Composed on December 21 and 22, this setting of O Vos Omnes is my final composition for the year 2021. Set in three parts for my parish’s women’s schola, it could also be sung an octave down for TTB or TBarB. At measures 32 and 63, there is an optional high A. The director may choose to sing the A, the F, or both.
I’ve attached the PDF to the bottom of the post, released under a creative commons license (CC-BY-NC-ND).
The Setting
Discussion
I have a very specific picture in my mind of the emotion for the piece. It isn’t merely sadness or sorrow. It is perhaps like saying, “Who would have thought it would be this way? See the mockery and the injustice, the helplessness and abandonment.” The Mezzo’s opening line sings in a way like being all alone in a wilderness yet surrounded by people. Part of my inspiration for this piece is the proposed “wreckovation” of Notre Dame de Paris.
There are a few unusual things in the piece:
- In measure 9, leading into 10, the passing note produces parallel tritones between Soprano and Mezzo.
- In measures 46 – 51, I try to get the attention of universi populi through harmony more than through a change in dynamics. The Alto line is especially important, moving up through F# to G and back down through F natural, finally landing on an unexpected C#. It may be my speakers, but I can hear a high A overtone at this point.
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About the Featured Image
The featured image is Lamentation over Christ by Fra Angelico. It is in the public domain in the United States.
6 thoughts on “O Vos Omnes”