Three Choral Compositions to know in February 2020
Last month I shared my first post of this new series, and I want to be honest with you. It feels awesome to be able to use this platform to share more than my music. I want to be an advocate for new voices.
One of my favorite things to do in my job as a full-time composer is to find new voices (or new to me!) in the choral world. I love finding new pieces that challenge my thoughts about choral writing or that I completely melt listening to.
Also, to be honest, I also get jealous sometimes but not in a bad way! In the way that “I wish I had had that idea!” kind of jealousy.
I need to stop writing and more sharing!
P.S. Let me know in the comments if you’ve sung or conducted any of these! I always love knowing these pieces are out there being awesome.
**Full disclaimer, I will include one of my pieces on the list as I exercise feeling comfortable with self-promotion. I will also see if I can do 5 pieces a month so I can help more composers đ **
1. Sarah Rimkus – Failed Saints
Program Notes from the composer:
I. Interrogations at Noon / II. The Angel with the Broken Wing / III. Rough Country
Failed Saints is a choral cycle on poems by renowned poet and recent California poet laureate Dana Gioia. Gioia’s poetry unites contemporary imagery with more traditional forms, and his lyricism often captures the beauty and immensity of the natural world alongside a sense of internal contemplation and struggle.
These three pieces explore, celebrate, and grapple with human and worldly imperfection. âInterrogations at Noonâ is a sometimes-poignant, sometimes-tongue-in-cheek meditation on the feelings of inadequacy that many of us experience. âThe Angel with the Broken Wingâ is a stunning narrative poem told from the perspective of an angel statue built for a Spanish country church, vandalized in the Revolution and now relegated to the backroom of an art gallery. âRough Countryâ gives a sense of release from the conflicted voices of the previous two settings in its celebration of the stark natural landscapes of a Western wilderness.
2. Songs of Myself – Stuart Beatch
Program Notes from the composer:
Commissioned by The Fourth Choir (London, UK) in celebration of their fifth anniversary. First performed by The Fourth Choir (Dominic Ellis-Peckham, dir.) in March 2019.
Song of Myself is one of those special works, directly inspired by the ensemble for whom it was written. I have had an extraordinarily positive relationship with The Fourth Choir, a London-based queer chamber choir, whose rich sound and passion for inventive programming directly inspired this work. The text, excerpted from the eponymous poem by Walt Whitman, is lush and fierce. It speaks not only of individuality and expression, but of sexuality and gender. This piece highlights the strength inherent in the text, beginning and ending with repetition of the words âI amâ, eventually transformed into a statement of empowerment: âI am enoughâ.
3. Peanut Butter – Carlos Cordero
Program notes from the composer:
This is the battle for the Peanut Butter Jars.
Choirs, as many people in the world, are obsessed with peanut butter and in this short piece, they will fight their way to get the jars from the conductor. Will they get it? I love peanut butter. Thatâs the whole reason behind this silly project. If you want to learn more about how this piece come to life, visit my blog right here.
If you enjoy this Blog, the Podcast, or my pieces you can help me by becoming my patreon at www.patreon.com/composercordero. There you will find rewards and even more details about my work as a composer and perks for your career.
