the choral-orchestral works of stephen chatman
TRANSCRIPT
The Choral-Orchestral Works of Stephen Chatman
by
Trevor Michael Dearham
A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts
Faculty of Music
University of Toronto
© Copyright by Trevor Michael Dearham 2021
ii
The Choral-Orchestral Works of Stephen Chatman
Trevor Michael Dearham
Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting
Faculty of Music
University of Toronto
2021
Abstract Canadian composer Stephen Chatman has composed noteworthy works within multiple musical
genres, thus achieving international stature. Included among his compositions are several choral-
orchestral works, which comprise the focus of this study. In my research, I determined the
musical characteristics of Chatman’s choral-orchestral works, described how those works may be
effectively prepared for performance by conductors, and assessed Chatman’s contributions to the
choral-orchestral genre in Canada.
A review of a wide assortment of literature and resources concerning Stephen Chatman’s works
in the context of Canadian choral-orchestral repertoire produced fruitful results. I examined
numerous and varied accomplishments of the composer using information found in dissertations
and writings devoted specifically to Chatman and his music. Further research using materials
located in the Chatman fonds at Library and Archives Canada yielded a comprehensive
documentation of Chatman’s professional career and musical output. In addition, I achieved
iii
substantial insight through personal interviews with Chatman and seven other associated
individuals who provided unique and informative data about his music.
In this thesis, I discuss distinctive musical and textual characteristics of seven of Chatman’s
choral-orchestral works: four major works composed for symphonic choir and full orchestra, and
three shorter, single-movement works. I completed detailed analyses for two of these major
works, Proud Music of the Storm (2001) and A Song of Joys (2013-14). During the analysis
process, I discovered common threads, as well as advancements in Chatman’s compositional
style over time. In order to facilitate successful performances of Chatman’s music, I prepared a
conductor’s guide with detailed rehearsal suggestions for these two works specifically.
To assist with score preparation, conductors will find informative data in the appendices: facts
and features for all seven Chatman works studied and charts comprising bar-by-bar flow chart
analyses for Proud Music of the Storm and A Song of Joys. It is my hope that this research will
help promote these fine contributions within the contemporary choral-orchestral genre of music
in Canada.
iv
Acknowledgments
I feel very honoured to have been allowed the opportunity to focus my writing for this thesis on
music composed by Stephen Chatman, a Canadian composer whom I greatly admire and respect.
Many people assisted me throughout the writing process by providing support and
encouragement, and I appreciate every helpful gesture that was extended toward me. In
particular, I wish to acknowledge and thank the following:
Dr. Stephen Chatman displayed tremendous enthusiasm and flexibility as I carried out research
for this thesis, and he interacted with me in a manner that was both accommodating and pleasant.
Stephen willingly agreed to be interviewed in person and over the phone, and he always
answered my emails fully. It has been such a pleasure to get to know Stephen professionally and
also on a personal level. I am forever grateful to you, Stephen, for allowing this project to go
forward.
Tara Wohlberg, Stephen’s wife, provides him with constant professional and personal support.
Tara was a gracious co-host, along with Stephen, when I visited the couple in Vancouver, and
also agreed to be interviewed for this dissertation. Thank you so much, Tara.
Members of my Advisory Committee:
Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt retired from the University of Toronto Faculty of Music in 2018 but did
not hesitate when I asked her to continue as my supervisor. Despite a busy schedule, Dr. A
consistently helped me to amend this thesis in order to bring it to a high standard. She enabled
me to become a much better writer and never accepted anything less than my best effort. Hilary
was also interviewed for this thesis, and I sincerely appreciate the unique perspective she
provided about conducting Chatman’s music, as well as the personal support she gave me.
Words are simply not enough to express my gratitude for all you have done to help me improve
my academic, teaching, and conducting skills, Dr. A.
v
Dr. Robin Elliott, one of Canada’s foremost experts on Canadian music, has written numerous,
informative documents on this very subject. He also wrote the liner notes for Due North, a CD of
Stephen Chatman’s choral music that was recorded by the Vancouver Chamber Choir. Robin,
you have offered such thought-provoking suggestions for improving this thesis, and I greatly
appreciate your contribution and support.
Maestro Uri Mayer, the conductor of the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra, has taught
me a great deal about orchestral conducting and all the other aspects of working with an
orchestra. Coincidentally, Uri also taught Stephen Chatman conducting years ago when he was a
student at the University of Michigan. I really appreciate that you took the time to review
Stephen Chatman’s scores with me, Uri, and I am forever in your debt for all you have done to
make me a better conductor.
Other contributors and supporters:
Lydia Adams, Dr. Jonathan Girard, Dr. Graeme Langager, and Alain Trudel are all highly
regarded Canadian conductors, each of whom shared with me their experiences when conducting
Stephen Chatman’s music. Thank you so much to each of you for taking time out of your very
busy schedules to share your expertise on this subject.
Ana-Maria Lipoczi serves a very important management role at the Canadian Music Centre.
During our interview, she shared her knowledge of the Canadian Music Centre’s operations and
its holdings with me. I sincerely appreciate your willingness to assist me, Ana-Maria.
Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds, the conductor of the University of Toronto Wind Symphony, served on my
defence committee. He also assisted me with finding brass players for my recital when I
conducted the MacMillan Singers, and also adjudicated my DMA recitals. Jeff, I really
appreciate your support throughout my DMA studies.
Dr. Debra Cairns, Professor Emerita from the University of Alberta, served as the external
reader. Thank you, Dr. Cairns, for your valuable input.
vi
Dr. Gillian MacKay, the conductor of the University of Toronto Wind Ensemble, served on the
committee for my major field exam and provided me with expert conducting instruction. Thank
you, Gillian, for all you have done to assist me at U of T.
Dr. Matthew Emery, a rising young Canadian composer and a former student of Stephen
Chatman, consulted with me when I was completing the score analyses. Matthew shared his
composition expertise with me, and in particular, his knowledge of Chatman’s compositional
methods. I really appreciate your help with this challenging task, Matthew.
Dr. Deborah Bradley edited this thesis. Thank you very much, Deborah, for your meticulous
professional work and for all you did to help me improve as a writer.
Members of the Tapestry Chamber Choir willingly participated in my conducting recitals and
were thrilled when they were given the opportunity to perform Stephen Chatman’s music. Many
thanks to all of you for your constant support and musicianship.
The University of Toronto’s staff and administration have displayed great confidence in my
conducting and academic abilities. I am very grateful for the musical experiences and financial
support from the Faculty of Music throughout my doctoral studies.
Dirk and Stephanie Dearham, my late parents, brought our entire family by ship to Canada from
Cape Town, South Africa during the apartheid era. Thanks to their courage and vision, my
siblings and I benefitted from a well-rounded academic and music education, and all the other
rich opportunities that Canada continues to offer. Mom and Dad, you would be so proud of my
musical achievements.
Colleen, Andrew, and Wesley Dearham, my siblings, have played a very important role in my
personal growth. You and your families continue to provide constant material and moral support
whenever it is needed. I am extremely privileged to have such a wonderful sister, brothers, and
extended family.
vii
Lorraine Dearham, my wife, has stood by me constantly throughout my graduate studies at the
University of Toronto and has given me constant love and encouragement. During the writing of
this thesis, your assistance with the proofreading of these chapters was greatly appreciated. My
last words are for you. I love you very much, Lorraine!
viii
Dedication
I dedicate this thesis to the memory of my parents, Dirk and Stephanie Dearham.
ix
Table of Contents
The Choral-Orchestral Works of Stephen Chatman ....................................................................... ii Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................... iv Dedication .................................................................................................................................... viii Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... ix List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... xiv List of Appendices ........................................................................................................................ xvi Chapter 1 ......................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction and Methodology ........................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background of the study ............................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Research questions and purpose of the study ............................................................................ 4 1.3 About the composer ................................................................................................................... 5 1.4 Methodology .............................................................................................................................. 6 1.5 Definition of terms .................................................................................................................... 8 1.6 Outline of the dissertation ......................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 2 ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Review of Literature and Resources: Stephen Chatman’s Works in the Context of Canadian
Choral-Orchestral Repertoire ................................................................................................. 11 2.1 The Chatman Fonds at Library and Archives Canada ............................................................. 11 2.2 Literature directly related to Stephen Chatman, his music and choral-orchestral music in
Canada .................................................................................................................................... 13 2.2.1 Previous dissertations related to Chatman and choral-orchestral music in Canada ......... 16 2.2.2 The status of Canadian choral-orchestral repertoire ......................................................... 17
2.3 Unique contributions of Chatman’s choral-orchestral compositions to Canadian musical repertoire ................................................................................................................................ 19
2.3.1 Accessibility of Stephen Chatman’s music ...................................................................... 19 2.3.2 Canadian elements and influences in relation to Stephen Chatman’s musical contributions .............................................................................................................................. 21
2.4 Other Chatman resources: Publishing and recording .............................................................. 23 2.5 Summary .................................................................................................................................. 23
x
Chapter 3 ....................................................................................................................................... 26 An Overview of Stephen Chatman’s Choral-Orchestral Works ................................................... 26 3.1 Text and dramatic elements in Stephen Chatman’s choral-orchestral music .......................... 26
3.1.1 Text selection and sources in Chatman’s music ............................................................... 27 3.1.2 Characteristics of Chatman’s texts ................................................................................... 30
3.2 Other musical characteristics of Chatman’s choral-orchestral works ..................................... 36 3.2.1 Chatman’s compositional process .................................................................................... 37 3.2.2 Characteristics of Chatman’s choral writing .................................................................... 43
3.2.2.1 Melody and harmony ................................................................................................. 44 3.2.2.2 Texture ....................................................................................................................... 45 3.2.2.3 Rhythm ...................................................................................................................... 49 3.2.2.4 Tempo ........................................................................................................................ 50
3.2.3 Orchestration of the Chatman choral-orchestral works .................................................... 50 3.2.3.1 Tone colour ................................................................................................................ 52 3.2.3.2 Pitch support .............................................................................................................. 53 3.2.2.3 Range and tessitura .................................................................................................... 53 3.2.3.4 Balance ...................................................................................................................... 54
3.3 The major Chatman choral-orchestral works .......................................................................... 56 3.3.1 Proud Music of the Storm for SATB Chorus (divisi) and Orchestra ................................ 56 3.3.2 Earth Songs for SATB Chorus (divisi) and Orchestra ..................................................... 56 3.3.3 Magnificat for Soprano solo, SATB Chorus and String Orchestra .................................. 60 3.3.4 A Song of Joys for Timpani and Percussion Soli, SATB Chorus (divisi) and Orchestra . 61
3.4 Short choral works with orchestral accompaniment ............................................................... 61 3.4.1 “In Flanders Fields for SATB Chorus and Orchestra” ..................................................... 62 3.4.2 “Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind for SATB Chorus and Orchestra” ............................... 62 3.4.3 “Peace for SATB Chorus, Piano and String Orchestra” ................................................... 63
3.5 Summary .................................................................................................................................. 64 Chapter 4 ....................................................................................................................................... 66 Analyses of Proud Music of the Storm and A Song of Joys .......................................................... 66 4.1 An analysis of Proud Music of the Storm ................................................................................ 67
4.1.1 General overview of the piece .......................................................................................... 67 4.1.2 Movement I: “Proud music of the storm!” ....................................................................... 68
4.1.2.1 Musical form ............................................................................................................. 68
xi
4.1.2.2 Use of modes ............................................................................................................. 69 4.1.2.3 Pedal tones and canons .............................................................................................. 71 4.1.2.4 Pandiatonic harmonies ............................................................................................... 73 4.1.2.5 Creating expectation at cadence points ..................................................................... 76 4.1.2.6 Text painting in the coda section ............................................................................... 77
4.1.3 Movement II: “Come forward, O my Soul” ..................................................................... 78 4.1.3.1 Motive X .................................................................................................................... 78 4.1.3.2 Harmony and voice leading ....................................................................................... 79 4.1.3.3 Creating musical interest through the orchestration .................................................. 82
4.1.4 Movement III: “A festival song!” ..................................................................................... 83 4.1.4.1 Text painting: establishing a “festive” setting ........................................................... 83
4.1.5 Movement IV: “Tutti! for Earth and Heaven!” ................................................................ 86 4.1.5.1 Expressive content ..................................................................................................... 86
4.2 An Analysis of A Song of Joys ................................................................................................ 88 4.2.1 General overview of the piece .......................................................................................... 88 4.2.2 Movement I: “A Song of Joys” ........................................................................................ 90
4.2.2.1 Exploring new musical ideas through timbral combinations .................................... 90 4.2.3 Movement 2: “Shine! shine! shine!” ................................................................................ 92
4.2.3.1 Choral versus choral-orchestral scoring .................................................................... 92 4.2.4 Movement III: “One Hour to Madness and Joy!” ............................................................ 94
4.2.4.1 Percussion duo feature ............................................................................................... 94 4.2.5 Movement IV: “Song of the Universal” ........................................................................... 95
4.2.5.1 Canonic development ................................................................................................ 95 4.2.5.2 Pandiatonicism or bitonality? .................................................................................... 96
4.2.6 Movement V: “I dance with the dancers” ........................................................................ 98 4.2.6.1 A second percussion duo ........................................................................................... 98 4.2.6.2 “Motive Y” ................................................................................................................ 99
4.2.7 Movement VI: “O Sun of Real Peace” ........................................................................... 100 4.2.7.1 Development of “Motive Y” and text painting ....................................................... 100
4.2.8 Movement VII: “With the love of comrades” ................................................................ 101 4.2.8.1 Meeting vocal challenges with appropriate orchestration ....................................... 101
4.3 Performance history ............................................................................................................... 103 4.3.1 Reviews .......................................................................................................................... 103
xii
4.3.2 Performances, recordings, and broadcasts ...................................................................... 104 4.4 Chapter summary ................................................................................................................... 104 Chapter 5 ..................................................................................................................................... 106 A Conductor’s Guide: Proud Music of the Storm and A Song of Joys ........................................ 106 5.1 Chapter overview ................................................................................................................... 106
5.1.1 Abbreviation key: ........................................................................................................... 106 5.2 Form ...................................................................................................................................... 107
5.2.1 Chorus rehearsal suggestions: Form ............................................................................... 107 5.2.2 Orchestral rehearsal suggestions: Form .......................................................................... 109
5.3 Duration: Tempo, metre, rhythm ........................................................................................... 110 5.3.1 Choral rehearsal suggestions: Duration .......................................................................... 110 5.3.2 Orchestral rehearsal suggestions: Duration .................................................................... 112
5.4 Pitch: Melody, harmony ........................................................................................................ 113 5.4.1 Choral rehearsal suggestions: Pitch ................................................................................ 114 5.4.2 Orchestral rehearsal suggestions: Pitch .......................................................................... 116
5.5 Text ........................................................................................................................................ 116 5.5.1 Choral rehearsal suggestions: Text ................................................................................. 117 5.5.2 Orchestral rehearsal suggestions: Text ........................................................................... 120
5.6 Balance .................................................................................................................................. 120 5.6.1 Choral rehearsal suggestions: Balance ........................................................................... 120 5.6.2 Orchestral rehearsal suggestions: Balance ..................................................................... 122
5.7 Expressive language: Dynamics, markings, phrasing ........................................................... 124 5.7.1 Choral rehearsal suggestions: Expressive language ....................................................... 124 5.7.2 Orchestral rehearsal suggestions: Expressive language ................................................. 125
5.8 Unique qualities ..................................................................................................................... 126 5.8.1 Choral rehearsal suggestions: Unique qualities .............................................................. 127 5.8.2 Orchestral rehearsal suggestions: Unique qualities ........................................................ 128
5.9 Positioning and seating of singers and players ...................................................................... 130 5.9.1 General considerations ................................................................................................... 130 5.9.2 Positioning and seating of musicians for A Song of Joys ............................................... 131 5.9.3 Positioning and seating of musicians for Proud Music of the Storm ............................. 133
5.10 Chapter summary ................................................................................................................. 135
xiii
Chapter 6 ..................................................................................................................................... 137 Summary and Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 137 6.1 Purpose of the study and research method ............................................................................ 137 6.2 Discussion .............................................................................................................................. 139
6.2.1 Primary research question no.1: What are the musical characteristics of Chatman’s choral-orchestral works? ......................................................................................................... 139 6.2.2 Primary research question no. 2: How can these works be effectively prepared for performance by conductors? .................................................................................................... 140 6.2.3 Secondary research question: What contributions do Chatman’s choral-orchestral works make to this genre in Canada? ................................................................................................. 142
6.3 Recommendations for further research ................................................................................. 144 6.4 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 146 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................ 147
Music scores ............................................................................................................................ 152 Recordings ............................................................................................................................... 153
Appendices .................................................................................................................................. 154 Permissions Granted .................................................................................................................... 207
xiv
List of Figures Figure 1. Stephen Chatman, “Earth and Sky (Movement No.2)” from Earth Songs, mm. 1-8.
Permission granted by copyright holder, E.C. Schirmer Music Company. ........................... 36 Figure 2. Library and Archives Canada, R13702/MUS 309, volume 64, based on an original
manuscript of Stephen Chatman’s Magnificat, no. 3. Permission granted by copyright holder, E.C. Schirmer Music Company and by Stephen Chatman. ....................................... 40
Figure 3. Library and Archives Canada R13702/MUS 309, volume 64, based on an original manuscript of Stephen Chatman’s Magnificat, no. 3. Permission granted by copyright holder, E.C. Schirmer Music Company and by Stephen Chatman. ....................................... 42
Figure 4. Stephen Chatman, “Peace,” mm. 1-16. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ..................................................................................................................... 48
Figure 5. Library and Archives Canada R13702/MUS 309, volume 47, based on Stephen Chatman’s notes and diagrams on Chinese instruments used in Earth Songs, no.1. Permission granted by Stephen Chatman. .............................................................................. 59
Figure 6. Stephen Chatman, “Proud music of the storm” (Movement I) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 21-23. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ............. 70
Figure 7. Stephen Chatman, “Proud music of the storm” (Movement I) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 1-4. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ................. 72
Figure 8. Stephen Chatman, “Proud music of the storm” (Movement I) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 9-16. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ............... 73
Figure 9. Stephen Chatman, “Proud music of the storm” (Movement I) from Proud Music of the Storm, bar 20. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. .................... 75
Figure 10. Stephen Chatman, “Proud music of the storm” (Movement I) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 93-96. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ............. 77
Figure 11. Stephen Chatman, “Proud Music of the Storm” (Movement I) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 108-109. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ... 78
Figure 12. Stephen Chatman, “Come forward O My Soul” (Movement II) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 1-2. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ........... 79
Figure 13. Stephen Chatman, “Come forward, O my Soul” (Movement II) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 1-14. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ......... 81
Figure 14. Stephen Chatman, “Come forward, O my Soul” (Movement II) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 44-45. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ....... 82
Figure 15. Stephen Chatman, “Come forward, O my Soul” (Movement II) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 44-45. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ....... 83
Figure 16. Stephen Chatman, “A festival song!” (Movement III) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 1-3. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ............................. 84
xv
Figure 17. Stephen Chatman, “A festival song!” (Movement III) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 78-79. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ......................... 85
Figure 18. Stephen Chatman, “A festival song!” (Movement III) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 122-125. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ..................... 85
Figure 19. Stephen Chatman, “Tutti! For Earth and Heaven!” (Movement IV) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 1-3. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ....... 87
Figure 20. Stephen Chatman, “A Song of Joys” (Movement II) from A Song of Joys, bar 16. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ............................................ 93
Figure 21. Stephen Chatman, “Song of the Universal” (Movement IV) from A Song of Joys, bars 52-55. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ................................. 96
Figure 22. Stephen Chatman, “Song of the Universal” (Movement IV) from A Song of Joys, bar 7. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. ........................................ 98
Figure 23. Stephen Chatman, “dance with the dancers” (Movement V) from A Song of Joys, bar 52. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music. .................................... 100
Figure 24. Diagram of the stage setup for A Song of Joys, based on the performance of A Song of Joys at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at University of British Columbia, April 14, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8D-vnDIwZU&t=286s. ................................. 132
Figure 25. Diagram of a suggested stage setup for Proud Music of the Storm ........................... 134
xvi
List of Appendices Facts and Features of Stephen Chatman’s Choral-Orchestral Works (Appendices A-G) ........... 154 Appendix A: Earth Songs ............................................................................................................ 157 Appendix B: Magnificat .............................................................................................................. 161 Appendix C: “In Flanders Fields” ............................................................................................... 165 Appendix D: “Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind” ......................................................................... 167 Appendix E: “Peace” .................................................................................................................. 169 Appendix F: Proud Music of the Storm ....................................................................................... 171 Appendix G: A Song of Joys ........................................................................................................ 173 Flow Chart Analyses of Proud Music of the Storm and A Song of Joys (Appendices H-R) ....... 176 Appendix H: Flow Chart Analysis, Proud Music of the Storm: Movement I ............................. 178 Appendix I: Flow Chart Analysis, Proud Music of the Storm: Movement II ............................. 181 Appendix J: Flow Chart Analysis, Proud Music of the Storm: Movement III ........................... 183 Appendix K: Flow Chart Analysis, Proud Music of the Storm: Movement IV .......................... 186 Appendix L: Flow Chart Analysis: A Song of Joys: Movement I ............................................... 188 Appendix M: Flow Chart Analysis, A Song of Joys: Movement II ............................................. 191 Appendix N: Flow Chart Analysis, A Song of Joys: Movement III ............................................ 193 Appendix O: Flow Chart Analysis, A Song of Joys: Movement IV ........................................... 195 Appendix P: Flow Chart Analysis, A Song of Joys: Movement V .............................................. 197 Appendix Q: Flow Chart Analysis, A Song of Joys: Movement VI ............................................ 199 Appendix R: Flow Chart Analysis: A Song of Joys: Movement VII .......................................... 201 Appendix S: Performances & Broadcasts of Stephen Chatman’s Choral-Orchestral Works ..... 203
1
Chapter 1
Introduction and Methodology
1.1 Background of the study In this thesis, I provide a detailed perspective on and musical analysis of Canadian composer
Stephen Chatman’s choral-orchestral works. Additionally, I offer a guide that is designed to
assist conductors from varied backgrounds in the preparation, rehearsal and performance of this
repertoire. Chatman has composed noteworthy works within multiple musical genres, thus
achieving international stature. Moreover, choral-orchestral works are a testament to his mastery
of both the choral and orchestral performance mediums.
On his website (http://www.drstephenchatman.com), Chatman lists eleven titles under the
headings “Orchestra with Chorus,” and “Orchestra with Soloist(s) and Chorus” as follows:
1. A Song of Joys (2013-14),
2. “Blow, blow thou Winter Wind” (2019),
3. Earth Songs (2007-08),
4. “In Flanders Fields” (2012). Correct date is 2016 (Chatman, email, July 3, 2020),
5. “Lo in a Manger” (1987),
6. “Make a Wish for Me on Christmas” (2000),
7. Magnificat (2010),
8. “Peace” (2010),
9. Proud Music of the Storm (2001-02),
2
10. “The Greatest of These Is Love” (1990),
11. The Ruba’iyat of Omar Khayyam (2012).
These compositions fall into two primary categories: major choral-orchestral works and short
choral-orchestral works (Chatman, interview, June 25, 2018). Works of 15 minutes or more in
duration are designated as “major choral-orchestral works,” while the “short choral-orchestral
works” may be performed in five minutes or less.
Collectively, I selected seven choral-orchestral works by Chatman on which to focus this
dissertation. The major works represented in this study in order of composition include the
following: Proud Music of the Storm, Earth Songs, Magnificat and A Song of Joys. The short
choral-orchestral works include: “Peace,” “In Flanders Fields,” and “Blow, blow, thou Winter
Wind.” In my initial interview with Stephen Chatman (June 25, 2018), the composer informed
me that these seven pieces were the choices that he felt best represented his choral-orchestral
writing abilities. Therefore, I do not include, “Lo in a Manger,” “Make a Wish for Me at
Christmas,” “The Greatest of These is Love,” or The Ruba’iyat of Omar Khayyam in this study.
As a Canadian conductor, I am eager to program Canadian works. I first experienced Stephen
Chatman’s compositions in the 1990s when I sang his choral music in community choirs. During
the same period, I also used his music in teaching high school choir. My recent interest in
Chatman’s music was motivated by first-hand experience with the composer’s works in 2017
when Chatman supervised the University of Toronto MacMillan Singers for the recording of
Dawn of Night, a CD featuring his most recent choral compositions. In 2019, with the Tapestry
Chamber Choir in Newmarket, Ontario, I conducted the Canadian premiere of the choral-
orchestral version of Chatman’s composition entitled “Peace.” My experience with performing
the composer’s music has given me an increased appreciation for the scope and distinctiveness of
Chatman’s music, particularly his choral-orchestral works.
Through my musical expertise as a choral-orchestral conductor, I have determined that there is a
great need for more accessible Canadian works in this genre. During a visit to the Canadian
Music Centre (CMC) office in Toronto, I sought out relevant data concerning Canadian choral-
3
orchestral music for this study. Stephen Chatman is an associate composer of the CMC, and
composers associated with this institution play a major role in shaping the overall character of
Canadian concert music. Upon interviewing Ana-Maria Lipoczi, manager of music services, I
learned that choral-orchestral works by Canadian composers represent only 1 percent of the
entire holdings in the centre’s library (Lipoczi, interview, September 5, 2019). Chatman himself
has stated:
Thousands of new choral publications are produced in a year. The number of new
works for choir and professional orchestra each year, however, is likely not more
than what can be counted on one hand. Very few compositions are being written
for this medium (Chatman, interview, June 22, 2018).
In completing further research for this study of Chatman’s music, I encountered data which
indicated that negative public perception associated with the publication and performance of new
Canadian choral-orchestral works could account for these low statistics. My research indicated
that there may be a strong correlation between public perception for new works and
“accessibility” of the music. In Chatman’s case, performers of his compositions experienced a
more positive public reception when he abandoned modernism and switched to a more traditional
style in an effort to appeal to a wider audience. Chatman’s use of the term “traditional style” can
be used interchangeably with the term “tonal musical style.”
The shift to this traditional style took place in 1982 and is marked by the premiere of his choral
composition, “You Have Ravished My Heart” (Chatman 2017). With respect to his use of a
traditional style, the composer stated, “I look to the past for inspiration and care little for the
modernist obsession with originality and new materials” (MacMillan 1999). Prior to 1982,
Chatman followed compositional models presented by avant-garde expressionists, and these
influenced his overall musical style. Karlheinz Stockhausen, a famous German composer of
avant-garde music, had a strong influence on the composer during this early phase of his career.
As a young man in 1974, Chatman studied with Stockhausen, at the Hochschule für Musik in
Cologne, Germany (MacMillan 2013). Chatman’s switch to a more traditional compositional
style represented a radical shift for him. The composer’s success with his contemporary choral-
4
orchestral works during the new millennium may be partially attributed to their accessibility for
performers and audiences.
1.2 Research questions and purpose of the study This study provides detailed insight into the choral-orchestral music of Stephen Chatman and
seeks to answer these questions:
Primary Questions: 1. What are the musical characteristics of Stephen Chatman’s choral-orchestral works?
2. How can these works be effectively prepared for performance by conductors?
Secondary: 1. What contributions do Chatman’s choral-orchestral works make to this genre in Canada?
Qualitative data obtained from a wide variety of sources during this investigation shows how
Chatman’s choral-orchestral works provide significant repertoire resources for choirs and
orchestras seeking to program Canadian music. Chatman composed this entire body of choral-
orchestral works in the twenty-first century. All but one of the short works have been performed
and recorded, some more than once. Interviews I conducted with various musicians consistently
supported the notion that Chatman’s compositional output in this performance genre
demonstrates a mastery for the art of blending choral and orchestral forces into a unified entity.
The interviewees all agreed that these works by Chatman are exceptional and have made a major
contribution to choral-orchestral repertoire in Canada.
In researching Chatman’s choral-orchestral music, I examined all seven of the selected choral-
orchestral works and determined the key components and characteristics of the composer’s
compositional style in this genre. I completed detailed analyses of two major Chatman works:
Proud Music of the Storm (2001), Chatman’s first choral-orchestral work, and A Song of Joys
(2013-14). The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and Choral Society premiered the latter work in
2014. I chose these two compositions in order to trace the development of the composer’s
writing style in the choral-orchestral medium between his earliest and his most recent major
5
work. The primary goal, however, in completing these analyses is to provide a resource that will
assist conductors in preparing Chatman’s works for performance. To that end, the discussion
about specific works in this study provides concrete suggestions for rehearsal and performance of
the composer’s music.
1.3 About the composer Stephen Chatman is a celebrated Canadian composer who was appointed to the School of Music
at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 1976 and became the head of the composition
department in the same year. In 2014, Chatman stepped down from the department head position,
but at the time of writing, he continues to teach at UBC and plans to retire in 2021 (Chatman,
email, March 3, 2020). Chatman, who was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 2012, is
recognized internationally as a composer of choral, orchestral, and piano music. The composer
was born in Faribault, Minnesota, in 1950. He grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, where his
schooling and early musical training took place. Chatman received his Bachelor of Music degree
from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio. He attended the University of Michigan for
graduate studies in music and completed his doctoral (DMA) degree in 1977 (Wohlberg 2012).
Despite his American roots, Chatman considers himself to be a Canadian composer and says this
about his nationality:
I have lived in Canada for 45 years and believe, as others do, that I became a
Canadian composer some time ago. A Canadian composer might be defined as
someone who identifies with Canada and, almost inevitably, lives and creates in
Canada. My place and time is Vancouver 1976 [This is the date when Chatman
became a faculty member at UBC], where I have spent the vast majority of my
career. With almost no exceptions, I would consider the works composed during
this time to be “Canadian” works. And, I am grateful that Canada, my country of
choice, has supported me and encouraged me to strive for whatever success I have
accomplished (Chatman, email, November 7, 2017).
6
Although Chatman is best known for his choral works, his compositional expertise extends far
beyond this single musical genre. Outside the realm of choral music, Chatman has composed a
wealth of orchestral, band, chamber, piano music, and a broad range of solo repertoire, as well as
the works in the choral-orchestral genre upon which this study is focused. As a choral composer,
Chatman has published more than 100 selections of which over 500,000 copies have been sold.
Many advanced choirs including the Vancouver Chamber Choir, the Elmer Iseler Singers, the
Vancouver Bach Choir, the Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto, the University of British
Columbia Symphony and Choirs, and the University of Toronto MacMillan Singers have
performed and recorded his choral music. A true testament to the composer’s versatility is that
leading Canadian symphony orchestras in Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton, Windsor, and
Calgary have commissioned and performed his orchestral works. Among his highly successful
solo commissions are those from musical artists including Maureen Forrester (contralto),
Andrew Dawes and Gwen Thompson (violin), Eric Wilson (cello), Henri Bok and Philip
Rehfeldt (saxophone), and Gene Ramsbottom (clarinet) (Wohlberg 2014).
Finally, Chatman’s substantial contribution to music in North America extends far beyond his
personal compositional achievements. He is a “teaching composer,” and in that capacity, he has
had an enormous impact on the field of musical composition (Apfelstadt, interview, October 21,
2019). Stephen Chatman has taught and influenced many prominent composers, among them
John Burge, Timothy Corlis, John Estacio, Melissa Hui, Brent Lee, Ramona Luengen, Jocelyn
Morlock, Larry Nickel, and Brian Tate, who in turn have successfully published their own
compositions (Wohlberg 2012). Matthew Emery, a recent doctoral graduate from the University
of Toronto at the time of writing and a thriving young Canadian composer, also studied
composition with Chatman at the University of British Columbia.
1.4 Methodology To gather data for the study, I completed the following:
1. Literature review of existing texts, articles, dissertations, and writings about Stephen
Chatman and his music;
7
2. Examination of archived materials and resources in the Library and Archives Canada in
Ottawa and in the composer’s personal collection;
3. Detailed study of Chatman’s choral-orchestral scores;
4. Extensive interviews with the composer, Stephen Chatman;
5. Interviews with people who have had a close relationship with the composer’s music.
For the literature review, I examined a large body of written materials about Stephen Chatman’s
music. I also scrutinized scholarly materials which discuss choral-orchestral repertoire and
widely accepted performance practices in order to draw important links to Chatman’s work
within this genre of music. As part of the examination of materials and resources concerning
Chatman, I visited Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa, where I studied a plethora of items
stored in the Stephen Chatman Fonds. This collection holds the entire body of Chatman’s
original sketches, manuscripts, and other significant artifacts from the composer’s personal and
professional life as a musician, composer, and teacher. I additionally used resources from the
CMC in my research. Further to that, I identified numerous relevant textbooks, dissertations,
journal articles, and other online resources. The University of Toronto libraries and inter-library
loan system, as well as my personal library, have also proven invaluable in my research.
In order to facilitate the score study and analysis component of my research that is integral to my
understanding of Chatman’s choral-orchestral work and forms a central part of this thesis, the
composer provided me with copies of the full conductor’s scores of this repertoire. I also
obtained vocal scores for the choral-orchestral works from E.C. Schirmer Music Publishing in
order to effectively study the choral writing and various musical structures in the composer’s
works.
In addition to my score analysis and research, I completed personal interviews with the composer
and other associated individuals; these conversations provided me with first-hand, primary
information about Chatman’s musical material. The University of Toronto’s Research Ethics
Board (Social Sciences) approved interviews for the purpose of this study with:
1. Graeme Langager: Director of Choral Activities, The University of British Columbia,
(UBC),
8
2. Lydia Adams: Conductor, The Elmer Iseler Singers, Toronto, and former Conductor
of the Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto,
3. Hilary Apfelstadt: Professor Emerita of Choral Studies, The University of Toronto,
4. Jonathan Girard: Conductor of the UBC Symphony Orchestra,
5. Alain Trudel: Music Director of both the Toledo Symphony and l’Orchestre
Symphonique de Laval, Principal Guest Conductor of the Ottawa Symphony,
Principal Youth and Family Conductor of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, and
Music Director of the former CBC Vancouver Orchestra,
6. Tara Wohlberg: Poet and Text Collaborator, Vancouver,
7. Ana-Maria Lipoczi: Manager of Music Services/Publishing, The CMC.
The first three individuals are choral conductors who worked extensively with the composer
while performing his music. Girard conducted Chatman’s choral-orchestral works, as well as the
opera Choir Practice, with the UBC Symphony Orchestra, choirs, and opera department. Trudel
conducted the premiere of Chatman’s Earth Songs in 2008. Wohlberg, the composer’s spouse,
has written texts for numerous Chatman compositions and frequently consults with the composer
on his music and acts as an adviser. Lipoczi, through her managing role at the CMC, is an expert
on the Canadian music repertoire which was being performed at the time of this writing.
1.5 Definition of terms 1. Canadian composer: “1. A composer holding documentation showing Canadian
citizenship or landed immigrant status, 2. A composer who has completed basic
training in composition and has had a sufficient period of establishment as a
practicing composer. A Master’s degree or equivalent in independent study is the
normal level of education required, 3. Completion of five or more original works that
have been publicly presented by professional performers” (Canadian Music Centre
2019, para. 3).
9
2. Canadian Music: “Any music that has been composed by a Canadian. Canadian
music includes indigenous music as well as composed music which relates to Canada
or is used possessively by Canadians” (Beckwith 1992, 1-2).
3. Repertoire: “1. Works which are played repeatedly. The term ‘concert repertoire’ is
frequently used to denote concert music, and 2. All compositions which have been
completed and proven themselves in performance, even if only performed on a few
occasions” (Beckwith 1992, 1-2).
4. Choral-Orchestral Music: “Musical works scored for chorus and an ensemble of
instruments from full and chamber orchestras to groupings of strings, winds, or
brasses” (Moyer and Schrock 2017, xi). For the purposes of this study, an orchestral
ensemble may also include percussion instruments. Relative to Chatman’s choral-
orchestral works, a “chorus” is defined as a choir consisting of twenty or more
singers. I examined Chatman’s works written for SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass)
chorus and orchestra during the course of this study.
5. Fonds: “A body of records that was made and received by a person, family, or
organization, public or private, in the conduct of their everyday affairs. These records
are accumulated over time and kept for their enduring value as a future reference
resource and/or as evidence of the functions and responsibilities of their creator”
(Simon Fraser University Archives and Records Management). My study references
the Stephen Chatman Fonds, an acquisition of Library and Archives Canada in
Ottawa.
1.6 Outline of the dissertation The following provides an outline of the topics discussed in each chapter of this dissertation:
Chapter 2 is a review of related literature and resources. It seeks to position Stephen Chatman’s
choral-orchestral works in the context of literature related to Canadian choral-orchestral
repertoire. It also provides significant information about the available resources related to
Stephen Chatman and his music.
10
Chapter 3 is an overview of the seven selected Chatman choral-orchestral works which were
composed in the current millennium. In this chapter, I discuss the general musical characteristics
of Chatman’s choral-orchestral works evident in the composer’s compositional process and
present a brief overview of each of the seven selected Chatman choral-orchestral works.
Chapter 4 provides detailed musical analyses of two of Chatman’s major choral-orchestral
works, Proud Music of the Storm, Chatman’s first major choral-orchestral work, and A Song of
Joys, his most recent at the time of writing. The information will be of value to conductors
seeking to perform these works.
Chapter 5 is a conductor’s guide to Chatman’s choral-orchestral works, which provides general
considerations for preparing and rehearsing choral-orchestral music. It also includes specific
strategies for preparing and rehearsing the two major Chatman works analyzed in Chapter 4. I
derived these strategies from various research sources, from my personal conducting experience,
and from strategies that have been employed successfully by the highly regarded conductors
interviewed for this dissertation.
Chapter 6 provides a summary of the research and conclusions. The latter outlines findings that
emerged through the investigation of the three research questions and points to areas requiring
future research.
11
Chapter 2 Review of Literature and Resources: Stephen Chatman’s Works
in the Context of Canadian Choral-Orchestral Repertoire
2.1 The Chatman Fonds at Library and Archives Canada In completing this study, I discovered the most all-encompassing perspective of Stephen
Chatman’s music, career, and life history at Library and Archives Canada (LAC). Examination
of resources stored in the Stephen Chatman Fonds at LAC confirmed Chatman’s stature as one of
Canada’s high-ranking composers and unveiled documents which provided keys to the
composer’s success in his field. LAC, a Government of Canada institution, is located in Ottawa,
Ontario, the nation’s capital. The mandate of this institution is “to acquire, preserve and provide
access to Canada’s documentary heritage” (Library and Archives Canada 2016, Sec. 4. para. 2).
LAC embraces Canada’s documentary heritage, and items held at the institution must bear
national significance. Documentary heritage of national significance includes materials from
individuals, such as Chatman, which demonstrate the Canadian experience, have influenced the
development of Canada, have a broad national scope, have had an impact on national trends and
events, and/or illustrate Canada’s impact and perspectives on international trends and events
(LAC 2016).
Tara Wohlberg, Stephen Chatman’s wife, states that LAC directly approached the composer with
a request to acquire his materials (Wohlberg, interview, Sept. 26, 2019). A formal process
enabled this acquisition to take place. LAC directors, managers, and staff under the leadership of
the Librarian and Archivist of Canada subsequently conducted a series of evaluation and
acquisition activities and processes. These processes were guided by the parameters outlined in
the LAC Evaluation and Policy Framework document (LAC 2016). Maureen Nevins, acting
manager of the literature, music, and performing arts section of the archives branch at LAC,
facilitated the admission of Chatman’s materials into the archives and provided this explanation
for the process whereby Chatman’s materials were admitted into the institution. She explains, “In
support of the evaluation process, we require a detailed list of the documents on offer (from the
candidate). This list should include several types of documents (i.e. correspondence; press
12
clippings; audio recordings; photographs etc.), their dates of creation, their extent (quantities),
and their condition” (Nevins, e-mail, October 16, 2019). Wohlberg states that she assists
Chatman with organizing and sending the composer’s updated materials to LAC every three to
four years. Cataloguing is then completed by archivists at LAC. The most recent deposit of
Chatman’s materials, as of this writing, was completed in 2018 (Wohlberg, interview, Sept. 26,
2019).
Many documents and other resources in the Chatman fonds directly relate to this study of the
composer’s choral-orchestral music. In completing the LAC research, I examined and
photographed a multitude of Chatman’s documents to allow for closer study. Several of these
were useful to my analyses of the choral-orchestral works. The collection includes scores and
sketches from all stages of the composition process for all seven of the Chatman choral-
orchestral works included in this study. Original sketches of these works, handwritten in pencil
on manuscript with annotations by the composer, show the earliest stages of the process.
Chatman’s rationale for the type of subject material and duration of various works is evident in
signed documents detailing the requirements of commissioning organizations. The composer
created a detailed record of the process of composing these works through the inclusion in the
collection of other supporting documents and materials such as e-mails, audio recordings,
newspaper articles, details about unusual or ethnic instruments used, sample texts, composer
lecture outlines, and program notes (LAC 2017).
The archivists at LAC maintain the same detailed documentation for the entire body of
Chatman’s works, including choral music, orchestral works, band music, chamber music, and
solo repertoire. For this study, I examined personal documents related to all stages and aspects of
Chatman’s life, including files linked to his childhood, education, family life, photographs,
personal interests, teaching records, work of his composition students, letters, awards, and a
multitude of other artifacts. Together these provided a comprehensive supporting record of the
composer’s path to musical success. For example, it was quite evident that Chatman’s
musicianship was highly influenced by his father, Alfred Chatman, a highly sought-after piano
player and schoolteacher who held a master’s degree in music. Evidence of strong parental
support for Chatman’s music education exists in specific letters stored in the fonds. These letters
13
showed that Chatman’s parents consistently stood behind him through challenges encountered in
his academic subjects when he was a young undergraduate student at Oberlin College (LAC
2017). The most comprehensive and up-to-date record of Chatman’s professional activities as an
educator and a composer, as well as details of his personal life, are stored within the Stephen
Chatman Fonds at LAC.
2.2 Literature directly related to Stephen Chatman, his music and choral-orchestral music in Canada
Several significant writings directly related to Stephen Chatman and his music contributed to this
study. By far, the most abundant literature concerning or related to Stephen Chatman and his
music exists in the form of short articles and reviews about his compositions and the recordings
of his works. Most of the short articles are found in professional publications such as The Choral
Journal (a monthly juried publication of the American Choral Directors Association) or in
Canadian newspapers and periodicals, where various writers provided positive commentaries on
Chatman’s works.
Graeme Langager, UBC’s Director of Choral Activities, wrote an informative article about
Chatman’s choral works in the Journal of the American Choral Foundation: Research
Memorandum Series (2012) in which he provides noteworthy insight into the composer’s choral
music. Langager also agreed to be interviewed for this dissertation. It is clear that he has
acquired intimate knowledge of the composer and his music through personal and professional
association. Langager provides specific details in his biography of Chatman which align closely
with those found in documents at LAC. For example, the importance of the composer’s family
life in shaping his musical career is again discussed in terms of the high-level musical and
teaching accomplishments of his father, Alfred. Langager also offers useful information about
Chatman’s compositional style. Finally, in this article, Langager includes detailed discussion of
selected Chatman works composed up to 2012. He concludes the article with a list of the
composer’s published and unpublished compositions to that date (Langager 2012).
Canadian music journalist Rick MacMillan authored three articles which span a period of more
than thirty years, the longest duration of anyone writing about Chatman and his music. Upon
14
viewing the first article, I immediately noticed the photo of a visibly younger Chatman. At the
time the article was written, Chatman was thirty years old and had been in Canada for only four
years. Most significant is that this article was written prior to Chatman’s transition to his more
traditional compositional style. In this first article, MacMillan writes, “Chatman’s compositional
style is difficult to define, principally because he does not confine himself to any one particular
idiom” (MacMillan 1980, 9). Also significant are the comments Chatman made so early in his
professional career about his view of Canadian music in his “newly-adopted country.”
