Repertoire Post #8

L'ultimo di di maggio, Ottorino Respighi, arr. Robert Sieving - SATB HS Madrigal

•Why this piece is worthy of consideration:

 -  I really like that this is an arrangement of a madrigal because I think this is a valuable style that all high school ensembles should sing at least once. The parts are also very independent so all the singers need to be solid on their parts and work on fitting everything together. Also, the piece is in Italian, which I think all HS choirs should sing at least once as well.

•The ensemble for which the piece will be appropriate:

 - Given the part complexity, this is definitely for a HS group. There are also large ranges for all the parts, which makes this a solid HS piece as middle-schoolers would not have the range or technical skill to sing this work.

 

•Discuss range/tessitura and how the piece works for singers:

- Soprano: low D - high A, the piece concentrates in the higher part of the range, which gets the voice up and light.

- Alto: low A - high D, the alto part does stay lower than the soprano part, but it stays in the middle of the range. The alto part also has divisi, which I like because it creates more independence in the parts as well as harmonic contrast.

- Tenor: low E - F#, I believe this is a comfortable range for tenors post voice change.

- Bass: low E - high D, the bass part is melodic, which I like, instead of just outlining harmonic progression.

•What musical ideas can be taught:

-blend, unifying vowel shape, phrasing, independence of part/line, madrigal singing style, articulating multiple notes in slurs, rhythmic and harmonic complexity, Italian text

 

•What about the text is worthy of singing:

- This arrangement combines the text of an anonymous sixteenth-century poem with music from Respighi's Ancient Aires and Dances for Lute, Suite 1: Balletto. Not only is the style valuable, but the text and musical ideas are incredibly valuable as well because it introduces this style to the choir.

 

•What, if any, material should be adapted/re-written:

- The divisi alto part may not be feasible with a smaller choir because of number constraints, however, I feel like the ranges are all fine given the targeted age group for the arrangement.