeinmeasure
15.Sincethismeterchangeisntinanobviousplaceinthemusic,whilelearningthis
piecethechoirhastobeattentivetothethemeterchange.Whenitgoesbacktothe3/4it
ismoreobliviousandeasiertoexecutethemeterchangebecausethemeasurebeforeit
onlyhaveaheldoutwholenote.
TimbreElements:
Whenteachingthispieceiwilltellthemthattheyneedtohavearoundsoundwhen
singingthispiece.iwouldtellthemtosingwitharoundedmouthsotheycanachieve
thissound.
StyleElements:
Thissongwouldnormalbesunginachurch.Thereforethesoundofthepieceshouldbe
lightandsungonastraighttonewithminimumvibrato.
TempoElements:
Thispiecedoeschangetempoquiteabitthereisaritardandoinmeasure11,andit
speedsupinmeasure19.Thenatmeasure35itgoesbacktothefirsttempoaftera
ritardando.Therearesomeotherinstanceswherethetemposlowsdown.Thechoir
wouldhavetopayattentiontomeastheconductorsothattheywillperfectlysingthese
partsonthepiece.Thiswouldmakemeconsidertellingthechoirtomemorizethepiece
sotheydonthavetolookdownatitscoresomuch.

DynamicElements:
iwouldhavetomarktheMpatthestartofthepiecesothatimakesurethatthechoir
doesntcomeinwithtoomuchvolume.Iwouldgetthechoirtomarkitintheirscores.I
wouldalsomarktheMfinmeasure18sothatafterthecutofftheycomeinwithmore
volume.
TextElements:
Thetextisnothardtoread.butjustfordictionpurposesIwouldwouldhavethechoir
practicetheconsonantsoundsandtellthemtoarticulatetheeachwordsothetextis
heard.