MacMillan quoted Chatman, saying:
Canadian music, to me, if you could describe it in a few words, has first of all a
sense of space, secondly a certain starkness. This is something I’ve felt
subconsciously for a while but had never put into words. Then Murray Adaskin
(noted Canadian violinist, conductor, composer, professor) came here for a lecture
last fall and he said the same thing. All of a sudden it clicked: That’s what
Canadian music is. (MacMillan 1980, 9)
MacMillan wrote the second Chatman article nineteen years after the first article was published,
well after Chatman’s compositional style had changed. Chatman’s comments about his use of
traditional elements and language at that time continued to be reflected in his musical works
(MacMillan 1999, 14-15). In 1999, at age forty-nine, Chatman said this about his music:
I look to the past for inspiration and care little about the modernist obsession with
originality and “new” procedures. I’m more interested in creating fresh “twists
and a few surprises” based on fairly traditional elements and language . . . More
and more, I find myself writing for the general classical music audience. I don’t
write down to them, I write what I want to write, and I try to imagine that I’m
sitting in the audience too, asking myself, “What would I enjoy hearing?”
(MacMillan 1999, 14-15)
Finally, in MacMillan’s third article, which appears as an entry in the Canadian Encyclopedia,
the author summarizes Chatman’s career, compositional output, and musical style up to the time
of writing. The article makes it evident that Chatman is a well-established Canadian composer.
15
This is affirmed by Chatman’s extensive biography, the volume and extent of his compositions,
and the significant awards and recognition that have been achieved by the composer (MacMillan
2013).
Author Michael Meckna contributed to the recognition of Stephen Chatman through an article
about the composer in The New Grove Dictionary, a standard musical reference source (Meckna
2001, 536). Unfortunately, in that source, Meckna lists Chatman as an American composer,
rather than Canadian. The author does not acknowledge Chatman’s Canadian citizenship and
omits any recognition of the composer’s status as a Canadian composer. Despite this omission,
Meckna includes a brief biography of Chatman and lists in this entry a few of the composer’s
important works, both choral and instrumental. His descriptions of the composer’s works,
however, extend only to music composed up to 1979. This is somewhat unusual, considering that
the selective list of Chatman works in the dictionary entry includes works composed up until
1997 (Meckna 2001, 536). Chatman, however, had not written any of the choral-orchestral works
selected for this study during this eighteen-year time span. Furthermore, another twenty years
have now elapsed since that publication, and Chatman has added many more compositions to his
portfolio, hence the need for updated research.
Chatman wrote a paper for the Beijing Forum of 2004, which speaks to his passion for
multiculturalism. This passion is consistently reflected through his music, including the
composer’s choral-orchestral repertoire. In that paper, Chatman discusses the increasing
influence of Canadian multiculturalism and “world music” on Canadian contemporary art music.
Like him, many of the composers Chatman identifies in the paper were born outside of Canada,
but he considers them all to be Canadian composers. For example, Healey Willan, who is often
regarded as “The Dean of Canadian composers,” was actually born in England; Michael Colgrass
was born in the United States; Peter Paul Koprowski came from Poland; University of Toronto
composition professor Christos Hatzis was born in Greece; the list goes on. Through this paper,
Chatman expresses his excitement about a “profound convergence of approach as Canadian
composers extract rich musical elements, which appeal to them and their audiences from either
familiar or unfamiliar cultures” (Chatman 2010, 7403–7406).
16
2.2.1 Previous dissertations related to Chatman and choral-orchestral music in Canada
Three dissertations related to choral music and the larger choral-orchestral genre provided
information relevant to this study of Chatman’s music. The most recent was written by Mark
Ramsay (2018), previous conductor of the University of Toronto Tenor-Bass Chorus, and now
Assistant Professor of Music at Western University. Ramsay’s writing was inspired by his
passion for Canadian choral music written for tenor and bass choruses. The bulk of Ramsay’s
contribution is in the form of conductors’ guides. The author provides such guides for five
Chatman choral compositions. “Peace” and “In Flanders Fields,” two of the Chatman works
discussed by Ramsay, were adapted by the composer for performance with orchestra (Ramsay
2018, 37–46). These comprise two of the three shorter Chatman choral-orchestral works which
are discussed in this dissertation. The beauty of Chatman’s choral works, as suggested by UBC’s
Graeme Langager in the article cited previously, is that several compositions are available in
alternative arrangements (Langager 2012). Chatman transposed “In Flanders Fields” into keys
for performance by SATB and TTBB choirs. He has, however, arranged just one choral-
orchestral version of this selection in a key which is performable only by SATB choir. “Peace,”
on the other hand, is adaptable for SATB, SAB, SSAA, and TTBB choirs with string orchestra,
since all versions of the composition are arranged in the same key.
Jeffrey Taylor, a graduate of the University of Arizona, completed a very thorough study and
analysis of Chatman’s music from a conductor’s viewpoint. Taylor surveyed the composer’s
music up to the beginning of the millennium (Taylor 2002). Since the time of that study,
Chatman’s music repertory has expanded considerably. Choral works mentioned in Ramsay’s
2018 dissertation, for example, were not written yet. On the other hand, Taylor’s extensive
analyses of Chatman’s choral works and compositional style throughout the composer’s earlier
works have provided very useful data for my study of Chatman’s music. Because Chatman’s
choral-orchestral works were all composed after Taylor’s writing, my research findings on these
works will supplement Taylor’s significantly.
Trinity Western University professor, Joel Tranquilla (2013), has written the only dissertation to
date which addresses choral-orchestral music in Canada. In this document, Tranquilla introduces
17
a catalogue of Canadian choral-orchestral works, a reference source which cannot be found
elsewhere. With respect to Chatman, Tranquilla provides brief outlines in chart form of two of
the composer’s major choral-orchestral works: Earth Songs (2008) and Magnificat (2011).
Because Tranquilla provides only an overview of those Chatman works, there is a need for more
detailed, current information on this subject.
2.2.2 The status of Canadian choral-orchestral repertoire
The status of Canadian repertoire, including all of Chatman’s musical output, has been elevated
through a variety of national organizations, as well as through meticulous tracking of commonly
performed music by reputable individuals and professional musical organizations. Stephen
Chatman is an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre (CMC). The CMC continues
to be a primary institution contributing to raising the stature and visibility of Canadian music. It
provides unique resources for exploring, discovering, and performing Canadian music and plays
a key role in promoting Canadian music, particularly the music of its associate composers (CMC
2019). While researching Chatman’s music there, I was surprised to learn from the CMC that the
choral-orchestral genre represents a very small niche of the entire Canadian music repertory
(Lipoczi, interview, September 5, 2019).
Beyond the CMC, national regulators also play an important role in contributing toward
increasing the profile of Canadian repertoire, and this has had an enormous effect on the output
of composers such as Chatman. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission (CRTC) regulates musical content and mandates that at least 35% of music in the
popular music category and 10% of music in a special interest category that is aired during a
broadcast week must comprise Canadian selections. The Canada Council for the Arts provides
musical organizations and individuals with monetary funding. Through the grant application
process, applicants must provide proof of having accomplished satisfactory Canadian content in
both past and future programming (Canada Council 2019). Throughout his career, Chatman has
been the recipient of several Canada Council grants (Wohlberg 2019).
In completing this study, I found it extremely challenging to determine which Canadian choral-
orchestral works are commonly performed. The CMC indicated that it tracks only rental
18
materials from its own library, and beyond this, it really has no way of tracking what is
performed (Lipoczi, interview, September 5, 2019). The exhaustive searches I completed during
this study of Chatman’s compositions revealed that the separate choral and orchestral repertoire
components have been studied and catalogued much more frequently than the combined choral-
orchestral genre. For example, Canadian choral conductors Patricia Abbott and Victoria
Meredith have created a list of a cappella or accompanied choral works they consider to be
standard repertoire (Abbott and Meredith 2012, 104–114). There are additional Canadian choral
repertoire lists compiled by Hilary Apfelstadt (2014), Choral Canada (Abbott and Hawn 2008),
the Canadian Music Educators Association and Ontario Music Educators Association (Beatty
and Shand 2010). In all instances, contributors were prominent Canadian conductors and
musicians. Multiple musical selections are common to all lists, which is reflective of the music
that is frequently performed.
Similarly, I also found a variety of resources that track frequently performed Canadian orchestral
compositions, and these again outpace the choral-orchestral genre. For instance, authors Bob
Clark and John Reid investigated the performance of Canadian orchestral music and created a list
of frequently performed repertoire from that musical genre. Crimson Dream, a commonly
performed Chatman orchestral work that was commissioned by conductor Uri Mayer and the
Edmonton Symphony (Chatman, email, November 13, 2020), appears on Clark and Reid’s list of
frequently performed orchestral works (Clark and Reid 2001, 143–150). In his dissertation,
orchestral musician Robert Fraser also endeavours to identify standard Canadian orchestral
music according to frequency of performance by major symphony orchestras, and he has
compiled an extensive list of repertoire (Fraser 2008, iii). On the other hand, Joel Tranquilla
(2013), as noted previously, has created the only resource which attempts to identify frequently
performed Canadian choral-orchestral works. In his dissertation, Tranquilla includes a catalogue
of thirty-five works written by Canadian composers within a thirty-year period. According to
Tranquilla, his primary mission was to identify works of this genre which would appeal to
audiences of fine art music (Tranquilla 2013, 3).
19
2.3 Unique contributions of Chatman’s choral-orchestral compositions to Canadian musical repertoire
2.3.1 Accessibility of Stephen Chatman’s music
The accessibility of Chatman’s music for performers and audiences alike has been a key
ingredient in the composer’s success. Author and composer Jochen Eisentraut identifies four
important aspects of musical access that are relevant to this study of Chatman’s music.
First, Eisentraut suggests that having the ability to determine sound structures or musical forms
can improve listeners’ ability to establish meaning in musical compositions. According to
Eisentraut, many musicians and music lovers appreciate music more when its musical structures
are familiar to them (Eisentraut 2012, 19–51). Conductor Hilary Apfelstadt, in speaking about
musical structure in Chatman’s compositions, suggested that following the musical form in
Chatman’s writing and seeking out places in the music where there is repetition makes it much
easier for conductors to teach the composer’s music (Apfelstadt, interview, October 21, 2019). In
composing the short choral-orchestral work “Peace,” for example, Chatman used a basic ternary
(ABA) form and melodic patterns in sequence, both of which contribute to making this selection
a very approachable work for a community choir and orchestra to use in performance. Amateur
community musicians particularly appreciate being able to recognize these familiar melodic
patterns. When a composer repeats musical ideas or uses melodic ideas in sequence as Chatman
has done, it becomes much easier and quicker for a conductor to teach the music to the
musicians.
Second, Eisentraut proposes that a positive personal and subjective reception to music from
performers and listeners can promote better access. This aligns with Chatman’s success as a
composer. Chatman’s comments about writing for general musical audiences and his stance on
supporting “enjoyment of the music” affirms this viewpoint (MacMillan 1999, 14–15). A
majority of interviewees for this dissertation confirmed this “enjoyment” aspect of Chatman’s
music. Conductor Lydia Adams, for example, said:
20
Stephen Chatman’s music has always impressed, intrigued, excited, and moved
me. His music is always so well-written for both voices and instruments and is
always written so that both the choral and instrumental musicians love to perform
it. I really like the texts that he chooses, and they reflect brilliantly from the choir
to our audiences. (Adams, interview, November 25, 2019)
Third, Eisentraut identifies exoticism in compositions as a musical dimension which increases
attraction and accessibility through its novelty (Eisentraut 2012, 19–51). Use of musical styles
from other cultures or the use of Asian musical instruments in certain Chatman works fits into
this “exotic” category.
Finally, Eisentraut discusses promotional tactics used by publishers and record companies within
the music industry to channel music into widely accepted styles to return maximum profits
(Eisentraut 2012, 19–51). Chatman’s professional and financial success as a composer has been
enhanced through the promotional initiatives of his primary publisher, E.C. Schirmer Music, as
well as through various recordings of his works.
Chatman’s move away from atonal, avant-garde compositional practices toward a more
traditional writing style has also contributed toward the accessibility of his music. Author Simon
Frith addresses the avant-garde style of music in his discussion of “bad music.” Frith (2004)
suggests that emotional response to musical sounds is often a great concern, and audiences often
do not buy into music that upsets or offends them (11–28). Canadian musical pioneer Sir Ernest
MacMillan suggested that negative audience values toward Canadian music and preferences for
Western classical music were often the primary reasons cited for why Canadian works were
rarely performed or published (MacMillan 1997, 110–121). Former University of Toronto
Faculty of Music Dean John Beckwith suggested that prior to 1985, choirs were reluctant to
perform Canadian avant-garde music because audiences did not engage with this musical style.
Beckwith used the term “bloody sounding” to describe this genre of music and addressed the
misconception that Canadian composers of art music at that time composed only avant-garde
music (Beckwith 1997, 58–63). Where Chatman is concerned, his move away from the avant-
21
garde toward the traditional style of composition correlates with his successful achievements as a
composer.
2.3.2 Canadian elements and influences in relation to Stephen Chatman’s
musical contributions
Stephen Chatman is only one composer who has contributed uniquely to the Canadian musical
landscape through incorporating Canadian elements and influences in his music. Many writers
feel that national elements and influences are held in high regard by composers, musicians, and
audiences and see these characteristics reflected in their music. David Elliott, a former University
of Toronto professor (now at New York University Steinhardt School of Music), has written
about a concept called “artistic citizenship” which provides a plausible explanation of why
national elements in music are so important to musicians and audiences. Elliott regards
musicians as “citizens” and philosophizes that as such, they have a social responsibility to
contribute toward the betterment of a larger community. He says that this “artistic citizenship”
can be exercised through the music they perform (Elliott 2012, 21–27). Elliott sees national
citizenship as a type of artistic commitment toward a constituted group of people called “a
nation.” He believes that when musicians perform music from their homeland as national
citizens, they receive advantages and rewards by being part of something much larger than
themselves (Elliott, 21–27).
University of Regina conductor Melissa Morgan participated in the discussion about national
musical elements through her dissertation. Morgan discusses how the choral music of the prairie
region of Canada can be defined by cultural phenomena. She states that researchers of the
prairies have discussed identity by describing the geography and physical landscape. Morgan
sought to determine if choral music of the prairies reflects the values and geographical influences
of the region (Morgan 2017). Morgan also cites Canadian author Elaine Keillor who states,
“There is evidence that today more than ever, Canadian musicians and researchers are concerned
with questions of identity and musical expression” (Keillor 2006, 3–14).
22
Authors Krisztina Lajosi and Andreas Stynen discuss national musical traditions displayed in
musical repertoire such as history, landscape, and traditions of various peoples (Lajosi and
Stynen 2015, 1–13). Canadian composer Donald Patriquin describes a sense of Canadian
nationalism found in Canadian choral style, which is linked to history, geography, our natural
and working environment, and our peoples (Jonas 2001, 287–303). In a similar way, Canadian
conductor Rachel Resink-Hoff discusses national compositional influences in terms of
multicultural, demographic, and geographical diversity in Canada, as well as the country’s
climate (Resink-Hoff 2007, 34–41). Likewise, choral conductor Hilary Apfelstadt identifies
influences on Canadian choral music in terms of folk music elements, nature elements, and art
music (Apfelstadt 2014, 34–41).
An example of Chatman’s use of Canadian elements and influences in his music is found in his
choral-orchestral composition, Earth Songs. When composing the piece for the centenary of the
University of British Columbia, Chatman sought to portray local elements including the UBC
campus, the city of Vancouver, the province of British Columbia, and the local rainforest and
climate (Chatman 2008). Chatman makes these comments with respect to Canadian elements in
his music:
I don’t usually think about elements in my music, but I suppose some elements
are uniquely Canadian. Many of my choral settings reflect in words and music the
Canadian landscape––the north, the west, open spaces, cold weather. Other
elements, for example, the treatment of rhythm, ostinati, texture, sound,
transparent structures, directness of language, consistent harmonic language, and
an intent to evoke an emotional or strong response, might be uniquely Canadian.
My music is generally complex but not complicated. (Chatman, e-mail, November
7, 2017)
As Chatman indicated, he does not necessarily try to use specifically Canadian elements as
defined by the writers cited above. As a Canadian composer, however, he contributes to the
repertoire with his extensive output.
23
2.4 Other Chatman resources: Publishing and recording Stephen Chatman has published and distributed his music with numerous music publishing
houses and recording distributors throughout his extensive career as a composer. Chatman’s
primary music publisher is, at the time of this writing, the E.C. Schirmer Publishing Group
(ECS) based in St. Louis, Missouri. The company has a long history of success in the music
publishing business, and Chatman’s music continues to experience a high volume of sales
(according to the composer, 20,000 per year) with this company (Duke 2020). Chatman’s choral
scores, choral-orchestral scores (with orchestra parts), CD recordings, piano music, solo works,
chamber and instrumental works, and Choir Practice (Chatman’s opera) are all available from
ECS Music. As of May 2020, samples of scores (pdf documents) and high-quality recordings of
the composer’s compositions are available for preview at the ECS website (E.C. Schirmer Music
Company 2019). Additional publishers of Chatman’s music include Oxford University Press,
Boosey and Hawkes, earthsongs, Frederick Harris Music, Dorn, Berandol, Alfred, Theodore
Presser, and Mayfair (Chatman 2004a).
Chatman’s major choral-orchestral works, along with a wide variety of his other music, are
available on the Centrediscs record label. Centrediscs, a division of the CMC, has existed since
1977 and relies on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) for technical support. Artistic
direction and post-production activities are controlled by the CMC, and only CMC associate
composers are eligible for inclusion on Centrediscs recordings (Parsons 2013). The CMC itself
has an extensive catalogue of Chatman works posted on its website. Some of these may be
borrowed from the CMC library, and the public can also access CentreStreams recordings of the
composer’s music on the website.
2.5 Summary
In order to acquire knowledge and context with respect to Stephen Chatman’s contributions to
Canadian choral-orchestral repertoire, I examined a wide range of related literature and
resources. I discovered an enormous wealth of materials associated with Chatman’s personal life
24
and professional musical career at LAC. I also found numerous positive reviews of Chatman’s
music in various publications, as well as in articles written specifically about Chatman and his
music, dating back to the start of his professional career in the 1970s. In this chapter, I explained
how three authors discuss Chatman’s music specifically in their dissertations; one of those
authors completed a specialized study of Canadian choral-orchestral music, Chatman’s included.
Furthermore, I examined the status of Canadian choral-orchestral music in relation to Chatman’s
music by exploring the role of various national music organizations such as the CMC, the CRTC,
and the Canada Council. I noted that reputable Canadian experts have compiled a wide variety of
choral, orchestral, and choral-orchestral repertoire lists, and these provide a good indication of
the Canadian music that is frequently performed.
I also searched for confirmation that Chatman has made unique contributions to Canadian music
and choral-orchestral music particularly. With respect to those unique contributions, I discovered
evidence which indicates that Chatman’s musical works lend themselves to being accessible to
performers as well as audiences. I also found some indications that Chatman included Canadian
elements in his music, having been affected by a wide variety of Canadian influences, thus
adding further unique characteristics to his musical output. Finally, in order to confirm that
Chatman’s music is readily available for purchase and performance, I provided an outline of the
various publishing houses where Chatman’s printed music may be found, and I also noted where
recordings of the composer’s music may be found.
The research data that comprises this chapter supplied information that allows me to make
several qualitative conclusions concerning the secondary research question around which I
framed this study: What contributions do Chatman’s choral-orchestral works make to this genre
in Canada? I learned that the curators from LAC approached Chatman directly with a request to
acquire a sizeable collection of his materials which are now archived in the Chatman fonds.
Chatman’s exemplary professional reputation fulfilled the pre-requisite requirements for
admission into LAC, including a stipulation that his work must bear national significance. The
innumerable writings about Chatman and his music in various journals, encyclopedias,
dissertations, and reviews provided strong evidence of his exceptional compositional abilities
and the musical contributions that he has made to Canadian musical repertoire to date.
25
Following an examination of the high-profile lists of frequently-performed Canadian repertoire
referred to in this chapter, I was supplied with some evidence that Chatman’s music contributes a
great deal to the performance needs of Canadian performing ensembles such as choirs and
orchestras. His music titles appear multiple times on some of those lists, and sales of his choral
music especially, are extremely high averaging almost 20,000 copies a year (Duke 2020). As
stated previously, Chatman writes music that is accessible to performers and audiences alike, and
which sometimes includes Canadian elements. My discussion of the prominent musical qualities
that infuse his music is further supported by the degree to which his works, including choral-
orchestral, are performed, published, recorded and broadcast. In the bibliography of this
dissertation, I list Chatman’s published choral-orchestral works and recordings, and multiple
high-level performances and national broadcasts of these works in Appendix S. Ana-Maria
Lipoczi, during my interview with her at the CMC (September 5, 2019), spoke also about
Chatman’s positive track record with respect to writing high quality music which resonates with
performers and audiences. As also noted previously, I identified the CMC and several other
prestigious Canadian organizations that helped to confirm the composer’s status as a significant
Canadian composer.
While Chatman’s past record as outlined speaks for itself, I will describe and provide examples
of his exceptional choral-orchestral writing skills in chapters 3 and 4. In Chapter 4 especially, I
will supply detailed analyses of two of Chatman’s major choral-orchestral works: Proud Music
of the Storm and A Song of Joys. My writing about Chatman’s skillful use of compositional
techniques in both of these chapters will further support the significant contributions that he
makes to this genre of music in Canada.
26
Chapter 3 An Overview of Stephen Chatman’s Choral-Orchestral Works
In this chapter, I present an overview of Stephen Chatman’s choral-orchestral works. I discuss
the musical characteristics of the composer’s music based on my studies of his work, interviews
with the composer, interviews with conductors and other individuals associated with his career,
my research at Library and Archives Canada, and my review of a wide variety of scholarly
articles, books, and reference sources. This discussion centres around Chatman’s four major
choral-orchestral works, as well as three short choral works which he originally wrote for choir
and piano and re-arranged for choir and orchestra. (Refer to p. 2, par. 2 for the list.) I include
these shorter, single movement choral-orchestral pieces in this study for the benefit of conductors
and choirs who want to program less lengthy, accessible works. 3.1 Text and dramatic elements in Stephen Chatman’s choral-
orchestral music “Music and words are born together and destined never to part” (Parker 2006, 75). This
statement reflects the ideology of composer-author, Alice Parker, who is world-renowned for her
stance that the text is the basic building block and driving force for choral music. Stephen
Chatman’s viewpoint concerning the essential nature of the text in choral music aligns very
closely with Parker’s. Even when composing choral-orchestral works for large 200-voice
symphonic chorus and full symphony orchestra, he considers the text to be a major priority
during the compositional process (Chatman, interview, June 22, 2018). The text ultimately
determines the character and overall direction of a particular Chatman choral work, and text is
also crucial in the evolution of Chatman’s choral-orchestral compositions. Conductor Lydia
Adams confirmed text to be a primary element in Chatman’s choral-orchestral works:
I think that Stephen Chatman is an extraordinary composer, full of imagination
and brilliance, with an immense knowledge of beautiful and inspiring poetry and a
tremendous knowledge of how to set words, how to write for voices, and how to
complement the text with orchestral colours. It seems obvious to me that he is
27
inspired by the text firstly and writes to bring that text out with his music, and I
love that. We are so fortunate to have him in Canada, and to have the opportunity
to sing and be inspired by his music. (Adams, interview, November 25, 2019)
Conductor Alain Trudel, who conducted the premiere performance of Chatman’s Earth Songs,
provided this statement concerning the importance of text in the composer’s music: “The text
provides more context for the work. Audiences really appreciate being able to relate to the story”
(Trudel, interview, October 14, 2019).
In interviews with me, Stephen Chatman offered detailed elaboration about the use of text in his
choral-orchestral works, thus providing valuable insight for this study. I have organized the
information into two categories: 1. Text selection and sources in Chatman’s music, and 2.
Characteristics of Chatman’s texts.
3.1.1 Text selection and sources in Chatman’s music
Chatman sometimes uses texts that he has written for his compositions, but he more frequently
chooses texts written by other poets and authors. The fifth movement of Earth Songs, entitled
“Danses des pluies” (“Dance of the Rains”), is a rare example of choral music for which
Chatman wrote the text himself. The entire text for this movement consists of a variety of single
repeated words from many languages, all associated with water. The text is sung on definite
pitches by the choir, and a short melodic motif is associated with each word. Through the use of
this text, Chatman created an overall effect which resembles various sounds of water: drizzle,
steady rain, raindrops, thunderstorm, and a variety of other effects associated with rain. With
each new word in the text, Chatman changes the rhythmic motives and articulations to suit the
language. The singing of this text is intimately married to the orchestral colours in this
movement, and the overall sonority created by this unique use of Chatman’s text is very dramatic
and extremely realistic. Conductor Alain Trudel brought the significance of Chatman’s writing in
this movement to my attention. When conducting Earth Songs, Trudel was particularly struck by
the effect in the fifth movement created by Chatman’s use of words associated with raindrops
(Trudel, interview, October 14, 2019).
28
Beyond this isolated example, Chatman does not write texts for his choral-orchestral works.
When interviewed, Chatman provided information concerning the choice of text for Earth Songs
and confirmed that the texts for the other five movements were written by other poets. For those
movements, Chatman selected a biblical text from Genesis, along with texts by Walt Whitman,
UBC poet George McWhirter, nineteenth century British poet Robert Stephen Hawker, and
seventh-eighth century Chinese poet Zhang Jiuling (phonetically transcribed by Chatman for the
vocal score). Because the piece was being composed for the centenary of UBC, Chatman sought
themes that pertained to nature, and also to UBC. He wanted the piece to reflect the environment
and the history of the Province of British Columbia, so he consequently selected texts that
represented various perspectives on the province from a wide variety of poets and authors.
Chatman identified influences that included Chinese immigration, the nineteenth century
American gold rush (another form of immigration), and the British influence (Chatman,
interview, June 25, 2018).
Poet Tara Wohlberg offered helpful insight concerning the setting of text to music in Chatman’s
choral works. Wohlberg, Chatman’s spouse, is a frequent text collaborator for Chatman’s choral
works. She is also an accomplished classical pianist. Her expertise with poetry and music enables
the couple to work together very successfully in a professional context. Knowing about the close
professional arrangement between Chatman and Wohlberg, I was very curious about why the
composer has not used texts written by Wohlberg in any of his choral-orchestral works to date. In
answer to my query, Wohlberg told me that for the choral-orchestral pieces, the composer
requires more extensive texts than she is accustomed to writing. She says that Chatman has
chosen to draw on the work of world-renowned poets as a source of material for his major works.
For example, in composing Proud Music of the Storm and A Song of Joys, Chatman chose to use
texts by the famous American poet, Walt Whitman. She says that Chatman selected Whitman’s
text for Proud Music of the Storm because it is a symbol of strength and conveys the message
that “We shall overcome.” This piece was inspired by the tragic terrorist attack on the World
Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001. Wohlberg says that both she and
Chatman believe that this poetry is very exclamatory, and Chatman felt an immediate connection
with the poet’s writing because it aligned closely with the manner in which he wanted that piece
to unfold (Wohlberg, interview, September 26, 2019).
29
Similarly, in his most recent work, A Song of Joys, Chatman again displays his affinity for
Whitman’s poetry. In speaking about the composer’s decision to use a Whitman text in a third
major work, Wohlberg states:
For this work, the composer required a substantial text that was bold,
declamatory, and modern without being “dated” in a certain way. This type of
writing is so timeless. That is my impression of why he has chosen Whitman. I am
a sprinter [referring to her collaboration with Chatman on shorter choral
selections]. I am okay for a short three-minute choral piece, but not for a full-
length major choral-orchestral work. I am a poet or short story writer, not a
novelist. My scope tends to be smaller and shorter, which works well for choral
music. I think that he really feels he needs a “heavy-hitter” for the choral-
orchestral works. That genre of music really needs that heft. (Wohlberg,
interview, September 26, 2019)
Practical and financial constraints are often crucial determining factors in matters relating to
composition, and I found evidence of this in various files at LAC with respect to Chatman’s
choice of text for certain works. Contracts between an organization commissioning a new work
and a composer, for example, frequently outline specific parameters the composer must meet in
the commissioned work. At LAC, I examined a file which contained the contract between
Stephen Chatman, “the composer,” and the University of British Columbia, which was named as
“the commissioner” of Earth Songs. While the commissioning organization included detailed
requirements in this contract for the specific length (20 minutes) and instrumentation of the
work, it also specified that the piece should be based on several public domain texts.1 Various
emails between Chatman, social entrepreneur Nancy Mortifee, “intercultural bridge builder”
Winnie Cheung, and poet George McWhirter provide documentation of the discussion that
transpired between the composer and the various individuals he consulted in his search for
suitable public domain texts to use in composing Earth Songs. In these back-and-forth email
1 Library and Archives Canada, Stephen Chatman fonds, R13702/MUS 309, Earth Songs for SATB and Orchestra, volume 47, file “Contract between Composer (Stephen Chatman) and Commissioner (University of British Columbia) no. 1.”
30
discussions dating from February 2007, Chatman included samples of several “public domain”
texts he was considering for the work, some of which he eventually eliminated from
consideration.2
“Public domain” refers to “creative works that for one reason or another are not protected by
copyright law and are ordinarily free for all to use” (Fishman 2008, 4). A composer has
unlimited licence to use, without charge, public domain works, including poetry, in compositions
such as choral works. In the composition of a major choral-orchestral work, the use of texts
based on public domain materials represents a significant cost-saving for the composer and for
the commissioning organization. Wohlberg also suggested that since it is often difficult to obtain
permission from living writers to use text in musical compositions, the composer frequently finds
it much easier to use texts from writers that are no longer living (Wohlberg, interview,
September 26, 2019). In one email communication with Nancy Mortifee, Chatman specifically
outlines a major criterion for “public domain” texts for Earth Songs, which is that the author of
the text must have died before 1930.3
3.1.2 Characteristics of Chatman’s texts
“Drama is a big word,” says Chatman. “Drama is always present in music, but it is even more
evident in a work with choir and orchestra.” He further explains:
The dramatic element is really critical and is found in any composition, whether it
is Handel’s Messiah or Bach’s Magnificat or Orff’s Carmina Burana. Name any
masterpiece, and it has an element of drama, especially a work with a large
choral-orchestral ensemble. (Chatman, interview, June 25, 2018)
Chatman sees the text as a fundamental component used to create the “dramatic element” of
choral-orchestral music (Chatman interview, June 25, 2018). Author Chester Alwes provides
comprehensive descriptions of the dramatic components of works for choir and orchestra through
his discussion of choral music in the nineteenth century. Alwes refers to important literary
2 Ibid. “Emails between Stephen Chatman, Nancy Mortifee, Winnie Cheung, and George McWhirter.” 3 Ibid. “E-mail between Stephen Chatman and Nancy Mortifee.”
31
figures such as Goethe and Schiller whose works were a central part of the choral-orchestral
output of many romantic composers including Brahms, Schumann, Mendelssohn, and Berlioz, as
well as Beethoven (Alwes 2016, 64–91). With respect to Beethoven’s music, author Dennis
Schrock refers to the universal message presented in Schiller’s German poem, An die Freude
(Ode to Joy) which was used as the choral text basis for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony: Alle
menschen werden Brüder (All men are brothers) (Schrock 2009, 445–46).
Similarly, as mentioned previously, Chatman used Walt Whitman texts in composing several of
his choral-orchestral works. Author Jonathan Green, in a discussion of choral-orchestral works of
the twentieth century, suggests that universal themes found in Walt Whitman’s poetry have made
him the poet of choice for many contemporary composers of large works. Green identifies
fourteen choral works that include Whitman texts (Green 1994, 7–13). For the premiere
performance of Chatman’s A Song of Joys, the commissioners from the Calgary Philharmonic
(CPO) asked Chatman for a work which could be paired on a program with Beethoven’s Ninth
Symphony. By doing this, the commissioners were taking into consideration certain practical and
professional aspects of the orchestra, since the instrumentation for the Chatman and Beethoven
works is the same. This simplified the performance logistics and helped to make the project more
cost-effective. Moreover, in programming both the Chatman work and the Beethoven work on
the same program, staff from the Calgary Philharmonic were able to achieve commendable
aesthetic goals. Their decision to accept Chatman’s recommendation for incorporating fragments
of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass into A Song of Joys was very practical. That the CPO was
able to incorporate texts on the same program by two poets (Schiller and Whitman) who were
both renowned for the universal appeal of their writing reflects very thoughtful planning.
In expanding upon the critical nature of the text in choral-orchestral works, Chatman discussed
the importance of “immediacy” in text. He said that he generally likes to choose a text that
audiences can understand on first listening. “The audience only has one chance,” Chatman
explained. “The text is not being spoken. It is being sung. A text should be chosen that has
language that can be understood immediately” (Chatman interview, June 25, 2018).
32
Chatman suggested that the vocabulary of text used for choral-orchestral works cannot be
complicated. The audience has to be able to understand the language, and it is very important to
choose text that is inspiring. He suggested that there are many more factors involved when
setting the text for a larger work which uses different texts for each individual movement. The
following are factors that Chatman considers when setting the text:
1. Language of the text: Multiple languages are sometimes used in Chatman’s choral-
orchestral works. In Magnificat, for example, the composer uses seven different
languages in the text of the piece.
2. Character of the musical setting/orchestration: The composer asks himself whether
there will be a variety of tempos, dynamics, and colours in the piece and determines how
this is reflected in the text.
3. Length of the text: The composer determines the length of the text in terms of the
amount of music that will be needed to fit the text. Sometimes short texts will need to be
repeated multiple times in order to achieve the desired musical result.
4. Character of the text: The composer determines if the text is “loud” or “soft” or
“varied.” He determines if the text has a fast tempo or a slow tempo. Repetition of text
often occurs in fast movements. With respect to the length of text, Chatman says: “The
rule of thumb is that if a text is chosen that is about one-minute in length, the musical
setting is going to be at least three or four minutes in length, unless it is fast” (Chatman
interview, June 25, 2018).
5. Inspirational quality of the text: A crucial question that Chatman always asks himself
when setting text is, “Is the text inspiring to me as the composer, for the singers, for the
orchestra to play, and for the audience?” (Chatman, interview, June 25, 2018).
Wohlberg explained several other intricacies involved when Chatman sets text to music. She
says that Chatman initially “cherry picks” what he likes in terms of text and that the music is
composed afterward for the majority of his works. Wohlberg additionally provided further
insight on how important the musical tempo is in relation to text in Chatman’s thinking process.
In order to determine whether the tempo of the music should be fast or slow, Chatman carefully
reads through a poem or fragments of text. Wohlberg confirmed Chatman’s comment that where
33
the tempo of the text is determined to be “fast,” more text is required, and that slower pieces or
movements generally require less text.
Wohlberg affirmed that “open vowels” and “repetition” are favourite devices used by Chatman
with respect to text (Wohlberg, interview, September 26, 2019). When Wohlberg speaks of
Chatman’s use of “open vowels,” she says she is generally referring to those identified on the
IPA chart established by the International Phonetic Association (International Phonetic
Association 2012). Through a follow-up interview with Chatman, I learned that the open vowels
that he feels work best in his music are [ɑ] as in the word “palm,” and [ʌ] as in the word “love.”
Chatman says that although he is not a singer, he has found that open vowels have a better sound
in choral music and are easier to sing (Chatman, interview, January 27, 2020).4
The composer suggested that incorporating many open vowels into a choral-orchestral work
helps the choir to project more comfortably over the orchestra (Chatman, interview, Jun 22,
2018). In email correspondence between Chatman and UBC poet emeritus George McWhirter,
the composer not only outlined the thematic nature of the material he was seeking for Earth
Songs, but he also expressly requested textual material characterized by “open vowels,” and
which lent themselves to repetition of the words.5 McWhirter was the poet who wrote the text for
the second movement of Earth Songs. It is a slow movement; therefore, it did not require a great
quantity of text. The following excerpt from one of Chatman’s emails to McWhirter
demonstrates the textual qualities Chatman was seeking for the work prior to putting the music
on paper:6
4 Chatman’s concept of open vowels is consistent with the IPA chart only to a degree. Where he labels his favourite vowels, [ɑ] and [ʌ] as “open vowels,” this is consistent with the IPA table. Chatman’s concept of open vowels, however, is not completely in agreement with the IPA table when he identifies closed vowels such as [o] and [u] as open vowels. “Sonority” and “ease of singing” are cited by the composer as the primary justification for his choice of vowels used in the text of his choral music. The labelling of vowels as “open” is merely a practical application and stems from what Chatman has found useful in his vast compositional experience. Voice experts are more well-versed on the technical aspects of IPA, while Chatman’s primary goal is solely to compose choral music that is singable. (Chatman, interview, January 27, 2020) 5 Library and Archives Canada, Stephen Chatman fonds, R13702/MUS 309, Earth Songs for SATB and Orchestra, volume 47, file “E-mails between Stephen Chatman and George McWhirter no. 1.” 6 Chatman included a list of words with “open vowels” in this e-mail to McWhirter. In clarifying the intent of the email, he states that while some of the words mentioned contain open vowels, some do not. While composing Earth
Songs, he was also seeking text which contained key words associated with “nature” and “the history of UBC,” and
34
I do not envision a political or scientific text, rather a heartfelt statement,
question, plea, hope, prayer or chant––profound, hopeful, beautiful, reverent,
spiritual, philosophical, etc. The musical setting and lyrics should lend themselves
to much repetition of words and lines, similar to an “alleluia” (one-word text) or
some other short text. Very few words would be necessary. Words for the sake of
their sounds and meanings, almost entirely OPEN VOWELS, would be critical––
say words like: love, hope, rise, alive, above, up, down, you, to, I, my, other,
human, O, God, spirit, on, the, but, a, earth, climate, environment, weather,
together, wind, water, fire, open, heart, beautiful, time, song, gone, forward, etc.7
Finally, Wohlberg explained the concept of “interior” or “internal rhyme,” another favourite
textual feature which Chatman pursues with great frequency. Wohlberg says that “internal
rhyme” adds a lush texture to the music. She describes these as being half-rhymes within the
music. She compares this poetic writing to that used in “Hallmark cards” or “limericks,” saying
that this type of rhyming scheme is the opposite of what many are used to seeing and hearing in
those types of poetry. In defining “internal rhyme,” Wohlberg refers to Chatman’s choral
composition, “The Cold Demands a Silence,” as an example. Wohlberg wrote the text for this
Chatman composition and says:
Internal rhyme is found in the words “dressed, trembling” and “memories.”
Stresses of the same vowels occur within the same line. The words don’t rhyme
necessarily. It is the word stress that is significant. “The white snow on snow in a
halo.” “Snow” and “halo” are words which do rhyme, but the words are buried
within the line and there isn’t the same “punch” that occurs when the rhyme is at
the end of the line. Singers in choirs will tend to stress these interior vowels when
they are singing. The stress is not always rhythmical, but the interior rhyming
these are mixed into the word list. Chatman says that “meanings of words” were also an important factor in his request for text from the poet, McWhirter (Chatman, interview, January 27, 2020). 7 Library and Archives Canada, Stephen Chatman fonds, R13702/MUS 309, Earth Songs for SATB and Orchestra, volume 47, file “E-mails between Stephen Chatman and George McWhirter no. 1.”
35
structure helps to improve the rhythmic flow. (Wohlberg, interview, September
26, 2019)
With respect to Chatman’s use of internal rhyme in choral-orchestral works, the following
excerpt from McWhirter’s poetry used at the beginning of the second movement of Earth Songs
demonstrates Chatman’s use of this textual characteristic in that genre of his music:
Remember
The audible death of a leaf in autumn,
The inaudible end of the tree inside. (Chatman 2009)
The second [ɛ] in the word “remember” is an open vowel which rhymes internally with the
words, “death” and “end.” When singing the word “remember,” the text stress falls naturally on
the second [ɛ] of the middle syllable. The words “audible,” “inaudible,” and “autumn” are
grouped together in the rhyming scheme as well as “leaf” and “tree.” Chatman uses a repeated
choral motive to set the text “remember” both at the opening of the second movement of Earth
Songs and also throughout the movement. He creates a very dramatic effect by repeating the
word “remember” in the second soprano, alto, tenor, and bass choral parts several times while
first sopranos chant the additional text of the poem. This creates a hauntingly beautiful effect
when choral pitches and orchestration are added. Specifically, as the movement begins, the first
sopranos chant the text of the first verse of the poem on a repeated “A” while second soprano,
alto, tenor and bass voice parts repeat the “remember” motive underneath (D, F sharp, E). Where
like vowels align in places such as on the [ɛ] in the word “end” versus the second [ɛ] in the word
“remember,” the composer’s use of the text stress in the internal rhyme creates a startlingly
dramatic effect. This contributes to the exquisite beauty of this movement (see Figure 1).
36
//
Figure 1. Stephen Chatman, “Earth and Sky (Movement No.2)” from Earth Songs, mm. 1-8. Permission granted by copyright holder, E.C. Schirmer Music Company.
3.2 Other musical characteristics of Chatman’s choral-orchestral
works Chatman’s compositional process, his choral writing, orchestration, use of score markings and
other musical indications are all driven by the text. The following sections describe additional
musical characteristics that apply to Chatman’s choral-orchestral works.
37
3.2.1 Chatman’s compositional process
Simplicity is at the core of Stephen Chatman’s compositional process. UBC Symphony
conductor Jonathan Girard commented on this simplicity: “I admire the way Chatman deals with
melodic germs, the way he orchestrates, how he paces his music, and some of the beautiful
lyricism that is found in the composer’s music” (Girard, interview, September 25, 2019).
Girard’s use of the term “melodic germ” appropriately describes Chatman’s approach to
composing the fresh melodic material in his works that expands into the remarkable
compositions for which he is known. Chatman is extremely successful in allowing very simple
melodic material to evolve into something much more complex in his music, with impressive
results. The composer suggests that he is very interested in “economy of means and motivic
development” in composing his works. With respect to economy of means in his musical
compositions, Chatman says:
I take the musical material (knowing the techniques) and use my natural musical
instincts to develop the material. It is much better to take a little material and
compose a 20-minute piece as opposed to working with 20 ideas to make a 20-
minute piece. It is much more confusing to have too much material as [compared
to] just a little material. (Chatman, interview, June 25, 2018)
Chatman explained that he shares his experience with the university students that he teaches and
encourages them to be practical in their compositional process. He suggested that many
inexperienced student composers often bring forward too many ideas in their work. Those who
focus on using a few simpler ideas tend to compose music that is much more well-received by
the singers, and their music is more practical to perform. Chatman says:
Many of my students are writing choral pieces. Typically, they set the text and try
to employ word painting and different ideas and gestures. They often write music
that is too difficult. Often, we can’t find a choir to perform those pieces.
(Chatman, interview, June 25, 2018)
38
Chatman suggested that musical form is often a central element in his compositions. He uses
standard forms regularly. Many of his SATB choral works are composed in ABA or ABCA
musical form. He also said that he frequently uses an ABCBA “arch” form. In discussing his
larger choral-orchestral works, Chatman says that he doesn’t employ standard forms in those
compositions as much as he does in his purely choral works. A key consideration for him though,
is the idea that new compositions very often take their own direction during the composition
process. He says, “The piece often tells you what it wants” (Chatman, interview, June 25, 2018).
Chatman completed the discussion of his compositional process by mentioning the standard
compositional techniques that he employs in all his musical works. He suggested that those
techniques date back to the Renaissance but that he uses them frequently. The composer listed
octave displacement, fragmentation, imitation, expansion, vertical expansion, retrograde
inversion, and inverted counterpoint as typical devices that all composers use in their music, his
own included. Despite using many of the typical, formulaic compositional techniques, Chatman
stressed the idea that surprises are very important in compositions. He said, “Surprise endings—
materials at the end of the piece that are very different from the rest of the piece, and gestures
that are different from the rest of the piece—can add an interesting dimension to a composition”
(Chatman, interview, June 25, 2018).
While working with the Chatman fonds materials at Library and Archives Canada, I found that
the various steps of Chatman’s compositional process are extremely well-documented for all of
his works. When reviewing the various files, I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of material
and the amount of work involved with composing each piece of music. Under filings for
Chatman’s Magnificat, for example, I found a series of documents which traced the development
of the choral-orchestral composition from its pre-composition stages to the final stages of
composition. In those files, I found the original (2008), signed commissioning contract from Jon
Washburn’s Vancouver Chamber Choir, which outlined the desired length for the work (20-30
minutes) and the other specifications for the piece. The contract stipulates that a “nice, natural
balance with the small choir” was a primary concern. In the contract the commissioners specify
the preferred languages that Chatman incorporates into the work: French and English (Canada’s
official languages and Olympic languages), German, Spanish, Russian (the other official
39
Olympic languages), and Mandarin Chinese (Vancouver’s unofficial second language).8
Chatman, however, also includes Latin text in the composition. The Vancouver Chamber Choir
completed the world premiere performance only in 2011, the year following the Vancouver 2010
winter Olympics (Chatman 2011).
