a musical possibility
My congregation is having a talent show in January (fundraiser).
They're limiting it to five minutes per performance and congregants
only, so I can't bring in On the Mark, alas. (I'm also not too
motivated to spend 45+ minutes tuning the hammer dulcimer to
concert-level precision for five minutes.) I told the person in charge,
who was encouraging me to participate anyway, that a-capella solo
vocals probably wouldn't be very interesting to audiences and she
said our pianist would be available so long as we provide sheet music.
Our pianist is really, really good, so that's an interesting idea.
I've been trying to figure out what to sing. When On the Mark was a possibility I'd been thinking of "Denmark 1943". I don't have a piano part for it, but maybe I could cons one up from what On the Mark did. But that idea isn't grabbing me. Then I thought to maybe do something by Neshama Carlebach, as she does some good music that often has nice piano lines (I assume I could procure sheet music), but again, specifics are eluding me right now.
Then it hit me this morning: I could compose something for voice and piano. It's a talent show, after all; let's broaden the definition. I've only done this once before (not counting arrangements for OTM) and I am not myself a pianist, so I'm not sure it'd be any good, but I've got some time to find out. (The last time I did this I had a professor critiquing drafts and making suggestions.) Now I just have to identify a text... (I want Hebrew; it needn't be liturgical, though it could be.)
I'm pretty happy with the one piece I did do, but while the text is from Psalms, the language is Latin and the Hebrew text doesn't fit the music well. (Already tried.) I'm not going to sing in Latin in a synagogue. So I'll roll this idea around in my head for a little while to see what ideas hatch. I haven't done serious composition in a while (in part, limited opportunities), and this idea appeals.
I've been trying to figure out what to sing. When On the Mark was a possibility I'd been thinking of "Denmark 1943". I don't have a piano part for it, but maybe I could cons one up from what On the Mark did. But that idea isn't grabbing me. Then I thought to maybe do something by Neshama Carlebach, as she does some good music that often has nice piano lines (I assume I could procure sheet music), but again, specifics are eluding me right now.
Then it hit me this morning: I could compose something for voice and piano. It's a talent show, after all; let's broaden the definition. I've only done this once before (not counting arrangements for OTM) and I am not myself a pianist, so I'm not sure it'd be any good, but I've got some time to find out. (The last time I did this I had a professor critiquing drafts and making suggestions.) Now I just have to identify a text... (I want Hebrew; it needn't be liturgical, though it could be.)
I'm pretty happy with the one piece I did do, but while the text is from Psalms, the language is Latin and the Hebrew text doesn't fit the music well. (Already tried.) I'm not going to sing in Latin in a synagogue. So I'll roll this idea around in my head for a little while to see what ideas hatch. I haven't done serious composition in a while (in part, limited opportunities), and this idea appeals.