Piece for soprano and tenor

  • Thread starter Thread starter mcmitton
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

mcmitton

Guest
Well, it’s happened! Our lead tenor and his adult soprano daughter approached me today, asking if I knew of a piece that they could sing together. What I’ve seen is not more than singing melody lines, perhaps in thirds apart. Not very satisfying for them, nor me…

I play medium to medium-difficult piano, or medium manuals, pedal proficiency is non-existent. The tenor is very accomplished, his daughter has a nice voice, tho’ not full volume.

We all tend to appreciate “classical” composers, Latin or English, 16th century through early 20th century, although we have ventured occasionally to some modern ones.

I appreciate any suggestions you may have.

Many thanks. And may you all have a blessed Holy Week and Easter.

Mary Carolyn
 
Jesue Joy of Man desiring though not really a duet piece but wonderful for all that. sorry couldn’t be more helpful. May be they could write a score?
 
I think that a wonderful idea. Changes are??? Slim to none.

Perhaps a reduction of sorts of a SATB piece might be suitable.

Mary Carolyn
 
My soprano and tenor children sang Noel/Pachabel’s Canon together during the ‘prelude’ music at Christmas. I know that doesn’t help for Easter, but I wanted to brag. 😃

I’m sure a search of music sites or even Google would turn up somer choices that might lead you to something you all like, can perform, and is appropriate for the Mass in question.

Edited to add: here’s one link froma search of “soprano tenor sacred duets”
choralnet.org/view/173486
 
Alleluia by Mozart–here’s a link to a youtube of a children’s choir singing it, but you can find all kinds of soloists and groups doing it. This children’s choir does it at a slower tempo, and it’s very pretty.

youtube.com/watch?v=51EyNmoBNfw

It’s good on the piano. If you play it on the organ, I don’t think you would need pedals.
 
This Mozart Alleluia Canon is so beautiful, and it would be a great duet. My two daughters and their daddy sang it at Christmas Eve Mass a few years ago, and it was gorgeous, and the people just loved it:

youtube.com/watch?v=kFFyP1TdQRE

Simple to accompany on piano or organ. I see no reason to use pedal, although it would be pretty.
 
You may have already looked at this. It’s really simple, so it may not be something you would be interested in, but is a duet version of Cesar Franck’s “Panis Angelicus”. If you don’t have music, pm me.

youtube.com/watch?v=esrinHesolk&feature=related

Here is another I used for my children’s choir. It is a two-part version of Bach’s “Alleluia” from his Cantata 142 - Uns ist ein Kind geboren (For Us a Child is Born). The edition I have isn’t difficult. It can be used for piano or organ.

youtube.com/watch?v=R9fjAZGrWrw

This probably sounds better with how Vivaldi originally intended (two sopranos), and it’s the only way how I’ve ever performed it, but it might sound nice for tenor and soprano. “Laudamus Te” from his “Gloria”. Piano transcription I have of it is not difficult.

youtube.com/watch?v=vgCJfyNgglA&feature=related

If you have another soprano or mezzo you could do the Quoniam trio from Mozart’s “Great Mass in C”. Although it was written for mass and first done during mass, it might be a little more for mass today, but, of course, you’d be playing it on organ/piano instead of full orchestra. The sopranos do need to be fairly accomplished, though, in order to sing it well.
youtube.com/watch?v=eEjQ8TTrrE0

Bach’s Mass in B Minor has a soprano and tenor duet. The entire work was one of my favorite choral/solo works and if the tenor is accomplished and daughter is studying, they should be able to do this well. I started learning it when I was about 17/18 and we were doing this in high school choirs.

“Domine Deus”
youtube.com/watch?v=nl0tZscx1mk
 
So many great ideas! I am open to all of them, although I’d have a mighty “tuff” time selling the German one. I myself am OK with German and French if slowly, and could manage Italian. I doubt our choir members or the two in question would be comfortable in anything other than English or Latin.

Please accept my thans for your (name removed by moderator)ut. And [hint] I’ll keep looking at this thread for more ideas.

Bless you all!

Mary Carolyn
 
mcmitton said:
So many great ideas! I am open to all of them, although I’d have a mighty “tuff” time selling the German one. I myself am OK with German and French if slowly, and could manage Italian. I doubt our choir members or the two in question would be comfortable in anything other than English or Latin.
Click to expand...
My piano teacher told me a long time ago that there will be those who will play the same piece faster than you and some who will play it slower. In other words, music is not a speed competition, despite all the comments posted on youtube. Don’t feel rushed and play at the speed you and the singing duet are comfortable with. If you’re comfortable, the audience will be comfortable.
 
The thing I would say about the Mozart “Alleluia”, the 3rd and last movement from his motet “Exsultate Jubilate” is that it would be better sung as originally composed and intended… for soloist rather than for choir. But that’s just me.

youtube.com/watch?v=4jhApZ2yG_E&feature=related

I love the entire motet, but my favorite is the second movement: “Tu virginum corona”.

youtube.com/watch?v=DzuASgPtS8k

We have done it for the Feast of the Assumption and actually have done it during the Presentation to the Blessed Mother as the bride was very devoted to the Blessed Mother and wanted something long and beautiful to pray. Not difficult on organ/piano and could be managed by a young soprano as it contains no coloratura like in the 1st and 3rd movements (unless, of course, the young soprano is a natural coloratura.) 🙂 The cadenza at the end can be anything that works well with the voice and fitting within the style of the music.

I love this Magnificat for three voices by Marc-Antoine Charpentier. I unfortunately don’t have music for it. I’m sure the soprano could sing the countertenor part. It doesn’t sit high, so they’d usually have a mezzo or alto singing that if not a countertenor, but it still would be lovely hearing her voice in that.

youtube.com/watch?v=AC8zNWfPoT8

I just saw this on YouTube. Never hear of it before. Ex Ore Innocentium by John Ireland. Lived in late 19th century through mid-20th. It’s a little sentimental, but I think it could be sung and played without making it sound sentimental.

youtube.com/watch?v=T7jn2sniuc4
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top