Under the filings for Magnificat I also found the original sketches of the composition, annotated
proofs of the full orchestral and piano scores, and various pieces of correspondence.9 The final
version of the Magnificat is scored for SATB choir, soprano solo and string orchestra.
Chatman employed a Mandarin Chinese text setting as referred to above, for the fifth movement
of Magnificat, Jiào ji è dé băo mĕi shì (He hath filled the hungry with good things). In Figure 2, I
include an excerpt of one of Chatman’s original manuscripts for the opening of this fifth
movement. This manuscript is handwritten in pencil, and a phonetic version of the text is
pencilled into the music.10
8 Library and Archives Canada, Stephen Chatman fonds, R13702/MUS 309, Magnificat for Soprano Solo, SATB
Chorus and Orchestra, volume 64, file “Contract between Composer (Stephen Chatman) and Commissioner (The Vancouver Chamber Choir) no. 3.” 9 Ibid. 10 Ibid. “Stephen Chatman’s original manuscript of Magnificat.”
40
Figure 2. Library and Archives Canada, R13702/MUS 309, volume 64, based on an original manuscript of Stephen Chatman’s Magnificat, no. 3. Permission granted by copyright holder, E.C. Schirmer Music Company and by Stephen Chatman.
41
UBC’s Jonathan Girard commented specifically on the technical challenges for the string players
in this movement, which prompted me to examine it in detail. Girard said:
The string playing is very involved. The sort of virtuosity that Chatman demands
of those players is high, especially when the choir isn’t singing. The fifth
movement has solo passages for the violin that require the violin to sound like an
erhu (a two-stringed Chinese instrument). This is an unusual challenge for a violin
player. In order to teach a violin player to sound like an erhu, I had the violin
player listen to recordings of erhu players. They had to learn how to employ
portamento technique. Portamento is a technique that is very characteristic of the
erhu. (Girard, interview, September 25, 2019)
In comparing the original handwritten manuscript of the Magnificat with the published score, I
developed a much greater appreciation for the compositional challenges, which Chatman
successfully resolved with respect to various technical details. For example, in studying the
published score for the fifth movement of the Magnificat, I found indications of specific places
in the music where Chatman wanted the various solo string instruments to sound “erhu-like,”
very clearly marked on the score. In the original manuscript, Chatman does not provide any
marked indications of where he wants such erhu effects to occur, but the various grace notes he
wrote into the music at this early stage provide several hints that he had this style of playing in
mind (see Figure 2). As another example, when I compared the manuscript for the first
movement of the Magnificat with the published score, I observed that the string parts were
identical with one significant difference. For the published version, Chatman changed the double
bass and cello parts to a regular half note pulse (4/2 time) as opposed to the longer, sustained
note values he wrote on his original manuscript (see Figure 3). In so doing, he appears to have
enhanced the rhythmic drive that was required in order to comply with the expression marking,
“fervently,” which he includes on the first page of the score on both the manuscript and also the
published versions.11 Although I found it fascinating to study Chatman’s intricate handwork in
11 Ibid. “Stephen Chatman’s original manuscript of Magnificat.”
42
the original manuscript, I believe these musical improvements that he made to the score in order
to publish the work, helped me to better understand his compositional process.
Figure 3. Library and Archives Canada R13702/MUS 309, volume 64, based on an original manuscript of Stephen Chatman’s Magnificat, no. 3. Permission granted by copyright holder, E.C. Schirmer Music Company and by Stephen Chatman.
43
In comparing Chatman’s original manuscript of the Magnificat to the published version, I made a
few other noteworthy observations that directly relate to the discussion of Chatman’s
compositional style. First and foremost, Chatman included the text throughout the manuscript of
the entire work, highlighting his focus on this element of the music. In addition, he included both
choral parts and also string parts throughout the manuscript. As I studied the autograph version
of the fifth movement specifically, I was interested to see places where Chatman wrote in
annotations of the various chord structures and ornamentations he planned to use in the work. It
appears that the composer was experimenting somewhat with the orchestration at this phase of
the compositional process, as the entries for all the instruments do not quite match the final
version of the composition.
On the original handwritten pages of the first and fifth movements, the composer likewise
appeared to be considering the various tempos, articulations, dynamics, and other markings that
he wanted to use, because these are also slightly different from the final version of the work.12
The changes between the original manuscript and the final version of the work are indicative of
Chatman’s meticulous compositional process that comprises continual honing until the final
version emerges. That Chatman was able to capture the essence of the choral writing and
orchestration during this early stage of the composition process is indeed extremely impressive.
In fact, Chatman’s meticulous attention to detail during the entire choral-orchestral composition
process demonstrates dedication, thoroughness, artistic vision, and genius.
3.2.2 Characteristics of Chatman’s choral writing
Prior to the advent of his choral-orchestral writing, Chatman composed many choral works for a
cappella choir, or with piano accompaniment. During his early period as a composer, he adopted
characteristics of choral writing that have carried through very successfully into his more recent
choral-orchestral compositions. Understanding first how Chatman writes for choir on its own is
fundamental to understanding his choral-orchestral compositional style. UBC’s Graeme
Langager (2012) and Jeffrey Taylor (2002) both chose to discuss Chatman’s choral music in
terms of how the composer uses common musical elements. I have adopted a similar approach,
12 Ibid. “Stephen Chatman’s original manuscript of Magnificat.”
44
and in this section, I discuss the musical elements of melody, harmony, texture, rhythm, and
tempo with respect to Chatman’s choral compositions.
3.2.2.1 Melody and harmony
Graeme Langager has conducted many of Chatman’s choral works. In writing about Chatman, he
included descriptions of musical characteristics in his choral writing. Langager writes in this
article that Chatman’s compositions: 1. Are tonal and triadic, 2. Frequently use added tones such
as sevenths and sixths to provide colour, 3. Use open voicings, parallelism and ostinato pedals, 4.
Frequently have leaps of fourths and fifths, 5. Incorporate melodic motives commonly built on
rising figures (Langager 2012, 1–15).
Langager provided these comments concerning Chatman’s choral writing:
There is often a lot of parallelism in Chatman’s voice writing. In both Magnificat
and Song of Joys, one of the composer’s common compositional techniques is to
use oscillating scales that loop around. The polyphonic texture that emerges from
these scales which are created in the choral individual parts will often require the
singers to sing parallel voicings. The voice leading is very accomplished, and the
composer frequently relies on musical techniques such as canon. Chatman
frequently uses open-voiced triads in root position and inversion. (Langager,
interview, October 3, 2019)
Supplementary information presented in Jeffrey Taylor’s (2002) dissertation includes additional
characteristics found in Chatman’s music. Taylor writes that Chatman’s compositions: 1.
Frequently use church modes such a Dorian or Mixolydian, 2. Often require singers to breath in
very specific spots or use staggered breathing in order to achieve appropriate musical phrasing,
3. Incorporate melodic lines with ascending or descending stepwise motion, 4. Commonly use
melodic sequencing, and 5. Use added tone harmony such as major seconds, perfect fourths,
minor sevenths (Taylor 2002, 5–7).
45
In a lecture about his music at the University of Toronto, Chatman mentioned several other
important compositional details pertaining to melody and harmony. For instance, he discussed
one of his pieces, entitled “Train,” a selection which was performed by the Hamilton Children’s
Chorus under the direction of Zamfira Poloz at the 2017 American Choral Directors Association
National Conference in Minneapolis. In composing this selection, he said that he wrote many
repeated notes in the melodic lines in order to simulate the sounds of a train. He incorporated a
fair amount of unison singing in this composition, but also used lots of triads with added tones:
fourths and ninths, for example (Chatman, lecture, March 27, 2017). In that same lecture,
Chatman also stated that the use of ostinati was another favourite melodic/harmonic element of
his compositions. He played audio musical examples from “Elves Bells” and “A Magical
Machine” to demonstrate his use of ostinato technique. In speaking about some of these various
devices, Chatman made a significant statement about his music that stands out, and highlights the
importance of simplicity in his compositional process. He said, “Composers like to write music
that is easier but sounds difficult, using as few notes as possible, but no more notes than needed”
(Chatman, lecture, March 27, 2017).
3.2.2.2 Texture
Graeme Langager’s quotation in the previous section indicates a very close relationship in
Chatman’s music among musical texture, melody, and harmony. In that quote, Langager spoke
about the polyphonic textures in Chatman’s works that emerge from oscillating scales, and how
these often lead to the creation of parallel voicing (Langager, interview, October 3, 2019). In
addition, Langager (2012) links texture and text together very closely in his writing about
Chatman’s music, which correlates well with the importance Chatman places on text (1–2).
Jeffrey Taylor’s (2002) dissertation also identifies parallelism as a typical characteristic in the
texture of Chatman’s compositions. Taylor goes on to suggest that homophonic texture tends to
predominate in Chatman’s choral music. With respect to polyphonic textures, Taylor infers that
when Chatman chooses to introduce polyphonic passages into his music, these passages
generally tend to weave into the flow of the other lines of music but that “homophony
predominates” (7–8).
46
A common technique that Chatman uses with respect to texture is to begin a musical phrase with
the entire choir singing in unison, either within a monophonic a cappella texture or singing in
unison with accompaniment. He then quickly steers the composition toward a homophonic
texture. As Taylor (2002) suggested, homphonic texture tends to predominate in Chatman’s
work. Chatman’s typical use of various melodic, harmonic, and textural elements can be found in
his choral-orchestral work, “Peace” (see Figure 4). The piece begins with a short introduction for
strings and piano. In this selection, Chatman has written the choir entry in unison with
accompaniment but quickly moves toward harmonizing the choral parts.
47
48
Figure 4. Stephen Chatman, “Peace,” mm. 1-16. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
49
3.2.2.3 Rhythm
Chatman’s compositional strategies with respect to rhythm are primarily driven by the text.
Because this element is so important in his writing, Chatman sometimes uses mixed metres to
accommodate text that does not fit into regular metrical patterns. Explained in simple terms,
Chatman’s rhythms are built around natural speech patterns. Author Alice Parker explains how
natural speech patterns should be treated rhythmically when setting text to music:
That amazing variability of speech has to be built into whatever language is sung.
In our page-driven age, we tend to shove the word into the note value, as if the
quarter note were an ice cube with the syllable frozen inside. I’d much rather
think of the notation, both pitch and rhythm, as being at the service of the word or
phrase as a word, in its lumpy variability, being bathed in pitch and duration as
though these were precious oils being poured over it. (Parker 2006, 26)
Jeffrey Taylor confirms that the relationship of text to the rhythm of the music is important.
Taylor also says that Chatman’s rhythms seem to flow out of the natural rhythms in his text. He
suggests, though, that “Chatman’s choral works are multi-metrical, usually observing regular
patterns of metrical oscillation” (Taylor 2002, 8). In saying this, Taylor seems to affirm the idea
that to some degree, Chatman not only tends to reflect modern compositional trends utilizing
mixed metres, but that the regular character of the composer’s metrical patterns are more
traditional. On the one hand, Taylor says, “He (Chatman) frequently alternates between duple
and triple metres, especially at faster tempos,” but on the other hand, “In most cases, Chatman
observes a unified pattern of rhythmic progression throughout a piece” (Taylor 2002, 8).
I found an example to illustrate Taylor’s comments in the first movement of Chatman’s
Magnificat (“Magnificat anima mea Dominum”) with respect to the use of traditional as well as
mixed metres. Chatman composed this movement primarily in a 4/2 metre. At certain places
within the movement, however, he momentarily shifts into 3/2 time or 2/2 time, primarily to
accommodate text. Chatman chooses to use a fast-paced metronomic tempo ( =96) for the
movement, and the overall affect he intends is that the music should be performed “fervently,” as
indicated on the score. Rhythm is a vital element in this movement, as it is in the first and last
44 w ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ jœ œ jœ œ œ œ
Score
50
movements of Chatman’s choral-orchestral works in general (Chatman 2011). UBC conductor
Jonathan Girard conducted the choir and orchestra for the Centrediscs recording of Magnificat
and said, in reference to the character of rhythm in Chatman’s music: “In parts of Chatman’s
writing, there are a lot of passages that are characterized by rhythmic vitality, which a lot of
composers would stray away from, particularly when the choir is singing” (Girard, interview,
September 25, 2019).
In point of fact, Chatman consistently shows courage and determination as he incorporates
various rhythmic challenges into his music. In this process, however, he takes only the steps that
are musically necessary in order to ensure he is being true to the text.
3.2.2.4 Tempo
As I studied the scores for Chatman’s music, I observed that the composer always includes
specific metronome markings for tempo in his music. Graeme Langager says that Chatman is
very particular about the tempos that are appropriate for his music, and that those metronome
markings should be taken literally (Langager interview, October 3, 2019). Conductor Hilary
Apfelstadt also attested to Chatman’s insistence about performing his music at tempos as marked
on the score. She recalls that when she conducted the MacMillan Singers during the recording of
the CD, Dawn of Night, there were a few occasions when she unintentionally conducted the
music at a slower tempo than the composer indicated in the music. Chatman, who was
supervising the recording, requested a quicker tempo when it was required as marked on the
score, and Apfelstadt adjusted the speed of her conducting gestures appropriately in order to pick
up the tempo (Apfelstadt, interview, October 21, 2019).
3.2.3 Orchestration of the Chatman choral-orchestral works
Chatman is so well-known as a choral composer that few may be aware of his extraordinary
orchestration capabilities. For example, conductor Alain Trudel, a trombone player, said that he
had first heard of Chatman back in his younger days when he sang in choirs and that he knew
only about the composer’s choral music at that time. Trudel first experienced Chatman’s
51
orchestration capabilities when he conducted the premiere performance of Earth Songs many
years later. Commenting on Chatman’s experience as a composer and an orchestrator, Trudel
says: “Stephen is a legend! His composing and orchestration reflect his experience as a
composer. It is always easy working with people like that because they are the ‘real deal!’”
(Trudel, interview, October 14, 2019).
Conductor Jonathan Girard, who is originally from the United States, first encountered
Chatman’s choral-orchestral music through a “baptism of fire” immediately on his arrival at
UBC. During his first year at the university, he was asked to conduct Chatman’s Magnificat for a
live performance and recording. With respect to Chatman’s orchestration abilities, Girard stated:
Steve is a master orchestrator. Everything he writes works. That isn’t always the
case with the music of other composers/orchestrators. Steve knows how to use
instruments in order to pull the most “sonic value” out of them when necessary.
He has a strong sense of what is playable on the instruments. He knows what will
sound good and he knows how texture will work within the orchestra. Steve uses
a wide musical palette. There can be wide contrasts between “edginess” and
“sublime moments” in his music. (Girard, interview, September 25, 2019)
Speaking about his experience with writing music for orchestra, Chatman said that he has always
had a love for orchestral music. As a professor at UBC, he has taught orchestration classes to
university students for many years. He wrote several pieces for orchestra alone, long before he
composed music for the choral-orchestral genre. Chatman also mentioned that he had
orchestrated a few of his own Christmas choral works in the 1990s. He considers, however, that
his first significant opportunity to compose choral-orchestral music came about in 2001 when he
composed Proud Music of the Storm, the first of his major works in this genre (Chatman,
interview, June 25, 2018).
Through the composition of Proud Music of the Storm and the other choral-orchestral works
which followed, Chatman has displayed his skill as an orchestrator with great consistency. In the
remainder of this section, I discuss generally accepted musical practices which Chatman uses in
orchestrating his choral-orchestral works. In order to gather details for this discussion of
52
orchestration, I consulted various orchestration texts, orchestral conductors who directed
Chatman’s music, and Chatman himself. The following subcategories will be used to discuss
characteristics of Chatman’s orchestrations: 1. Tone colour, 2. Pitch support, 3. Range and
tessitura, 4. Balance.
3.2.3.1 Tone colour
As a composer, Stephen Chatman takes full advantage of the wide variety of tonal colours
available to him in the choral-orchestral compositional medium. As the famous Russian
composer Rimsky-Korsakov pointed out in his classic orchestration textbook, there is a wide
assortment of timbres available for the orchestra, and this includes instruments from several
instrument families. On the other hand, when an SATB chorus sings on its own, there are only
four voice types, hence the colour palette is limited (Rimsky-Korsakov 1964, 132–151).
Chatman thrives on working with the broader tonal colour spectrum that is available to him in
this genre of music. When asked why he continues to compose this type of music, Chatman says:
“Orchestra is a very powerful medium. Choir is also a very powerful medium. There is only so
much you can do with an orchestra on its own. When you add a choir, it magnifies all the
possibilities” (Chatman, interview, June 25, 2018).
During my interview with Graeme Langager (October 3, 2019), he stated, “Chatman is interested
in colours and combinations of colours.” Langager said that Chatman’s plans his major
orchestral works so that the first and last movements feature the entire ensemble (choir and full
orchestra). The composer includes the full brass section with percussion when he writes these
movements (except for The Magnificat which he orchestrates for strings only), and this brings a
“ferocious” character and a more strident tone quality to the music. In conceiving these thick
instrumental textures, Chatman typically doubles instrumental parts, and the full tone quality
which emerges has a significant impact on the steps that conductors must take to ensure that the
ensemble maintains good balance and clear diction (Langager, interview, October 3, 2019). In
the slow movements, however, he writes choral parts that call for sustained singing, often
accompanied by florid, colourful instrumental solos written for instruments such as oboe or
53
clarinet. In Chapter 4, I provide detailed examples that demonstrate Chatman’s use of various
instrumental tone colours to create interest in his music.
3.2.3.2 Pitch support
Pitch support is a key element to consider in vocal writing, since the voice produces pitches
“purely by ear” without the aid of instrumental features such as keys, strings, or valves. In
choral-orchestral works, singers require frequent pitch references through the support of the
orchestral accompaniment in order to maintain pitch accuracy throughout the work (Adler 1982,
507–520). For this genre of music, singers are assisted with pitch orientation through the
orchestral harmony, which also provides the music with vertical interest (Adler 1982). Conductor
Girard says the following about Chatman’s ability to provide pitch support for the choir:
Chatman finds ways to enable smooth transitions throughout the works. He finds
ways to ensure that the choir receives “crystal clear information” from the
orchestra with respect to pitches before they sing, in order to facilitate entrances
consistently on the correct pitches. That type of approach is one that is extremely
effective for the voice, and singers don’t feel they are being “hung out to dry”
where their entrances occur. (Girard, interview, September 25, 2019)
3.2.2.3 Range and tessitura
Using his knowledge of voice types and orchestral instruments, Chatman successfully scores his
choral-orchestral music in ranges and tessituras that are manageable for the performers. He
consistently ensures that both of these elements of the music are written comfortably and/or
practically for all parts, which allows the chorus to successfully project over the orchestra.
In his orchestration text, composer Rimsky-Korsakov suggests that employing voices in unusual
registers for long periods of time can be tiring for singers. He also states that high notes should
be used only at culminating points in a passage, or for musical climaxes (Rimsky-Korsakov
1964). Chatman has written the choral parts for his short work, “Peace,” in very comfortable
54
registers for singers throughout, as well as for the string players; there are no extremes of range.
In contrast, however, the composer has written the voice parts for the boisterous conclusion of
the final movement of A Song of Joys at a higher, more extreme range. Chatman wrote several of
the string, wind, and brass parts in a fairly high range as well. Performing the dramatic finale is a
task that is technically challenging for all the musicians because there is such a long buildup to
the ending. The Whitman text used by Chatman in this section of the movement speaks of the
lifelong love of man for his comrades. Through the use of repetition of this text during this
extended buildup, Chatman highlights the idea of “lifelong love.” Singers in particular face
endurance challenges in performing this climatic ending. The composer, however, says that when
he was orchestrating this section of the work, he realized that the extended singing in the upper
range could be accomplished only with a large symphonic choir consisting of 200 voices. He
suggests that with a large choir such as this, singers can relieve each other in such a way as to
conserve their voices (Chatman, interview, June 25, 2018).
3.2.3.4 Balance
Conductors of choral-orchestral works consistently face challenges related to balancing the choir
with the orchestra during performances. Chatman’s choral-orchestral scores are generally
expertly scored, which allows the choir to be heard over the orchestra during performances.
Orchestration experts such as Rimsky-Korsakov (1964) and Adler (1982) discuss balance in
detail in their texts. Chatman follows many principles suggested by these writers of orchestration
texts. One of the major considerations related to balance concerns the doubling of instruments
and voices. In order to help him solve problems related to doubling when composing for
orchestra and chorus in combination, Chatman often asks himself, “What elements are shared
between the two genres (voice and instruments)?” (Chatman, interview, June 25, 2018). He
provides these suggestions for how to double parts in order to achieve good balance:
1. Doubling due to shared choral/vocal elements: Singers, as well as instrumentalists,
share melodic materials when they are performing. When these elements are shared, the
55
orchestra can be used to double at the unison. For instance, clarinet can double the alto
section or be written an octave higher or lower, or used in various combinations.
2. Doubling of loud passages: For a loud passage, a vocal part could be doubled in three
octaves.
3. Doubling in order to stress certain phrases or notes: A composer can bring out certain
vocal lines through unison doubling with instruments. Chatman says that Stravinsky
successfully used this technique in composing Symphony of Psalms. He suggests that
horns are often used for this purpose.
4. Typical instrumental doubling: Chatman uses instrument/voice doublings as follows:
• Oboes double the soprano section, or violins double the sopranos. If the dynamic
is loud, Chatman adds a trumpet part
• Clarinets double the alto section along with the horns
• Horns and bassoons often double the tenor section
• Bassoons can double the bass section
• Double basses double the bass section of the chorus sometimes
• Cellos double the basses of the chorus sometimes, while double basses double at
a unison or an octave lower. Double bass octave doubling can add a very rich
element to the music. (Chatman interview, June 25, 2018)
Conductor Jonathan Girard provides these additional comments about Chatman’s ability to
achieve successful balance in his orchestrations of his choral-orchestral works, and they
summarize this discussion of balance very nicely. Girard says:
Chatman knows how to balance things through his own orchestration, which
saves a lot of time for conductors who are seeking to unify the choral and
orchestral forces. Chatman’s orchestration makes the choir sound good. A lot of
composers write music where the choir’s sound is “buried” by the orchestra.
Chatman knows exactly what instruments should be used to support singing. His
mastery of orchestration is at the root of his successful compositional practice.
Chatman puts instruments in registers that don’t overwhelm the voices when they
have a supporting role. He is very good about including dynamic markings in the
56
music. For example, where dynamics are soft, Chatman’s orchestration is very
tastefully arranged so instruments such as strings are not covering the voices.
Chatman writes separate dynamics for instruments from what the chorus has
written on the scores. (Girard, interview, September 25, 2019)
3.3 The major Chatman choral-orchestral works 3.3.1 Proud Music of the Storm for SATB Chorus (divisi) and Orchestra
In 2001, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the British Columbia Arts Council
commissioned Chatman for the 75th anniversary of the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver, inviting
him to compose his first major choral-orchestral composition, Proud Music of the Storm. He
specifically wrote the work for the Vancouver Bach Choir under the direction of Bruce Pullan
(Chatman 2004b). I provide detailed discussion and analyses of this work in Chapter 4.
3.3.2 Earth Songs for SATB Chorus (divisi) and Orchestra
The University of British Columbia commissioned Chatman to compose Earth Songs in
celebration of its centenary in 2008. Alain Trudel conducted the premiere performance of the
work at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at UBC. The performance of Earth Songs takes
twenty-three minutes. The work is based on settings of “diverse, multilingual texts pertaining to
nature and earth” (Chatman 2009, 6).
Alain Trudel explained that the first performance of the work was recorded live for Centrediscs.
At that time, he was the principal conductor of the CBC Vancouver Radio Orchestra, and UBC
partnered with the orchestra to perform the work for its centennial celebration. The CBC
Orchestra scheduled a mid-day performance in order to broadcast the live performance to all
time zones in Canada. This performance was a “live take” for a recording, and nothing was re-
recorded afterward (Trudel, interview, October 14, 2019).
57
Chatman suggests that Earth Songs (2009) is meant to inspire the global community to respect,
restore, and protect the natural and human world. When questioned about the performability of
Earth Songs, Alain Trudel said that, due to the universal character of the piece, this work should
be programmed not only in Canada but abroad as well. He felt that Chatman’s scoring of Asian
instruments in the work added to the universal character and “worked magic” in the composition.
Trudel listed the dizi, zheng, and erhu as a few of the Asian instruments that Chatman used in his
scoring. He suggested that Chatman’s use of unique percussion instruments, such as rainsticks,
also added colour to the music. Even though Trudel had no prior experience with conducting
many of these instruments, he credits Chatman’s masterful orchestration ability with helping him
to prepare the score in order to conduct this work. With respect to the scoring of the Chinese
instruments in Earth Songs, Trudel re-affirmed earlier discussion about Chatman’s ability to
ensure appropriate balance through his orchestration:
The orchestra has to play really softly for those instruments to be heard. Tremolos
and trills in the strings are one device the composer uses to facilitate good balance
when Chinese instruments are playing. Because of the masterful manner in which
the composer has orchestrated, the strings are never in the way of the Chinese
instruments. (Trudel, interview, October 14, 2019)
In researching Earth Songs, I learned that Chatman was fascinated with Chinese instruments, and
the presence of a large Chinese population in Vancouver motivated him to use Asian instruments
in the composition (Chatman 2008). Chatman says he had to learn about these instruments in
order to be able to orchestrate them in his composition. With this in mind, he listened to online
performances. He says that watching how the instruments were played was a valuable learning
tool for him. He says also that in a further effort to learn about the instruments, he met with
players of each Chinese instrument and “grilled” them on what is or isn’t idiomatic for those
instruments. He asked questions about how the instruments worked, the most appropriate
methods for notation, and what keys would work best (Chatman interview, June 22, 2018). I also
found evidence at LAC of his research into performance practices for the various Chinese
instruments. In the Earth Songs files, for example, there were several documents outlining
58
performance techniques for Chinese instruments.13 Written onto these documents were
annotations made by Chatman as he learned how to write idiomatically for these instruments (see
Figure 5). I have summarized key characteristics of Chatman’s Earth Songs in Appendix A.
13 Library and Archives Canada, Stephen Chatman fonds, R13702/MUS 309, Earth Songs for SATB and Orchestra, volume 47, file “Stephen Chatman’s notes and diagrams on Chinese instruments used in Earth Songs, no. 1.”
59
Figure 5. Library and Archives Canada R13702/MUS 309, volume 47, based on Stephen Chatman’s notes and diagrams on Chinese instruments used in Earth Songs, no.1. Permission granted by Stephen Chatman.
60
3.3.3 Magnificat for Soprano solo, SATB Chorus and String Orchestra
When the Vancouver Chamber Choir commissioned Chatman’s Magnificat, the choir’s
conductor, Jon Washburn, was seeking a choral-orchestral work that could be performed
effectively with a small choir. Of his major choral-orchestral works, Chatman suggests that
Magnificat could be considered for a community choir because the string orchestration requires
only a few players. This makes it practical not only to find players, but also to achieve good
balance. Chatman also feels that this is one of his less difficult works vocally, hence making it
more technically accessible for amateur singers (Chatman, interview, June 25, 2018). When
asked about the challenges of composing choral-orchestral music for smaller-sized chamber
choirs, Chatman said:
Writing for this type of ensemble is very different because the performing forces
are not large. There is not as much opportunity to utilize effects and textures as
would exist with a composition written for symphonic choir and larger orchestra.
(Chatman, interview, June 25, 2018)
The composer was asked to write a work to mark the 40th anniversary of the Vancouver
Chamber Choir, which took place in 2011. Funding for the project was provided by the B.C.
Partners in Creative Development. Chatman used one of his signature compositional
characteristics throughout the piece. He wrote stepwise ascending melodic lines extensively
throughout the various movements to symbolize various spiritual concepts. In this piece,
Chatman also maintains a common thread with his earlier work Earth Songs, as he seeks to
express “universal hope and harmony within our global community” through his writing
(Chatman 2011).
Langager addressed the challenges presented by Chatman’s use of multiple languages in
Magnificat (Langager, interview, October 3, 2019). In 2012, Langager prepared the UBC choirs
for a performance and recording of this piece, which Jonathan Girard conducted. The biggest
challenge to performance, according to Langager, is that the choir must learn correct
pronunciations for text in seven languages: Latin, Spanish, Russian, German, French, Mandarin
61
Chinese, and English. With the UBC choirs, he facilitated the learning of Mandarin Chinese text
with the assistance of choral students who spoke Mandarin as their first language. Similarly, he
also called on Russian students to assist with learning correct pronunciations for the Russian
texts. Langager found that having students assist with these less-common vocal texts made it
much easier to overcome the text challenges (Langager, interview, October 3, 2019). I have
summarized key characteristics of Chatman’s Magnificat in Appendix B.
3.3.4 A Song of Joys for Timpani and Percussion Soli, SATB Chorus (divisi) and Orchestra
The Calgary Philharmonic commissioned Chatman’s work, A Song of Joys, for timpani and
percussion soli, SATB chorus (divisi), and orchestra and performed the world premiere of the
piece on May 2, 2014. Tara Wohlberg writes in her program note that the 21-minute work in
seven movements was originally conceived as a companion work for Beethoven’s Symphony
No. 9. It shares several characteristics with Beethoven’s final symphony, including identical
orchestral instrumentation and a focus on the critical role of the chorus (Chatman, email,
September 18, 2019). This is Chatman’s most recent choral-orchestral work, and I provide
detailed discussion and analyses of this work in Chapter 4.
3.4 Short choral works with orchestral accompaniment In this section I discuss three short choral-orchestral works composed by Stephen Chatman. Each
of these selections is only three to five minutes in length. Chatman originally conceived all three
of these as choral works with piano accompaniment. The composer has re-arranged the piano
part for orchestra for each of these works. When asked specifically about short works which
would be appropriate for a community-level choir to program, Chatman recommended these
three selections. I discuss these works chronologically, in the order in which they were first
composed as choral works.
62
3.4.1 “In Flanders Fields for SATB Chorus and Orchestra”
Diane Loomer originally commissioned the TTBB chorus version of this work in 1998 for Chor
Leoni, a men’s choir in Vancouver. John McCrae, a Canadian medical officer in the First World
War, wrote the famous poem on which this work is based. This poem is very familiar to many
Canadians, as it is commonly recited at Remembrance Day ceremonies (Chatman1998). The
composer has created a very “hymn-like” setting for this work.
Chatman says that in 2016 when he arranged the choral-orchestral version of “In Flanders
Fields,” he broke away from his normal practice of having a special program or performance in
mind, because he did not receive a commission for this version of the piece. He recently sent his
newest version of the piece, arranged for SATB choir and orchestra, to the Calgary
Philharmonic. This same orchestra premiered A Song of Joys just a few years earlier, and
Chatman hoped that the orchestra might perform the work on one of its programs that involved
orchestra with chorus. To date, this has not occurred (Chatman, interview, June 25, 2018). At the
time of writing this dissertation, Chatman was not aware whether or not the choral-orchestral
version of the piece has yet been performed. The piece involves a fuller instrumentation than that
of the Magnificat and is scored for strings, paired winds, percussion, and optional organ. I have
summarized key characteristics of Chatman’s choral-orchestral version of “In Flanders Fields” in
Appendix C.
3.4.2 “Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind for SATB Chorus and Orchestra”
Chatman based “Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind” on a famous text by William Shakespeare
from the play, As You Like It. The Choral Music Association of Calgary commissioned the
original SATB version of the work for the Mount Royal Youth Choir, under the direction of
David Ferguson. On the album, Due West, which features Chatman’s choral music, Jon
Washburn and the Vancouver Chamber Choir recorded the SATB version of this selection with
piano accompaniment (Washburn 2000). In 2017, Washburn asked Chatman to complete a
choral-orchestral arrangement of “Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind” for Chorfest, a musical event
he was conducting in Victoria for the British Columbia Choral Federation (BCCF). Chatman did
63
not receive a commission for this version of the work, and he completed the arrangement
primarily as a favour to Washburn. Chatman has not heard of any other performances of this
choral-orchestral arrangement and did not receive a recording of the Chorfest performance
(Chatman, interview, January 27, 2020).
Chatman uses a similar instrumentation for the choral-orchestral version of “Blow, Blow, Thou
Winter Wind” as that used for his arrangement of “In Flanders Fields.” In order to perform this
piece, a full complement of strings, winds, brass, and percussion is required. Therefore, in order
to balance with the orchestra, a choir larger than a chamber choir is needed for the performance
of the choral-orchestral version of this piece. Conductors and musical organizations planning to
program this work additionally require a harp player, although piano may be substituted for the
harp.
Chatman has written this five-minute work in ABABA form. For this selection, he chose to write
the “A” sections in a lyrical style, while he devised the “B” sections to be performed at a much
quicker tempo with a more buoyant mood. Once again, he has displayed his masterful
orchestration skills in re-arranging this short piece, and he explores a broad range of contrasting
instrumental timbres to complement his original choral work. The harp in particular adds a lovely
colour to this arrangement. For a community, university, or professional choir seeking to
program a short choral-orchestral work to supplement the performance of a major work such as
Schubert’s Mass in G or Fauré’s Requiem, this Chatman composition might be an appropriate
choice of repertoire. I have summarized key characteristics of Chatman’s choral-orchestral
version of “Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind” in Appendix D.
3.4.3 “Peace for SATB Chorus, Piano and String Orchestra”
The final choral-orchestral work I discuss is “Peace,” another short choral composition which
Chatman orchestrated for string orchestra and choir. Conductor Mark Sirett commissioned the
original choral version of the work for his Cantabile Men’s Choirs in Kingston, Ontario, in 2010
(Chatman 2004a). In 2019, I conducted the Canadian premiere of the choral-orchestral version
of this selection with the Tapestry Chamber Choir in Newmarket, Ontario, and programmed the
64
work along with Handel’s Dixit Dominus. During a concert follow-up meeting, the choir
members provided feedback suggesting that the audience appreciated listening to a shorter three-
minute piece on the program prior to the much longer Handel work (Tapestry Chamber Choir,
meeting, June 21, 2019). The choir rehearsed the piece with piano accompaniment before joining
together with the orchestra. After hearing the orchestral accompaniment in the dress rehearsal
and performance, many choir members commented on the richness of colour created by the
addition of strings. Choir members also felt that the mood of the text was greatly enhanced by
Chatman’s orchestration (Tapestry, meeting, June 21, 2019).
Rehearsing the work was a straightforward process because Chatman wrote the work in ABA
form with lots of stepwise motion and melodic sequencing. Text for the work is by Sara
Teasdale, one of Chatman’s favourite poets (Chatman 2013). The marriage of the text to the
accompaniment is greatly enhanced by the addition of the string colours. For any choir seeking a
short work to supplement a major work by another composer on a concert program, this selection
is well worth consideration. I have summarized key characteristics of Chatman’s choral-
orchestral version of “Peace” in Appendix E.
3.5 Summary In this chapter, I presented an overview of Stephen Chatman’s choral-orchestral works and
outlined my findings concerning the characteristics of the composer’s music. Upon determining
that Chatman uses text as a primary inspiration for his compositions when composing this genre
of music, I elected to discuss “text” first when writing this chapter. Through my discussions with
Chatman, I acquired specific details associated with text selection and the use of text in his
music. Poet Tara Wohlberg, a frequent Chatman collaborator, also provided me with first-hand
information pertaining to the composer’s use of text. Finally, I achieved an enlightening
perspective of Chatman’s compositional process by documenting email correspondence between
the composer and individuals who assisted him by recommending suitable texts for Earth Songs.
Conducting personal interviews with Chatman, reading documents about the composer’s music,
and interviewing individuals familiar with the composer’s work allowed me to develop a strong
65
understanding of the characteristics of his music. Armed with this knowledge, I proceeded to
discuss characteristics of Chatman’s choral-orchestral works according to his compositional
process, characteristics of his choral writing, and key features of his orchestrations. In reviewing
the characteristics of Chatman’s choral writing, I categorized the discussion according to several
musical elements: melody and harmony, texture, rhythm, and tempo.
I learned about the composer’s extensive orchestration experience from the composer himself,
and from various conductors who are familiar with his music. I then described characteristics of
Chatman’s orchestrations according to well-established subcategories: tone colour, pitch support,
range and tessitura, and balance.
Finally, in the last section of this chapter, I summarized the musical features of Chatman’s
choral-orchestral works. Once again, Chatman willingly provided information about the works. I
found it interesting and useful to study Chatman’s original sketches, notes, and other materials
stored in files at Library and Archives Canada. I also formed a clear picture of the choral-
orchestral works through the study of various program notes, interviews with conductors, and my
study of the scores. In this chapter, I provided brief outlines for seven of Chatman’s choral-
orchestral works: four major works and three short pieces. Detailed information associated with
five of these works is found in Appendices A–E. Because I conduct analyses of Proud Music of
the Storm and A Song of Joys in the next chapter, I have not included as many specifics about
those works in the current chapter. In the next chapter, I focus discussion on those two works
only and provide much more detailed information concerning characteristics of the two
compositions.
66
Chapter 4 Analyses of Proud Music of the Storm and A Song of Joys
In this chapter, I provide detailed discussion and analysis of Proud Music of the Storm (2001)
and A Song of Joys (2013-14), two major choral-orchestral works composed by Stephen
Chatman. I chose the former because it is Chatman’s first work in this genre and selected the
latter because it is his most recent, as of the writing of this dissertation. Through my discussion
of Proud Music of the Storm, I offer comprehensive insight into specific compositional
techniques and devices commonly used by Chatman, along with musical examples. I describe
Chatman’s use of the following: musical form/structure, modes, pedal tones, canons,
pandiatonicism, creating expectation at cadence points, motif, harmony, voice leading, and text
painting.
Through the analysis of Chatman’s more recent work, A Song of Joys, I revisit techniques which
are common to both pieces. Most importantly, however, my analytical discussion addresses
significant developments in the composer’s compositional style that have taken place since he
wrote Proud Music of the Storm, his first major choral-orchestral work. To accompany this
discussion, I include an information chart for each piece, which provides an outline of essential
facts and features of the music (see Appendices F and G). I also include individual analysis flow
charts for all four movements of Proud Music of the Storm, as well as for the seven movements
of A Song of Joys. These eleven tables may be found in Appendices H through R; they give bar-
by-bar analysis of essential musical details found in each of the movements. Musical details
which appear on the analysis flow charts are grouped according to the following categories:
1. Duration (tempo, metre, rhythm),
2. Pitch (melody & harmony),
3. Orchestration/choral writing & texture,
4. Style,
5. Expressive language (dynamics, articulation, markings).
67
4.1 An analysis of Proud Music of the Storm
4.1.1 General overview of the piece
A successful search of files contained in the Chatman fonds at Library and Archives Canada
(LAC) yielded relevant details concerning Stephen Chatman’s Proud Music of the Storm and
allowed me to attain an accurate overview of the piece. From these records, I was able to study
the original commissioning contract between Stephen Chatman and the Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation (CBC) for Proud Music of the Storm. This document provided specifics concerning
the genesis of the piece. The parameters of the commission specify that the piece should be
approximately fifteen minutes in length, and that the work would be for possible performance by
the CBC Radio Orchestra and the Vancouver Bach Choir.14 In the files at LAC, I also found a
program note written by Chatman describing his inspiration for composing the piece. In the note,
he says:
I began composing Proud Music of the Storm on September 10, 2001. While re-
reading lines 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13 of Walt Whitman’s poem the following
afternoon (9/11: September 11, 2001 was the date of the terrorist attack on the
World Trade Centre in New York City), fate tapped me on the shoulder—the
cathartic emotion of the text became an overwhelming inspiration. This powerful
text, a “symphony of sound” and a spiritual exaltation, raises allegories with every
blast. My sometimes exuberant setting, based on fragments of the poem,
celebrates, as Whitman does, not only every embodiment of music, but also the
optimism and virtuous wonders of the human spirit.15
Chatman’s comments reflect his deep affinity for incorporating texts from Walt Whitman’s
poetry into his musical compositions, and excerpts from the Leaves of Grass collection
specifically. Beginning in 1855 at age 36, Walt Whitman wrote nine editions of Leaves of Grass;
14 Library and Archives Canada, Stephen Chatman fonds, R13702/MUS 309, Proud Music of the Storm for SATB
Chorus and Orchestra, volume 47, file “CBC Commissioning Contract no. 1.” 15 Ibid., file “Chatman Program Note no. 1.”
68
this was a lifelong process for him (Hunn 2003, 11-13). Chatman uses texts from this same
poetry collection in Proud Music of the Storm and A Song of Joys (Chatman, interview, June 22,
2018). Conductor Amy Hunn’s dissertation provides practical insight into the use of Whitman’s
poetry in contemporary choral music. Hunn actively studied the choral works of Robert Maggio,
Nico Muhly, Steven Sametz, and John Muehleisen, four contemporary twenty-first century
American composers who incorporate Walt Whitman texts into their compositions. She writes
that Whitman’s poetry “was revolutionary in form, style and content” and was “highly
ambitious.” She states that “the poetry also struck a chord in a society wracked by internal
divisions, and yearning for unity” (Hunn 2003, 11-13). Chatman’s collaborator, poet Tara
Wohlberg, provided additional practical insight into the origin and setting of the text. She says
that the composer knew exactly the type of text he needed for the piece when he was completing
the sketches of Proud Music of the Storm. She feels that the Whitman text Chatman describes in
his program note is the perfect fit for the composition (Wohlberg, interview, September 26,
2019).
Using Whitman’s text as his inspiration for composing the four movements of Proud Music of
the Storm, Chatman employs a wide assortment of compositional devices. He explores extensive
dynamic ranges, wide vocal/instrumental ranges, and employs a variety of articulations in his
writing. Throughout the piece, he also explores a broad spectrum of moods and styles ranging
from fast, rhythmic, and energetic to slow, lyrical, spiritual, and peaceful. In the following
sections, I give insights into Chatman’s compositional style as reflected through his music.
4.1.2 Movement I: “Proud music of the storm!”
4.1.2.1 Musical form
While analyzing the first movement, I referred to Stephen Chatman’s relevant composition
seminar lecture notes, which I obtained from the Chatman fonds at LAC. These notes helped me
determine that the musical structure is dictated primarily by the tonality of various sections or
tonal regions within the movement. In his lecture diagrams, Chatman shows how he divided the
69
movement into pandiatonic tonal regions.16 Armed with this knowledge, I have mapped out the
overall form of the movement:
A Section: Section 1: bars.1-20 (D Dorian), Section 2: bars 21-31 (B Dorian),
A' Section: Section 3 bars 32-48 (D Dorian), Section 4: bars 49-62 (B Dorian)
B Section: Section 5: bars 63-71 (B /Ionian/Major), Section 6: bars 72-75 (G Lydian),
Section 7: bars 76-81 (B major/Ionian) Section 8: bars 82-94 (G Ionian/major)
Coda: Section 9: bars 95-120 (D major)
On each of the analysis flow chart tables found in Appendices H-R, beginning with this first
movement, I provide specifics pertaining to musical form for all of the movements of the two
Chatman works I discuss in this chapter.
4.1.2.2 Use of modes
Chatman uses melodic scalar passages based on a variety of modes to develop his musical ideas
throughout the first movement of Proud Music of the Storm. Where there is any question about
modality, or where the root of a particular chord rests, the analytical problem is frequently solved
by looking to the bass note of the chordal structure. Beginning at the first measure of the piece,
the orchestra plays a series of very active, ascending scalar passages based on the D Dorian
mode. The note D in the double bass part, together with doubling by bassoon and timpani, clearly
outlines the D modality. Where there are scalar passages in the same bar starting on the note F,
implying an F Lydian modality, the bass note is the crucial determinant of the root of the first
chord. Chatman explores scalar modalities in this section of the piece, and those passages that
begin on F are merely patterns within the Dorian mode. Knowledge of the role of the bass note in
this case is what confirms the D Dorian modality.
