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As you may or may not be aware, my focus as a composer is around vocal and choral music. I love how the voice can be used in an amazing number of different ways, and as a composer I want to try and capture a moment where voices come together and create something that transcends the singing itself. I want an audience to be able to hear my music, and for the music to take them away to another place/time/world.

My favourite composers have the ability to do that, and because I listen to them every day without exception, I thought I'd share some pieces that might give you an insight into why I love choral music, and vocal music so much.

1. Eric Whitacre - With a Lily in Your Hand

This is the second part of his 'Three Flower Songs', and is a piece of compositional genius. The music is rhythmically brilliant, with some gorgeous chords thrown in for good measure. He has an amazing ability to merge completely contrasting sections seamlessly creating very interesting passages of music, and if all that wasn't good enough, it has an EPIC ending.



2. Morten Lauridson - O Nata Lux

This piece is very close to my heart as I have performed it many times, and it always brings back good memories. One thing about the piece that I still have trouble understanding, is that no matter how many times I listen to it, I can always find something new. It has a way of transporting me away to another place (the feeling I am trying to capture in my own music) and when I'm there, I don't ever want to come back.

 

3. Sir John Tavener - Funeral Ikos

This piece is one of many amazing vocal works by this famous English composer, and for me, is worthy of being considered one of his best. A technique he uses very often is two voice parts singing together in unison then together in harmony. He does this in a few of his works, most notably 'The Lamb' and it has a profound effect on the overall sound when all the parts join together. So you can follow what's happening, I will place the text to the first section below, and put the unison lines in Bold and the lines in harmony in italics.

Why these bitter words of the dying, O brethren,
which they utter as they go hence?
I am parted from my brethren.
All my friends do I abandon, and go hence.
But whither I go, that understand I not,
neither what shall become of me yonder;
only God who hath summoned me knoweth.
But make commemoration of me with the song:

As you can probably tell when the Alleluia is sung after that first section, all the parts seem to shimmer against each other, which makes such a beautiful sound after hearing delicate harmonies in the previous lines.

  

4. Eric Whitacre - Water Night

I was originally only going to do three songs, but I decided to leave this piece out of any list of my favourite choral works would be a crime. An amazing display of compositional technique married with a stunning text by Octavio Paz. Incredible.



That's it. I hope you enjoyed listening to some of my favourite choral pieces, and I hope that gives an insight into the depth of emotion I am trying to recreate in my own work. These composers and many more contribute to the melting pot of idea's I have in my head, but I'm still yet to capture the spirit of any one of these pieces. Only time will tell.

Liam