How I Compose for Children's Chorus (for General Public)

I am composing children's arias & fugues for my opera-ballet SALAMMBO and want to share with you, the general public, how I compose: decisions I make, questions I have, work I do, I work I don't do, and so much more. I am a perfectionist to the core, and I hope that you will leave with a greater appreciation for my work, as well as the work that composers do." ----Barney B. Johnson, classical composer, April 27th, 2024
Today's selection is The First Children's Chorale Fugue, from SALAMMBO, an OPERA-BALLET
FULL VIDEO LINK: / barneyjmusic
Lyrics:
Hamilcar va revenir (Hamilcar will return)
Salammbô va mourrir (Salammbô must die)
Hamilcar va revenir (Hamilcar will return)
Are you interested in performing my music? See my current offerings below:
ORCHESTRA: helpisontheway for orchestra, in five movements, looking for world premieres for all or some (professional, amateur or community orchestras)
OPERA/ORATORIO: Phèdre, a tragic opera-oratorio, based on the French Theater Masterpiece by JEAN RACINE
"Le Visage Odieux" a comedic fugue for men's chorus
"Lament of Oenone" a tragic fugue for women's chorus
Salammbô: an opera-ballet, based on the epic French drama by GUSTAVE FLAUBERT
-Arias & Fugues for Children's Chorus
CONTACT ME: [e-mail]
FURTHER LEARNING
What the Fugue! for the General Public: A Fugue Expert will explain what is a fugue and will show why they are so puzinglly beautiful (no pun intended):
• What the Fugue! for th...
Harmony for the General Public: A Harmony Expert will walk you through music and show you how to hear harmony
• Harmony for the Genera...

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

I agree that listening to the different voices is difficult. I'm taking baby steps to try to improve my ear.

[@barneyjmusic]

The supreme difficulty in fugue is one of execution, not of hearing. As an audience member, it should just sound beautiful, and for those, like yourself, who want to investigate more, then there is the joy of discovery. I think that most fugues are not performed well; perhaps that is too harsh, and I think sometimes it doesn't matter if the performers dazzle us with their virtuosity. In the fugue I am composing for children's voices, the hardest part is the balance---I am not a professional pianist, so I can't do much on this area, but even despite, in the execution, there is a strong risk that the music ends up sounding muddled, because the hierarchy of order is not maintained. Most performers know to bring out the 'subject/response' (fancy words for the main melody), but after that, it just becomes a muddle, so then the listener gets lost, and it just feels like a wash of sound. In particular, the genius of fugue is the form, meaning how the different parts sound separate from each other, but are proportional, and create one larger musical experience, often expressed as home, followed by away from home (and then of course the great return). In the case of this fugue for SALAMMBO, my opera-ballet, I am actually going to write in performance instructions, or at least a guide to performance, as I want to make sure that the choral directors know how to deliver a satisfactory result. Choral fugues, especially, run a huge risk of being indecipherable, because in many choruses, everyone just focuses on their individual part, and then their section, but that is not going to cut it, because not every voice can be equal at the same time. Thank you for watching!

[@barneyjmusic]

Let me know what you think or if you have questions. If you would like to watch the full video, you can do so here: www.patreon.com/barneyjmusic 😀😂😇