When queried, Chatman affirmed two significant points pertaining to his use of modes and the
role of bass notes in chords:
16 Library and Archives Canada, Stephen Chatman fonds, R13702/MUS 309, Proud Music of the Storm for SATB
Chorus and Orchestra, volume 47, file “Chatman Composition Seminar Lecture Notes no. 1.”
70
1. Concerning modes: “When I’m writing, I’m not really conscious (unless I really think
about it) of analyzing what I am doing. I will sometimes go back and study the music
and realize that I’ve used ‘such and such a mode’ or certain kinds of chords. I don’t
think consciously about modes. They just sort of happen by intuition.”
2. Concerning the use of bass notes in determining tonality or the root of a chord: “Bass
notes often lay down the tonality in my music and make it easier to determine the
key/modality. Bass notes often imply the root of the chord.” (Chatman, telephone
interview, January 27, 2020)
In Section 2 of the piece, Chatman moves the tonal centre to B Dorian mode, and he continues to
write ascending stepwise, scalar melodies. In this section, his musical lines are much more
melodic and lyrical in character than the lively entries at the beginning of the piece. Chatman’s
use of thirds or sixths to harmonize these contrasting, lyrical melodic lines in Dorian mode is
shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6. Stephen Chatman, “Proud music of the storm” (Movement I) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 21-23. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
71
In the subsequent sections of the movement, Chatman continues to build on scalar melodic ideas
centred around various modes. It is no coincidence that the progression from mode to mode,
moving from one section to the next, is by the interval of a third. For example, Chatman starts
the piece in D Dorian mode. The second section in B Dorian mode is a third lower in tonality.
Chatman then moves back up a third to D Dorian, then repeats the same tonal progression to B
Dorian for Section 4 of the piece. He makes only one exception to his practice of moving in
thirds between tonal centres, and this occurs in the final measures of the movement where he
moves to the key of D major for the ending cadence. This is the same tonal level where he
started, with one exception: the conclusion of the movement is written in major mode, rather than
in Dorian mode.
4.1.2.3 Pedal tones and canons
In Chatman’s music, many passages exist in which he employs pedal tones. At the beginning of
Proud Music of the Storm, Chatman immediately establishes D tonality by orchestrating a D
pedal into the orchestral parts, particularly double bass. In the full orchestral introduction to the
work, he requires brass players to play eighth-note ascending patterns at the interval of a sixth.
When played in canon, one beat apart, these patterns create more thirds and sixths. Trombones
and trumpets are paired together in order to achieve this harmonic effect (see Figure 7). Double
basses and bassoons play accented, dotted-half note D’s repeatedly on the beat, while other
strings and woodwinds play the same pitch on off-beats. Chatman highlights the off-beat
accentuation by adding timpani. In notating tremolos and trills into the viola part, he enhances
the dramatic effect created by the pedal tone D.
72
Figure 7. Stephen Chatman, “Proud music of the storm” (Movement I) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 1-4. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
The boisterous orchestral opening effectively sets up the choral entry on a unison pedal D. The D
pedal entry in the choral parts is especially noteworthy. All singers enter on a unison D. Between
bars 11-20, the basses and altos, however, remain primarily on the same note over a span of ten
measures. Soprano and tenor voices move away from the unison D in stepwise parallel motion,
which results in the formation of harmonic thirds and sixths at bar 13. The parallel soprano/tenor
melodic lines continue to move upward in stepwise motion while the alto and bass parts remain
on the pedal. As the musical phrase progresses, additional thirds/sixths appear in both choir and
also orchestra. (This type of writing is common in Chatman’s choral works as well.) Figure 8
provides an example showing the harmonic thirds and sixths, which Chatman creates through the
stepwise movement away from the D pedal.
73
Figure 8. Stephen Chatman, “Proud music of the storm” (Movement I) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 9-16. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
Throughout this movement, Chatman is also able to maintain musical interest by varying the
canonic material and the manner in which he uses pedal tones. His imitative passages range from
detached, crisply-articulated musical figures to lyrical, legato, melodic phrases. Although pedals
are frequently found in the double bass, Chatman also shifts pedal notes between other
instrumental parts, as well as between choral parts. Pedal tones and imitative writing may be
found all the way through to the final chord of the movement which rests on a D pedal tone.
4.1.2.4 Pandiatonic harmonies
Chatman’s use of pedals, which are recurrently voiced in the bass throughout this movement,
also serves as a catalyst enabling him to use pandiatonic harmonies. He says:
74
When there is a bass note that is sustained, it is possible to include the entire
diatonic collection above that with a wide variety of intervals from within the
scale (major or minor). This creates the pandiatonic effect with added fourths,
sixths, etc. (Chatman, telephone interview, January 27, 2020)
Nicolas Slonimsky, a Russian-born American conductor, author, pianist, and composer
conceived the term “pandiatonicism” in his analytical writing about music compositional
practice. Chatman’s own definition of pandiatonicism echoes the pioneering statements made by
Slonimsky, who also stated that pandiatonicism sanctions the simultaneous use of any or all
seven tones of the diatonic scale, with the bass as the prime factor determining the harmony
(Slonimsky 1938, xxii). Author Robert Hutchinson explains that in composing pandiatonic
music, there is no need for scale degrees or harmonies to progress or to function tonally. In other
words, one should not expect traditional harmonic progressions such as V to I, or 7 resolving to
8, or patterns which follow the normal textbook rules pertaining to harmony. Hutchinson
describes the sound effect created by pandiatonic harmonies as “a wash of sound” (Hutchinson
n.d., para.1). He says that chord voicings in pandiatonic harmony often contain at least one
harmonic interval of a second (Hutchinson n.d., para.1).
An analysis of the first movement of Proud Music of the Storm provides a clear framework
through which to explore pandiatonic compositional techniques. For example, at the pickup to
bar 20, the entire ensemble arrives at an E minor 7th chord which sits on the top of a D pedal. At
this point in the movement, Chatman chooses to highlight the word “strong,” and the use of a
strongly dissonant chord allows him to make an assertive statement harmonically. The tenors
shift to a dissonant note. The E against the D sung by the altos and basses creates an unexpected
major second, and contrasts dramatically with the major third intervals that have been sung to
this point. Figure 9 illustrates the E minor 7th chord as an example of pandiatonic harmony.
75
Figure 9. Stephen Chatman, “Proud music of the storm” (Movement I) from Proud Music of the Storm, bar 20. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
Chatman’s use of added note chord writing in this movement exemplifies how he exploits
pandiatonic techniques, which are based on tonal regions rather than traditional harmonies. The
notes which make up the E minor 7th chord are all spaced a third apart. In the music I analyzed,
Chatman makes frequent use of harmonies created in this manner. Chords such as 7ths, 9ths,
11ths, and 13ths, with pitches falling a third apart, are most often a by-product of the stepwise
musical lines that move in thirds and sixths that Chatman has written.
76
As the first movement unfolds, Chatman continues to exploit pandiatonicism as he writes shifts
that move from one modal tonal centre to another. The convention of using chordal notes derived
from various tonal centres where pitches are a third away is also a distinguishing factor of
pandiatonicism. Interestingly, Chatman repeats the same 7th chord from bar 20 at the pickup to
bar 48, again highlighting the word “strong.” His continued development and use of this
pandiatonic language, closely linked with the text, is an effective tool that Chatman uses to create
musical interest.
4.1.2.5 Creating expectation at cadence points
Throughout his musical setting, Chatman creates feelings of expectation at cadence points. He
successfully achieves this effect by using “non-final” sounding chords and by strategically
inserting full measures of rests in order to highlight key moments in the text. At bar 31, for
example, he brings the B Dorian section to a close by using an F major chord in first inversion
rather than in root position. This unstable version of the chord, sung by a cappella chorus, is less
final sounding, and listeners are left wanting to hear more. At bar 93, Chatman brings the music
to a cadence on a C minor 7th chord. He inserts a rest into the measure following, which clears
the air for a new musical event. The a cappella chorus then sings the same first inversion of the F
major chord he used at bar 31, which creates further expectation. The listener is left wondering
what is to come next (see Figure 10).
77
Figure 10. Stephen Chatman, “Proud music of the storm” (Movement I) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 93-96. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
4.1.2.6 Text painting in the coda section
While Chatman frequently uses text painting throughout the first movement of Proud Music of
the Storm, he again employs this compositional device effectively in the coda section which ends
the movement. Beginning at bar 95, dynamics gradually increase from piano to fortissimo to end
the movement. Tremolo strings begin playing softly, creating the illusion of distance in order to
paint the text, “you sounds from distant guns with galloping cavalry.” The singers perform
upwardly rising canonic scalar patterns, which are doubled by woodwinds as they portray the
text, “echoes of camps with all diff’rent bugle calls!” At the loudest, climatic point, Chatman
repeats the text “echoes of camps with all diff’rent bugle calls,” and the trumpets project a
78
canonic version of the military bugle call, “Reveille” above the rapidly expanding choral-
orchestral texture (see Figure 11). Military field drums portray soldiers, “trooping tumultuous.”
For the final cadence of the movement, Chatman juxtaposes an E minor chord on top of the D
pedal. The resulting dissonance creates a sense of ambiguity, and this cadence does not sound
final. In this situation, Chatman potentially introduces dissonance in order to highlight the
question posed by the text, “Why have you seized me? Why?” His use of a non-final sounding
sonority suggests that the piece has not ended and that there is more music to come. A detailed
flow chart analysis of Movement I is shown in Appendix H.
Figure 11. Stephen Chatman, “Proud Music of the Storm” (Movement I) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 108-109. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
4.1.3 Movement II: “Come forward, O my Soul”
4.1.3.1 Motive X
As the second movement of Proud Music of the Storm begins, Chatman immediately
incorporates a distinct motive that recurs throughout this movement and all subsequent
movements of the work. I refer to this motive “Motive X” in order to maintain consistency with
the manner in which Chatman refers to this musical idea in his compositional lecture notes filed
at LAC.17 When the orchestra plays this motive for the first time (in bars 1 and 2) it is in the key
of G-flat major. In constructing Motive X, Chatman uses only five notes (do, do re, mi, so), and
harmonizes the music very simply by writing thirds and fifths underneath those pitches (see
Figure 12).
17 Ibid.
79
Figure 12. Stephen Chatman, “Come forward O My Soul” (Movement II) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 1-2. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
The orchestra plays the motive twice during the ten-measure introduction. On the choral entry at
bar 13, the singers re-state the motive adding the text, “Come forward, O my Soul.” As Chatman
develops the motive in the A Section of the ternary (ABA) structure, he moves to the dominant
key of D-flat major. He then changes the rhythm of the motive only slightly as he repeats and
adds text underneath. Chatman scores the choir with double voicings (SSAATTBB). As he
develops Motive X in the B section, the thicker texture created by the double chorus scoring
enables him to create musical interest through further use of canonic entries, particularly at bar
28, in which he calls for a tempo that is slightly faster. When the composer brings back the
original Motive X at bar 58 for the A'/Coda Section of the movement, the choral entry is the
same as at the start of the movement, and the chorus repeats the text, “O my Soul” while
gradually getting softer all the way through to the final V-I (G-flat major) cadence at the end of
the movement.
4.1.3.2 Harmony and voice leading
In examining Movement II and all of Chatman’s choral-orchestral works, in fact, I found that
individual melodic lines in both the choral and the orchestral parts appeared to take precedence
over the harmonic chord structure. When I studied Movement II, I was particularly struck not
only by the rich harmonic elements of the movement, but also by the skillful, linear writing. I
quickly found, however, that although the harmony was sometimes straightforward and could be
easily analyzed, at other times it was difficult to complete a formal analysis because Chatman
frequently uses stepwise movement in the individual musical lines, and he also tends to use
intervals that are a third and a sixth away when harmonizing between voices. The voice leading
80
of the individual melodic lines appears to be a primary point of focus in Chatman’s writing. In
fact, the richly conceived harmonies evident in this second movement emerge naturally out of
Chatman’s horizontal melodic texture.
When Chatman uses clear harmonic structures that are more easily analyzed, he often does so in
a deliberate manner in order to highlight the text. At the start of the movement from bars 3–4, for
instance, he uses a basic IV–V harmonic progression (G-flat major). He repeats the IV–V
cadential progression between bars 9–10. At bar 12, Chatman uses a similar progression, but it is
not cadential, and here he uses a IV 6/5 chord with an added 9th moving to a V chord. At this
point, his use of harmonic variation appears to imply forward motion, linking with the text,
“Come forward.” The choice of a IV 6/5 chord rather than a root position chord is unanticipated,
and this chord voicing sounds less complete, thus creating instability. The listener expects to hear
a chord that has the root in the bass, but Chatman chooses instead to move to an inversion. In
addition, because Chatman includes a 9th (or 2nd) in this same chord, this creates a sense of
“invitation.” In this instance, the listener’s ear is drawn toward the unexpected, dissonant sound
quality that adds colour and interest to the chord. The 2nd/9th sonority is diatonic (belonging to
the key), and listeners’ ears are more inclined to linger on these forms of dissonances than if the
composer used a non-chord tone such as a minor 9th. If such harsh-sounding chords were used,
the opposite effect could occur, and the listener may feel “distanced.” On the other hand, as
shown in Figure 13, Chatman’s subtle use of effective pandiatonic harmonic language within the
readily accessible tonal idiom acts as a powerful magnetic tool, and it gains the attention of the
listener. These carefully conceived progressions are shown in the harmonic analysis for the
beginning of this movement:
81
Figure 13. Stephen Chatman, “Come forward, O my Soul” (Movement II) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 1-14. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
Throughout the B section of this movement, Chatman prioritizes the writing of canonic musical
lines and efficient voice leading in the choral and orchestral parts over creating block harmonic
progressions. At the end of the movement, with the return of A thematic material, the harmonies
82
within the homophonic texture are more distinct, and Chatman uses a clear cadential pattern
(IV9, V, I) in the original key of G-flat major to conclude the movement.
4.1.3.3 Creating musical interest through the orchestration
In establishing the spiritual, less boisterous mood that the text for Movement II suggests,
Chatman lightly doubles the voice parts with orchestral accompaniment. Where he has written
canonic choral parts, he maintains a sparse orchestral accompaniment, thus allowing the choral
parts to project through the texture. He adds colour and interest through special effects created by
unique instruments such as wind chimes at bar 20, which add a shimmering effect to the overall
texture.
Most interesting is Chatman’s orchestral writing betweeen bars 38–57 where his scoring of the
chorus is homophonic. Strings and woodwinds double the voice parts. The parts that Chatman
has assigned to the chorus are very simple rhythmically. On the other hand, Chatman has written
elaborate, sixteenth-note, scalar patterns for a solo oboe player (see Figure 14), and arpeggiated
passages for the harpist (see Figure 15) to add variety and interest to the very basic
homorhythmic texture.
Figure 14. Stephen Chatman, “Come forward, O my Soul” (Movement II) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 44-45. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
83
Figure 15. Stephen Chatman, “Come forward, O my Soul” (Movement II) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 44-45. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
This aligns with his common practice of scoring the rhythmically more complex passages of a
composition for the orchestral parts rather than the chorus parts (Chatman, interview, June 25,
2018). In contrast, between bars 52 and 57, a rhythmically modest clarinet motive passes
seamlessly over to an oboe soloist, adding a haunting colour to the sustained passage prior to the
return of the A theme. Choir and orchestra end the movement together serenely, sustaining long
chords and allowing the sound to fade away on a diminuendo. My detailed flow chart analysis of
Movement II is shown in Appendix I.
4.1.4 Movement III: “A festival song!”
4.1.4.1 Text painting: establishing a “festive” setting
Chatman’s expertise with text painting techniques is again apparent throughout Movement III
which he writes in sonata form. He also incorporates other skillful compositional strategies in
order to infuse a festive mood into the music. He sets Whitman’s stirring poetry very effectively
by honouring appropriate text length and by using fanfare motives, rapid scalar motives, and
strategic harmonization. As mentioned in Chapter 3, Chatman’s collaborator, Tara Wohlberg,
emphasized that when he composes pieces or movements that have a quick tempo, he can set
more text than in slower movements (Wohlberg, interview, September 26, 2019). While the choir
sings this festive text, a long stream of words passes by very quickly, but in a short space of time.
In writing music to complement Whitman’s celebratory text, Chatman appropriately selects a fast
84
tempo. This text is the longest of any that Chatman uses in the entire composition, yet this
movement takes just under three-and-a-half minutes to perform. The composer’s effective use of
strategic harmonization is apparent especially in the transition sections of the movement due to
his increasing employment of added-tone chords, of which the note spellings are all a third away.
Chatman immediately establishes a festive mood at the outset of this movement through his
rousing orchestration. At the opening of the movement, he transforms Motive X into a jubilant
fanfare, played by brass and percussion (see Figure 16).
Figure 16. Stephen Chatman, “A festival song!” (Movement III) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 1-3. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
The choir echoes this fanfare, and as the singers sing the words, “a festival song,” rapid scalar
passages played by strings and woodwinds contribute to the forward momentum of the
movement. As the movement progresses, Chatman inserts more fanfare motives, such as those
between bar 24 and bar 26, played sequentially by brass and strings and punctuated by
percussion. These fanfares draw attention to the words “love” and “hearts” in the text. Later at
bar 48, Chatman again highlights the word “love” by orchestrating one-octave glissandi passages
for the harp. When the choir sings about “the duet of the groom and the bride,” the singers apply
staccato, accented articulation. From bars 78-92, in order to depict “the cortege swarming full of
friendly faces,” Chatman employs one of his commonly used compositional techniques, an
ostinato, comprising the opening of Motive X, played in repeated triplets by string and
woodwind players (see Figure 17). The clicking of castanets using the same ostinato figure adds
another unique rhythmic colour to the orchestral texture.
85
Figure 17. Stephen Chatman, “A festival song!” (Movement III) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 78-79. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
At bar 122, in order to add excitement to the text, “the manly strophe of the husbands of the
world,” Chatman changes the metre from 3/4 time to a “galloping” 6/8 (see Figure 18). Thirds
continue to be predominant in the harmonizations between voice parts, as well as between the
instrumental parts. Further along at bar 211, Chatman recapitulates thematic material from
Motive X, setting it to the text, “the players playing.” The full orchestra and choir achieve a
fortissimo dynamic at this point and maintain this volume level all the way through to the end of
the movement. The musical pairing with the final text, “a mighty ocean, a binder of climes,” is
accomplished in the lead-up to the final chord. For this triumphant-sounding chord, Chatman
employs a first inversion (I-6) chord in the key of C major, implying through his use of less
stable harmony that the piece is not over. My detailed flow chart analysis of Movement III is
shown in Appendix J.
Figure 18. Stephen Chatman, “A festival song!” (Movement III) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 122-125. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
86
4.1.5 Movement IV: “Tutti! for Earth and Heaven!”
4.1.5.1 Expressive content
Conductor Lydia Adams was moved by the expressive content she encountered in the last
movement of Proud Music of the Storm. She provides a succinct description of Chatman’s
musical artistry with respect to the expressive qualities of the final movement:
The grand finale of the piece, “Tutti! For Earth and Heaven!” is a grand statement
for life, and for the beauty that music plays in our lives. It is so well-written, with
great imagination and knowledge for what the voices can do. You need good
soloists. I think the ending, starting at bar 41, is one of the most beautiful and
extraordinary musical moments I have ever heard. It is absolutely sublime and
shows the work of a true master. (Adams, interview, November 25, 2019)
In analyzing Chatman’s scores, I found recurring use of melodic devices such as rising fourth
intervals as expressive tools. Excellent examples of this are found in the opening section of the
final movement. For example, Chatman employs a melodic interval of a rising fourth in the
soprano and alto parts at the pickup to bar 3 in order to highlight the text, “and heaven” (see
Figure 19). He again repeats the use of the “rising fourth tool” at the pickup to bar 5 to portray
“the almighty.” Otherwise, his melodic material and voice leading are primarily stepwise. He
harmonizes the stepwise melodic progressions using thirds/sixths between voices/instruments in
the opening section and throughout the entire movement. Where he strays away from writing
stepwise melodic lines briefly, he does so with deliberate intent as is shown in the example of the
rising fourth.
87
Figure 19. Stephen Chatman, “Tutti! For Earth and Heaven!” (Movement IV) from Proud Music of the Storm, bars 1-3. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
The use of a straightforward binary (AB + Coda) musical structure enables Chatman to
effectively accomplish the contrasts in mood he desires in this final movement. He successfully
conveys contrasting musical moods that display both grandeur and also simplicity in the A
section (bars 1-19) and the subsequent transition section (bars 20-24). The tempo/stylistic
marking written in the score by the composer provides the performers with very clear
information concerning the performance style, “slow, fateful, glorious.” Musical accompaniment
for the first word of the text, “tutti,” is set dramatically by Chatman, who capitalizes on the use
of text painting at this point in the piece. Together, the full orchestra and full choir perform the
grandiose opening measures, and this is the first time the dynamic fff is used in the entire work.
The inherent simplicity of the composer’s setting between bars 14 and 15 within the A section is
evident in the manner in which he sets up the peaceful mood that accompanies the choral text,
“Thou knowest, Soul.” At this point, Chatman achieves a startling contrast as he boldly thins out
the orchestration, except for a sparse accompaniment layer provided primarily by lower strings.
For the short transition section which follows, he then writes sustained violin harmonics and
string chords, which are held for a duration of nine measures. This tranquil accompaniment
provides an appropriate setting for three vocal soloists (soprano, soprano or alto, tenor or
baritone), who then sing a very simple melodic line in canon to the text, “my mother’s voice, in
lullaby or hymn.”
Musically, Chatman’s B section material (bars 25-39) is lyrical in character, and he again
indicates his expressive intent very specifically in the score through the tempo/stylistic marking,
88
“slightly slower, with ever-increasing intensity.” He orchestrates the beginning of the B section
lightly, adding instruments to thicken the texture as the dynamics grow from soft to loud.
Harmonically, as the intensity of the music builds, Chatman moves the music through multiple
keys, using stepwise progressions and sequencing. Immediately following the fortissimo climax
at bar 36, he daringly removes the orchestral accompaniment completely, allowing the a cappella
chorus to have total freedom to expressively project the text, “all sounds.”
In my interview with Lydia Adams, she used the words “extraordinary” and “sublime” to
describe the expressive content of the final coda section of the piece (bars 41-51). As the
orchestra and choir end the movement together, they maintain a soft dynamic. Chatman employs
text painting, repeating the word “voices,” accompanied by recurring Motive X figures. This
establishes an ethereal mood. Solo clarinets first play Motive X softly, followed by off-stage
trumpets, then piccolo, oboe, and French Horn. Off-stage trumpet calls (bars 51-52) mark the
final appearance of Motive X. Choir and orchestra end the work together softly and reflectively
on a D major chord.
Throughout Proud Music of the Storm, Chatman uses a plethora of compositional techniques that
provide a very effective text setting for Walt Whitman’s text. My detailed flow chart analysis of
Movement IV is shown in Appendix K.
4.2 An Analysis of A Song of Joys
4.2.1 General overview of the piece
In order to identify the characteristics of Stephen Chatman’s choral-orchestral works, I explored
how the composer’s musical style has developed over his extensive career. This quest led me to
conduct a detailed study of A Song of Joys for Timpani and Percussion Soli, SATB Chorus
(divisi) and Orchestra, which Chatman originally intended to be a concerto for two percussion
soloists. He added choral parts only after the Calgary Philharmonic, who commissioned the
piece, decided that chorus would be included in the premiere performance. His end product is a
work that integrates instrumental (especially percussion) and choral forces in a unique fashion.
89
Twelve years elapsed between the composition of Proud Music of the Storm, his earliest choral-
orchestral work, and A Song of Joys, his most recent as of this writing. Through my analysis of A
Song of Joys, I determined that Chatman’s pursuit of unusual choral-instrumental timbral
combinations is a significant factor which separates his recent work from his early work.
In seeking to determine the unique qualities of A Song of Joys, I consulted with Stephen Chatman
and requested specific information concerning the context of the piece. He offered this detailed
account of the historical events leading to the conception of A Song of Joys:
My first visit to the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) occurred in October
2009, when I attended rehearsals and two performances of my Earth Songs for
large chorus and orchestra. Performances were sold out, and audience reception
was warm . . . I had the pleasure of meeting Tim Rawlings, principal
percussionist, who is not only an important figure in the Calgary musical
community, but also an inspiring and enthusiastic supporter of contemporary
music. After the performances, Tim mentioned that he would be interested in a
percussion concerto from me; the idea began to percolate and slowly evolve.
Fast forward to 2012: Heather Slater, Director of Artistic Planning (CPO)
contacted me about commissioning a major new work for the CPO. The initial
concept was a 25-minute percussion concerto. But soon, it was decided that the
work would not only be paired with the Beethoven 9th Symphony, but also
include the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus. Ever growing in scope, it was then
determined that the work would feature the considerable talents of not only Tim
Rawlings, but also Alexander Cohen, timpanist (CPO). Hence the project became
a 20-minute double concerto for percussion and timpani soli, chorus and
orchestra. What a creative challenge and balancing act for almost any composer,
including me.
The next step was to select a text. Over the years, I have been strongly attracted to
the poetry of Walt Whitman, having set several of his poems for choir. Given the
occasion of this concert, Whitman’s poetry, much of which relates to love and
brotherhood, seemed to me to be the perfect choice. With the blessings of Heather
90
Slater and CPO Maestro Roberto Minczuk, I selected various fragments of several
poems from Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, and loosely organized them into a form,
that is a sequence of contrasting texts and movements, which borrow the titles of
certain poems.
Whereas Symphony No. 9 requires a quartet of vocal soloists, A Song of Joys
features two instrumental soloists—the timpanist and percussionist. A Song of
Joys (also the title of one of Whitman’s poems) is unique in the sense that it
balances two distinct entities: a frequently virtuosic, multi-timbral, poly-stylistic
“double concerto” versus large chorus with soli and orchestra. These two
elements are either separated or combined throughout the contrasting
movements.18 (Chatman, e-mail, September 18, 2019)
The task of composing a major work to be paired on a concert program with Beethoven’s
monumental Symphony No. 9 is no small feat. Undertaking the commission of a piece which
features percussion as well as chorus presents even greater challenges. In composing this piece,
Chatman consistently uses familiar, successful compositional techniques. He also takes the
opportunity to explore unique sonorities, particularly with respect to his orchestration of the
percussion solo instruments. To accompany this discussion, I again include an information chart,
which provides an outline of essential facts and overall features of the piece (see Appendix G). I
also include individual flow charts with analysis for all seven movements of A Song of Joys (see
Appendices L through R). These provide a bar-by-bar analysis of essential musical details found
in each of the movements.
4.2.2 Movement I: “A Song of Joys”
4.2.2.1 Exploring new musical ideas through timbral combinations
From the outset of this piece, the presence of distinctive “percussion soli” is immediately
apparent. Both percussion soloists play timpani throughout the movement, and as the movement
18 Due to Alexander Cohen’s (CPO) illness, Aaron McDonald, the timpanist of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, was the substitute soloist for the premiere of A Song of Joys on May 1, 2012 (Chatman, e-mail, September 18, 2019).
91
progresses, the interaction between the percussionists becomes more distinct. Whereas I
frequently found canonic musical figures between various vocal lines and orchestral players in
Chatman’s Proud Music of the Storm, the canonic interaction between the two percussionists in
A Song of Joys is an unusual occurrence in a choral-orchestral work. The chorus clearly
articulates the Whitman text from within a homorhythmic/homophonic texture, a common
characteristic of Chatman’s writing. On the other hand, the technical language the timpani
soloists use as they persistently interject not only provides rhythmic interest, but also serves as a
vehicle to highlight Whitman’s poetic text.
Despite the prominence of the timpani duo in the first movement of A Song of Joys, I also
encountered many similarities between Chatman’s compositional style in this portion of the work
and the first movement of Proud Music of the Storm. For example, even though Chatman shapes
this music around three stanzas, according to the text in this work, he again writes the music so
the various melodic and harmonic patterns are organized according to pandiatonic tonal regions.
Similar to his writing in Proud Music of the Storm, he also establishes multiple tonal regions in A
Song of Joys based on various church modes, as well as on major and minor tonalities. The
tonalities are clearly delineated through Chatman’s use of pedal tones and various scalar patterns.
Throughout all the movements of A Song of Joys, the composer uses stepwise melodic movement
paired with the use of harmonic thirds and sixths, and achieves desirable musical objectives
through effective voice leading. My analysis of Proud Music of the Storm shows how Chatman’s
efforts to ensure smooth voice leading often result in 7th, 9th, 11th and 13th chords. This
characteristic is also evident in A Song of Joys. All of these are established compositional
techniques employed by the composer and show his consistency. On the other hand, the manner
in which percussion is featured so prominently with the orchestra and chorus in this movement
most certainly brings a novel dimension to this more recent composition. My detailed flow chart
analysis of Movement I is shown in Appendix L.
92
4.2.3 Movement 2: “Shine! shine! shine!”
4.2.3.1 Choral versus choral-orchestral scoring
E.C. Schirmer publishes “Shine! shine! shine!” for choir with piano accompaniment, as well as
the choral-orchestral version. That this single movement is also able stand on its own so well as a
choral work is a true testament to Chatman’s masterful ability to write for voices. When the
University of Toronto MacMillan Singers recorded the CD, Dawn of Night, in 2017, “Shine!
shine! shine!” was included on the recording, and for this selection, the choir performed
Chatman’s unpublished version of the piece, which uses harp accompaniment (Centrediscs
2017). In scoring this movement for orchestra, Chatman faced the daunting task of achieving
appropriate orchestral colours in order to complement the choral text, while fulfilling the
requirements for the “percussion concerto” component of this composition. For the most part,
Chatman doubles the choral lines in the orchestra throughout the second movement. He builds
crescendos as he does in other movements by bringing in instruments in layers: first strings, then
woodwinds, followed by brass. In this movement Chatman requires the percussion soloists to
play on Balinese gongs. Balinese gongs are originally from the island of Bali in Indonesia and
are frequently used in gamelan music (McGraw 2014).
Melodically and harmonically, Chatman’s writing is very similar in both the choral version and
the choral-orchestral version. His skillful use of ascending stepwise motion, sequencing, and
harmonic thirds and sixths between voices adeptly portrays the warmth of the sun. From within
the pandiatonic environment, Chatman’s voice-leading again results in 7th and 9th chords which
have a bitonal flavour. For example, at bar 16, Chatman writes a dissonant C minor 9th at the
cadence; the way he voices it implies a C minor plus G minor bitonal structure (see Figure 20).
Through the use of these colourful polychords, Chatman ultimately suggests a large musical
question that needs to be answered. Strategically using the two half rests that immediately
follow, he clears the air for new musical material. The use of this device seeks to resolve the
question presented by the ambiguous 9th chord.
93
Figure 20. Stephen Chatman, “A Song of Joys” (Movement II) from A Song of Joys, bar 16. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
The percussion soloists start the movement using Balinese gongs, and this sets up a distinctive
flavour to the orchestration, but this tonal quality provides intonation challenges for the singers
in the chorus. The chorus enters halfway through bar 2, and as a result of the unique-sounding
overtones produced by tremolo rolls on the gongs, it is difficult for the singers to take their pitch
from these instruments alone. In order to facilitate confident entries by the chorus, Chatman
provides the starting pitches (E-flat and A-flat) for the singers in the divisi first violin part. He
inserts a sustained A-flat into the viola part, which also helps to support the singers on their
initial entry. As the music unfolds, the gong players play arpeggiated eighth note figures that
serve to paint the accompanying text musically: “pour down your warmth.” Chatman ends the
movement by scoring the orchestra very lightly, with the strings supporting the choral pitches. A
violin solo provides pitch support for the high, sustained soprano B-flat in bar 37. Gongs
continue to play above the chorus during the last three measures of the movement. Despite the
intonation challenges facing the singers, this sonority provides a haunting effect which
94
contributes to the “hopeful” sentiment implied in the text: “we two keep together.” My detailed
flow chart analysis of Movement II is shown in Appendix M.
4.2.4 Movement III: “One Hour to Madness and Joy!”
4.2.4.1 Percussion duo feature
In Movement III, the chorus is tacet, and the two percussion soloists are featured. This is the first
of two movements in which the percussionists prominently exhibit their virtuosic skills. One
soloist plays drum set while the other plays timpani. Rapidly ascending and descending scalar
passages pass between various instruments of the orchestra and progress through numerous tonal
centres. These fast scalar passages create forward momentum, which permeates the movement.
The fast, continuous momentum is reminiscent of a roller-coaster ride. Interspersed throughout
the movement are solo interludes where the percussionists have opportunities to display their
solo abilities.
The first such solo passage occurs in bar 5 of the movement; Chatman requests an improvised
drum set solo lasting for twenty to thirty seconds. Chatman’s only guideline for the drummer is
that the solo should be performed in “Buddy Rich style,” and the player should “go crazy.”19 A
rare opportunity for a timpani solo follows later in the movement, and as the movement
develops, increasing interaction occurs between the two soloists, who continue to work together
with the orchestra to maintain the forward momentum. Chromatic mordents and turns
reminiscent of music from the scene of an action movie contribute to the forward momentum of
the movement, along with special effects such as flutter-tongued passages executed by brass
players. Throughout the movement, the abilities of the percussionists are tested even further as
the players must switch to xylophone, snare drum, and suspended cymbal in the middle of the
movement. The movement ends with a virtuoso cadenza (thirty seconds in length), which again
features the percussionists without the orchestra. Chatman’s instructions on the score to the
percussionists are simple: “improvise, virtuosic, wild!” A single “shot” chord by the orchestra
19 Buddy Rich was a famous American jazz drummer. “His playing was characterized by phenomenal speed and dexterity.” Rich was “an extrovert performer who produced complex patterns with metronomic clarity and simpler lines with an exquisite precision (Hosiasson 2001)
95
(tonic in F major) ends the movement. My detailed flow chart analysis of Movement III is shown
in Appendix N.
4.2.5 Movement IV: “Song of the Universal”
4.2.5.1 Canonic development
Chatman’s frequent use of canonic musical figures has already been discussed extensively, but
Movement IV is especially distinguished by his skillful canonical writing. In “Song of the
Universal,” Chatman has melded eight four-voice canons together seamlessly into a single unit
with continuous musical development, and those canons are performed consecutively, one after
the other. The style of writing in this movement is very interactive, and choral voices converse in
an inviting manner as the canonic musical lines unfold: “come said the music, sing me a song.”
Rhythmically, the choral lines are uncomplicated throughout the movement. Tremolo strings add
colour below the texture, and short woodwind solo motives pass from one to another,
complementing the canonic melodies. Woodwind solos, which occur between bars 31-35, are
increasingly technical, and the thirty-second note scalar runs provide dramatic contrast above the
simple sustained melodies of the choral canon. Once again, this aligns with Chatman’s common
practice of scoring the rhythmically more complex passages of a composition for the orchestral
parts rather than the chorus parts.
The percussion soloists contribute vibrant colours to the canonic texture, and the mood of this
movement is much more subdued than the previous one. One player plays orchestral bells, metal
wind chimes, and bowed crotales, while the other player plays marimba, mark tree (gentle
rustle), and wind chimes. Beginning at the pickup to bar 31, however, Chatman introduces a
much thicker orchestral texture that is characterized by increased instrumental doubling of the
choral parts. As a result, the individual melodic lines can be heard much more distinctly in the
final canonic section of the movement because of the manner in which he gradually adds
instrumental layers to the voice parts. The overall dynamic gradually increases from this point to
the end of the movement. This final section in C major includes a prominent ascending scalar
pattern, which unravels over a C pedal played by double bass and trombone. Sopranos sing the
96
canonic theme first, followed in turn by the other voices (see Figure 21). Orchestral entries are
staggered as strings, followed by woodwinds, then brass double the choral parts. As the
movement approaches the conclusion, the dynamic level builds, moving from pianissimo to
fortissimo. A cymbal roll and rapid patterns played on orchestral bells contribute to the building
crescendo. Chatman brings the series of canons to a close, and ends the movement using a
traditional V-I cadence in C major.
Figure 21. Stephen Chatman, “Song of the Universal” (Movement IV) from A Song of Joys, bars 52-55. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
4.2.5.2 Pandiatonicism or bitonality?
As I studied Movement IV and other sections of A Song of Joys, I sometimes struggled to
determine whether chords were bitonal (two keys superimposed on one another) or pandiatonic
(free use of several diatonic scale degrees in one chord creating added tones). In a canonic
movement such as this one, voice leading determines the harmonies; thus, chord-by-chord
analysis becomes an arduous exercise. Attempting to label chords as bitonal or pandiatonic is
also very onerous. Jeffrey Taylor (2002) discusses this dilemma:
97
Sometimes the added tones create the impression of bitonality . . . Whether the
listener will perceive such events as bitonality or merely as added-tone harmony
depends on which pitches are sounded simultaneously in what positions and
voicings, and on what harmonies might have been anticipated, perhaps by melodic
implication. (6-7)
At bar 7 of the condensed piano version of the score, the pianist plays a D-flat chord (minus the
third) with the left hand while the right hand plays an A-flat major chord. In the orchestral
version, Chatman voices this A-flat major chord in the upper strings (violin and viola), and
because of the high tessitura, this sonority carries through the texture. The chorus sings a canonic
melodic line, which has the suggestion of a D-flat major chord with an added second (E-flat).
Note that the D-flat and the A-flat chord both include A-flat as a common tone. Technically, this
chord may be identified harmonically as a D-flat major 9th. An example of this apparent
bitonality is shown in Figure 22. Regardless of the harmonies generated, Chatman’s key
consideration in writing the canon is the manner in which interweaving melodic lines are
generated. These lines are what the listener hears above all, and the various harmonies are
generated out of these melodic lines. My detailed flow chart analysis of Movement IV is shown
in Appendix O.
98
Figure 22. Stephen Chatman, “Song of the Universal” (Movement IV) from A Song of Joys, bar 7. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
4.2.6 Movement V: “I dance with the dancers”
4.2.6.1 A second percussion duo
For the second percussion duo movement of A Song of Joys, the two soloists again interact with
the orchestra as they do in Movement III, contributing to a rhythmic environment that exhibits
continuous forward movement. The percussion soloists perform on a unique combination of
instruments. One player plays bongos, conga drums and timpani while the other plays temple
blocks, a conglomeration of four large paint cans, two metal pipes or bell plates, splash cymbal,
and roto-toms. The continuous motion is set into play by steady eighth notes, played pizzicato in
thirds by upper strings above a cello/double bass ostinato. Improvised bongo and temple block
figures played by both soloists contribute to the forward motion. As the movement progresses, an
ostinato prevails in the double basses, and the texture thickens. Woodwinds play in thirds and
contribute to the louder dynamic as the tension builds. Brass triplet flourishes are initially muted,
but the mutes are removed as other brass instruments are brought into the texture and as
99
excitement builds. The sounds of improvised conga drums, paint cans, and metal pipes all
contribute to the development of interest in the movement.
As the full orchestra reaches forte dynamic levels, Chatman employs the most dissonant
harmonies of the entire work. In Section 3, for example, the harmonic texture is very thick, and
the composer scores extremely dissonant chords for the orchestra by incorporating all the notes
of the chromatic scale. He adds interest to the music by removing brass instruments from the
texture, then brings them back in again. Musicians of the orchestra play passages with frequent
crescendos and diminuendos, and the tension builds steadily. Chatman’s overall dynamic plan in
the movement encompasses a gradual shift from soft to loud with brief, attention-getting musical
events occurring along the way.
4.2.6.2 “Motive Y”
At bar 52, the musicians achieve a fortissimo climax, and the full orchestra plays a set of
accented chords characterized by a syncopated rhythm. Because Chatman brings back various
forms of this rhythm again in Movement VI, I call this figure “Motive Y” for easier identification
when it is re-used in Movement VI (see Figure 23). The soloists conclude the movement with a
16-measure percussion cadenza. For this uniquely improvised percussion display, one player
plays timpani while the other plays roto-toms. Chatman includes instrumental cues in the score
for fast, sixteenth note figures and accented articulations, which encourages virtuosity. Both
soloists outwardly interact with each other to finish the movement, which segues directly into
Movement VI. My detailed flow chart analysis of Movement V is shown in Appendix P.
100
Figure 23. Stephen Chatman, “dance with the dancers” (Movement V) from A Song of Joys, bar 52. Permission granted by copyright holder E. C. Schirmer Music.
4.2.7 Movement VI: “O Sun of Real Peace”
4.2.7.1 Development of “Motive Y” and text painting
The fast-moving pace of this movement is driven by Chatman’s desire to portray an ecstatic,
glorious vision of the sun, implied by Walt Whitman’s text. Chatman brings back Motive Y from
Movement V immediately following the percussion cadenza that segues into movement VI.
Chatman originally introduced Motive Y in Movement V using a group of homorhythmic,
syncopated dissonant chords, but throughout Movement VI, he varies the original rhythmic
motive. At the beginning of the movement, his use of Motive Y incorporates syncopated rhythm
but is less homorhythmic, since some instruments play on the beat while others play off the beat.
As the movement begins, Chatman’s Motive Y chords move with parallel motion and are much
more consonant than the dissonant chords he used at the end of Movement V. For the choral
101
entry, Chatman transforms Motive Y into linear melodic lines, harmonized with parallel chords
and punctuated by accented, syncopated rhythms from the orchestra.
In order to complete his portrayal of the sun, Chatman maintains constant tension and
incorporates a multitude of compositional techniques used previously in this work. My analysis
of this movement revealed various sixteenth-note modal scalar patterns played by strings and
woodwinds. Stepwise motion, use of thirds, pandiatonicism/bitonality, and pedal tones were all
present in this movement. Percussion soloists add exciting rhythmic touches to the movement,
and the movement includes sections for suspended cymbal, as well as timpani parts for both
players. What is particularly significant about this movement is the manner in which Chatman
incorporates two sections for a cappella chorus in the midst of a very active musical setting that
features full orchestra and very heavily scored percussion parts. Most dramatic is the manner in
which he ends the movement, with the chorus singing an a cappella setting of the text, “O
heights.” A short, accented C-sharp major chord punctuates the ending of the movement. My
detailed flow chart analysis of Movement VI is shown in Appendix Q.
4.2.8 Movement VII: “With the love of comrades”
4.2.8.1 Meeting vocal challenges with appropriate orchestration
The orchestration of the final movement of A Song of Joys is a significant achievement, as
Chatman endeavours to combine a choral setting that is vocally taxing with considerable
orchestral forces. When performing this movement alone, without orchestra, the singers
encounter extremely demanding ranges. Sopranos, for example, must sing over a two-octave
range extending from a low B-flat-3 all the way up to a high B-flat-5. Furthermore, the sopranos
are required to sustain a high A for a long duration over the final three measures of the work. The
U of T MacMillan Singers also recorded “With the love of comrades” on the CD Dawn of Night,
and that recording features an a cappella version of this movement (Centrediscs 2017). In
conceiving the a cappella version of this movement recorded by the MacMillan Singers,
Chatman displays many of the skilled techniques he uses so well throughout his choral works,
including his use of thirds, voice-leading, pandiatonicism, and sequencing. On the other hand, his
102
conception of the orchestrated version of the piece with percussion soloists leads to a huge grand
finale that shares several similarities with its partner piece, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
As is typical with Chatman’s orchestrations, the composer begins each soft section with light
string doubling, adding woodwinds, then brass, as the dynamics build. When he brings soft
tremolo marimba chords and chimes into the texture halfway through the movement, Chatman
creates a sonority which is a very distinctive for a choral-orchestral work of this scope. In each
section of the movement, Chatman’s choral writing is characterized by stepwise motion, with a
tendency toward moving in an upward direction. The composer uses an AA'BA'' plus Coda form
in constructing this movement, and each subsequent section ends in a higher tessitura for the
singers.
Upon arriving at the final coda section of the piece, the chorus, orchestra and percussion soloists
reach a dramatic climax. The chorus sings sustained fortissimo pitches throughout the final
measures. The full orchestra also plays at a fortissimo dynamic, and thirty-second note piccolo
runs add to the interest. Trumpet players play canonic, high-pitched sixteenth note flourishes on
piccolo trumpet. The timpanist punctuates the ending with accented statements while the second
percussion soloist plays fortissimo cymbal rolls. The universal theme inherent in Walt
Whitman’s text reflects the love of man for his comrades. Chatman repeats this text several times
in the musical setting at the conclusion of the grand finale, paralleling the universal message
found in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. The moving eighth note figures played in thirds by
trumpets and horns in the final three measures also bear a striking similarity to the brass figures
which are played during the final measures of Beethoven’s Ninth. The spectacular choral-
orchestral finale of this “tour-de-force” for chorus, orchestra, and percussion soli brings this
uniquely conceived Canadian choral-orchestral work to a resounding conclusion. My detailed
flow chart analysis of Movement VII is shown in Appendix R.
103
4.3 Performance history
4.3.1 Reviews
Performances of Proud Music of the Storm and A Song of Joys have met with very enthusiastic
responses from audiences, and both pieces received extremely favourable reviews. The late
Lloyd Dykk, a reviewer from the Vancouver Sun, made these comments about the world
premiere performance of Proud Music of the Storm, which took place on November 3, 2002, as
part of the 75th Anniversary Celebrations for Vancouver’s Orpheum Theatre:
What gave the program real oomph was a new piece by Stephen Chatman,
commissioned by CBC Radio and the B.C. Arts Council, and sung to the max by
the Vancouver Bach Choir conducted by Bruce Pullan . . . It is a very effective,
skilfully written piece, sensitive to the text and it got a huge ovation, which is
really something for a brand-new work. It’s not hard to see choirs pulling this one
out as a staple. (Dykk 2002)
The Calgary Herald’s Kenneth DeLong makes these comments about the world premiere
performance of A Song of Joys, which took place on May 1, 2014, at Jack Singer Hall in Calgary:
Chatman writes within the capabilities of a good amateur chorus, gives them parts
to sing that sit well for choral voices, and never neglects the expressive power of
melody and a clearly conceived bass part. These traditional values were all
present in this extended setting of extracts from Whitman, a work in which the
instrumental side was unusually significant. The overall effect was clearly felt,
with each of the seven movements spontaneously applauded as the performance
unfolded . . . The most striking aspect of the piece was the presence of the two
solo percussion players, both of whom were given important parts that drew the
eye and ear . . . A large scale and impressive work, Chatman’s A Song of Joys
extends the composer’s reputation as a potent voice in the Canadian musical
landscape. (DeLong 2014)
104
4.3.2 Performances, recordings, and broadcasts
Chatman provided me with an inventory of performances and broadcasts for all his works,
including performances of Proud Music of the Storm and A Song of Joys. The lists he sent me
included eleven known performances of Proud Music of the Storm globally, and three
performances of A Song of Joys (Chatman, email, June 18, 2020). Bruce Pullan conducted the
UBC Singers, the Vancouver Bach Choir, and the UBC Symphony for the Centrediscs recording
of Proud Music of the Storm (2004b). At the time of writing, the final engineering for an audio
recording of A Song of Joys (2017) with UBC choirs and orchestra was being edited, and the
release date is pending. Chatman projects that the CD will be issued at the end of 2020 or early
in 2021 by Redshift Records, a Vancouver recording label (Chatman, email, November 13,
2020). He says, however, that this recording consists of audio footage taken from the live
performance on April 8, 2017, and from dedicated recording sessions that took place during the
same week (Chatman, telephone interview, June 18, 2020). Proud Music of the Storm has also
been broadcast by various radio stations globally, although on Chatman’s inventory, I found no
similar records of broadcasts associated with A Song of Joys. In Appendix S, I list all known
performances and broadcasts of Chatman’s choral-orchestral works in chronological order.
Composer-endorsed recordings of Chatman’s choral-orchestral works are listed in the
bibliography, and these offer proficient audio models for those interested in performing the
works.
4.4 Chapter summary As I analyzed Stephen Chatman’s choral-orchestral works, Proud Music of the Storm and A Song
of Joys, I first searched the scores for specific common characteristics of his choral writing, as
discussed in Chapter 3 of this thesis. I was successful in finding those links. For example, I found
identifiable evidence of standard tonality in both works and was frequently able to determine the
musical structure/form of the pieces according to the various tonal key centres used by Chatman.
Chatman not only used major and minor tonal centres in conceiving these works, but also
extensively employed the use of various church modes. I found numerous passages in which he
used parallel voicings, particularly those harmonized using sixths and thirds. In both pieces, I
105
also found many examples of pandiatonicism, in which Chatman harmonized the music with
pitches that are a third apart, resulting in chords with added tones such as 7th, 9th, 11th, and 13th
chords. All these characteristics were found in both the choral and the orchestral aspects of these
works.
My most detailed explanation of Chatman’s use of pandiatonicism is found in the analysis,
discussion, and figures pertaining to Proud Music of the Storm. Through that analysis, I also
found examples of Chatman’s use of pedal tones, canons, creating expectation at cadence points,
motif, harmony, voice leading, sequencing, and text painting. Following an analysis of Proud
Music of the Storm, I studied the more recent work, A Song of Joys, and also documented
commonly used Chatman compositional techniques in that work. In analyzing A Song of Joys, I
discussed the unique orchestration for chorus, orchestra, and two percussion soloists in
particular.
The public reception to Chatman’s choral-orchestral works has been very enthusiastic, and in this
chapter, I referenced reviews of the world premiere performances of these two works, which
appeared in Vancouver and Calgary newspapers. I also steered readers toward the bibliography,
where I list recordings of the works, and to Appendix S, where I list all known performances and
broadcasts of Chatman’s choral-orchestral works.
Conductors and performers accustomed to performing contemporary music face fresh challenges
as they prepare both Proud Music of the Storm, and also A Song of Joys. The accompanying flow
charts (see Appendices H–R) provide comprehensive analyses which should be useful to
conductors as they prepare and rehearse the music from these two scores. In the chapter that
follows, I provide specific rehearsal techniques designed to assist conductors in preparing these
two Chatman works for performance with choir and orchestra.
106
Chapter 5 A Conductor’s Guide: Proud Music of the Storm and A Song of
Joys
5.1 Chapter overview Following my detailed analytical study of Proud Music of the Storm and A Song of Joys, which
appears in Chapter 4 and related appendices, I now move the discussion toward approaches that
may be used effectively by conductors as they prepare the two works for performance. As
mentioned in Chapter 1, the guide that I offer is designed to assist conductors from varied
backgrounds in the preparation, rehearsal and performance of this repertoire. In this chapter,
therefore, I provide specific rehearsal strategies and recommendations for choral-orchestral
performance setup. Rehearsal strategies are discussed according to the following categories:
form, duration (tempo, metre, rhythm), pitch (melody, harmony), text, expressive qualities
(dynamics, markings and phrasing), and qualities that are unique to these two pieces. For the
sake of clarity, I address choral and orchestral issues separately, but this is done within the
context of the choral-orchestral relationship. In actual practice, however, certain strategies used
for rehearsing a chorus within this genre may also be used with orchestra and vice versa.
In the last section of the conductor’s guide, I present workable solutions for positioning choral
singers and orchestral players, taking appropriate balance into consideration. Although these
specific physical arrangements may require adjustment according to the performing ensemble,
performance space, and conductor preference, the general suggestions I offer should
accommodate most circumstances.
5.1.1 Abbreviation key:
Proud Music of the Storm = PMOS; then PMOS-I = Proud Music of the Storm, Movement I; PMOS-II = Proud Music of the Storm, Movement II, and so forth. A Song of Joys = SOJ; then SOJ-I = A Song of Joys, Movement I; SOJ-II = A Song of Joys, Movement II, and so forth.
107
International Phonetic Symbols (IPA): Neutral syllables recommended for use in choral rehearsals are indicated phonetically using symbols from the International Phonetic Chart. Subsection = sn 5.2 Form Breaking the musical material into manageable segments enables conductors to simplify the
rehearsal planning process as they prepare the Chatman pieces for performance. On the flow
chart analyses tables (see Appendices H-R), I have organized key musical features into structural
divisions, and these can be treated as separate units for rehearsal purposes. Conductors may refer
to these tables as they plan rehearsals.
5.2.1 Chorus rehearsal suggestions: Form
When conductors organize rehearsals according to the structural divisions of the music, rehearsal
efficiency improves. Singers develop a better understanding of the composer’s writing style, and
when they cultivate an awareness of where repetition and contrast occur, they can learn the
music relatively easily (Apfelstadt, interview, September 21, 2019).
Rehearsal strategies:
1. Identify the structural sections of the music containing similar repeated material:
Rehearsals may be structured so the musical material is grouped according to similarities
among notes, rhythms, musical patterns, and other features. Pairing structural sections that
contain common material allows singers to be more confident during the sight-reading and
note-learning process.
Rehearsal example (PMOS-I [see Appendix H]):
i. I divide the A/A' sections into four subsections (sn1, sn2, sn3, sn4). Sn1 and sn 3 (D
Dorian) are similar melodically.
ii. During rehearsal, take the time to bring the similarities between the sections to the
attention of chorus members.
108
iii. Note places in the music where Chatman provides variety in his writing, so that
singers may adapt to any changes. For instance, while he employs the same mode, as
well as similar melodic material in sn 1 and sn 3, the chorus sings increasingly off-
beat syncopated material in sn 3. Sn 3 is also longer and utilizes a different phrase
structure.
iv. Rehearse sections containing similar material together within the same rehearsal
block.
2. To develop performance consistency, pair and rehearse material from one movement together
with material from another movement of a similar musical style:
Rehearsal examples SOJ-II [A, B, A', B'] and SOJ-VII [A, A', B, A', Coda]: Movements II
and VII have a similar lyrical character and are written in 3/2 or 6/4 metre (interchangeable).
i. Isolate and rehearse the A Sections and/or B Sections as distinct blocks of material.
ii. The A sections from SOJ-II can be paired with the A sections of movement SOJ-VII
during a rehearsal. Because these sections require legato articulation and extended
breath control, singers may benefit from the opportunity to focus on specific vocal
techniques associated with lyrical singing.
3. Identify sections which contain technical or musical challenges, and budget rehearsal time
accordingly:
Example (PMOS-III):
i. Singers typically feel less stress when technical challenges are addressed in relatively
small increments. Consider rehearsing the exposition section of PMOS-III as one unit.
The development section may be treated as one large section or subdivided into
smaller sections in order to improve the singers’ level of success.
ii. Alternate the rehearsal of challenging technical passages with less difficult musical
material. Singers benefit from the mental break and may be more energized and
motivated to come back to the difficult material after they have had a chance to polish
less demanding material.
109
iii. Consider saving the rehearsal of some challenging material for a later date in the
rehearsal cycle. Singers may also benefit from personal practice time between
rehearsals.
5.2.2 Orchestral rehearsal suggestions: Form
Because of budget and time allocation, rehearsal time with the orchestra is often limited, and the
conductor may only be able to schedule one rehearsal with orchestra alone. Conductors should
know the score thoroughly to anticipate which sections of a particular work will require touching
up before or after a rehearsal run-through. The structural divisions (see Appendices H-R) can
become convenient rehearsal blocks, and this should make this planning process much easier.
Sample rehearsal strategies:
1. Effective management of transition sections (PMOS-III):
i. Isolate the transition section where players must change from 6/8 time (bars 206-210)
back to the 3/4 at the recapitulation (bars 211-233).
ii. Ensure that the orchestra is able to successfully navigate the transitions between 6/8
and 3/4 time.
2. Management of sections in which the orchestra dominates versus the percussion solo sections
(SOJ-III):
i. Determine which orchestral sections (played in between the percussion ad lib solos)
require attention in order to ensure technical accuracy.
ii. Ensure that the players are able to efficiently manage the transitions between the full
orchestra and percussion solo sections of music. Because the tempo of the music is so
fast, players must be on time with their entrances following each solo section.
110
5.3 Duration: Tempo, metre, rhythm Musicians encounter challenges related to rhythm and metre most frequently in movements with
markings indicating a fast tempo. Conductor Graeme Langager states:
When preparing Chatman choral-orchestral works with the choir, a lot of time was
invested in rhythm-specific rehearsal strategies. A couple of movements have
tempos that are “lightning fast.” The challenge of singing quickly with precision
is amplified with the addition of a 100-instrument orchestra. (Langager, interview,
October 3, 2019)
5.3.1 Choral rehearsal suggestions: Duration
1. Ensuring precise entries and rhythmic cohesion when the tempo is quick:
Lydia Adams states:
With the first movement (PMOS-I), you want to make sure that the choir is
absolutely together on all the off-beats, which means that they are staying ahead
of the driving rhythm with their mind as well as their breath and their actual
singing––making sure they get all their accents in place and coming off exactly
together to make sure they are not late for the next entry. (Adams, interview,
November 25, 2019)
Examples (PMOS-I, SOJ-VI):
i. Author Brock McElheran (1966) states that late entrances are caused by timidity, lack
of knowledge of the music, or failing to think the speed of the little notes before the
entrances. He says that preliminary consonants should be treated as grace notes
occurring before the beat, since the vowel sets the tempo (McElheran 1966, 105).
Singers must think ahead, resist the temptation to drag, and ensure that all entries are
on time.
111
ii. Conducting gestures should be clear, crisp, and not too large.
iii. Singers may internalize rhythmic pulse by tapping on their bodies.
iv. “Singers must not rest during a rest. He [she] must work harder than when he [she] is
playing [singing]” (McElheran, 105). During rehearsal, if singers snap on strong beats
on which there are rests and use physical gestures, they can improve precision for the
entries that follow the rests.
v. Avoid jaw tension and rely on tongue articulation (Davids and LaTour, 118).
2. Management of changes in metre:
i. Rehearsal strategy (PMOS-III):
Lydia Adams states:
“A Festival Song” is perhaps the trickiest of the set for the singers. They have to take the 1 in a
bar (3/4 time) and just stay with that––it continually moves ahead. The change from 1 in a bar
(3/4) to 1 in a bar (6/8) takes practice for the conductor in order to be clear for the orchestra at
the change at letter J. Luckily the rhythm is well established by the time the choir enters at bar
125. At letter M, the choir has to make sure it is absolutely rhythmically correct when they are
crossing the bar in 6/8 against the orchestra (3/4). The choir loves this. Chatman gives us another
terrific ending––another breathless flight through to the end. It’s like riding on air, and absolutely
marvellous. (Adams, interview, November 25, 2019)
ii. Rehearsal strategy (PMOS-IV): Changes in metre are linked to text and follow
natural text inflections. Chatman does an excellent job of setting the text, so stress
falls naturally on strong beats in the music. Conductors and choristers, however,
should agree on the places where additional text inflection may be necessary in
order to achieve the best musical result. Simple physical movements such as
singers’ stepping forward to coincide with stronger syllables in the text can be
both fun and also effective.
112
3. Use of “count-singing” to improve rhythmic accuracy in slow movements (PMOS-II, PMOS-
IV, SOJ-II, SOJ-IV, SOJ-VII):
i. Using count-singing (frequently employed by conductor Robert Shaw), singers
subdivide every pulse of the music, and count rhythmically on the pitches written by
the composer as they sing (Howard Jones 2007, 65-82). For example, singing “one
and two and” on two successive quarter notes helps singers feel the underlying pulse.
ii. Singers are encouraged to maintain a steady tempo without rushing, especially when
singing at a slow tempo. If necessary, choristers may tap on their bodies or
incorporate another physical gesture that enables them to internalize the pulse.
5.3.2 Orchestral rehearsal suggestions: Duration
1. Attention to metronome markings and maintaining a steady tempo in fast movements
(PMOS-I and SOJ-I):
i. Metronome markings must be strictly observed, and deviation from tempo markings
on the score should be avoided.
ii. The eighth notes must remain steady and the tempo should not change from the
beginning to the end of the movement.
iii. Avoid speeding up, particularly when dynamics are loud or/and when the full
orchestra is playing. Smaller, precise conducting gestures are required if the players
try to push the tempo faster.
2. Measured tremolos in string parts (PMOS-I, bars 95-113 and SOJ-I, bars 43-61):
i. Chatman frequently notates measured tremolos in the string parts (fast movements).
Players must not lose time when playing repeated eighth notes (one slash through the
stem).
113
ii. Conductors will encounter various tremolo figures in other movements as well and
should study those figures carefully in order to ensure that players are playing them
accurately.
3. Ornamentation:
i. Rehearsal example (PMOS-II: bars 44-50): Oboe quintuplets and septuplets must fit
into the metrical pulse precisely but should flow naturally with forward direction.
ii. Rehearsal example (SOJ-VII: bar 33): Piccolo and orchestral bells (soloist) play florid
rhythms against very sustained melodic lines (full ensemble). These must also be
played confidently with rhythmic precision, while maintaining forward direction.
iii. Rehearsal example (PMOS-III: bars 123-144): Flutes play sixteenth note grace notes
(in groups of 4). These figures may be played either on the beat or before the beat.
Chatman though, suggests that because the tempo is quick in this movement, it would
be best to play the grace notes before the beat in order to bring out the accents that
follow (Chatman, interview, June 18, 2020). The conductor should inform players
specifically about this detail.
5.4 Pitch: Melody, harmony Alain Trudel is primarily an orchestral conductor but suggests that when he is conducting choir
and orchestra during rehearsals, he listens actively at all times and encourages the same from
musicians. Trudel says that previous choral experience and vocal training through private voice
lessons received during his conservatory training have given him an ability to help singers in a
choral-orchestral environment. He feels that healthy vocal production is closely related to
maintaining good intonation in singing (Trudel, interview, October 14, 2019). Trudel also
implies that more accurate pitch is achieved when conductors demand a high quality of sound, as
opposed to greater quantity of sound, from the musicians (choir and orchestra). His comments
also suggest that pitch is more secure when the conductor, singers, and players listen to each
other consistently.
114
5.4.1 Choral rehearsal suggestions: Pitch
1. Tuning issues arising from melodic lines:
Hilary Apfelstadt encountered tuning challenges when rehearsing certain melodic lines of
Chatman’s choral music with the U of T MacMillan Singers. She says that intonation
problems often appear when the choir needs to differentiate between half steps and whole
steps in the melodic lines (Apfelstadt, interview, September 21, 2019).
Rehearsal strategies (PMOS-IV, SOJ-II, SOJ-VII):
i. Conduct a warmup exercise incorporating use of half steps (chromatic) versus whole
steps to help prepare the choir to sing these movements with accurate intonation.
ii. Use a neutral syllable such as [di] or [du] when rehearsing legato passages to improve
intonation in legato passages.
iii. Sing legato passages using staccato articulation in order to facilitate accurate pitch.
Crisp staccato allows no time for sliding or scooping, and once pitch is very secure,
singers can resume singing legato.
2. Effective management of modulation and patterns found in the music:
Apfelstadt also states that she found frequent modulation and musical patterns when she was
studying scores in order to rehearse Chatman’s choral music. She gives credit to Chatman’s
craftmanship in using these compositional tools to help make the music more accessible for
choirs to learn (Apfelstadt, interview, September 21, 2019).
Rehearsal strategies (PMOS-I, PMOS-IV, SOJ-I, SOJ-II, SOJ-VII):
i. Isolate various patterns and sequences so that the choir can learn the music more
efficiently.
ii. Use sol-fah in rehearsal to help the choir anchor the pitches (Apfelstadt 2019).
115
3. Individual tuning of dissonant chords:
In Chapter 4, I explained how Chatman’s use of pandiatonicism frequently creates dissonant
harmonies such as 7th and 9th chords.
Rehearsal strategies (PMOS-I, bar 20 [E minor 7th]; SOJ-II, bar 16 [C minor 9th]; SOJ-IV,
bar 7 [D-flat major 9th]):
i. Tune these chords individually using neutral syllables; e.g., [dɑ], [tɑ].
ii. Build the chord from the bottom to the top adding one note at a time.
iii. Practice singing the basic chords without the added tones before adding the dissonant
note(s).
4. Breath control and support: With respect to PMOS-II, Lydia Adams states:
“Come forward, O my Soul” is achingly beautiful, and Chatman’s treatment of
the text is sublime in my opinion. These phrases are made up of long lines with
not much opportunity for breathing, so the choir has to maintain extraordinary
support to make sure the tuning is secure, especially at the ends of phrases.
(Adams, interview, November 25, 2019)
Rehearsal strategies:
i. Conduct breathing warmups that encourage singers to maximize air intake and
control exhalation.
ii. Use warmups that incorporate slides of a fifth or arpeggiated triads that engage
the abdominals and rib muscles (Davids and LaTour 2012, 39).
iii. Rehearse sections that challenge the singers’ breath control by using a lip trill or
tongue trill, which forces the singers to maintain consistent breath pressure
(Davids and LaTour, 39).
iv. Singing through a straw creates resistance to airflow and assists the vocal folds in
closing. Use of straws while singing encourages clearer tone and more efficient
116
singing (Davids and LaTour, 52). Vocal pedagogue Ingo Titze developed this
strategy, as noted by Davids and LaTour.
5.4.2 Orchestral rehearsal suggestions: Pitch
1. Tuning:
i. Choral tuning is dependent on the pitch provided by the orchestra.
ii. Allow adequate time during rehearsal to ensure that the orchestra is thoroughly tuned
(Moses et al. 2004, 39). Regular touch-ups of tuning during a rehearsal are well worth
the time taken.
iii. PMOS-I, PMOS-IV, SOJ-I: Encourage players who play pedal tones (e.g., double
bass, contrabassoon) to listen and lock in their tuning precisely. This can improve
overall tuning of the ensemble.
2. Slow practice of fast sections (PMOS-I, SOJ-I, SOJ-III, SOJ-VI):
i. Rehearse fast scalar passages at a slow tempo in order to provide players with the
opportunity to listen more carefully to each other. Gradually increase tempo as
accuracy improves.
ii. Take time to adjust insecure pitches and ensure that intonation is consistently secure.
5.5 Text As discussed previously, when writing choral-orchestral works, Chatman consciously selects text
that is technically accessible for singers, particularly because of his open vowel choices. In the
choral-orchestral environment, however, text can easily be buried by the orchestra. Calgary
Herald reviewer Kenneth DeLong (2014, para. 6) alludes to this precise issue when he mentions
how the loud volume level of the orchestra during the world premiere performance of A Song of
Joys sometimes obscured the words being sung. This underlines the fact that specific strategies
117
are needed to ensure that singers must project the text in order to be understood by the audience.
At the same time, in order to maintain sufficient stamina to sing a major work, singers should
employ techniques that allow them to avoid straining their voices against the orchestral forces.
For example, when performing with instruments, if vocalists sing with slight marcato articulation
and emphasize the consonants, their projection can improve (Lannon 1978, 5-6). As a corollary
to this statement, vocal fatigue may also be prevented by employing this technique, because
singers do not have to work as hard to project.
5.5.1 Choral rehearsal suggestions: Text
1. Managing endurance issues through attention to the character of the vowels:
During musical passages in which the chorus encounters high notes that are sustained over
several measures, singers must be able to manage vocal and endurance challenges. To
overcome this problem, Chatman says that he employs vowels that “sing well” for sopranos
in particular. To explain his resolution for this technical issue, he lists several preferred
vowels that he uses frequently in these situations: [ɑ], [ʌ] and diphthongs such as [aɪ]
(Chatman, interview, January 27, 2020). During my study of Chatman’s scores, I found
specific examples of this practice at the expansive endings of several movements, in which
he appears to set high notes on vowels that naturally encourage more space in the vocal
instrument. e.g., PMOS-I (“Why”- [aɪ]), PMOS-III (climes- [aɪ]), SOJ-VII (“love”- [ʌ]).
Rehearsal strategies (PMOS-I, PMOS-III, SOJ-VII):
i. Sing on an open neutral vowel such as [tɑ] or [dɑ] in order to encourage singers to use
more vocal space as they negotiate these passages.
ii. Sing these sections of the music down an octave at a reduced dynamic level to
facilitate ease during rehearsal by preventing vocal fatigue and to encourage healthy
tone production.
iii. Facilitate effective use of stagger breathing by assigning specific breathing spots for
long sustained notes to singers according to specified groups.
118
2. Delivery of words which begin with vowels (PMOS-III, SOJ-I):
Conductor William Weinert (2013) advocates that choral entries on words starting with
vowel sounds should be clear and precise. He recommends that initial vowels should start
with a space before them and a clear glottal stroke (Weinert 2013, 1-2). The text for the first
entry of PMOS-III (“A festival song”) and the first entry of SOJ-I (“O to make the most
jubilant song”) are both marked with f or ff dynamics, and in each case, the initial vowels
must have a clear onset.
3. Precise delivery of initial consonants in relation to the rhythmic delivery and timing of initial
vowels (all movements of PMOS and SOJ):
“Initial consonants need to be exaggerated, over-projected and early” (Weinert 2013).
Conductor Ann Howard Jones concurs with both Weinert and McElheran (1966), saying that
in order for each word of the text to be heard in its proper place rhythmically, each consonant
must precede the vowel so the vowel can be placed on the beat (Howard Jones 2007, 65-82).
Rehearsal strategies:
i. Create rhythmic warmups that involve speaking together lightly as a group in order to
highlight initial consonants that are problematic or that require more emphasis. For
example, consonant sounds such as [pɪ, kɪ, tɪ, fɪ, yɪ] may be incorporated effectively
into a rhythmic exercise in which the conductor speaks consonants in short rhythmic
phrases, and the chorus mimics/echoes the short fragments.
ii. Isolate problematic fragments of text from the music and incorporate them into a
melodic or rhythmic warmup. In these examples, the underlined letters must be
enunciated quickly and clearly: “proud music,” “you hidden,” “blending with,” “you
chords,” “you formless free,” “come forward,” “come said the music.” Focus on
precise timing/execution of text.
iii. Ensure that singers circle problematic consonants, which consistently require more
attention, in their scores.
119
4. Precise rhythmic delivery of final consonants (all movements of PMOS and SOJ):
“Final consonants need to be strong and exact” (Weinert 2013). Both voiced consonants
(b, d, g, j, l, m, n, r, v, w, z) and unvoiced consonants (f, k, p, s, t, x) must be placed
accurately and consistently with rhythmic precision (Howard Jones 2007). For both of
these pieces, Chatman typically writes a rest on the beat following many phrase endings,
so that final consonants are released on the beat. This is easier for singers than releasing
on off-beats and ensures that they can execute final consonants accurately together.
Rehearsal strategies:
i. Inform singers that final consonants should be placed on the rest as a general rule
unless informed otherwise. Have them mark reminders in the music where these
consonants occur by writing the letter or an appropriate phonetic sound.
ii. Howard Jones (2007) advocates that for choral-orchestral music, words ending
with a voiced consonant should have an extra sound to keep the pitch from
dipping (65-82). For example, on a “d” consonant, a [dɪ] sound can keep the pitch
from dipping. e.g., “forward [dɪ]” (PMOS-II, bar 12) or “tend [dɪ]” (PMOS-II, bar
37). Singers can write these extra sounds in their music as a reminder.
iii. Singers may tap a pulse on their bodies to encourage precision with respect to the
placement of final consonants. Each individual in the chorus must take personal
responsibility for maintaining a rhythmic pulse in order to place final consonants
accurately, rather than relying on guesswork.
iv. Count-singing is an effective tool for achieving rhythmic precision on final
consonants, especially at the end of long tied notes (e.g., PMOS-III, bars 167-
170). Chatman wrote a tied, sustained note on the word “rest.” Singers can count-
sing this type of figure on the written pitches and practice the accurate timing of
the final consonant where it occurs directly on the beat.
120
5.5.2 Orchestral rehearsal suggestions: Text
1. Rhythmic precision (PMOS-I, PMOS-III, SOJ-I, SOJ-VI):
When the orchestra plays with rhythmic precision, the singers are more likely to deliver
initial and final consonants accurately. In the discussion of rhythm, I suggested that the
orchestra must maintain a steady rhythmic pulse (fast movements), and continuous eighth-
note patterns, in particular, must be played evenly. This provides a steady rhythmic
foundation for the chorus, making their singing much more cohesive, and enables them to be
consistently on time with attacks and releases.
5.6 Balance A common dilemma in choral-orchestral situations is whether or not the chorus can be heard
above the orchestra. Devoting attention in rehearsal to effective balance improves the singers’
ability to project their sound toward the audience.
5.6.1 Choral rehearsal suggestions: Balance
1. Clear consonants (PMOS and SOJ: all movements):
Weinert (2013) states that consonants are the key to good balance. He suggests that if the
conductor is able to hear consonants clearly from the podium, balance will be acceptable in
the performance hall. He recommends that:
i. Initial consonants should be exaggerated and over-projected. ii. Final consonants must be strong (Weinert 2013, 1-2).
2. Improved projection through vowel uniformity and listening to others (PMOS-II, PMOS-IV,
SOJ-II, SOJ-IV, SOJ-VII) :
Apfelstadt says that uniformity of vowels affects projection in a choral-orchestral situation
(Apfelstadt 2010, 1-2). Teach the commonly used IPA symbols to the singers, so that they
have a visual tool to associate with the proper vowel sounds. Then, singers can be
121
encouraged to write the symbols which represent the vowels on their scores. Singers also
improve vowel uniformity, particularly on lyrical movements such as these, when they are
encouraged to listen more intently to each other to match their vowel colours. Positioning
singers in rehearsal so they can hear each other also encourages improved vowel uniformity.
Rehearsal strategies:
i. Encourage listening awareness by having singers face a partner.
ii. An entire row of singers or section can face another row or section of singers.
iii. Mix the singers randomly so that they are standing beside others who sing different
parts than their own.
iv. Singers can also form a circle to encourage focused listening. During a Carnegie hall
rehearsal of Haydn’s Creation, conductor Robert Shaw had a very large choir
standing so they surround the orchestra to allow the orchestra to get used to the
choir’s sound (Carnegie Hall Corporation 1998).
3. Improved projection through detached articulation (PMOS-I, PMOS-III, SOJ-I, SOJ-VI):
For movements that are fully scored, singing with slight detachment between notes allows
the choir to project above the orchestra more easily (Lannon 1978, 5-6).
Rehearsal strategies:
i. Example (PMOS-I): Practice separation between each note of the opening (“Proud |
mu-|sic | of | the | storm |”) or SOJ- I (“O | to | make |the | most | ju- | bi- | lant | song
|”).
ii. Sing off text using neutral syllables such as [tʌn] or a [pɪm] to improve precision for
this type of articulation.
4. Improve the projection of sound through concentrated focus on healthy sound quality
(PMOS-I and SOJ-VII):
122
For the fully scored, forte endings in each of these movements, singers may project better
above the orchestra if they focus on producing a high quality, resonant sound, as opposed to
over singing and yielding a strained, forced sound. To avoid overly loud, forced singing,
conductor Robert Shaw advocates:
i. Quiet singing in rehearsal with attention to musical detail facilitates the achievement
of proper vocal balance and improved pitch and rhythm.
ii. Dynamic levels should be increased by increments in order to discover how much
sound is appropriate (Shaw 1991, cited in Blocker 2004, 84-88).
5. Actively listen to the balance between choir and orchestra:
i. A neutral observer in the audience can provide feedback about whether or not the
choir can be heard above the orchestra (Moses et al. 2004, 43).
ii. Author Susan Bruenger (1993) interviewed several professional trombone players
about their experiences performing with choirs and asked the players to suggest
possible solutions for the problems related to balance. Based on the feedback she
received from trombonists, Bruenger writes that the conductors should go back into
the performance hall several times to listen for balance. She says that orchestral
musicians in particular have much more respect for choral directors who take the time
to check for balance personally.
5.6.2 Orchestral rehearsal suggestions: Balance
1. Performance priorities often dictate softer orchestral dynamics (all movements of PMOS and
SOJ):
Alain Trudel suggests that orchestral players don’t intentionally seek to drown out singers but
regardless, they have to be motivated to achieve good balance through group effort. He states
that even when the composer has already included soft dynamic markings on the parts,
123
musical priorities dictate that orchestral dynamics need to be played at an even softer
dynamic than that marked on the score (Trudel, interview, October 14, 2019).
2. Clean, detached articulation (PMOS-I, PMOS-III, SOJ-I, SOJ-VI):
When the singers employ detached articulation in order to project, the players should match
this style. Otherwise, the choir needs to work harder to balance with the orchestra.
Rehearsal strategies:
i. When playing scalar eighth-note figures, make attacks pointed and detached. ii. Dotted quarter/eighth-note figures should be played with separation following each
dotted note. iii. Be prepared to sing various articulations to the orchestra in order to model the desired
musical style.
3. Orchestral passages in which the chorus doesn’t sing (PMOS-I, PMOS-III, SOJ-I, SOJ-III,
SOJ-V, SOJ-VI):
Players should be informed about places in the music where choral entries occur and where
choral balance is not a concern.
Rehearsal strategies:
i. Players may play out more when the chorus does not sing, particularly for
introductions to a movement and for orchestral interludes. These sections can be
indicated in the marked scores which the conductor provides for the players. (This
will be addressed in greater detail in Section 5.7.2.)
ii. In SOJ-III and SOJ-V, the chorus is tacet, and the percussion soloists’ playing should
be highlighted in order to showcase their virtuosity and to capture the audience’s
attention.
124
5.7 Expressive language: Dynamics, markings, phrasing Conductors Graeme Langager, Alain Trudel, and Jonathan Girard each commented positively
about the amount of musical detail that Chatman includes in his scores. All three musicians felt
that the composer was clear in his demands on the score and that his markings helped the
rehearsal process to proceed more efficiently (Girard, interview, September 25, 2019; Langager,
interview, October 3, 2019; Trudel, interview, October 14, 2019).
5.7.1 Choral rehearsal suggestions: Expressive language
1. Musical markings (all movements):
Although Chatman’s markings are very specific, rehearsals may run more efficiently when
the conductor provides singers with additional interpretive markings prior to the first
rehearsal. Sending the singers an electronic copy of the score that shows any extra desired
musical markings encourages them to prepare in advance.
2. Phrasing (PMOS-II, PMOS-IV, SOJ-II, SOJ-IV, SOJ-VII):
The analysis flow charts (Appendices H-R) include a breakdown of the number of measures
in each phrase. Conductors should use this information to assist the musicians with musical
pacing during the rehearsal process.
Rehearsal strategies for legato movements (PMOS-II, PMOS-IV, SOJ-II, SOJ-IV, SOJ-VII):
i. Refer singers to the breath marks that Chatman includes on the printed copies of their
music. Additional breath reminders should be marked in the music according to the
conductor’s interpretation.
ii. Encourage singers to use physical gestures during rehearsal to trace the shape of
phrases, emphasize the type of articulation, and reinforce the dynamic plan.
iii. Rehearse these lyrical movements using neutral syllables to encourage legato
phrasing, e.g., [nu], [nɑ].
125
iv. Determine which words/syllables in the text require additional text stress and have
singers circle these on their scores.
3. Pacing of dynamics (especially crescendos):
Pacing of dynamics is frequently required in Chatman’s music, during passages in which
volume increases over several measures so that the ensemble does not get too loud too
quickly.
Rehearsal strategies (PMOS-IV, bars 25-37; SOJ-VII, bars 25-41):
i. Rehearse the entire passage at a healthy mezzo-piano dynamic by employing a neutral
syllable such as [nu] or [du] and concentrate on developing a uniform, focused sound
quality.
ii. Rehearse the extended passage starting with a hum. Use increasingly open syllables
as the dynamics get louder, e.g., pp, p (hum), mp, mf ([nu] or [du]), f, ff ([dɑ] or [tɑ]).
5.7.2 Orchestral rehearsal suggestions: Expressive language
1. Provide players with marked parts prior to the first rehearsal:
i. Bowings: Review the string parts carefully. Chatman provides bowings, but
additional bowings added to the string parts by the conductor may speed up the
rehearsal process in terms of achieving the desired articulations, dynamics, and
phrasing. Conductors who are not well versed in string techniques should consult with
the concertmaster about bowings, so that parts are marked accurately (Moses et al.
2004, 31).
ii. Articulation: Mark specific articulations on the wind and percussion parts as required;
e.g., for PMOS-I or SOJ-I, use detached articulations on eighth notes.
126
iii. Dynamics: Insert additional dynamic markings to provide players with helpful points
of reference; e.g., provide additional dynamics where the orchestra needs to play
softer to balance with the choir, or additional anchor dynamics (especially where page
turns occur). This ensures appropriate dynamic pacing on long crescendos, so that the
orchestra does not get too loud too soon.
iv. Choral entries/exits: Inform the players where choral entries/exits occur throughout
the piece, to encourage them to listen and adjust appropriately.
v. Text: Provide the players with printed copies of the text to encourage more listening,
sensitive dynamics and phrasing (Trudel, interview, October 14, 2019).
2. Fermatas:
In places where fermatas are written in the music:
i. Decide exactly how long each fermata should be held metrically and provide the
players with the necessary information. For example, if the conductor decides that
certain fermatas will be held for an extra two beats prior to release, knowing this will
improve players’ precision on releases.
ii. Rehearse the fermata releases to ensure that all players stop the sound together when
the music ends.
5.8 Unique qualities In addition to what has already been discussed, I will address several unique challenges in
Chatman’s music in order to help facilitate a successful performance of these pieces.
127
5.8.1 Choral rehearsal suggestions: Unique qualities
1. A cappella sections:
Lydia Adams says: “He [Chatman] knows the power of an ‘a cappella’ bar and the effect it
has on people to just hear the choir.” In speaking specifically about PMOS-IV, she says,
“The moment at bar 41 just for one bar, and then lightly bringing in the orchestra for a
supportive colour while the piece is leading onwards to the end of the whole work is perfect”
(Adams, interview, November 25, 2019).
Rehearsal strategies (PMOS-I, bar 31 and bar 93; PMOS-IV, bars 38-41; SOJ-II, bars 17-18
and bars 36-37; SOJ-VI, bars 39-41 and 47-49; SOJ-VII, bars 6-7):
i. Isolate and rehearse a cappella sections separately until the chorus can maintain pitch
consistently.
ii. Rehearse off text on a neutral vowel such as [dɑ] or [du], both with a rehearsal
accompanist and without.
iii. Practice tuning individual chords as required. Encourage the choir to listen to each
other and use piano accompaniment only minimally, to assist the singers by providing
pitches when absolutely necessary.
iv. Add the text when tuning is secure.
v. Rehearse transitions into and out of the a cappella sections, first with a rehearsal
accompanist, then with orchestra during the combined rehearsals.
2. Managing choral intonation when accompanied by Balinese gongs (SOJ-II): Langager says that because the gongs do not always resonate at perfect pitch, the chorus has
to maintain its own true pitch while moving through the performance (interview, October 3,
2019).
Rehearsal strategies:
i. Some rehearsal time should be spent singing this movement a cappella. The choir
must be able to lock in their tuning flawlessly in order to sing confidently when
accompanied by gongs.
128
ii. Initially, a piano player may shadow the choral parts as necessary in combined
rehearsals with the orchestra to ensure that the choir is in tune with gongs.
iii. Choristers should listen carefully for the initial pitch cues from the violin and viola.
3. Vocal solos (PMOS-IV, SOJ-IV): as always, conductors should
i. Encourage soloists to project without forcing the sound.
ii. Assert that solos should be sung with minimal vibrato.
iii. Carefully check the balance between the orchestra and soloists.
5.8.2 Orchestral rehearsal suggestions: Unique qualities
1. Instrumental solos (PMOS-II, PMOS-IV, SOJ-IV SOJ-V):
i. Solos must rise organically from the choral-orchestral melodic lines.
ii. The transfer of solos that pass from one instrument to another should occur
seamlessly with attention to the shape of the musical line.
iii. Technical runs must be played with careful attention to the shape of the phrase.
iv. Ensure that offstage trumpets are placed so the solos can be heard and that entries are
played on time with accurate intonation (end of PMOS-IV). Janet Horwath, a former
associate principal cellist with the Minnesota orchestra and a graduate of the
University of Toronto Faculty of Music, outlines issues which may arise when
orchestral musicians are required to play offstage. Horwath (2016) states that a
television camera may be placed at an appropriate height toward the back of the stage
and trained on the conductor so the offstage musicians can see the conductor’s beat
on a monitor screen. She cautions though, that distance must be factored in, as a slight
delay in the sound could cause the ensemble to fall apart if the offstage soloist plays
behind the beat. Horwath suggests also that because of the increased distance away
from the orchestra, offstage players who rely on their ear may need to adjust their
tuning upward, since the orchestra’s intonation may sound flat to them (Horwath
2016, para. 1 and 2). Note also that when camera equipment is used during live
129
performances, it may be necessary to proceed with caution, as privacy concerns may
ensue if the camera is inadvertently trained on members of the audience.
2. Directing the percussion soloists in A Song of Joys:
i. Determine which player plays which instrument and know exactly where percussion
instrument changes occur. Conductors should mark their scores appropriately. A
multitude of percussion instruments is required for the performance of this piece, and
the players change instruments frequently.
ii. Be familiar with specialized percussion techniques and consider the quality of the
tone colour that may be most appropriate for the specific performing ensemble; i.e.,
bowed vibraphone, tremolo marimba, paint cans. Consult with the soloists. Seek
information about the timbres and the volume of the sound they plan to produce,
especially on the non-traditional percussion instruments. This understanding will help
conductors to facilitate appropriate balance.
iii. Allow the soloists to play more loudly at certain parts in the music, especially where
they are featured. Be cognizant of places in the music at which the percussion should
play more softly, so the choir can be heard; e.g., SOJ-I, two timpani players must not
over balance the choir.
iv. Allow the soloists to take liberties according to their musical preferences: For SOJ-II
and V in particular, when the soloists are featured and the chorus is tacet, the
percussion players are best qualified to make musical decisions concerning the solo
sections they play. Consult with the players and come to an agreement on how they
plan to end the solo sections, in order to provide effective cues for the orchestra to re-
enter.
130
5.9 Positioning and seating of singers and players
5.9.1 General considerations
In this section, I provide positioning/seating diagrams, which are suited to the large forces
required for performances of Proud Music of the Storm and A Song of Joys. These two Chatman
works can be performed only in spaces that are large enough to accommodate a symphonic choir
and full symphony orchestra. Furthermore, an examination of the logistics of most performance
venues dictates that the choir should be placed behind the orchestra. Conductor Deral Johnson
affirms that for choral-orchestral works, the chorus is typically situated on risers behind the
orchestra, but he remarks that the chorus may have difficulty in projecting through the orchestra
in this arrangement (Johnson 1997, 27–30).
When the chorus is placed behind the orchestra, as my diagrams show, however, a key acoustical
consideration seems to be that the chorus should be elevated well above the orchestra to allow
their sound to project up, over, and out into the audience. This stance appears to be supported by
research completed by conductor Kelly Turner (2009) for his dissertation, in which he focuses on
balance between choir and orchestra. Turner gathered data through a survey of 511 choral-
orchestral conductors. Several of the conductors specifically commented on how important it was
to elevate the chorus above the orchestra (83–115).
Therefore, in the two diagrams that follow, I position the chorus in an elevated position behind
the orchestra. In order to construct workable stage diagrams for the performance of these two
works, I referred to the positioning of the musicians used for the performance of Chatman’s A
Song of Joys in April 2017, at UBC’s Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. I modified this stage
arrangement only slightly in planning the logistics for Proud Music of the Storm, since the
orchestration is similar. Performances of that piece, however, require fewer percussion
instruments. The Chan Centre is specifically designed for the performance of large choral-
orchestral works, and singers are situated in a choir loft located well above the stage on which
the orchestra is seated, eliminating the need for portable choral risers (Chan Centre 2020). This
concert hall is similar to other professional venues, such as the Jack Singer Concert Hall in
131
Calgary, where the Calgary Philharmonic premiered A Song of Joys, or Roy Thomson Hall in
Toronto, where the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Amadeus Choir regularly perform major
works for symphonic choir and orchestra with the Toronto Symphony (Jack Singer Concert Hall
2020; Roy Thomson Hall 2020).
5.9.2 Positioning and seating of musicians for A Song of Joys
For the video recorded performance of A Song of Joys, the combined choirs of UBC are situated
in the choir loft with basses and tenors in the centre of the choir, sopranos on stage right, and
altos on stage left (UBC Choirs and Symphony Orchestra 2017). In this arrangement, basses are
placed beside sopranos and tenors are placed beside altos. Johnson (1997) states that in this type
of placement, the partnership between bass and sopranos improves the acoustical character of the
choral sound, because sopranos have more projecting power, and basses produce more overtones,
resulting in less carrying power. Similarly, he also says that when placed next to altos who have
a mellower sound, the naturally projecting wavelengths of the tenor section enhance the carrying
power for the lower formants of the alto voices (Johnson 1997, 21). Furthermore, when Davids
and LaTour (2012) discuss choral section placement, they recommend specifically that
intonation improves when the bass and soprano sections (outermost parts) are placed in
proximity as they are in the UBC stage setup (196-197).
The orchestral setup used at UBC for the performance of A Song of Joys is conventional except
for the positioning of multiple percussion instruments that are required for this piece. Percussion
are spread out on a low riser directly behind the other orchestral players, and a plexiglass screen
is placed between the percussion and the rest of the orchestra as a sound barrier. Strategic
placement of each item of percussion equipment allows the two soloists to switch easily between
instruments throughout the seven movements of the piece. The brass section is divided, and
trumpets and trombones are placed upstage left while horns are situated upstage on stage right
rather than centre stage. Separating the brass section and situating the players away from centre
stage potentially creates an acoustical benefit that may prevent the brass sound from being too
overpowering.
132
Jonathan Girard, who conducted the performance and recording sessions for A Song of Joys at
UBC commented specifically about the challenges presented by the percussion setup. He said
that because the percussionists were situated at the back of the orchestra close to the choir, it was
sometimes difficult to achieve good balance. He shared that percussion could be overbearing and
caused excess sound to “bleed through” into the wide area recording microphones. Despite these
issues, recording engineers were able to successfully overcome various technical problems
related to balance. Girard attributes much of this success to Chatman’s orchestration. He feels
that it was helpful that Chatman avoided writing choral parts to be sung during the sections of the
piece when the solo percussion was “going crazy,” particularly the solo movements (Girard,
interview, September 25, 2019). It stands to reason, though, that the extensive use of percussion
in this piece could instigate balance problems, and that those choosing to perform this work may
need to experiment with stage positioning in order to achieve the best performance results.
Figure 24. Diagram of the stage setup for A Song of Joys, based on the performance of A Song of Joys at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at University of British Columbia, April 14, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8D-vnDIwZU&t=286s.
Bass
Soprano
Tenor
AltoChoir (elevated above orchestra)
Piccolo Flute Oboe
TrumpetTrombone
Double Bass
Cello
Viola
Violin 1
Violin 2
French Horn
Clarinet Bassoon Contra-bassoon
Balin
ese G
ongs
(susp
ende
d)
Plexiglass Screen
Percussion Riser
Marimba
Xylophone
Bells/Crotales
Vibraphone
Tamtam
Conga DrumsBongo Drums
Chimes
Bells
TimpaniTimpani
Drum KitWind Chimes Mark Tree Roto-Toms
Temple Blocks
Auxiliary PercussionTriangle
CymbalsCymbals
Cymbal
Wind Chimes
133
5.9.3 Positioning and seating of musicians for Proud Music of the Storm
In constructing the stage diagram of Proud Music of the Storm, I incorporate the identical seating
for the chorus that was used in A Song of Joys. Although fewer percussion instruments are
required for performances of this piece, the percussion section still plays a prominent role.
Because percussionists are not soloists in this piece, I situate their instruments in a conventional
position at stage right. Piccolo and contrabassoon are not required in this piece, but the harp
player has a prominent role throughout. That player is assigned to a position beside the
woodwinds and directly behind the violins. The woodwind seating used for the UBC
performance of SOJ is quite conventional and is found in diagrams by Moses et al. (2004, 7-8). I
re-employ this positioning for my own PMOS setup proposal. I also maintain the same
positioning for the brass, primarily because I feel that there are very strong benefits to having
trumpets and trombones placed directly beside each other. The canonic figures that Chatman has
written between these instruments demand rhythmic accuracy, and when they are in close
proximity, those players can hear each properly.
134
Figure 25. Diagram of a suggested stage setup for Proud Music of the Storm
I sent Lydia Adams a copy of my suggested seating for PMOS and asked her to comment on how
this arrangement compared to the setup she used when she conducted the piece. She offered
these comments:
I honestly don’t remember how I had either the choir or orchestra on stage but
would nearly certainly have had the percussion off to the side, and not in front of
the choir. I usually do my best to put the brass and timps together to help
ensemble, so that would likely have been a factor in my seating, as they often play
together. I sometimes have the celli on the outside and sometimes the violas
outside stage left, but I likely would have had the celli outside for this
performance. If space permits, I would have the orchestral winds in one row in
front of the choir with percussion and brass on the stage right side.
Bass
Soprano
Tenor
AltoChoir (elevated above orchestra)
Flute Oboe
TrumpetTrombone
Double Bass
Cello
Viola
Violin 1
Violin 2
Clarinet Bassoon
ChimesBells
Timpani
Castanets & Tambourine
Aux
iliar
y Pe
rcus
sion
Bass DrumCymbals
Triangle
Field Drum
Harp
French Horn
135
Regarding the choir, I have tried different configurations over the years, and I am
not sure what I used for this performance; however, I usually have the sopranos
on stage right with altos on stage left, with the tenors/basses in the centre. The
tenors/basses are sometimes in a block or in a row, depending on the seating
capacity and configuration of the stage area, and the requests of the tenor/bass
singers. Sometimes they can hear better in a row, and sometimes they hear better
when arranged in a block. I have been able to sometimes work with the choirs in a
straightforward SATB arrangement straight across in two rows, which I love. In
Roy Thomson Hall in the choir loft, there is room to spread around the horseshoe
of the loft so that they can hear. So, I generally stay flexible and “tweak” on the
day. We always start with plan A and work from there. (Adams, email, June 15,
2020)
Adams’ suggestions for tweaking my proposed arrangement of the singers are very perceptive,
and her voice reflects the experience of conducting the piece. She offers constructive
recommendations for positioning the orchestral players as well, and these deliver a viable
alternative. Ultimately, the nature of the performing venue and the makeup of the performing
ensemble determines the best setup arrangement for those who perform this piece.
5.10 Chapter summary I presented a wide variety of rehearsal strategies and practical ideas in the context of this chapter.
These are intended to assist conductors from varied backgrounds in preparing Chatman’s Proud
Music of the Storm and A Song of Joys for performance. Rehearsal strategies were discussed
according to these subcategories: form, duration (tempo, metre, rhythm), pitch (melody,
harmony), text, expressive qualities (dynamics, markings, and phrasing), and unique qualities. In
order to determine which rehearsal strategies might be applied most effectively, I drew on my
personal rehearsal experience with Chatman’s music, my prior conducting and performance
experience, as well as the experience of the conductors who participated in this study. I also read
articles and texts from conducting experts in the choral-orchestral field, and I provided specific
136
examples of how the rehearsal strategies presented in those writings could be applied to
Chatman’s music. The wide variety of ideas presented in this chapter is designed to provide
conductors with approaches that serve the unique needs of the large body of singers and
orchestral players required to perform each of these choral-orchestral works.
Finally, in this conductor’s guide, I also include stage diagrams with suggested setups for both
Proud Music of the Storm and A Song of Joys. Because the UBC Choirs and Orchestra
successfully video recorded A Song of Joy in April 2017, I was able to reproduce the stage setup
from that performance. I modified that setup slightly in order to design a workable stage diagram
that may be used by conductors seeking to perform Proud Music of the Storm. Conductor Lydia
Adams also provided suggestions for tweaking my PMOS diagram, based on her experience of
conducting the piece, and I included her comments for consideration.
137
Chapter 6 Summary and Conclusion
6.1 Purpose of the study and research method Stephen Chatman, a highly acclaimed Canadian composer, has written several choral-orchestral
works of significance that were the focus of my research. In this study, I discussed seven of
Chatman’s choral-orchestral works: four major works composed for symphonic choir and full
orchestra, and three shorter, single-movement works. Although Chatman actively continues to
compose new works in multiple musical genres, he excels in writing choral-orchestral works
which provide exemplary models of his versatility and skill as a composer.
Reporter David Duke of the Vancouver Sun, in an article celebrating the composer’s 70th
birthday, refers to Chatman as “the dean of British Columbia composers” (Duke 2020). In this
celebratory article, Chatman is quoted as saying that his publisher sells almost 20, 000 copies of
his choral sheet music in a year. I first encountered Chatman’s choral music in the 1990s while
singing in community choirs, and also while teaching high school chorus. Knowing that Chatman
was a highly respected composer of choral music, I became curious about his choral-orchestral
repertoire, as it is often a challenging task to find performable Canadian repertoire in this musical
genre. I approached the composer directly and enlisted his assistance as I pursued this study
about multiple aspects of the works he composed for choir and orchestra.
In Chapter 1, I presented the three research questions that framed my investigation. They are:
Primary Questions:
1. What are the musical characteristics of Stephen Chatman’s choral-orchestral works?
2. How can these works be effectively prepared for performance by conductors?
Secondary Question:
1. What contributions do Chatman’s choral-orchestral works make to this genre in Canada?
138
My quest for answers to these three research questions sparked an extraordinary journey that not
only necessitated a traditional study of relevant documents, but also instigated extensive
logistical planning, as well as travel across Canada. Along with a thorough examination of
available materials and resources about Stephen Chatman and his music, I also interviewed the
composer at his home in Vancouver and travelled to Ottawa to complete research at Library and
Archives Canada (LAC). Furthermore, I completed live person-to-person, FaceTime, and
telephone interviews with seven individuals who supplied me with invaluable information about
Chatman and his music.
Upon commencing this study, I felt I had already attained a strong working knowledge of
Chatman’s choral music but needed to ascend a steep learning curve in order to write
knowledgeably about his choral-orchestral works. This experience is consistent with that of the
interviewees, including that of Graeme Langager (interview, October 3, 2019) and Alain Trudel
(interview, October 14, 2019) in particular. Both conductors remarked that they were much more
familiar with Chatman’s choral output before they were engaged to conduct his choral-orchestral
works. I felt, however, it was important to expand my personal knowledge of Chatman’s choral
output before I approached the study of his choral-orchestral works. Consequently, I studied
dissertations and writings in which the authors specifically discussed Chatman’s choral music.
Tara Wohlberg, Chatman’s wife, is also a proficient musician who frequently collaborates with
Chatman by writing texts for his choral works. Wohlberg provided valuable information about
how the composer selects and sets choral texts.
Next, in preparing to write this document, I needed to learn about Chatman’s choral-orchestral
works specifically. Chatman helped me to acquire that expertise by explaining the inspiration for
the various works, his compositional process, and what he knew about the performance aspect of
his pieces. In addition, the personal interviews I conducted with highly qualified musicians who
were familiar with Chatman’s work provided exceptional insight about the composer and his
music. The interviewees helped to fill gaps concerning the musical aspects of the works, as well
as the practical performance technicalities.
139
6.2 Discussion
6.2.1 Primary research question no.1: What are the musical characteristics of Chatman’s choral-orchestral works?
The musical characteristics of Chatman’s choral-orchestral works were primarily discussed in
Chapters 3 and 4. In Chapter 3, I presented an overview of seven of Chatman’s choral-orchestral
works. The major works included Proud Music of the Storm (2001), Earth Songs (2008),
Magnificat (2010), and A Song of Joys (2013–14). Three short works, each three to five minutes
in length, included the choral-orchestral versions of “In Flanders Fields” (2018), “Blow, Blow
Thou Winter Wind” (2017), and “Peace” (2011).
In order to write Chapter 3, I sought out data that enabled me to articulate Chatman’s
compositional process clearly, the characteristics of his choral writing, and key features of his
orchestrations. I centred the discussion of Chatman’s choral writing around several common
musical elements: melody, harmony, texture, rhythm, and tempo. I explained the features of
Chatman’s orchestrations relative to tone colour, pitch support, range, tessitura, and balance. As
itemized in the explanation of my research method in section 6.1, I consulted a wide variety of
sources to acquire this data.
Chatman himself, however, served as the most significant source of data. The composer
willingly answered questions that enhanced my understanding of his writing process. One
significant area that he addressed at length concerned balance, an obstacle that conductors
frequently encounter in the choral-orchestral environment. For example, in his initial interview
with me, Chatman explained that when composing pieces within this musical genre, in order to
achieve good balance from a choral standpoint, the choice of text (vowel colours in particular) is
important. From the orchestral point-of-view, he described how he employs devices such as
appropriate instrumental doubling in his writing, so that the orchestra will support but not
overwhelm the sound of the choir (Chatman, interview, June 25, 2018).
In Chapter 4, I presented detailed analyses of two major works, Proud Music of the Storm and A
Song of Joys. My analysis of the works yielded important data, which consequently allowed me
140
to determine the technical details found in Chatman’s music. In order to further enhance my
understanding of the technical elements, I consulted with a DMA peer from my University of
Toronto graduate studies, the composer Matthew Emery, who completed his undergraduate
composition studies under Stephen Chatman at UBC. Emery confirmed my analyses from a
composer’s viewpoint, and he offered plausible explanations concerning various compositional
processes. For example, when I was unable to locate detailed, written theoretical information
about pandiatonicism or the use of pedal tones in Chatman’s music, Emery assisted me with
developing my understanding of these techniques. He helped me also to find relevant musical
examples of these techniques in the music (Emery, consultation, February 4, 2020).
As a result of my consultation with Emery, I identified and verified the tonal organization of
Chatman’s music including sequencing, the use of stepwise melodic progressions,
harmonizations that employ intervals of sixths and thirds, as well as other significant techniques.
This consultation supplemented information about specific compositional techniques that
Chatman shared with me during a telephone discussion a week earlier and helped to ensure the
accuracy of my analyses (Chatman, telephone interview, January 28, 2020). This knowledge
allowed me to probe more deeply into the content of Chatman’s scores, and that in turn enabled
me to find the material that permitted me to deliver clear explanations about the theoretical
aspects of the compositions.
6.2.2 Primary research question no. 2: How can these works be effectively prepared for performance by conductors?
In conceiving this study, I thought that the creation of a conductor’s guide geared toward
preparing Chatman’s choral-orchestral works for performance would serve as a practical
resource for experienced choral-orchestral conductors. At the same time, I also felt a strong need
to help conductors who are less experienced in conducting choral music with orchestral
accompaniment. The conductor’s guide that I crafted for Proud Music of the Storm and for A
Song of Joys is found in Chapter 5 of this dissertation, and in it, I address multiple aspects of
preparing and conducting these works. I also provide detailed information that may save precious
141
time in the preparation of these pieces and which will assist conductors of all experience levels
with practical planning strategies for successful musical performance.
Creating the conductor’s guide was a complex process, and to ensure the consistency of the
information, I accessed a wide selection of resources. Upon establishing the musical
characteristics and completing the analyses of the music, I drew on my personal choral-orchestral
conducting experience, that of the conductors interviewed, observations of various video and
audio recordings, as well as writings by various choral-orchestral conducting experts.
Consultation with my conducting professors, Hilary Apfelstadt (choral) and Uri Mayer
(orchestral) further enabled me to formulate and consolidate my rehearsal suggestions.
In the conductor’s guide, I offered rehearsal strategies that can enable conductors to successfully
navigate relevant problematic passages with the musicians. I also created diagrams of suggested
stage setups for the performance of each of these pieces and discussed specific placement for
singers and orchestral players. As well, because Lydia Adams had conducted Proud Music of the
Storm several times, I asked her to evaluate my diagrams and included some of her comments
concerning setup in Chapter 5 (Adams, email, June 15, 2020).
In order to provide conductors with supplementary tools that may be used to plan rehearsals, I
created a series of charts that supply crucial practical details about the pieces. Although these
charts are found in the appendices, they are meant additionally to serve an important practical
purpose. In Appendices A through G, I outlined the facts and features concerning all seven
Chatman choral-orchestral works discussed in this dissertation. Chart subheadings are as follows:
year of composition, difficulty level, duration, publisher information, category of work, voicing
(including divisi), range and tessitura, text and translations, instrumentation, metre/tempo/style,
essential features, vocal technical demands, and instrumental technical demands. Many
conductors may find that this information can assist them substantially in their programming and
as they plan effective rehearsals.
I included information in the flow chart analyses in Appendices H through R that serves as a
reference tool for Proud Music of the Storm and A Song of Joys specifically. Chart subheadings
are as follows: form/phrasing, duration, pitch (melody and harmony), orchestration/choral
142
writing and texture, style, expressive language (dynamics, articulation, markings). These flow
charts comprise my bar-by-bar analyses of the two pieces. Battisti and Garofalo (1990) suggest
that referring to this type of structure helps conductors to formulate a better understanding of the
architecture of the music. Through these flow charts, I have provided conductors with a visual
reference that enables them to efficiently synthesize knowledge about the pieces (Battisti and
Garofalo 1990, Step 3, para. 1 and 2). The use of these flow charts and the other multiple
resources in the conductor’s guide should greatly simplify the necessary process of marking
scores and planning rehearsals for performances of these pieces.
6.2.3 Secondary research question: What contributions do Chatman’s choral-orchestral works make to this genre in Canada?
The secondary research question presented me with the opportunity to examine Chatman’s
contributions to the choral-orchestral genre in Canada. In order to complete this task, though, I
first needed to gain an understanding of the nature of Canadian choral-orchestral music. Thus, I
proceeded to read relevant books and articles written about Canadian music, searching for
specific references to choral-orchestral music. For example, I was greatly inspired by reading
about the pioneering accomplishments of conductor Elmer Iseler as he commissioned and
premiered new Canadian choral-orchestral works (Pitman 2008). I listened to multiple audio
recordings of various Canadian choral-orchestral works. Finally, I referred to Joel Tranquilla’s
dissertation (2013), in which the author provides a general overview of thirty-five notable,
contemporary Canadian choral-orchestral works. Tranquilla affirms that up to the time of writing
of his document, little had been written about the subject (Tranquilla 2013, 1). Following an
exhaustive examination of all of these materials, I concluded that Chatman has composed a high
volume of choral-orchestral works compared to other Canadian composers. This warranted
further study because, as already stated, I have found it a challenge to find performable Canadian
works of this genre, and I sensed that writing about Chatman’s pieces could serve as a valuable
resource for conductors and other musicians.
Staff members of the Canadian Music Centre (CMC) play an important role in achieving the
centre’s functions to support, preserve, and celebrate the work of Canadian composers at a
143
national level (CMC 2019, para. 1). During a visit to the CMC in Toronto, I interviewed Ana
Maria Lipoczi, the manager of music services/publishing. Lipoczi provided excellent perspective
about the CMC’s holdings of Canadian choral-orchestral music and the degree to which pieces
from this genre are performed. I learned that choral-orchestral works represent a very small niche
of the CMC’s holdings, and that the CMC stores a much greater volume of works from the
orchestral genre. Lipoczi also indicated that the CMC receives more borrowing requests for
orchestral music, and sporadic requests only for scores from the choral-orchestral genre. This
implied that orchestral music borrowed from the CMC holdings is performed more frequently
and overshadows performances of choral-orchestral compositions (Lipoczi, interview, September
5, 2019). With respect to Chatman’s musical success specifically, Lipoczi said that Stephen
Chatman, an associate member of the CMC, is very active in the Canadian community, and “is
writing good music that the public likes” (Lipoczi, interview, September 5, 2019). This
statement, along with other comments she made during the interview, helped to support the
notion that Chatman consistently composes with a high degree of skill, and that he has made
important contributions to music in Canada. The importance of Chatman’s musical offerings was
also supported when Lipoczi asserted that Chatman has published and sold so many of his
compositions (Lipoczi, interview, 2019).
As I continued to seek answers for this secondary research question, I became increasingly
convinced that Chatman’s choral-orchestral compositions hold national significance and should
be brought to the attention of conductors and potential performers. My writing, as well as a
variety of resources, supports the significant impact of Chatman’s contributions to choral-
orchestral repertoire in Canada. In Chapter 2, I completed a review of literature and resources,
and discussed Chatman’s works in the context of Canadian choral-orchestral repertoire. Upon
examining the archived holdings of Chatman’s materials at LAC, I was astounded at the sheer
variety, quantity, and quality of his entire compositional output, including choral-orchestral
works. At LAC, in order to gain insight into the composer’s choral-orchestral works, I examined
files in the Chatman fonds, which contain innumerable artifacts including hand-written sketches
and the proofs of the original versions of the scores. I also developed an understanding of both
the commissioning and also the compositional processes, the selection of texts, specialized
144
instrumental techniques, as well as the composer’s personal life and education, all of which have
had strong influence on Chatman’s compositional output.
The laudatory feedback and comments I received about the composer from the musicians I
interviewed also provided valuable supporting information. Individuals I interviewed for the
purposes of this study all displayed a high degree of respect and admiration for Chatman’s work
and offered comments that affirm the national significance of his musical contributions. Graeme
Langager, who works closely with Chatman at UBC’s School of Music, provided these
comments, which very eloquently sum up the important contributions that Chatman has made to
Canadian music:
Prior to Chatman’s generation [Langager offers Ruth Watson-Henderson as an
example of a Canadian composer from Chatman’s generation], we almost have to
go as far back as Healey Willan to find a reputable composer of Canadian choral
music. I would like to reinforce his [Chatman’s] place in Canadian choral music
and Canadian choral-orchestral music. Chatman is a very important contributor to
these musical genres. History will remember Chatman and his music very
prominently. (Langager, interview, October 2, 2019)
6.3 Recommendations for further research Although I chose to concentrate on Stephen Chatman’s choral-orchestral works, during this study
I consistently maintained a strong desire to contribute to the broader research on Canadian music,
particularly for conductors of large ensembles. My work has potential to assist researchers who
wish to complete further studies about multiple musical genres and areas related to Canadian
music.
As a highly visible Canadian composer, Chatman has produced an extensive repertoire that
merits additional study. Some potential questions to pursue include: how has Chatman’s choral
music changed since 2002 when Jeffrey Taylor published his dissertation, and what
developments have transpired in his choral writing style? How do Chatman’s choral works fit in
145
with the work of other contemporary Canadian choral composers? In fact, an updated catalogue
of Canadian choral works is urgently needed. For example, the last known compilation of
Canadian contemporary works, which appears on Choral Canada’s website, dates ten years prior
to this writing (Hawn and Murray 2010). In Section 2.2.2 of Chapter 2, I provide examples of
several other Canadian choral repertoire listings dating back to 2014 and none of these have been
updated recently. Chatman has also composed music in a wide range of genres, and there is
definitely potential for research into his piano music, solo instrumental and vocal repertoire,
chamber music, band music, and orchestral music.
Opportunity for further research about Canadian music also exists on a broader scale beyond
Chatman’s music. Following are potential questions for consideration on the topic of Canadian
music in general. What are the current trends in Canadian composition? What compositional
techniques are most often employed by Canadian composers? (I was quite surprised at the
sparsity of information that exists concerning contemporary compositional techniques such as
pandiatonicism or the use of pedal tones in musical works.) What rehearsal techniques are
needed in order to perform these pieces? Detailed conductor’s guides for works by Canadian
composers, such as the one I created in Chapter 5, would contribute greatly toward encouraging
and advancing the performance of Canadian works.
On a national level, I was personally unaware of the extent or the nature of music holdings stored
at LAC before Chatman brought this source to my attention. This appears to be a rich resource
for researchers if other Canadian composers and/or musical artists are represented at LAC. One
could imagine additional studies emanating from other composers’ materials housed in the LAC.
What genres of music do these individuals represent, and to what extent is their music
representative of Canadian culture?
As I learned through the process of completing this study of Chatman’s choral-orchestral works,
the investigation of any single topic related to Canadian music is multifaceted, and one writer
cannot possibly address every related item in a single document.
146
6.4 Conclusion I hold great hope that other conductors and musical organizations will be motivated to perform
Stephen Chatman’s choral-orchestral works. Through my research, I have shown that pieces
chosen from this genre of Chatman works can potentially be performed by amateur level
choruses and orchestras, as well as university and professional level organizations. High quality
recordings of Chatman’s choral-orchestral works are readily available and are listed under a
separate category in the bibliography for easy reference. Full orchestral conducting scores, choral
scores, and orchestral parts are also readily available to those who seek to perform the music, and
these are also listed under a separate category in the bibliography. Finally, in Appendix S, I list
performances and broadcasts of Chatman’s choral-orchestral works, based on a comprehensive
inventory of compositions sent to me by the composer (Chatman, email, June 18, 2020). My
work in this regard confirms that several of these works have been performed on multiple
occasions, and this helps to solidify their important role within the choral-orchestral genre in
Canada.
As I revealed in my research, Chatman has written choral-orchestral compositions that are
substantial in scope. Choirs and orchestras seeking to perform Canadian choral-orchestral works
will find highly feasible performance options in these works. By actively employing the detailed
resources offered in this dissertation, conductors should be able to facilitate performances of
Stephen Chatman’s choral-orchestral compositions. This, in turn, will help to promote further
performances of these pieces, and, I hope, other Canadian music repertoire as well.
147
Bibliography
Abbott, Patricia and James Hawn, eds. 2008. Recommended Canadian Choral Repertoire, vol. 4.
Choral Canada. https://www.choralcanada.org/uploads/3/8/9/2/38921071/volume-4-all-genres-recommended-canadian-choral-repertoire-2008.pdf.
Abbott, Patricia and Victoria Meredith. 2012. “Canada's Choral Landscape.” In The Cambridge
Companion to Choral Music, edited by André Quadros, 104–114. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Adler, Samuel. 1982. The Study of Orchestration. New York: W.W. Norton & Norton.
Alwes, Chester. 2016. A History of Western Music. vol. 2. New York: Oxford University Press.
Apfelstadt, Hilary. 2014. “Canada's Choral Music Development.” Choral Journal 54, No. 8, pp. 34-41.
Apfelstadt, Hilary. November, 2010. “Working with Voices, or ‘Face to Face with the Chorus’.” (printed handout. University of Toronto Graduate Conducting Seminar, Toronto, ON, Canada.)
Archives and Records Management: Simon Fraser University. Frequently Asked Questions. Accessed November 10, 2019. https://www.sfu.ca/archives/for-donors/FAQterms.html#main_content_text.
Battista, Frank and Robert Garofalo. 1990. Guide to Score Study for the Wind Band Conductor. Delray Beach, FL: Meredith Music Publications. Kindle.
Beatty, Rodger J., and Patricia Shand, eds. 2010. Choral Works by Canadian Composers: A
Selective Guidelist. Phase 2: Published Choral Compositions by Ontario Composers. Canadian Music Educators' Association and Ontario Music Educators' Association, vol. 2.
Beckwith, John. 1997. “Notes on CanChorRep or Great Music It Isn't, 1985.” In Music Papers:
Articles and Talks By a Canadian Composer: 1961-1994, 58–63. Ottawa, ON: Golden Dog Press.
Beckwith, John. 1992. The Canadian Musical Repertoire. Sackville, NB: Centre for Canadian Studies, Mount Allison University.
Blocker, Robert. 2004. The Robert Shaw Reader. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Bruenger, Susan Dill. 1993. “Choral-Orchestral Balance: A View from the Trombone Section.” Choral Journal 34, no. 4: 37–43.
148
Canada Council for the Arts. 2019. Grant Funding. Accessed April 29, 2019. https://canadacouncil.ca/funding/grants.
Canadian Music Centre. 2019. Canadian Music Centre Associate Composer Requirements. Accessed October 31, 2019. http://www.musiccentre.ca/become-an-associate.
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. 2006. Commercial Radio
Policy. December. Accessed April 29, 2019. https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2006/pb2006-158.htm.
Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. 2020. Seating Plan. Accessed June 1, 2020. https://chancentre.com.
Chatman, 2004a. Stephen Chatman Composer. http://www.drstephenchatman.com.
Chatman, Stephen. 2008. Dr. Stephen Chatman Earth Songs Interview. September 29. Accessed November 3 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KlOVbU5iHQ.
Chatman, Stephen. 2010. “The Influence of Multiculturalism on Canadian Contemporary Art Music.” Procedia Social and Behavioural Sciences (ScienceDirect) 2, no. 5: 7403–7406.
Chatman, Stephen. 2013. “Peace.” Liner notes to recording of Stephen Chatman, Magnificat:
Songs of Reflection, Centrediscs CMCCD 19313, 5-6.
Chatman, Stephen. 2017. “The Music of Stephen Chatman.” University of Toronto Lecture. University of Toronto, March 29.
Clark, Bob and John C. Reid. 2001. “The Changing Tide for Canadian Orchestral Music.” In Musicanada 2000: A Celebration of Canadian Composers, edited by S. Timothy Maloney, 143–50. Montreal: Éditions Liber/Canadian Music Centre.
Davids, Julia and Stephen LaTour. 2012. Vocal Technique: A Guide for Conductors, Teachers,
and Singers. Long Grove, Illinois: Waveland Press.
DeLong, Kenneth. 2014. “Calgary Philharmonic Performance a Percussive Thrill: Ode to Joy of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and Canadian Composer Stephen Chatman’s A Song of Joys, with Words from Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass.” Calgary Herald. May 2. B. 4.
Duke, David. 2020. “Classical music: Vancouver composer Stephen Chatman worth celebrating.” Vancouver Sun. July 8.
Dykk, Lloyd. 2002. “3 Choirs Celebrate Theatre’s 75th: Vancouver Chamber and Bach Choirs and Vancouver Cantata Singers Featured.” Vancouver Sun. November 5.
E.C. Schirmer Music Company. 2019. Stephen Chatman's Music. Accessed November 2019. https://ecspublishing.com/composers/c/stephen-chatman.html.
149
Eisentraut, Jochen. 2012. “What is Music Accessibility?” In The Accessibility of Music:
Participation, Reception and Contact, 19–51. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Elliott, David. 2012. “Another Perspective: Music Education As/For Artistic Citizenship.” Music
Educator's Journal 99, No. 1: 21–27.
Fishman, Stephen. 2008. “Introduction to the Public Domain.” In The Public Domain: How to
Find & Use Copyright-Free Writings, Music, Art & More, 4-16. Berkeley: Nolo.
Fraser, Robert. 2008. “The Programming of Orchestral Music by Canadian Composers, 1980–2005.” MA thesis, University of Victoria, Victoria.
Frith, Simon. 2004. “What is Bad Music.” In Bad Music: The Music We Love to Hate, edited by Christopher Washburne and Maiken Derno, 11–28. New York: Routledge.
Green, Jonathan. 1994. A Conductor's Guide to Choral-Orchestral Works: Twentieth Century. London: Scarecrow Press.
Hawn, James and Christina Murray, eds. 2010. Recommended Canadian Choral
Repertoire:Seasonal Favourites. vol. 5, Choral Canada. https://www.choralcanada.org/uploads/3/8/9/2/38921071/volume-5-seasonal-recommended-canadian-choral-repertoire-2010.pdf.
Horwath, Janet. 2016. Misplaced Musicians Part 1––When Orchestral Musicians play
OFFstage. https://interlude.hk/misplaced-musicians-part-1-orchestral-musicians-play-offstage/.
Hosaisson, Jose´. 2001. Buddy Rich. January 2001. Accessed March 16, 2020. https://www-oxfordmusiconlinecom.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000023374?rskey=lRRSUg.
Hunn, Amy Stuart. 2003. “That Music Always Round Me: 21st Century Choral Settings of the Poetry of Walt Whitman.” DMA diss., USC Thornton School of Music.
Hutchinson, Robert. n.d. Pandiatonicism. Accessed February 26, 2020. http://musictheory.pugetsound.edu/mt21c/Pandiatonicism.html.
International Phonetic Association. 2012. Full IPA Chart. Accessed December 9, 2019. https://www.internationalphoneticassociation.org/content/full-ipa-chart.
Jack Singer Concert Hall. 2020. Seating Plan. Accessed June 1, 2020. https://artscommons.ca/rentals/venues/jack-singer-concert-hall.
Johnson, Deral J. 1997. Choral Techniques Beyond the Basics: Practical Suggestions for Choral
Conductors of School Groups and Community and Church Choirs. San Diego: Kjos.
150
Jones, Ann Howard. 2007. “Preparing the Chorus for Performance with Orchestral Accompaniment.” In Teaching Music through Performance in Choir, vol. 2, edited by Heather J. Buchanan and Matthew Mehaffey, 65-82. Chicago: GIA Publications.
Jonas, Holly Higgins. ed. 2001. “John Washburn.” In Their Own Words: Canadian Choral
Conductors, 256–262. Toronto: Dundurn.
Keillor, Elaine. 2006. Music in Canada: Capturing Landscape and Diversity. Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queens University Press.
Lajosi, Karen and Andreas Stynen. 2015. “Introduction.” In Choral Societies and Nationalism in
Europe, edited by Karen Lajosi and Andreas Stynen, 1–13. Boston: Brill.
Langager, Graeme. 2012. “The Choral Works of Stephen Chatman.” Journal of the American
Choral Foundation: Research Memorandum Series, no. 201: 1–15.
Lannom, Allen. 1978. “The Choral-Conductor and the Performance of Choral-Orchestral Works.” Choral Journal 19, No. 1: 5-10.
Library and Archives Canada. 2016. Evaluation and Policy Framework. April 1. Accessed November 4, 2019. http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/about-us/policy/Pages/evaluation-acquisition-policy-framework.aspx.
Library and Archives Canada. 2017. “Stephen Chatman fonds R13702/MUS 309 listing.” Accessed July 18, 2019. http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000002020.pdf.
MacMillan, Ernest. 1997. MacMillan on Music. Edited by Carl Morey. Toronto: Dundurn Press.
MacMillan, Rick. 1980. “Canadian distinctiveness influencing Chatman works: Audiences must be considered.” The Music Scene, May-June: 9.
MacMillan, Rick. 1999. “Stephen Chatman.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. Accessed November 3, 2019. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/stephen-chatman-emc.
MacMillan, Rick. 2013. “Chatman Draws Listeners in with Twists and Surprises.” Words and
Music, April: 14–15.
MacMillan, Rick. 2013. “Stephen Chatman.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. Accessed November 3, 2019. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/stephen-chatman-emc.
McElheran, Brock. 1966. Conducting Technique for Beginners and Professionals. New York: Oxford University Press.
McGraw, Andrew. 2014. Balinese Gamelan. Oxford Online. December 3. Accessed March 15, 2020. https://www-oxfordmusiconline-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-4002268105?rskey=WpzOFm.
151
Meckna, Michael. 2001. “Chatman, Stephen (George).” In The New Grove Dictionary of Music
and Musicians 2nd edition. edited by Stanley Sadie, 536. New York: Macmillan Publishers Limited.
Mehaffey, Matthew. “Introduction to the Teacher Resource Guides.” In Teaching Music through
Performance in Choir, vol. 5, edited by Hilary Apfelstadt and Jo-Michael Scheibe, 133-136. Chicago: GIA Publications.
Morgan, Melissa. 2017. “Choral Art Music as a Reflection of Prairie Identity.” DMA diss., University of Toronto.
Moses, Don V, Robert Demaree Jr., and Allen Ohmes. 2004. Face to Face with Orchestra and
Chorus: A Handbook for Choral Conductors, 2nd ed. Indianapolis: Indiana University Press.
Moyer, James and Dennis Schrock. 2017. A Conductor’s Guide to Choral-Orchestral Repertoire.
Chicago: GIA Publications.
Parker, Alice. 2006. The Anatomy of Melody. Chicago: GIA Publications.
Parsons, David. 2013. Centrediscs. December. Accessed November 8, 2019. https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/centrediscs-emc.
Pitman, Walter. 2008. Elmer Iseler: Choral Visionary. Toronto: Dundurn Press.
Ramsay, Brendon Mark. 2018. “A Conductor's Guide to Tenor/Bass Choral Music by Canadian Composers.” DMA diss., University of Toronto.
Resink-Hoff, Rachel. 2007. “The Life and Works of Four Female Canadian Choral Composers.” Choral Journal, 56, No. 3: 10–27.
Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolay. 1964. Principles of Orchestration. Edited by Maximilian Steinberg. New York: Dover Publications.
Roy Thomson Hall. 2020. Seating Plan. Accessed June 1, 2020. https://www.roythomsonhall.com.
Schrock, Dennis. 2009. Choral Repertoire. New York: Oxford University Press.
Shaw, Robert. 1998. “Robert Shaw Preparing a Masterpiece. Vol. 8,” DVD. New York: The Carnegie Hall Corporation.
Slominsky, Nicolas. 1938. Music Since 1900. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.
Taylor, Jeffrey Mitchell. 2002. “The Choral Works of Stephen George Chatman (b.1950): An Analysis of Core Characteristics from a Conductor's Perspective.” DMA diss., Arizona State University.
152
Tranquilla, Joel. 2013. Canadian Choral-Orchestral Works from the Last Thirty Years. DMA diss., Michigan State University.
Turner, Kelly. 2009. “Balancing Chorus and Orchestra in Performance: Problems and Solutions for Conductors of the Nineteenth Century and Today.” DMA diss., University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
University of British Columbia Choirs and Symphony Orchestra. 2017. A Song of Joys
Performance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8D-vnDIwZU.
Weinert, William. July, 2013. “Inside the Chorus: Success with Music for Singers and Instruments.” (printed handout, University of Toronto Choral Conducting Symposium, Toronto, ON, Canada.)
Wohlberg, Tara. 2014. Composer Showcase: Stephen Chatman. Accessed September 14, 2018. http://musiccentre.ca/.
Wohlberg, Tara. 2012. Stephen Chatman Composer. Accessed January 29, 2019. https://www.drstephenchatman.com/bio.html.
Music scores Chatman, Stephen. 1998. “In Flanders Fields Vocal Score.” Corvallis, OR: earthsongs.
Chatman, Stephen. 2005. Proud Music of the Storm for SATB Chorus and Orchestra. Boston: ECS Publications.
Chatman, Stephen. 2009. Earth Songs for SATB Chorus and Orchestra. Boston: ECS Publications.
Chatman, Stephen. 2011. Magnificat for Soprano Solo, SATB Chorus and String Orchestra. Boston: ECS Publications.
Chatman, Stephen. 2010. “Peace for SATB Chorus, Piano and String Orchestra.” Boston: ECS Publications.
Chatman, Stephen. 2013. A Song of Joys for Timpani and Percussion Soli, SATB Chorus (divisi) and Orchestra. Boston: ECS Publications.
Chatman, Stephen, 2019. “Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind for SATB Chorus and Orchestra.” Boston: ECS Publications.
153
Recordings Stephen Chatman, Due North: Stephen Chatman Choral Works, The Vancouver Chamber Choir,
conducted by Jon Washburn, Centrediscs CMCCD 3388, 1988, compact disc.
Stephen Chatman, Due West: Choral Music by Stephen Chatman, The Vancouver Chamber Choir, conducted by Jon Washburn, CBC Records MVCD 1132, 2000, compact disc.
Stephen Chatman, Proud Music of the Storm, The Vancouver Bach Choir, The UBC Singers and Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Bruce Pullan, Centrediscs CMCCD 10304, 2004b, compact disc.
Stephen Chatman, A Chatman Christmas, The University of British Columbia Singers, conducted by Bruce Pullan, Centrediscs CMCCD 15509, 2009, compact disc.
Stephen Chatman, Earth Songs, University of British Columbia Singers and CBC Radio Orchestra, conducted by Alain Trudel, Centrediscs CMCCD 14709, 2009, compact disc.
Stephen Chatman, Magnificat: Songs of Reflection, The UBC Singers and Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jonathan Girard, Centrediscs CMCCD 19313, 2013, compact disc.
Stephen Chatman, Dawn of Night, The University of Toronto MacMillan Singers, conducted by Hilary Apfelstadt, Centrediscs CMCCD 24617, 2017, compact disc.
Stephen Chatman, A Song of Joys, The UBC Choirs and Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jonathan Girard, Redshift Records, 2020 or 2021 (release date pending at the time of writing), compact disc.
.
154
Appendices
Facts and Features of Stephen Chatman’s Choral-Orchestral Works (Appendices A-G)
Subheadings used on facts and features charts
Adapted from Brendon Mark Ramsay’s Dissertation (Ramsay 2018)
Year of Composition: The year Chatman composed the work is included, even though this may differ from the date of publication. Please refer to the bibliography for the date of publication. Difficulty Level: In order to assist conductors in determining if each piece is appropriate for their ensemble, I adapted the rating system presented in Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir, Vol 5 (ed. Apfelstadt and Scheibe 2019) for use with choral-orchestral ensembles. Duration: The performance length for each work was obtained from the scores. Publisher Information: The majority of Chatman’s choral-orchestral works are published. Published versions include choral scores, orchestral conductor’s scores, and orchestral parts. The composer holds the rights to the orchestral score and parts for “In Flanders Fields.” Category of Work: The length of time it takes to perform each work was used to classify the pieces into two categories. Works that may be performed in five minutes or less are designated as “short choral-orchestral works,” while major, multi-movement works are those that may be performed in 15 minutes or more. Voicing(s): Abbreviations used for choral voice parts are as follows: S= soprano, A=alto, T=tenor, and B= baritone/bass. Divisi is indicated where applicable. Vocal Range ( ) and Tessitura ( ): Stemmed notes are used to show both the lowest and also the highest pitch of the vocal range for each voice part. Note heads without stems are used to indicate the lowest and the highest pitch of the tessitura for each voice part. Text Source: The author(s) of the text for each work is/are listed by name. Date of birth and death dates (if applicable) are also included. Language: Language(s) used in each piece or an individual movement is/are identified under this category. When multiple languages are used in a particular work, the languages are listed according to the movement in which they are performed.
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œbœ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#
Bass TenorAlto Soprano
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œb œ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#
Bass
Tenor
Alto
Soprano
155
Text: The entire text as it appears in the piece is included. English translations are also provided as appropriate. Instrumentation: The specific orchestral instruments required for the work are listed. In cases where the composer has scored for specialized instruments such as Chinese instruments, these are listed under a separate subtitle. Metre/Tempo/Style: The metre, tempo and style that are written at the beginning of the score are identified. Significant changes that are labelled by the composer throughout the score are also identified. In the case of multi-movement works, each movement is treated as a separate sub-unit. Essential Features: Brief point form statements that pertain to the overall musical form and style of the piece are included in this section. Additional information related to time and key signatures, phrasing, tonality, patterns, solos and other relevant features may also described in this section. Vocal and Technical Demands (Singers): Specific elements in the music that may prove challenging for the choral singers are outlined in this section. Examples of such elements include extended vocal ranges, multi-lingual text challenges, endurance challenges, solo challenges, phrasing, and balance. Instrumental and Technical Demands (Orchestral Players): Specific elements in the music that may prove challenging for the players in the orchestra are identified in this section. Such challenges may include technical scale passages, extreme ranges, stamina, articulation, use of specialized instruments, and balance. Other Comments: Relevant information pertaining to the performance level, programming, preparation time, or unusual musical demands is included in this section.
Rating System for the Level of Difficulty Adapted from Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir, Vol 5 (ed. Apfelstadt and Scheibe
2019) for choral-orchestral purposes
Level Vocal and Instrumental Tonal/Rhythm 1 • Short, simple musical lines with limited
ranges • Conjunct musical lines prevail • Comfortable singing/playing range • Manageable tessitura
• Major or minor tonality with little to no chromaticism
• No modulations to other keys or tonalities • Straightforward rhythms within simple or
compound metre.
2 • Phases of moderately challenging length • Slightly disjunct musical lines • Brief, yet negotiable forays into extreme
ranges • Basic dynamic range
• Major or minor tonality with brief, obvious chromaticism
• Brief modulations are obvious and move to closely related tonalities
• Modal passages
156
Level Vocal and Instrumental Tonal/Rhythm • Basic diction challenges in languages
commonly encountered in choral music (e.g. English, Latin, German)
• Dissonances are approached and resolved by step
• Short passages of challenging rhythm within simple or compound metric structure
3 • Long phrases requiring excellent breath or technical control
• Extreme ranges • Musical lines requiring subtlety of shape,
dynamics, and expressivity • Extended vocal or instrumental techniques
(e.g. overtone singing, slides, whistling, whispering, double stops on stringed instruments, flutter tonguing, harmonics, unusual effects etc)
• Wide range of languages encountered
• Major/minor/modal tonality • Concrete or implied modulations to different
tonalities or modalities • Dissonance approached by leap • Added-note harmonies • Imitative and nonimitative counterpoint • Difficult rhythms may occur, but are usually
repetitive • Simply constructed mixed metre
4 • Long phrases requiring excellent breath control or advanced technique(s)
• Extreme ranges • Musical lines requiring subtlety of shape,
dynamics, and expressivity • Long vocal melismas or extended
instrumental technical passages • Alternative vocal or instrumental techniques
(i.e. non-Western techniques) • Refined diction required as stylistic vehicle
• Extended modal passages • Passages in non-diatonic harmony • Frequent chromaticism • Challenging rhythmic passages may be
extended and non-repetitive • Full compositions in mixed metre
5 • Vocal/instrumental maturity required • Extreme ranges and tessituras • Repertoire at this level will provide
numerous challenges for the experienced choral-orchestral ensemble
• Actual passages or passages of extreme dissonance
• Unprepared/unresolved dissonant harmonies • Very complex rhythmic/metric structure • Repertoire at this level will provide
numerous challenges for the experienced choral-orchestral ensemble
157
Appendix A: Earth Songs
Essential Facts and Features
Year of Composition: 2008 Difficulty Level: Level 4 Duration: 23'
Publisher Information: ECS Schirmer Music Company
Category of Work: Major work for symphonic chorus and symphony orchestra
Voicing(s): SATB (divisi)
Vocal Range ( ) and Tessitura ( ):
Text Source Language(s)
I. Et inluminent terram : Biblical: (Genesis 1:9, 1:14-15, 2:4)
II. Earth and sky: George McWhirter (Canadian, b. 1939)
III. The Butterfly: Robert Stephen Hawker (British, 1803-1875)
IV. The Waterfall: Zhang Jiuling (Chinese, 678-740), Transcribed by Stephen Chatman
V. Dans des pluies: Stephen Chatman (Canadian, b. 1950)
VI. 6. Smile o voluptuous cool-breath’d earth! Walt Whitman (American, 1819-1892) from Song of Myself
I. Latin II. English III. English IV. Chinese V. Various languages–single words of text repeated) VI. English
Text: Permission to use text granted by copyright holder, E.C. Schirmer Music Company I. Et inluminent terram Dixit vero Deus congregentur aquae quae sub caelo sunt in locum unum et appareat arida factumque est ita Dixit autem Deus fiant luminaria in firmamento caeli ut dividant diem ac noctem et sint in signa et tempora et dies et annos. ut luceant in firmamento caeli et inluminent terram et factum est ita Ista generationes caeli et terrae quando creata sunt in die quo fecit Dominus
I. Light upon the earth (translation) And God said, let the waters under the Heaven be gathered together unto one place, And let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God said, Let there be light In the firmament of the heaven To divide the day from the night; And let them be for signs, and for seasons, And for days, and years. And let them be for lights in the firmament Of the heaven to give light upon the earth: And it was so. These are the generations of the heavens And of the earth when they were created, In the day that the Lord God
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œbœ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#
Bass TenorAlto Soprano
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œbœ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#
Bass TenorAlto Soprano
158
Text: Permission to use text granted by copyright holder, E.C. Schirmer Music Company deus caelum et terram
Made the earth and the heavens. Trans. King James Version
II. Earth and sky Remember the audible death of a leaf in autumn, the inaudible end of the tree inside. Remember that it was sweet and able in its heart to glisten, a union of earth and sky. Remember the thinking, walking earth pieces of dust and rain we are. Remember, and allow its blue island to resound on and long.
III. The Butterfly Bird of the moths! That radiant wing Hath borne thee from thine earthly lair Thou revellest on the breath of spring, A graceful shape of woven air! The glories of the earth are thine, The joyful breeze, the balmy sky; For thee the starry roses shine, And violets in their valleys sigh. Yet was the scene as soft and bright When thou wert low in wormy rest: The skies of summer gushed with light, The blossoms breathed on Nature’s breast. But thou that gladness didst not share, A cave restrained that shadowy form; In vain did fragrance fill the air, Dew soften and the sunbeams warm. Dull was thy ay–a living death, Till the great change in glory came, And thou, a thing of life and breath, Didst cleave the air with quivering frame! Lo! Round and near, a mightier scene, With hues that flesh may not behold; There all things glow with loveliest mien, And earthly forms have heavenly mould!
IV. The Waterfall (Translation) The red spring falls ten thousand feet, Far away, in the half purple atmosphere, Flowing quickly past shivering trees, Vapours emerge in layered clouds, The sunshine, like a rainbow of light- The sound of wind and rain- Beautiful colours reflect the spirit of the mountain, The water is deep and clear.
V. Dans des pluies Apa, droppe, l’acqua, el agua sprenkeln, Wasser, douche la lluvia, el agua, spruzzare, asperger, la pioggia,
V. Dance of the Rains Water, water, drops, water, water, sprinkling, water, rain shower, the rain, the water, sprinkling, sprinkling, the rain
159
Text: Permission to use text granted by copyright holder, E.C. Schirmer Music Company Mizu-no-oto, samidare, shiratsuyu, ame, tsuyu, mizu, La tempesta, tormenta, kaminari, torrente, il temporale, l’orage, heavy storm, il vento forte, uragano, tempestada, ouragan, tifone, taifuu, the storm!
Water-sound, June-rain white dews, rain, rainy season, water, The storm, the storm thunder and lightning torrent, the thunderstorm, the storm heavy storm, gale hurricane, storm, hurricane, typhoon, typhoon, the storm!
VI. Smile o voluptuous cool-breath’d earth! Smile O voluptuous cool-breath’d earth! Earth of the slumbering and liquid trees! Earth of departed sunset- earth of the mountains mist-topt! Earth of the vitreous pour of the full moon just tinged with blue! Earth of shine and dark mottling the tide of the river! Earth of the limpid gray of clouds brighter and clearer for my sake! Far-swooping elbow’d earth- rich apple-blossom’d earth! Smile for your lover comes.
Instrumentation: Conventional orchestral instruments: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, timpani, harp, violin 1, violin 2, viola, violoncello, contrabass Percussion instruments: 2 crash cymbals, suspended cymbal, orchestra bells, 2 large tam tams, Daluo (12-24” Chinese gong, falling pitch), xiao (8”-12” Chinese gong, rising pitch), bo (2 small Chinese crash cymbals), metal wind chimes, Chinese temple blocks, large rain-stick, large bamboo log with bamboo long beater, marimba, 2 congas, bass drum, chimes, triangle Chinese solo instruments: erhu, zheng, dizi
Metre/Tempo/Style: I. Et inluminent terram:
• Meter: 7/8, 3/4, 4/4, 7/8, 3/4 • Metronome markings: ♩=58-60, ♩=144-152, ♩=58-60 • “Slowly with energy; very fast with energy; slowly with energy”
II. Earth and sky:
• Meter: 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 3/4, 2/4, 4/4. 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 5/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/2, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 6/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 3/4, 2/4, 4/4, 5/4, 4/4
• Metronome markings: ♩=66, ♩=69, ♩=72, ♩=76, ♩=80-84, ♩=76, =50-52, ♩=76-80, ♩=66 • “With feeling”
III. The Butterfly:
• Meter: 4/4, 2/4, 4/4 • Metronome markings: ♩=132-138, ♩=120 • “Very fast, with excitement”
IV. The Waterfall:
• Metre: Free meter, 3/4, 4/4, 2/4, 5/4, 4/4, 3/4, 4/4, 2/4, 5/4, 4/4, 3/4, 4/4 • Metronome markings: ♩=100, ♩=120, ♩=160, ♩=100, ♩=80 • “Moderately, free cadenza”
44 w ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ jœ œ jœ œ œ œ
Score
160
V. Dans des pluies: • Metre: 4/4, 2/4, 4/4 • Metronome markings: ♩=126, =80 (ending) • Fast, beginning gently, water, sprinkle, rain, downpour, storm, thunder & lightning, gale, hurricane,
typhoon
VI. Smile o voluptuous cool-breath’d earth! • Metre: 7/8, 4/4, 3/4, 6/4, 3/4, 6/4, 3/4, 6/4, 3/4, 6/4 • Metronome Markings: ♩=56, ♩=63-66, ♩=88, ♩=60-63, ♩=63-66, ♩==80 • Slowly, with energy, a little faster, a tempo, slower, slightly faster, a tempo, accelerando poco a poco
Essential Features: • Themes: beauty of the natural world and optimism for the future of the planet (Chatman 2009) • Multicultural texts: unification of various cultures (e.g. Canadian, European, Chinese) • Varied musical stylistic features/timbres: dramatic, expressive, highly technical, improvisatory, Asian
flavour, simulated sounds and effects • Varied tonality: major, minor and church modes
Vocal and Technical Demands (Singers) e.g. melodic and rhythmic complexity; phrasing, endurance; diction; articulation; intonation, etc.:
• Balance: clear articulation, and concise diction are required to project over fully orchestrated orchestral passages
• Chinese (“The Waterfall”) and multilingual texts (“Danse des pluies”) • Wide dynamic range/endurance: low notes (esp. soprano) must project over the orchestra • Endurance: extensive, sustained singing in upper range • Specialized vocal technique: closed-mouth singing (Movement V: “Waterfall”) • Vocal solos: soloists must project over the orchestra expressively
Instrumental and Technical Demands (Orchestral Players): • Balance (esp. loud sections): adjust dynamics to softer levels as required to balance with chorus; softer
playing is required when Chinese instruments play • Chinese instrument simulation: glissandi in string parts simulate the erhu (Movement IV) • Technical solo passages: florid 16th/32nd note runs • Articulation: detached playing in faster movements will improve the chorus’ ability to project over the
orchestra • Blend: listen and match the choral tone quality (e.g. Movement VI) • Dynamic pacing: Avoid playing loudly too soon on crescendo passages
Other Comments:
• Performance level: university, professional • Chinese instruments: requires competent musicians from the community capable of performing at this
level of difficulty on Asian instruments
44 w ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ jœ œ jœ œ œ œ
Score
161
Appendix B: Magnificat
Essential Facts and Features
Year of Composition: 2010 Difficulty Level: 4 Duration: 24'00"
Publisher Information: E. C. Schirmer Music Company
Category of Work: Major work for chorus and string orchestra
Voicing(s): SATB (divisi)
Vocal Range ( ) and Tessitura ( ):
Text Source: The Canticle of Mary ~ Biblical: Luke 1: 46-55
Language(s):
I. Magnificat anima mea Dominum (“My soul
doth magnify the Lord”): II. Mon âme, my soul (“My soul, my soul”)
III. Porque el Poderoso es grande (“For he that is mighty”)
IV. Und mein Geist freuet sich Gottes (“And my spirit hath rejoiced in God”)
V. Jiào ji è dé băo mĕi shì (“He hath filled the hungry with good things”)
VI. Ya-vil si-lu m’ish-tsi Svo-ei (“He hath shewed strength with his arm”)
VII. He hath helped his servant Israel VIII. Magnificat anima mea Dominum
I. Latin, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, Russian, English II. French and English III. Spanish IV. German V. Mandarin Chinese VI. Russian and English VII. English VIII. Latin
Text: permission to use text granted by copyright holder, E.C. Schirmer Music Company I. Magnificat anima mea Dominum Magnificat anima mea Dominum Et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo.
“My soul doth magnify the Lord” (translation) My soul doth magnify the Lord And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
II. Mon âme, my soul Et marie dit: Mon âme exalte le Seigneur And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, Et mon esprit se réjoit en Dieu, mon Sauveur Parce qu’il a jeté les yeux sur la bassesse de sa servante. Car voici, desormais toutes les générations me diront bienheureuse.
“My soul, my soul” (translation) And Mary said, my soul doth magnify the Lord And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour, For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œbœ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#
Bass TenorAlto Soprano
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œbœ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#
Bass TenorAlto Soprano
? œ œ œ œ& œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œœ œ œ œBass Tenor Alto Soprano
162
Text: permission to use text granted by copyright holder, E.C. Schirmer Music Company III. Porque el Poderoso es grande Porque me ha hecho grandes cosas el Poderoso, Y santoes su nombre Y su misericordia de generación A los que le temen Hizo valentia con su brazo Esparció los soberbios del pensamiento de su Corazón.
“For he that is mighty” (translation) For he that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation He hath shewed strength with his arm he hath scattered the proud in the imagination for their hearts.
IV. Und mein Geist freuet sich Gottes Und mein Geist freuet sich Gottes, meines Heilands. Denn er hat grosse Dinge an mir getan, der da mächtig ist und des Name heilig ist. Er stösset die Gewaltigen vom Stuhl Und erhobhet die Niedrigen. Die Hungrigen füllet er mit Güttern, und lasset die Reichen leer. Er denket der Bramherzigkeit und hilft seinem Diener Israel auf, wie er geredt hat unsern Vätern, Abraham und seinem Samen ewiglich.
“And my spirit hath rejoiced in God” (translation) And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour For he that is mighty hath magnified me, and holy is his name. He hath put down the mighty from their seat and exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away. He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, forever.
V. Jiào ji è dé băo mĕi shì Jiào ji è dé băo mĕi shì.
“He hath filled the hungry with good things” (translation) He hath filled the hungry with good things.
VI. Ya-vil si-lu m’ish-tsi Svo-ei Ya-vil si-lu m’ish-tsi Svo-ei Ras-se-yal nad-men-n’hi He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud po-m’i-shle-ni-ya-mie serd-tsa ih. ya-vil si-lu m’ish-tsi Svo-ei He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
“He hath shewed strength with his arm” (translation) He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath shewed strength with his arm.
VII. He hath helped his servant Israel He hath helped his servant Israel, In remembrance of his mercy, As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, And to his seed for ever. VIII. Magnificat anima mea Dominum Magnificat anima mea Dominum Et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo Gloria Patri, et Filio, Et Spiritui Sancto, Amen.
“My soul doth magnify the Lord” (translation) My soul doth magnify the Lord And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour Glory be to the Father, and to the Son And to the Holy Ghost. Amen (King James Version)
163
Instrumentation: Strings: violin 1, violin 2, viola, violincello, double bass
Metre/Tempo/Style: I. Magnificat anima mea Dominum • Metre: 4/2, 3/2, 4/2, 2/2, 4/2 • Metronome marking: =96 • “Fervently”
II. Mon âme, my soul • Metre: 3/4, 2/4, 3/4, 2/4, 3/4, 2/4, 3/4, 2/4/, 3/4, 4/4, 3/4, 2/4, 3/4, 2/4, 3/4, 2/4, 3/4, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 3/4 • Metronome marking: ♩=60 • “With ever-increasing intensity”
III. Porque el Poderoso es grande
• Metre: 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4 • Metronome marking: ♩=144 • “Fast, with energy”
IV. Und mein Geist freuet sich Gottes
• Metre: 6/8, 9/8, 6/8 • Metronome marking: ♪= 104-108 • “With reflection“
V. Jiào ji è dé băo mĕi shì • Metre: 4/4, 5/4, 4/4, • Metronome marking: ♩=63 • “With exotic pleasure“
VI. Ya-vil si-lu m’ish-tsi Svo-ei
• Metre: 4/4, 2/4, 4/4 • Metronome marking: ♩=144 • “Fast; with energy”
VII. He hath helped his servant Israel
• Metre: 3/4 • Metronome marking: ♩=76-80 • “Gently flowing”
VIII. Magnificat anima mea Dominum- Reprise and Doxology
• Metre: 4/2, 3/2, 4/2, 1/2, 4/2 • Metronome marking: =96 • “Fervently”
44 w ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ jœ œ jœ œ œ œ
Score
44 w ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ jœ œ jœ œ œ œ
Score
164
Essential Features: • Rhythmic vitality, reflection, exotic pleasure: flexibility to adapt to varying musical styles is required • Patterns: melodic and rhythmic patterns, sequencing • Soprano soloist: provides musical relief/contrast from the choral singing (Mvt. I-V, VII) • Multilingual text: Latin plus Mandarin Chinese and the five official languages of the Vancouver 2010
winter Olympics (English, French, Spanish, Russian, and German) (Chatman 2011) • Contrasting themes: religious themes (spiritual) and themes expressing the hope for universal peace and
harmony (songs of reflection) (Chatman 2011) • Reflection of spiritual elements: ascending melodic lines (Chatman 2011)
Vocal and Technical Demands (Singers) e.g. melodic and rhythmic complexity; phrasing, endurance; diction; articulation; intonation, etc.:
• Endurance: sustained singing for extended periods in upper range • Multilingual text: pronunciation challenges at faster tempos; Mandarin (phonetic pronunciations on the
score) • Choral precision: polished rhythmic accuracy and clear diction are required • Wide dynamic range: pp to ff • Soprano soloist: lyrical melodies and florid technical passages • “Question and answer” passages: chorus states a melodic idea which is answered immediately by the
orchestra
Instrumental and Technical Demands (Orchestral Players): • Balance: adjust volume levels to support the soprano soloist and chorus; avoid playing too loudly for
fortissimo dynamics • Rhythmic accuracy: consistent rhythmic precision is required • Phrasing and text: familiarity with the text (printed copies) will enable players to support the singers in
shaping melodic lines • Erhu emulation (Movement V): portamento and grace notes (score/parts) • Articulation (esp. tremolo): articulate repeated notes clearly wherever they occur • Dynamic pacing: avoid playing loudly too soon on crescendo passages
Other Comments:
• Chorus size: suitable for chamber choir • Performance level (orchestral): university or professional (rhythmic and technical challenges) • Performance level (choral): high level community, university and/or professional
165
Appendix C: “In Flanders Fields”
Essential Facts and Features
Year of Composition: • Original choral version: 1998 • Choral-orchestral version: 2016
Difficulty Level: Level 1
Duration: 2' 29"
Publisher Information: Available from Stephen Chatman
Category of Work: Short choral-orchestral work
Voicing(s): SATB
Vocal Range ( ) and Tessitura ( ):
Text Source: Poem by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae
Language(s): English
Text: In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields
Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, timpani, percussion 1 (suspended cymbal, crash cymbal), percussion 2 (snare drum), percussion 3 (optional suspended cymbal), organ (optional), violin 1, violin 2, viola, violoncello, double bass
Metre/Tempo/Style:
• Metre: 3/4 • Metronome marking: ♩=50-56 • Slowly, reverently
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œbœ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#
Bass TenorAlto Soprano
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œbœ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#
Bass TenorAlto Soprano
? œb œ œb œb& œ œb œ œb
œb œb œ œb œ œ œb œBass Tenor Alto Soprano
166
Essential Features: • Form: simple strophic (3 verses) • Musical affect: simple, stirring, hymn-like • Melodic content: recurring melodic themes • Original choral version: a cappella (piano for rehearsal only) • Trumpet solo introduction: last note played by the trumpet provides the starting pitch for the chorus • Staggered entries: e.g. short trumpet solo, chorus (unaccompanied), sopranos and tenors in unison, altos
(divisi in 3rds) and flute/violin, basses and clarinet/horn/viola/cello, full ensemble (m. 10) • Layering: instruments are added gradually • Dynamics: pp to ff
Vocal and Technical Demands (Singers) e.g. melodic and rhythmic complexity; phrasing, endurance; diction; articulation; intonation, etc.:
• Pitches and rhythms: few technical challenges • Sensitive phrasing: observe breath marks on the score • Sound quality: simple tone quality with minimal vibrato • Optimal tone quality and intonation: vowel unification is imperative • Text: consonants must be clearly articulated • Starting pitches: orchestra consistently provides starting pitches for the singers • Balance: be attentive to contrasts between soft and loud especially in relation to the orchestral
accompaniment • A cappella: unaccompanied ending (last 4 measures)
Instrumental and Technical Demands (Orchestral Players): • Technical level: few technical issues; playable by high school and amateur instrumentalists • Balance: avoid overplaying when accompanying vocal lines
Other Comments:
• Performance level: advanced high school or community, university, professional • Programming: appropriate for Remembrance Day or occasions where a simple, lyrical meditative piece
is required • Preparation time: minimal rehearsal time required
167
Appendix D: “Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind”
Essential Facts and Features
Year of Composition: • Original choral version: 1992 • Choral-orchestral version: 2017
Difficulty Level: Level 3 Duration: 5' 8"
Publisher Information: E.C. Schirmer Music Company
Category of Work: Short choral-orchestral work
Voicing(s): SATB
Vocal Range ( ) and Tessitura ( ):
Text Source: William Shakespeare, As You Like It Language(s): English
Text: Blow, blow, thou winter wind, Thou art not so unkind As man’s ingratitude; Thy tooth is not so keen, Because thou art not seen, Although thy breath be rude. Heigh-ho! Sing heigh-ho! Unto the green holly: Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly: Then, heigh-ho, the holly! This life is most jolly.
Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky, That dost not bite so nigh As benefits forgot: Though thou the waters warp, Thy sting is not so sharp As friend remembered no. Heigh-ho! Sing, heigh-ho! Unto the green holly…
Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, percussion, harp (optional piano), violin 1, violin 2, viola, violoncello, contrabass
Metre/Tempo/Style:
• Metre: 3/4 • Moderate, flowing: ♩=100-104 • Fast: .=72 • Smoothly: .=69 • Moderate, flowing: ♩=100-104 • Fast: .=72 • Smoothly: .=69 • Flowing: ♩=84-88
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œbœ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#
Bass TenorAlto Soprano
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œbœ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#
Bass TenorAlto Soprano
? œ œb œ œ œb œ œ œ& œ œ œb œ œb œb œ œBass Tenor Alto Soprano
44 w ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ jœ œ jœ œ œ œ
Score
44 w ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ jœ œ jœ œ œ œ
Score
44 w ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ jœ œ jœ œ œ œ
Score
44 w ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ jœ œ jœ œ œ œ
Score
168
Essential Features: • Phrasing: lyrical musical style • Shakespearean text: consistent rhyming patterns contribute to the musical character • ABABA form: “A” sections (slow tempo) contrast with “B” sections (faster, buoyant) • Range: narrow singing range • Pitches and rhythms: few technical challenges • Melodic lines: stepwise motion is predominant; narrow skips are intermittent • Tempos: specific tempos are marked on the score • Downbeats: markings on the score indicate where downbeats should be emphasized • Timbre: orchestral parts add colour that improves on the original piano version
Vocal and Technical Demands (Singers) e.g. melodic and rhythmic complexity; phrasing, endurance; diction; articulation; intonation, etc.:
• Contrast: lyrical, sustained singing versus lighter, buoyant singing (“heigh-ho” sections) • Syncopated sections: rhythmic accuracy is essential • Text Clarity: natural text stress is supported through the musical setting • Breaths: markings are indicated on the score • Tempo changes: metronome markings on the score should be observed • Dynamics: p to ff; avoid harsh or heavy tone quality (ff)
Instrumental and Technical Demands (Orchestral Players):
• Orchestral parts: minimal technical challenges. elaborate harp passages (16th notes) • Balance: avoid overplaying (ff); relative size of the choir will affect balance • Pizzicato passages: cues are required • Rhythmic accuracy: maintain consistency for syncopated rhythms versus legato, flowing style
Other Comments: • Performance level: advanced high school, community, university/college and professional • Programming: excellent filler piece for a longer choral-orchestral program
169
Appendix E: “Peace”
Essential Facts and Features
Year of Composition: • Original choral version: 2010 • Choral-orchestral version: 2010
Difficulty Level: 2 Duration: 3'
Publisher/Commissioning Information: • E.C. Schirmer Music Company • Commissioned by the Cantabile Men’s Chorus,
Kingston, Ontario (Mark Sirett, Director)
Category of Work Short choral-orchestral work
Voicing(s): • SATB • SAB, TTBB, SSAA
also available
Vocal Range ( ) and Tessitura ( ):
Text Source: Sarah Teasdale (1844-1933) Language(s): English
Text: permission to use text granted by copyright holder, E.C. Schirmer Music Company Peace flows into me As the tide to the pool by the shore; It is mine forevermore, It ebbs not back like the sea. I am the pool of blue That worships the vivid sky; My hopes were heaven-high, They are all fulfilled in you. I am the pool of gold When sunset burns and dies — You are my deepening skies, Give me your stars to hold. From Love Songs (1917)
Instrumentation: • String Orchestra: 2 violins, viola, violincello, double bass • Piano
Metre/Tempo/Style: • Metre: 4/4, 3/2 (ending only) • Metronome markings: ♩=80-84; ♩=88; ♩=72-66; ♩=80-84 • Gently flowing: peaceful, meditative style
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œbœ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#
Bass TenorAlto Soprano
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œbœ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#
Bass TenorAlto Soprano
? œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œb& œ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#Bass Tenor Alto Soprano
170
Essential Features:
• Form: introduction, A, B, interlude, A', B', Coda • Keys/tonality: constant key shifts; shifts in tonality are associated with each phrase • Melodic lines: stepwise motion and sequencing • Melodic skips: narrow intervallic skips in the melodic line (usually a 4th or less) • Harmony: consonance is prevalent; brief dissonances resolve quickly • Tempo changes: frequent rubato, ritardandos, a tempo, accelerandos, two caesuras (m. 26 and m. 47),
fermatas • Dynamic range: p, mp, mf, f, pp (ending), crescendos (frequent), diminuendos • String bowings: Bowings are marked on the orchestral score and parts • Texture: homophonic
Vocal and Technical Demands (Singers) e.g. melodic and rhythmic complexity; phrasing, endurance; diction; articulation; intonation, etc.: • Phrasing and diction/text: Musical phrases are driven by the text • Intonation: mix of unison and chromaticism in the harmony creates tuning challenges
Instrumental and Technical Demands (Orchestral Players): • Phrasing and dynamics: sensitive attention to musical details/markings (score) is required • Technical challenges: wide leaps and string crossings must be handled musically • Divisi parts: play the parts written in thirds when only two cello players are used (three-way divisi)
Other Comments:
• Performance level: advanced high school, community, university, professional • Rehearsal time: minimal rehearsal time is required • Musically satisfying performances: follow Chatman’s carefully conceived dynamic plan; seek an ideal
balance between the orchestra and chorus
171
Appendix F: Proud Music of the Storm
Essential Facts and Features
Year of Composition: 2001 Difficulty Level: 4 Duration: 15' 30"
Publisher Information: E. C. Schirmer Music Company
Category of Work: Major work for symphonic chorus and symphony orchestra
Voicing(s): SATB (Divisi)
Vocal Range ( ) and Tessitura ( ):
Text Source: Leaves of Grass,
Walt Whitman Language(s): English
Text: I. Proud music of the storm! Proud music of the storm! Blast that careers so free, whistling across the prairies! Strong hum of forest tree-tops! Wind of the mountains! Personified dim shapes! You hidden orchestras! You serenades of phantoms, with instruments alert, Blending, with Nature’s rhythmus, all the tongues of nations; You chords left us by vast composers! You choruses! You formless, free, religious dances! You from the Orient! You undertone of rivers, roar of pouring cataracts; You sounds from distant guns, with galloping cavalry! Echoes of camps, with all the different bugle-calls! Trooping tumultuous, filling the midnight late, bending me powerless, Entering my lonesome slumber-chamber — Why have you seiz’d me.
II. Come forward, O my Soul Come forward, O my Soul, and let the rest retire; Listen— lose not— it is toward thee I tend; Parting the midnight, entering my slumber-chamber, O Soul.
III. A festival song! A festival song! For thee I sing and dance, With lips of love, and hearts of lovers, filled to the brim with love: The red-flush’d cheeks, and perfumes– the cortege swarming, full of friendly faces,
IV. Tutti! for Earth and Heaven! Tutti! For Earth and Heaven! The Almighty Leader now for me, for once has signal’d with his wand. Thou knowest, Soul, how to me all sounds became music; My mother’s voice, in lullaby or hymn;
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œbœ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#
Bass TenorAlto Soprano
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œbœ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#
Bass TenorAlto Soprano
? œ œ œ œ& œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œBass Tenor Alto Soprano
172
Text: To flutes’ clear notes, and sounding harps’ cantabile. The tongues of violins! (I think, O tongues, ye tell this heart that cannot tell itself.) The manly strophe of the husbands of the world, And all the wives responding. The strong base stands, Bathing, supporting, merging all the rest — Maternity of all the rest; And with it every instrument in multitudes, The measureless, sweet vocalists of ages, The players playing—all the world’s musicians, And for their solvent setting, Of winds and woods and mighty ocean waves, A new composite orchestra —binder of years and climes.
O tender voices — memory’s loving voices; All shapes of beauty, grace and strength—all hues we know, And you, sweet singers of old lands— Soprani! Tenori! Bassi! Give me to hold all sounds, Fill me with all the voices of the universe, Utter — pour in — for I would take them all.
Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 Bb clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 F horns, 2 C trumpets, 2 trombones, timpani, percussion, harp, violin 1, violin 2, viola, violoncello, contrabass (double bass)
Essential Features:
• Poetic text: powerful, poetic writing complements the choral-orchestral setting (symphony of sound) • Musical setting: the embodiment of music, optimism and virtuous wonders of the human spirit (Chatman
2004b) • Musical features: modal scalar patterns, pandiatonicism, bitonality, use of thirds & sixths between
voices/instruments, stepwise voice leading • Tone colour/dynamics: full spectrum of choral-orchestral tone colours, wide dynamic range
General Vocal and Technical Demands (Singers), e.g. melodic and rhythmic complexity; phrasing, endurance; diction; articulation; intonation, etc.:
• Wide vocal range: vocal flexibility is required in order to sing in all ranges • Breath control: excellent breath control is needed; stagger breathing (certain passages) • Word painting: textual details require specific attention in preparation and performance
General Instrumental and Technical Demands (Orchestral Players):
• Solo passages: technically demanding instrumental solo passages • Balance: sensitivity to balance is especially required in tutti sections • Stamina: high levels of stamina are required to play long, demanding phrases (e.g. brass) • Articulation: precise, clear articulations are required consistently
Other Comments:
• Performance level: high level amateur, university or professional choir; university or professional orchestra
• Showpiece for chorus and orchestra: high demands are placed on both singers and players; writing is well conceived.
• Performing forces: large performing forces are required (choral and orchestra); not feasible to perform with small ensembles (technical and sonic demands)
173
Appendix G: A Song of Joys
Essential Facts and Features
Year of Composition: 2013-14 Difficulty Level: 4 Duration: 22' 15"
Publisher Information: E. C. Schirmer Music Company
Category of Work: Major work for 2 percussion soloists, symphonic chorus and symphony orchestra
Voicing(s): SATB (divisi)
Vocal Range ( ) and Tessitura ( ):
Text Source: Leaves of Grass,
Walt Whitman Language(s): English
Text: I. A Song of Joys O to make the most jubilant song! Full of music— full of manhood, Womanhood, infancy! O the mother’s joys! The watching, the endurance, the precious love, O to realize space! To emerge and be of the sky, of the sun and moon and flying clouds, as one with them. Knowst thou the excellent joys of youth? Joys of the dear companions and of the merry word and laughing face? Joy of the glad light-beaming day, joy of the wide-breath’d games? Joy of sweet music, joy of the lighted ball-room and the dancers? Joy of the plenteous dinner, strong carouse and drinking?
O to make the most jubilant song! Full of music—full of manhood, womanhood, infancy! O for the sunshine and motion of waves in a song! O to have life henceforth a poem of new joys! To dance, clap hands, exult, shout, skip, leap, roll on, float on! To be a sailor of the world bound for all ports, A swift and swelling ship full of rich words, full of joys.
II. Shine! shine! shine! Shine! shine! shine! Pour down your warmth, great sun! While we bask, we two together. Winds blow south, or winds blow north, Day comes white, or night come black, Hope, or rivers and mountains from home,
III. One Hour to Madness and Joy! Timpani and Percussion Soli and orchestra Chorus tacet
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œbœ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#
Bass TenorAlto Soprano
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œbœ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ#
Bass TenorAlto Soprano
? œb œ œ œb& œ œ œ œ
œb œ œ œœb œ œ œbBass Tenor Alto Soprano
174
Singing all time, minding no time, While we two keep together. IV. Song of the Universal Come said the Music, Sing me a song no poet yet has chanted, Sing me the universal. All, all for immortality, Love like the light silently wrapping all, The blossoms, fruits of ages, orchards divine and certain, Give me O God to sing that thought, Give him or her I love this quenchless faith In Thy ensemble, whatever else withheld in Time and Space, Health, peace, salvation universal.
V. I dance with the dancers Timpani and Percussion soli and orchestra Chorus tacet
VI. O Sun of Real Peace O Sun of real peace! O hastening light! O free and extatic! O the sun of the world will ascend, dazzling, O so amazing and broad—up there resplendent, darting and burning! O vision prophetic, stagger’d with weight of light! With pouring glories! Visions of poets! only you really last! sweep on! sweep on! O heights too swift and dizzy yet!
VII. With the love of comrades My spirit to yours dear brother, I do not sound your name, but I understand you, I specify you with joy O my comrade to salute you, We few equals indifferent of lands, indifferent of times; We, enclosers of all, Yet we walk unheld, free, the whole earth over, The dear love of man for his comrade, With the love of comrades, With the life-long love of comrades.
Instrumentation: Orchestral Instruments: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in Bb, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns in F, 2 trumpets in C, 3 trombones, violin 1, violin 2, viola, violoncello, contrabass Percussion Solo Part No.1/Timpani (although this is labelled “timpani” in the score, the timpani player must also play a wide variety of other percussion instruments): timpani, Balinese gongs, snare drum, suspended cymbal, orchestral bells, metal wind chimes, crotales (bowed on timpani), 2 bongo drums, 2 congas, chimes) Percussion Solo Part No.2 (this is the part that is labelled “percussion” on the score): timpani, Balinese gongs, drum kit (snare drum, bass drum, 2 toms, floor tom, 2 suspended cymbals), xylophone (bowed), orchestral bells, triangle, 4 temple blocks, 4 large paint cans, 2 metal pipes or bell plates, 8 roto-toms 4 concert toms), triangle, large tam-tam (36”-40”)
175
Essential Features: • Musical parallels with Beethoven’s 9th: composed as companion piece; similar scoring (except for
percussion instrumentation), celebrates humanity and the spirit of love (Whitman’s text) (Chatman, email, September 19, 2019)
• Equally important musical roles: percussion soloists, chorus and other orchestral instruments • Unique scoring: unusual percussion instruments e.g. Balinese gongs and paint cans
General Vocal and Technical Demands (Singers), e.g. melodic and rhythmic complexity; phrasing, endurance; diction; articulation; intonation, etc.:
• Wide range • Breathing and endurance demands: stagger breathing is required (several sections); extended periods of
singing in the upper vocal ranges • Unusual choral-orchestral demands: a cappella passages; ability to successfully match pitch with
Balinese gongs (unstable pitch created by overtones)
General Instrumental and Technical Demands (Orchestral Players): • Percussion soloists (2): proficiency on multiple percussion instruments is required • Technical challenges: technically challenging solo passages throughout the piece. • Endurance challenges: extended playing in upper ranges (e.g. finale of the last movement); trumpet
players face particularly high demands (stamina). • Balance: prominent use of percussion instruments places additional challenges on the chorus and
orchestra
Other Comments: • Performance level: university, professional (chorus and orchestra) • Performability: unusual percussion instruments are required, specialized orchestral instruments (e.g.
contrabassoon); impractical for the average amateur organization
176
Flow Chart Analyses of Proud Music of the Storm and A Song of Joys (Appendices H-R)
Subheadings used on analyses charts
Form/Phrasing: Traditional musical forms, as well as non-traditional musical structures are clearly delineated into sections by bar number. Phrasing is organized according to the total number of bars per structural section, as well as the number of bars per musical phrase. Overall musical form/structure is identified beside the first subheading for each movement of each piece.
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm: Tempo markings are as indicated on the score. Metrical changes are specified where they occur in each section of each piece. Relevant rhythmic characteristics are noted where appropriate.
Pitch: Melody & Harmony: Relevant details are noted that pertain to the key/tonality, melodic shape/movement, scale/scalar patterns, harmonization, chord structure, pedal tones, pandiatonicism, and the use of motif.
Orchestration/Choral Writing & Texture: Highlights of the orchestral writing/instrumentation, choral writing, and word painting are described in these sections of the tables found in appendices H-R. Details pertaining to the musical texture are noted where they are relevant.
Style: Stylistic indications/markings on the scores by the composer are in quotation marks. The general musical style is described according to the predominant musical character of each section of each piece.
Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings: Dynamic markings, articulation markings and other relevant markings (as they are printed on the score) are noted for each section of each piece. General descriptions of the expressive language are included where it is applicable.
Choral-orchestral abbreviations
CHORUS (chor) ORCHESTRA (orch)
Soprano=S Woodwinds (ww) Brass (brass)
Alto=A Piccolo=pic French horn=hn
Tenor=T Flute=fl Trumpet=tpt
Bass=B Oboe=ob Trombone=tbn
177
Choral-orchestral abbreviations
Percussion (perc) Woodwinds (ww, cont.) Strings
Bass drum=bd Clarinet=cl Violin=vln
Bongos=bon Bassoon=bn Viola=vla
Cymbal(s)=cym Contrabassoon=cbsn Cello=vc
Castanets=cast Double Bass (Contrabass)=db
Congas=con Harp=hp
Crotales=crot
Drum kit/set=dmkt Other Abbreviations
Marimba=mar Accelerando=accel Movement=mvt
Orchestral bells=orch bell Accompaniment=accomp Recapitulation=recap
Roto-toms=roto Continued=cont’d Ritardando=rit
Snare drum=sd Development=dev Section=sn
Suspended cymbal=sus cym Divisi=div Theme=th
Tubular bells/chimes=t. bells Especially=esp Versus=vs
Temple blocks=tpl bl Introduction=intro
Vibraphone=vib Instruments=insts
Woodblock=wdbl Inversion=inv
Xylophone=xyl
178
Appendix H: Flow Chart Analysis, Proud Music of the Storm: Movement I
Bar No. bars 1-20 bars 21-31 bars 32-48 bars 49-62
Form/Phrasing (A, A', B, Coda)
A Section (Section1) 14 bars: 4 + 6 + 4
A Section (Section 2) 11 bars: 5 + 6
A' Section (Section 3) 17 bars: 3 + 5 + 5 + 4
A' Section (Section 4) 14 bars: 6 + 4 + 4
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
♩=144-152, 4/4 -steady 8th note patterns, quarter, dotted quarter, half, whole notes/rests -syncopation, ties
-continuous 8th note patterns (orchestra) -steadier quarter note pulse (chor)
-syncopated off-beat rhythms return (half notes and ties) -steady quarter note pulse -canonic figures: 8th note scalar patterns persist
-4/4, 2/4 -8th note patterns continue with contrasting off-beat syncopation - bar 62: one measure of rest clears the air for new material
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-D Dorian -scalar patterns (3rds, 6ths) -pandiatonicism, D pedal - E minor 7th chord: 2nd dissonance highlights the word “strong” (text painting)
-B Dorian with B pedal -continued scalar patterns (3rds & 6ths) - F major (1st inv) chord ends the section
-D Dorian with D pedal -scalar patterns in 3rds continue -melodic lines are paired for canon: i.e. S/A vs T/B -ostinato in accompaniment -bar 48: pandiatonicism: E minor 7th chord adds interest. Use of text painting highlights the word “strong”
-B Dorian with B pedal -pandiatonicism: harmonic language adds interest: e.g. B minor 9 th /11th chords -parallel harmonies & shift in the mode
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-full orch & chor -homophonic -trills & tremolo (str), glissandi (hp), punctuation/accents (perc) -steady scalar patterns (orch) vs offbeat stress (chor) emphasizes the text
-canonic texture (chor) with doubling by orch -scalar patterns continue -full orchestration continues -increased use of tremolo (str) -timp anchors the off-beat rhythmic syncopation
-3 bars of orchestral interlude followed by a choral entry. -texture is both homophonic and canonic - vla parts: tremolo - hp: one-octave glissandi -timp and bass pedals continue to anchor the rhythm and harmony
-homophonic texture -continued development of melodic ideas in choral-orchestral parts: added dissonances e.g. 2nds, 9ths -B pedal (db) lays down a rhythmic foundation for the entire choral-orchestral ensemble -increased use of tremolo scalar patterns (str)
Style “Very fast, with energy” Linear, contrasting canonic lines
Energetic, rhythmic style with contrasting linear canonic lines
Energetic, rhythmic style continues
179
Bar No. bars 1-20 bars 21-31 bars 32-48 bars 49-62
Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings
-f, ff -marcato, detached -accents
-ff -legato markings
-f, ff -marcato
-ff
Bar No. bars 63-71 bars 72-75 bars 76-81 bars 82-94 bars 95-120
Form/Phrasing B Section (Section 5) 9 bars: 4 + 5
B' Section (Section 6) 4 bars
B' Section (Section 7) 6 bars
B' Section (Section 8) 13 bars: 4 + 6 + 3
Coda (Section 9): 26 bars 2 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 5 + 3 + 4
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
-4/4 -homorhythmic notation (chor): quarter rests followed by steady quarters vs. persistent 8th note scalar patterns
-quarter notes/rests whole note, tie -rising quarter note accompaniment line along with 8th note patterns
-8th note patterns continue with quarter notes and ties mixed in for rhythmic interest
-4/4, 5/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4 -continuation of previous rhythmic thrust leading to strong cadential points (whole notes and full measure rests)
-4/4, -increasingly persistent 8th notes -“Reveille” rhythm (tpt) -brief whole, quarter/half rests between entries -tied whole notes and fermata at the end of the movement
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-B Major/Ionian -inner voices (chor) create harmonic interest -B major 11th chord creates interest
-G Lydian -stepwise motion in all parts is crucial to harmonic voice leading -V-I cadence leads to a G major chord -homophonic
-B Major/Ionian -ascending lines begin on varying degrees of the scale -texture is much more canonic in both chor and orch
-G major -canonic (3rds & 6ths) -orch doubles chor -continued stepwise melodic movement -cadence: full measure rest clears way for new material
- D major -increased use of 3rds & 6ths (chor and orch) -bars 114-119: parallel triads over a D pedal create interest -D major/E minor final chord is dissonant and ambiguous: creates expectation of more music to come
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-homophonic/ homorhythmic texture: accentuates/stresses the choral text - brass section: canonic figures - str: tremolo figures are removed
- homorhythmic: string and ww parts move together with the chorus - homophonic -continued canonic figures (brass) add melodic and rhythmic interest above the texture
-canonic/polyphonic: many interweaving lines -tremolo reappears in string orchestration -orchestral instruments double the choral parts
-canonic -continuous, interacting melodic lines with orch doubling chor serve as a text painting tool: “you undertone of “rivers, of pouring cataracts.”
-gradual buildup to the powerful ending of this movement: str play first (tremolo), chor and ww are added, then brass and perc -text painting (“echoes of camps”): canonic writing -text painting: bugle calls in canon (tpt) -timp/cym rolls on final chord
180
Bar No. bars 63-71 bars 72-75 bars 76-81 bars 82-94 bars 95-120 -timp: maintains pedal -db: stepwise movement
-text is repetitive throughout this section
-orchestral bells add colour
Style Increasingly articulated Increasing intensity Maintaining intensity/interest
Very busy/intense Powerful finale to the movement
Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings
-ff -Accents, marcato
-ff -legato melodic lines
-f, p, < -legato, paired slurs
-p, mf, <, f -legato, marcato, paired slurs
-p, poco a poco cresc., mp, <, mf, <, mf, <, f, <, ff, <. fff -fermata is held for 3”- 4” -Attacca to next movement
181
Appendix I: Flow Chart Analysis, Proud Music of the Storm: Movement II
Bar No. bars 1-10 bars 11-24 bars 25-27 bars 28-37 Form/Phrasing (ABB', Coda)
Introduction 10 bars 4+ 4+2
A Section 14 bars 2+8+4
Interlude 3 bars
3
B Section 10 bars
4+6 Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
♩=63-66 -3/4, 4/4, 3/4, 4/4 -quarter, half, dotted half notes/rests
-4/4, 3/4, 4/4, 3/4 -quarter, half, dotted half notes/rests, ties prevail throughout the movement
-similar
♩=69: Slightly faster -4/4 -quarter rests are added to emphasize text -poco rit. with direct movement to B’ section
Pitch: Key, Melody & Harmony
-Gb Major -Motive X introduced -Harmony in 3rds,5ths -IV7-V, vi7-IV7-IV-I progressions
-Motive X repeats (chor & orch) -orchestra doubles choral parts - stepwise melodic lines in thirds -Gb major: IV plus added 9th moving to V chord): progression creates expectation
-pivot chord transition: iii of Gb major= vi in Db major
-Db major -continued stepwise melodies in thirds -canonic writing: answering melodies between eight choral parts with orchestral doubling
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-orch only: orchestration is light: str, ww, hp, hn -homophonic
- homophonic/homorhythmic: Writing for chor and orch is very simple -canonic phrases develop melodically -light doubling of chor (by orch)
-orch only -homo-rhythmic
- orch is more independent from the chor (canonic writing), and is not doubling the chor all the time -canon moves the text forward
Style “Spiritually” -Choral singing requires a very warm tone quality
-Very sensitive
-canonic writing emphasizes the text: “listen, lose not”
Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings
-p -legato
-p, <. mp, < mf, >p -continued legato style -stagger breathing (choir)
p -pp, p, >
182
Proud Music of the Storm: Movement II (cont’d)
Bar No. bars 38-51 bars 52 -57 bars 58-69 Form
B' Section: 14 bars 7+7
Transition: 6 bars 4+2
A'/ Coda: 12 bars 2 + 4 + 6
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
♩=63-66 (Tempo primo) -4/4, simple rhythmic style lyrical, rhythmic style continues
-steady movement: forward direction culminates with two bars of cadence
-4/4, 2/4. 4/4 -slow harmonic rhythm -Last five bars: long tie (choral parts)
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-Db major: sequencing through various keys -sequences in choral parts highlight the repeated text: “the night,” and “midnight”
-Db major chord becomes V of Gb major (modulation to Gb major)
-Gb major: restatement of opening ideas using the same text -Cadence: IV9, V, I (Gb major)
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-homophonic choral writing: intricate, ornamental sixteenth note solos (ob, hp)
-less ornate ww solos -sustained accompaniment -homophonic
-homophonic -stagger breathing (chor): long note values -simple canons at a slow tempo
Style Meditative and Colourful (Ornamental solos) -peaceful mood reflects the text: “O Soul”
-peaceful mood persists: repetition of the text, “O Soul”
Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings
-p, mf (solos) -slurred 16th -note sextuplets/septuplets (solos) - plucked harp strings provide contrast to legato musical lines
mp, p, >, pp, -slurs, ties
-p, <, mp, cresc, poco f, mp, dim. >, pp -brief quarter note rest breaks emphasize the repeated text
183
Appendix J: Flow Chart Analysis, Proud Music of the Storm: Movement III
Bar No. bars 1-7 bars 8-21 bars 22-30 bars 31-57 bars 58-63
Form/Phrasing (Sonata-Allegro: Intro, Th1, Th2, Dev, Recap)
Introduction 7 bars 3+4
Theme 1 14 bars 10 + 4
Interlude 9 bars 5 + 4
Theme 1 26 bars
4 + 4 + 3 + 3 + 4 + 4 + 4
Transition 6 bars 3 + 3
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
♩=76-80 -3/4 time (in 1) -quarter, dotted quarter, half, 8th notes/rests
-Motive X rhythmic figure -Addition of moving 8th note scalar passages
-fast, 8th note scalar passages -repeated 8ths -triplets (str) -32nd flourishes (hp)
-continued fast tempo -fast scalar passages and repeated 8ths
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-C major -Motive X in 3rds (faster variant)
-harmonic 3rds -scalar passages starting on second and fourth degree of C major (Dorian/Lydian flavour)
-scalar, 3rds -alternating chords: C#min7th & Dmaj7th
-scalar passages on varying degrees of C major scale in thirds -C major modulates to E major
--D Locrian -Ab, Bb, A minor 7th, G 9th chords
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-full orchestra - Motive X (tpt) -canonic
-chor echoes the brass fanfare singing Motive X (3rds) -str/ww scalar passages are juxtaposed with Motive X -canonic
-orchestral interlude -scalar flourishes -brass fanfares -homophonic
-continued canonic development of Motive X (chor with orchestral doubling) -scalar flourishes (str, ww) -BD, timp & cym punctuate
-scalar flourishes with punctuation from alternating chords
Style “Fast with energy”; fanfare
Festive atmosphere is implied by text and orchestration
Festive, dramatic, flourishes
Continued development of dramatic festive atmosphere
Flourishes
Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings
-f -detached/ accented
-f -detachment and accents continue
-f -detached -slurred triplets -glissando (hp)
-f -articulations are primarily detached
-f -detached, “punctuating”
184
Proud Music of the Storm: Movement III (cont’d)
Bar No. bars 64-96 bars 97-102 bars 103-205 bars 206-210 bars 211-233 & 234-254
Form
Theme 2 29 bars
10 + 3 + 7 + 4 + 5
Transition 6 bars
Development: 103 bars 3 + 7 + 9 + 4 + 4 + 3 + 4 + 3 + 8 + 3 + 4 + 2 + 5 + 3 + 6 + 8 + 11 + 5 + 2 + 4 +
5
Transition 5 bars
Recapitulation & Coda 25 + 17 bars
Recap= 4 + 7 + 4 + 6 + 2 + 4 Coda=4 + 3 + 10
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
-repeated quarters, 8ths, 8th triplets, 32nds (hp)
-Similar to interlude from bars 22-30
-3/4. 6/8, 3/4, 6/8. 3/4, 6/8, 3/4, 6/8 -long held, tied notes -“on-the-beat” vs “off-the-beat & steady 8th notes vs longer rhythms -6/8 (chor) juxtaposed with 3/4 (orch) - galloping 6/8 rhythm & frequent contrast in rhythms creates interest
- rhythmic juxtaposition: 6/8 (chor) & 3/4 (orch) -quarter/8th rhythm vs steady 8ths/ dotted half
-3/4 -8th note scalar passages - quarter, dotted quarter, half, 8th notes/rests, 32nds (hp) -tied notes -repeated 8ths & triplets -sustained tied halves at ending
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-E minor (Aeolian) - chords related by 3rds -harmonic 2nds, 4ths, 7ths, added 6ths, -ascending melodic lines create 4ths -harmonic 3rds and open 5ths
-unison scalar passage (D Locrian) -block, parallel chords: Ab+, Bb+, C+, D+, E+, F#+
-E Lydian harmonized in 3rds -D major (6/8) in 3rds -bar 140: rising soprano C scalar passage primarily in whole tones -bar150: sustained melodic motive in T/B parts doubled by tbn -D# Aeolian, F# Dorian (C# pedal), A minor (A pedal), F major (F pedal) (7ths, 9ths)
-pandiatonic harmony: F major 7th & 9th chords - mild canon
-Clear return to C major -scalar passages within C major (Dorian/Lydian flavour) in 3rds -similar melodic/harmonic ideas as at the beginning of the movement. -Movement ends with an extended first inversion (I-6) chord in C+ (non-final)
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-repeated ostinato in str and ww parts changes to a detached, triplet rhythm -primarily homophonic -tpt & tbn interject with short rhythmic triplet motives in 3rds -insistent, detached rhythm allows text to come through
-orchestral interlude -scalar flourishes -brass fanfares -homophonic
-building tension: addition of scalar ww/str passages and instruments such as brass, hp, timp as tension increases -full orch: festive, forte passages -homophonic writing contrasting with canonic writing -bars 103-121: descant (s1): rising, sustained melodic line contrasts with other moving choral parts -tpt flourishes create interest
-full orch with chor including perc & hp -homophonic -canonic features
-full orch & chor -tpt fanfares (3rds) -32nd flourishes/glissandi (hp) -perc accentuation (esp timp & sus cym) -sustained ww trills -drum rolls & str tremolo on last note - chor: upper range singing -sustained diphthong [aɪ] with an open tendency is used for the last word, “climes”
185
Bar No. bars 64-96 bars 97-102 bars 103-205 bars 206-210 bars 211-233 & 234-254
Style Excitement generated through contrasts
Festive Building tension/excitement Approaching climax
Festive Finale
Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings
- p, mp, >, <, f, ff -staccato, accents, slurs, detachment
- <, ff, mp - slurred pairs, detached
-f, ff, mf -p,<, mp, <, f, >, mp, <, f, <, ff -detachment, slurs, “bouncy gallop” -Punctuating accents in orchestral accompaniment
-f < ff -primarily detached
-ff, f, ff, mp <, mf, <, ff -primarily detached -sustained notes (esp. last notes)
186
Appendix K: Flow Chart Analysis, Proud Music of the Storm: Movement IV
Bar No. bars 1-19 bars 20-24
Form/Phrasing (Overall= A + Solo, B, Coda)
A Section 19 bars
3 + 3 + 2 + 4
Solo Section (soprano, alto/soprano, baritone) 5 bars
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
♩= 52-54, ♩= 60-63 (slightly faster) -4/4, 5/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 5/4, 2/4, 4/4 - straightforward quarter, half, and dotted half notes, quarter rests, ties
-4/4: sustained, tied whole notes (orch accomp) - Solos (3): quarter, half, dotted half, whole notes
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-D major -voice leading drives the harmony, use of passing 6/4 chords -bass pedals (D, B, G): 7th & 9th chords generated through voice leading
- sustained E-11th chord (ii-11th) with an E pedal in orch part (5 bars) - 3 vocal solo parts: pentatonic mode
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-effective word painting through the use of full orchestra on the word “tutti” -homophonic textures: choral parts move homorhythmically -bar 13: chorus predominates: thin, sustained orchestral accomp
-solo entries in canon above a sustained orchestral chord -light accompaniment: str, ww, hp, and chimes
Style “Slow, fateful, glorious,” sustained Childlike innocence, lullaby Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, markings
-fff, f, < p, > -very legato, lyrical, sustained musical style -stagger breathing indicated in choral parts
-mp, pp, > -“floating”
Bar No. bars 25-40 bars 41-54
Form/Phrasing B Section 16 bars
7 + 6 + 3
Coda Section 14 bars
3 + 3 + 4 + 2 + 2
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
♩= 58-60: 6/4, with rit. at the end of the section, 3/4 -steady quarter note pulse/movement with forward momentum
-a tempo: 6/4, 3/4, 6/4, 3/4, 6/4, 3/4, 6/4, 3/4, 6/4 -quarter note pulse alternates with dotted quarter syncopation (3/4) ending on a dotted whole note
Pitch: Melody & Harmony -stepwise melodic motion: movement in thirds (orch & chor) -voice leading drives harmony: key centre starting in D+, A+, B+, Eb Lydian, A+ returns to cadence in the home key of D+
- Motive X recap. played by cl, fl/picc, ob, vln, hn, off-stage tpt. over a D pedal -IV6 to I cadence (D+) over a D pedal
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-chor is doubled by str at the beginning of this section. As the dynamic and tension builds, ww, then brass and hp are added (no perc)
-stepwise movement: 3rds continue (chor) highlighted by Motive X solos (insts)
187
Bar No. bars 25-40 bars 41-54
Style “Slightly slower with ever increasing intensity” Peaceful, meditative, settling mood
Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings
-pp, cresc. poco a poco, mf (intense), f, ff, >, f, mf, >, p -very legato, flowing lines: stagger breathing (chor)
-p, pp, > -flowing and increasingly sustained -fermata on the last note of the work
188
Appendix L: Flow Chart Analysis: A Song of Joys: Movement I
Bar No. bars 1-25 bars 26-33 bars 34-42 bars 43-46 bars 47-52 bars 53-61 bars 62-69 bars 70-81
Form/Phrasing (Stanza 1, Stanza 2, Stanza 3 [Recap], Coda)
Stanza 1: Section 1
22 bars 4+4+3+3+4+4
Stanza 1: Section 2 17 bars
4+4+4+3+2
Stanza 1: Section 3 10 bars
4+ 6
Stanza 1: Section 4
4 bars
Stanza 2: Section 5
6 bars
Stanza 2: Section 6
9 bars 4+5
Stanza 2: Section 7
6 bars
Stanza 2: Section 8 12 bars 4+4+4
Duration: Metre, Rhythm Tempo: = 88 very fast
-2/2 steady 8th note patterns -half, quarter, dotted quarter, quarter rests, ties -syncopation -slower, steady rhythm in pedal - elaborate 16ths (perc)
-pedal rhythm continues (dotted quarters plus 8th rest) -sustained ties mixed with quarters/8ths - elaborate rhythms (perc)
-similar rhythms persist: more variety/ syncopation -pedal rhythm persists -interaction between 2 soloists
-variety in syncopation e.g. dotted quarter/8ths introduced -pedal persists - increased rhythmic complexity (perc solos)
-variety in rhythm (chor) -steady 8th note tremolo (str) -driving rhythm
-steady 8th notes persist (orch) -chor maintains steady, syncopated pulse -rhythmic tremolo (str)
-tremolo (str) -syncopation: ww doubles chor -perc soloists trade off 16ths vs 8th note patterns
-brass entry: 8th note patterns -chor and remainder of orch sing/play syncopated off-beat figures
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-D Lydian -D Dorian -D pedal: timp moves between D & A - canonic scalar patterns
-A Aeolian -A pedal -use of 6ths & 3rds creates 7th chords -scalar
-E Dorian -E pedal -6ths & 3rds continue -stepwise voice leading
-F# Aeolian -F# pedal -parallel triads -short motives
-C Dorian -C pedal -lowered “flats” introduced into tonality
-E Dorian -voice leading creates chords via stepwise mvt, 3rds
-Ab Lydian -Ab to Eb (DB, bsn) -motives starting on different beats (orch)
-D Dorian -D pedal -canonic scalar patterns (accomp)
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-full orch and chor -canonic/ homophonic: off-beat rhythms - 2 timp players
-choral parts: homorhythmic -continued canon in orch -timp soloists interact
-sustained high A (S) while other voices move in 3rds -canonic activity in orch
-tremolos create excitement/text painting: “joys of youth”
- text painting: tremolos (str): “joys of dear companions” -brass in canon -off-beats
-brass don’t play -canons (ww) -pedal (hn & db) -melodic choral lines
-chor is more prominent: brass don’t play -16th note interjections (2nd timp)
-canonic brass return to texture -homo-rhythmic choral lines
Style “Very fast, jubilantly”
Joyful Expressive Youthful Joy Light of Day Joyous Musical Joy Social Joy
44 w ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ jœ œ jœ œ œ œ
Score
189
Bar No. bars 1-25 bars 26-33 bars 34-42 bars 43-46 bars 47-52 bars 53-61 bars 62-69 bars 70-81
Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings
-f -marcato
-f -f -f -f -mp, cresc poco a poco, mf
-p -f
Bar No. bars 82-102 bars 103-110 bars 111-119 bars 120-123 124-129 130-133 134-138 bars 139-160
Form/Phrasing *bars= bars
Stanza 3 Section 1’
21 bars 4+3+3+4+3+4
Stanza 3: Section 2’
8 bars 4+4
Stanza 1: Section 3’
13 bars 4+2+3+4
Stanza 3: Section 4’
4 bars 4
Stanza 3: Section 5’
6 bars 3 + 3
Stanza 3: Section 6’
4 bars 4
Stanza 3: Section 7’
5 bars 5
Coda 22 bars
3+3+2+2+3+6+3
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
-chor/orch: continued syncopation/8th notes -perc soloists interact (8th & 16th notes: emphasis placed on 16ths)
-rhythmic texture continues as previously
-similar rhythmic flavour -variety: various tonal levels
=92 -a little faster -str: return of rhythmic tremolo figures
-canonic rhythmic figures (brass), with contrasting canonic rhythms (perc)
-steady 8th tremolo continues in strings with addition of ww
-syncopated brass entry added to texture -8th note pulse and syncopation continue
- distinct rhythmic motives derived from previous material (each orchestral section) & which are treated canonically -additive process
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-D Lydian -D Dorian -D pedal -brass: return of scalar patterns from the start
-A Aeolian -A pedal -canonic scalar patterns continue
-E Dorian -E pedal -6ths & 3rds -stepwise movement
-F# Aeolian -F# pedal -parallel triads -short motives
-C Dorian -C pedal -return of flats to tonality
-E Dorian -E pedal -3rds & 6ths
-F Lydian -F pedal -3rds, 6ths, motives, stepwise movement
-A Phrygian to D major (last chord) -canons one beat apart - v-11th- to I cadence in D Major
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-ascending, canonic brass passages -homorhythmic chor parts
-polyphonic rhythms between perc soloists
-emphatic statements (chor) highlighted by rests
-timp solos vs duets -divisi choral parts
-high G sustained (S) -text painting: “joys”
-sustained pedal (hn) -remaining brass out as gradual
-ww and brass entry -gradual build-up to the ending continues
-continual build-up to a big final, sustained chord -two timp roll together on unison D pitches
44 w ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ jœ œ jœ œ œ œ
Score
190
Bar No. bars 82-102 bars 103-110 bars 111-119 bars 120-123 124-129 130-133 134-138 bars 139-160 build-up to end starts
Style Legato choral lines contrasting with detached playing
Joy of Life Dancing, Clapping, Shouting, Exultation
-Building Excitement
Continued build-up of tension
Gradual Building
-Continued build-up towards the ending
Climatic and a big finish to the first movement
Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings
-f -legato (chor) vs. detachment (orch)
-f -f -f -f -mp, cresc. poco a poco
-mf, f -p, poco a poco accelerando e crescendo, mp, mf, f, ff
191
Appendix M: Flow Chart Analysis, A Song of Joys: Movement II
Bar No. bars 1-11 bars 12-19
Form/Phrasing (ABA'B')
Introduction, A Section (a + b): 11 bars Intro: 2 + a: 4 + b: 3+2
B Section (c + d): 9 bars c: 5 + d: 4
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
= 48-50 (♩=96-100), 3/2 -basic note values: quarter, half, dotted half, whole, dotted half notes/rests, ties -ritardando, a tempo, poco ritardando
-a tempo, ritardando, fermata -d: Slower: �=88 -fermata followed by a rest to clear the air to set up the return to A
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-Ab major moves to Db to Ab major through stepwise motion and 3rds -pandiatonicism (7ths) -cadences: V-I (Db Major). vii6 to I-9 (Ab major)
-pandiatonic: Gb major 9th -continued ascending stepwise motion in thirds leading to cadences -c: cadences on a polychord: C minor 9th (pandiatonicism) -d: Ab major leads to cadence on pandiatonic chord: F minor 11th
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
- Soloists play Balinese gongs (tremolo 4ths/5ths) -chor in 3rds: A/T vs S/B: doubling by orch -homophonic: movement upwards by step
- melody ascends through stepwise progression, and range increases: voices and instruments are at the upper end of their range -increasing dynamics and thickening orchestral texture through addition of ww followed by brass. Balinese gongs play throughout - bars 16-19: a cappella chor
Style “Gently flowing” Rubato
Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings
-p, >, mp, >, p, > -Stagger breathing
-p, poco a poco cresc, f, p, pp -fermata chord followed by rest with fermata prior to the start of the next section
44 w ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ jœ œ jœ œ œ œ
Score
192
A Song of Joys: Movement II (cont’d)
Bar No. bars 20-30 bars 31-41
Form/Phrasing A' Section (a' + b'): 10 bars A': 4 + b': 4 + 2
B' Section (c' + d'): 11 bars c': 5 + d': 2 + 4
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
-tempo primo, rit, a tempo, poco rit, a tempo, poco rit a tempo, rit
-a tempo -d’: Slower: ♩=88, ritard poco a poco al fine, fermata
Pitch: Melody & Harmony -Ab major to Db major (V-I cadence), F minor (pandiatonic), D major ((IV6-I) cadence, C minor -repeat of upward stepwise progression from the start
-Gb major, bar 35: C minor 9th polychord cadence (same as bar 16), C minor 7th cadence - final cadence: ii7, V, I on Eb major chord (Bb [V]to Eb [I] played by Balinese gongs) -stepwise progression to high register: resolution in mid-register
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-melodic progression as at the start of the piece -gongs continue as before adding to the tone colour -bar 29: a cappella choir -increasing/decreasing orchestral forces for loud/soft
-a cappella chor starts the section: gradual addition of str, ww and brass. -bar 37: vln solo supports high, sustained S (Bb-5) -Ending: very light string accompaniment plus Balinese gong rolls
Style Continued rubato Increasing tension followed by peaceful resolution
Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings
-p, >, pp, mp, cresc. poco a poco, mf, p, > -p, poco a poco cresc. p, > -stagger breathing
193
Appendix N: Flow Chart Analysis, A Song of Joys: Movement III
Bar No. bars 1-4 bars 5-9 bars 10-16 bars 17-29
Form/Phrasing Section 1 4 bars
Section 2 3 bars + 20"-30" (improv)
Section 3 7 bars: (3+4)
Section 4 16 bars: 4+4+4+4+improv
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
♩=132, 4/4 -virtuosic: 8th and 16th notes predominate
-dmkt improvises: 32nd/8th interjections (timp)
-16th scalar passages -accented, syncopated 8th note rhythm: perc interjections
♩=132, ♩=158, tempo primo ♩=132 -8th, dotted 8th & 16th notes -rhythmic motion is continuous
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-A major scalar patterns in contrary motion and parallel 3rds
-A to D# (timp) -non-pitched dmkt solo
-Bb Lydian - scalar patterns: contrary motion
-timp solo: G, Bb, Eb
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-solos: dmkt and timp -virtuosic, polyphonic scalar passages, double tonguing (brass)
-dmkt soloist improvises -scalar flourishes: double tonging and syncopation (brass) -interjections by perc
-timp: virtuosic solo with interjections from dmkt
Style “Fast” “Buddy Rich Style” drum solo Virtuosic Virtuosic Timpani Solo Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, markings
-ff, p, <, mf, <, ff -marcato, dmkt & timp are to improvise first measure
-At the performer’s liberty -ff, mf, p, <ff, p, ff, p, ff -marcato
-ff, p, <, ff, mp, <, ff etc. -p, cresc. poco a poco, ff, p, <, ff -accel poco a poco then tempo primo
194
A Song of Joys: Movement III (cont’d)
Bar No. bars 30-59 bars 60-72 bars 73-76
Form/Phrasing Section 5 (Development) 30 bars: 6+2+4+4+4+5(2+3)+5
Section 6 13 bars: 4+4+5
Section 7 30’improv + 2 bars
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
- very fast 16th scalar passages primarily: occasional sustained supporting notes
-poco accel, poco a poco with return of rhythmic, syncopated 8th motives
- timp and dmkt: improvised (16ths/8ths)
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-continued scalar patterns passing from one instrument to another e.g. G+, A-, Bb+, B+, Ab Lydian, Bb+, C+, D+, F#-, E-, F+, D+, E+, E-, C+, D+, C#-, C Phrygian, F+ etc.
-3rds along with 2nds (added dissonance) - improvised fills: timp & dmkt
-timp: G, Bb, Eb, E natural -final orchestral “shot” chord: tonic (I) in F major
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-various scalar fragments pass from one instrument to the next - soloist interjections: xylophone, sd, sus cym, timp
-climax of the section -orch: syncopated rhythm
-long brass note (second last measure) leads to a “shot” chord to conclude percussion solos
Style Highly technical with forward momentum Improv with Rhythmic Punctuation Improvisatory/Punctuating
Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings
-ff, p, <, f, mp, mf, <, f, ff -legato ww, articulated str (arco), detached brass with some flutter-tonguing, mutes, hard mallets/sticks
-ff, p, <mf, ff -very marcato
-ff -“virtuosic, wild, wilder, choke (last note)!”
195
Appendix O: Flow Chart Analysis, A Song of Joys: Movement IV
Bar No. bars 1-8 bars 9-20 bars 21-24 bars 25-30
Form/Phrasing: (Canonic)
Stanza 1: Canon 1 8 bars: 4 + 4
Stanza 1: Canon 2 12 bars: 6 +4 + 2
Stanza 1: Canon 3 12 bars: 4 + 6
Stanza 2: Canon 4 6 bars
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
♩=76, 4/4 -basic rhythms: quarter, dotted quarter, 8th, half, dotted half, whole notes/rests
-continued sustained metrical patterns: basic note values, sustained notes vs moving pulse
-steady rhythmic pulse continues as each voice/instrument part enters
-canonic entries on beat 2 (weak beat) -steady pulse continues as various parts enter
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-C minor: added 2nds, 6ths, 7ths -bitonal flavour: e.g. Db+ plus Ab+ chords = Db major 9th
-Db major -melodic lines: stepwise, 4ths, 5ths, 7ths -harmonic intervals: 2nds, 4ths, 6ths
-pandiatonicism/bitonality: F- vs C- (9ths created) -canonic melody contains a stepwise C minor scale pattern
-C minor moves toward C major -stepwise voice-leading
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-conversational/canonic: voices & insts pass melody from one to another -Soloists: mar, orch bells
-canonic -ww solos: provide anchor pitches for choral, canonic entries -str: double the chor
- solo or soli sopranos (X3) -orch bells: offbeat syncopation -str doubling, solo ww
- moving choral lines vs. sustained str, perc -sustained rolls (mar) and tremolo (str)
Style “As if floating” Floating movement continues Forward movement Relaxing, immortality Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings
-p, mf, > -ww solos -tremolo (str) and rolls (mar)
- mf, >, mf, >
-mp, >, mf, >
-mp, p, >, pp, p
196
A Song of Joys: Movement IV (cont’d)
Bar No. bars 31-35 bars 36-43 bars 44-50 bars 51-62
Form/Phrasing Stanza 2: Canon 5 5 bars
Stanza 2: Canon 6 8 bars: 3 + 5
Stanza 3: Canon 7 7 bars: 4 + 3
Stanza 3: Canon 8 12 bars: 5 + 5 + 2
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
- ties across barlines -32nd note solos
-quarter note triplets: w.w. solos -fermata/rest (pulse pauses)
-♩=60 -steady quarter note pulse
-steady quarter note rhythmic pulse -basic note values/rhythms (smallest units are quarter notes), ties
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-bitonality: elements of Db major and F minor in melodic lines (7ths)
-bitonality: e.g. Db-, plus Eb+ (7ths) -cadence on Eb major with open 5th (ambiguous)
-Bb minor -dissonant 2nds, 7ths
-C major: theme uses notes of C scale -dissonant intervals: 2nds, 4ths, 7ths - V-I cadence at the end of mvt
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-florid ww solos -wind chimes, mark tree
-continued colour: ww solos, chimes and mark tree -str double chor
-perc: bowed vib & crot, orch bells, sus cym - string quarter note tremolo: supports choral canon
- Mini-Fugue: canonic entries - orch doubles choral canon: str, bells & sus cym, adding ww, then brass as dynamic builds
Style Increasing Colour Movement arriving at a pause “Slower, ethereal” Building to a final cadence Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings
-mp, >, p, mp, > -gentle rustle (mark tree)
-mp, >, p
- p, cresc. poco a poco -p, cresc. poco a poco, mp, <, mf, <, f, <, ff
197
Appendix P: Flow Chart Analysis, A Song of Joys: Movement V
Bar No. bars 1-13 bars 14-25 Form/Phrasing (sn1, sn2, sn3, sn4)
Section 1 13 bars: 4 + 3 + 6
Section 2 12 bars: 4 + 3 + 5
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
♩=132-138, 4/4 -persistent 8th note pulse, quarter notes 8th note triplets, some syncopation. -intricate 16th notes and 16th triplets in percussion
- rhythmic ostinato: DB, bsn, cbsn -persistent 8th note pulse continues -brass: rhythmic solo motives: quarter triplets, 16th rhythmic figures, 8th triplets -perc: improvised rhythms (16ths, 32nds)
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-E minor moves to Bb Major -I-6 chord at start promotes instability - ostinato with 3rds -mild dissonances
-starting in G major with stepwise patterns in 3rds move away from sense of home key - db & cbsn: ostinato moves away from consistent tonal centre - non-pitched perc: increasing prominence
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-pizzicato strings -ww solo motives gradually increase in intensity -soloists: bon & tpl bl are very prominent - homophonic texture
- brass parts (muted tpts and stopped hns): solo motives/flourishes are increasingly technical: -str: tremolo -soloists: improvised congas, paint cans, metal drums add interest
Style “Fast” with continuous forward movement Continuing forward movement
Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings
-p, pp, <, P, mp, >, mf, > mf, < -marcato, slurs in ww solos, -one measure of rest at the end of this section clears the air for the introduction of new material
-mp, f, >, p, f, >m, p, f, >, p, f, <, f -marcato, vs legato, arco
198
A Song of Joys: Movement V (cont’d)
Bar No. bars 26-52 bars 53-64 Form/Phrasing Section 3
27 bars: 3 + 3 +3 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 6 Section 4
12 bars: 4 + 4 + 5 Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
-persistent 8ths continue to pass from one instrument family to another -bass: syncopated ostinato is removed - “Motive Y (rhythmic):” syncopated, homorhythmic, punctuating 8th notes
-soloist improvisation: based on 16th note patterns -increasing tempo: ♩=144-152
Pitch: Melody & Harmony -Extremely dissonant chords incorporate all notes of the chromatic scale -3rds continue, with stepwise movement trending upward -bar 52: “Motive Y:” alternates between G major 11th & A major 11th chords (bitonal flavour: G major plus D major moving to A major plus E minor)
-timp and roto improvise
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-rhythmic/melodic motives pass from one instrument family to the next -solos: timp (noted rhythms) and roto-toms (improvised) -increasing intensity leads to a very rhythmic, accented climax
-full orch rests while soloists continue with improvisation - perc cadenza
Style Increasing intensity Virtuosic, improvised solos
Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, Markings
-ff, f, >, mp, <, p, <, f, >, mp, f, >, p etc with cresc. poco a poco to ff -marcato contrasting with “smoothly” (timp)
-ff, accented -attacca to next movement
199
Appendix Q: Flow Chart Analysis, A Song of Joys: Movement VI
Bar No. bars 1-8 bars 9-18 bars 19-23 bars 24-28 Form/Phrasing (Stanza 1, Stanza 2)
Stanza 1: Intro, A Section 9 bars: 4 + 5
Stanza 1: B Section, Transition 10 bars: 5 + 2 +3
Stanza 2: A' Section 5 bars: 2 + 3
Stanza 2: B' Section 5 bars: 3 + 2
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
♩=132-138, 4/4 -accented 8ths: on-the-beat and off-beat (syncopation) - 16th note patterns, pedals -Motive Y: on & off-beat
-continued 16th note patterns -flowing 8th notes with frequent 8th rests on strong beats - transition: syncopated 8ths (Motive Y) and scalar 16ths
-flowing 8ths with frequent 8th rests on strong beats -on/off-beat syncopation -16th note patterns
-flowing 8ths with 8th rests -16th note patterns
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
- Motive Y: parallel chords -Motive Y: transforms into more linear choral lines -D scalar patterns, D pedal -9ths, pandiatonic/bitonal
-A major scalar patterns: stepwise, 3rds - Motive Y: parallel chords -Bb major, G minor scalar passages, Bb pedal (tbn)
-Bb major -3rds, 4ths, 5ths -punctuating Bb 13th chords: pandiatonic/bitonal
- A Phrygian, D minor -3rds, 4ths, 5ths -scalar patterns
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-Soloists: timp (both players), sus cym -str/ww scalar flourishes vs accented motives, tbn pedal -chor: 3rds, stepwise
-str: scalar passages pass from one instrument to another -chor & ww: 3rds vs.open 4ths/5ths -timp: 4ths, 5ths -transition: Motive Y punctuates
- orch & perc: crisp on/off beat punctuation highlights the text, “so amazing, resplendent, darting and burning”
- homophonic texture -chor sings continually and insts pass melodic lines from one to another -timp: steady, forward momentum
Style “Fast,” Very lively Ecstatic, dazzling sun Splendour Prophetic vision Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, markings
-ff, f -marcato, legato, accents, slurs
- p, cresc. poco a poco, f, ff -marcato, legato, accents, slurs
-ff -accents, slurs
-p, cresc. poco a poco, mp, mf, f -accents, slurs
200
A Song of Joys: Movement VI (cont’d)
Bar No. bars 29-38 bars 39-43 bars 44-49 Form/Phrasing Stanza 2: B" Section
10 bars: 5 + 2 + 3 Stanza 2: B"' Section
5 bars: 3 + 2 Stanza 2: Codetta (A")
6 bars: 4 + 2 Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
-continued rhythmic development with 8th note punctuation
-chor only: 8th rests on strong beats followed by 8ths / quarter/8th notes
-return of moving 16th notes -8th rests on weak beats
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-A major, D Lydian -parallel chords e.g. Eb +, F-
- parallel chords -D Lydian/B Dorian -parallel chords -Final Cadence Chords: D major to C# major
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-timp (2 drums at a time: harmony) & sus cym -chor: sings in upper register -orch: on/off-beat punctuation
-a cappella chor for 3 bars -orch & perc soloists out
-homophonic -chor a cappella for two bars before final chord
Style Glorious light Visions of poets Glorious heights Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, markings
-mp, cres. poco a poco, mf, f, ff, f
- ff -accents
-f, ff -Very short final chord
201
Appendix R: Flow Chart Analysis: A Song of Joys: Movement VII
Bar No. bars 1-7 bars 8-15 bars 16-24
Form/Phrasing (A, A', B, A", Coda)
A Section 7 bars: 5 + 2
A' Section 7 bars: 4 + 3
B Section 9 bars: 4 + 5
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
♩=63, ♩=72, 6/4 -continuous quarter note pulse -sustained half, dotted half notes, ties
♩=72, 6/4, 9/4 -continued quarter note pulse with sustained notes
♩=66, 6/4, ♩=69, 6/4 -resumption of quarter note pulse -sustained half, dotted half notes, ties
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-Db major: ascending stepwise progression (Db scale) -chords created through voice leading -pandiatonicism -passing chords, 2nds, 7ths
-similar stepwise progression from low register with extension into upper ranges -Db major with upward progression cadencing on a Bb major 7th chord
-increasing pandiatonicism/bitonality: 2nds, 7ths, 9ths -Db major starts with a bitonal flavour (Db plus Gb) -increased dissonance -cadence on Ab minor 7th
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-sustained chor lines with orch doubling -soloists: mar (tremolo), orch bells, sus cym
-strings double chor: gradual addition of ww then brass -percussion are resting -movement from low to high tessitura
-perc soloists: mar chords (tremolo) plus chimes doubling chor - ww and brass are added as dynamic increases -bar 24: climax (full orch/chor)
Style “Slowly with energy” Increasing intensity, then relaxation “Slower, slightly faster” Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, markings
-pp, cresc. poco a poco, p, mp, >, p -accelerando poco a poco -stagger breathing, molto legato, “organ-like”
- pp, cresc. poco a poco, p, mp, mf, f, ff -accel poco a poco -stagger breathing, legato
-pp, cresc. poco a poco, p, mp, >, cresc. poco a poco, mp, mf, f, ff -poco rit, slightly faster, poco rit
202
A Song of Joys: Movement VII (cont’d)
Bar No. bars 25-32 bars 33-41
Form/Phrasing A" Section 8 bars: 5 + 3
Coda 9 bars: 4 + 5
Duration: Tempo, Metre, Rhythm
♩=72, ♩=80 - rhythmic movement similar to the start
♩=80, rit., ♩=72, accel ♩=80, ritardando al fine -continued quarter note pulse: addition of 8th (steady & triplet), 16th and 32nd notes
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
-Db major -pandiatonicism -low to high tessitura, stepwise movement/progression
-starts in F major tonality with continued stepwise progression upward -cadence V, ii, I in F major with F pedal (db, vc, tbn, cbsn)
Orchestration/ Choral Writing & Texture
-start of the buildup to the grand finale: light orchestration (str), gradually adding ww, then brass -mar & chimes (tremolo chords)
-picc, orch bells: 32nd flourishes -tpt: 16th flourishes -tpt & hn: 8th note flourish in last three bars (3rds) -bars 37-41: timp punctuation: ffp< roll on the last chord
Style Gradually increasing intensity Dramatic Finale Expressive Language: Dynamics, Articulation, markings
-pp, cresc. poco a poco, p, mp, mf, f, ff -accel, stagger breathing
- ff, ffp, <, ff (final chord) -fermata on final F major chord
203
Appendix S: Performances & Broadcasts of Stephen Chatman’s
Choral-Orchestral Works
Performances in chronological order
Proud Music of the Storm (2001)
World Premiere, Vancouver Bach Choir, CBC Radio Orchestra, Bruce Pullan, director, Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, BC, November 3, 2002. UBC University Singers, UBC Symphony, Vancouver Bach Choir, Bruce Pullan, director, UBC Chan Centre, Vancouver, BC, November 29, 2003.
The Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto and Orchestra, Lydia Adams, conductor, George Weston Recital Hall, Toronto Centre for the Arts, paired with Imant Raminsh’s Symphony of Psalms, May 15, 2004. American Premiere, Glacier Symphony and Chorale, John Zoltek, conductor, FHS Auditorium, Kalispell, Montana, November 18 (Libby, Montana) & 19, 2006.
Chinese Premiere––sung in Mandarin, Hong Kong Philharmonic and Choruses, Luke Chih, conductor, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Auditorium, Hong Kong, November 26, 2006. Grand Philharmonic Choir, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Howard Dyck, conductor, Centre in the Square, Kitchener, Ontario, October 13, 2007.
Tour 250 performers: Orpheus Choir of Toronto, London Pro Music Choir, Amabile Boys Treble Choir, Orchestra London, ON, Ken Fleet, conductor, paired with premiere of Sir Paul McCartney’s, Ecce Cor Meum, October 27, 2007- London, ON, November 3, 2007- Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Toronto; November 4, 2007- Lake St. Armoury, St. Catherines, ON. Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra, Jubilate! Chamber Choir, Jin Zhang, conductor, “Pride and Jubilation,” Michael J. Fox Theatre, Burnaby, BC, December 7, 2008. Festival of Voices, Choristry Classic Choral, Exaudi Youth Choir, Lydia Adams, guest conductor, The Odeon Theatre, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, July 13, 2012. Choirs Ontario, CAMMAC Toronto, Lydia Adams, conductor, Toronto Region Reading: Stephen Chatman’s Proud Music of the Storm, Christ Church Deer Park, Toronto, ON, March 23, 2014.
204
Haverford-Bryn Mawr College Chorale and Chorale Orchestra, Nathan Zullinger, conductor, Marshall Auditorium, Haverford, PA, April 28, 2019.
Earth Songs (2008)
World Premiere, UBC Centenary Gala, UBC Singers, CBC Radio Orchestra, Alain Trudel, conductor, Chan Centre, September 28, 2008. Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and Calgary Philharmonic Chorus, Andrew Grams, guest conductor, Timothy Shantz, chorus director, Jack Singer Concert Hall, Calgary, AB, October 16 & 17, 2009. Excerpts from Earth Songs, Chorfest, British Columbia Choral Federation, Prince George Symphony Orchestra and Festival Chorus, Leslie Dala, conductor, Civic Centre Auditorium, Prince George, BC, May 22, 2011.
Vancouver Symphony and Vancouver Bach Choir, Bramwell Tovey, conductor, Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, BC, October 22 & 24, 2011.
Voices-The Chapel Hill Chorus, Sue T. Klausmeyer, director, Memorial Hall, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, May 19, 2012.
US premiere, The Philadelphia Chorus Spring Concert, Raquel Garcia, director, Earth Songs, Trinity Centre for Urban Life, Philadelphia, PA, April 13, 2014.
Magnificat (2010)
World Premiere, Vancouver Chamber Choir, Martha Guth, soprano soloist, Vancouver Chamber Orchestra, Jon Washburn, conductor, Magnificat! A Festive 40th Anniversary Christmas Gala, Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, BC, December 3, 2010. UBC University Singers, UBC Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Girard, director, Chan Centre, Vancouver, BC, December 1, 2012.
Excerpts from Magnificat, Choral & Opera-A Festival of Lessons & Carols, Northwestern University, Alice Millar Chapel, Evanston, Ill., December 4, 2016.
A Song of Joys (2013-14)
World premiere, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Tim Rawlings, percussion soloist, Aaron McDonald, timpani soloist, Calgary Philharmonic Chorus, Roberto Minczuk, conductor, Jack Singer Hall, Calgary, AB, May 1, 2014.
205
Calgary Philharmonic Chorus, Tim Shantz, director, and North Shore Choral Society (Illinois), Julia Davids, director, Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, University of Chicago campus, July 2, 2015. UBC Symphony Orchestra, University Singers, UBC Choral Union, Julia Chien, timpani, Aaron Graham, percussion, Jonathan Girard, conductor, UBC Chan Centre, Vancouver, BC, April 8, 2017.
“In Flanders Fields” (choral-orchestral version 2016)
There are no public performances of this work on record.
“Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind” (choral-orchestral version 2017)
British Columbia Choral Federation, BCCF Chorfest 2017, Adult Choir and Victoria Symphony, Jon Washburn, conductor, UVIC Farquhar Theatre, Victoria, BC, May 21, 2017. (premiere of the choral-orchestral version)
“Peace” (choral-orchestral version 2010)
Via Choralis, Reflections on War & Peace, choir and string quartet, St. Elizabeth’s Church, Sidney, BC, November 11, 2015.
Canadian premiere (full string orchestra version), Tapestry Chamber Choir and York Chamber Ensemble, Trevor Dearham, conductor, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Newmarket, ON, April 7, 2019.
Broadcasts in chronological order
Proud Music of the Storm (UBC Singers, Vancouver Bach Choir, UBC Symphony Orchestra, Bruce Pullan, conductor,
Centrediscs) Classical Discoveries, WPRB, Marvin Rosen, producer and host, Princeton, New Jersey, August 12, 2009.
CBC Radio Two, Tempo, January 9, 2009.
Wisconsin Public Radio, August 4, 2007.
206
CBC Radio Two, Disc Drive (national), Jurgen Gothe, host, Vancouver, July 13, 2006. CBC Radio Two, Choral Concert, Toronto, September 10, 2006. CBC Radio, CBC Saturday Afternoon at the Opera, 2016 (n.d.).
CBC Radio, May 2014-February 2015 (n.d.).
Earth Songs (UBC Singers, CBC Radio Orchestra, Alain Trudel, conductor, Centrediscs)
CBC Radio Two, Sunday Afternoon in Concert, October 12, 2008. CBC Radio Two, Choral Concert, Peter Togni, host, national broadcast, October 4, 2009.
WOMR FM, Provincetown, MA., Canary Burton, host, February 23, 2010.
Movement Museum, Montreal, online radio, Los Gatos Negros (Do you want to dance), February 18, 2010.
CBC Radio Two, In Concert, Denise Ball, producer, Bill Richardson, host, national broadcast, April 18, 2010.
CBC Radio Two, Choral Concert, Peter Togni, host, national broadcast, July 18, 2010.
CBC Radio Two, Choral Concert, Peter Togni, host, national broadcast, November 14, 2010.
WQXR, New York Public Radio, September 9, 2010 and March 12, 2011.
WNYC, New York, January 30, 2011.
CBC Choral Concert, July 14, 2013
207
Permissions Granted
208
Dissertation Permission Permission is herewith granted to:
Trevor Dearham University of Toronto 97 Fred Cook Drive Bradford, Ontario, L3Z 1V1 Canada for the excerpts listed on Schedule A of this document from the following compositions: Publication Title: Proud Music of the Storm for SATB Chorus and Orchestra Composer: Stephen Chatman Catalog Number: 7.0458 © Copyright 2005 by Highgate Press, Inc., a division of ECS Publishing Group, St. Louis, MO. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Publication Title: Earth Songs for SATB Chorus and Orchestra Composer: Stephen Chatman Catalog Number: 7.0573 © Copyright 2009 by Highgate Press, Inc., a division of ECS Publishing Group, St. Louis, MO. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Publication Title: Magnificat for Soprano Solo, SATB Chorus and String Orchestra Composer: Stephen Chatman Catalog Number: 7.0595 © Copyright 2011 by Highgate Press, Inc., a division of ECS Publishing Group, St. Louis, MO. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Publication Title: A Song of Joys for Timpani and Percussion soli, SATB Chorus and Orchestra Composer: Stephen Chatman Catalog Number: 7.0635 © Copyright 2017 by Highgate Press, Inc., a division of ECS Publishing Group, St. Louis, MO. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Publication Title: Peace for SATB Chorus, Piano and String Orchestra Composer: Stephen Chatman Catalog Number: 7.0591 © Copyright 2014 by Highgate Press, Inc., a division of ECS Publishing Group, St. Louis, MO. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
209
210