look what I made – Page 8 – The Artsy Honker

Pied Beauty

Byartsyhonker February 6, 2014 0 Comments

A few weeks ago I spied a call for scores with a theme of nature, one or two parts and accompanied by piano. I asked on Twitter for suitable texts, preferably not too church-y because the context wasn't a liturgical one. One text that caught my eye is "Thaw" by Edward Thomas; I will post about it separately once it is complete. I believe Pete Phillips is the person who first suggested this text...

The Doubter

Byartsyhonker January 27, 2014 0 Comments

This is another piece I wrote for the Small Choirs Competition. Unusually, I've used my own text for this one. I had planned to set the text just as a hymn, but enjoyed employing a bit of retrograde and some changes to timing in order to turn it into a more interesting anthem. It's set for unison voices but there's no reason you couldn't swap things around even more by setting some for lower and...

Versicles and Responses

Byartsyhonker January 27, 2014 0 Comments

I wrote these for the Small Choirs International competition. It's a fairly standard Versicles and Responses for Anglican Evensong services -- but being set for SAB instead of SATB it might be more suitable for small choirs or those with few men. License for the music is CC BY-SA, as usual. The MIDI file is a bit odd in the timing in one or two places: making the reciting notes display...

“I walked in darkness”: an anthem for Epiphany

Byartsyhonker January 13, 2014 0 Comments

I wrote this one for a competition at St Paul's Cathedral. They didn't get back to me, so I'm assuming that someone else won. The words are by Thomas Thurman, and were written at my request. I like his poetry generally, but have usually worked with finished works; it was interesting and delightful to see this poem taking shape and even have a bit of influence over the wording in one or two lines....

Two tunes for “Christ, whose glory fills the skies”

Byartsyhonker January 11, 2013 0 Comments

Every time we sing "Christ, whose glory fills the skies" I despair a bit. The tune "Ratisbon" is... well, it's okay, but it's not anything to really write home about. The other tune suggested in New English Hymnal is just boring. So I thought I'd write a couple of my own tunes for the same text. It is really a wonderful text, after all! I think that on reflection my tunes aren't much to write...

Transfiguration: updated

Byartsyhonker January 11, 2013 0 Comments

I've corrected Transfiguration, which I wrote in 2012. The new edition corrects some slightly dodgy Italian and also one of those pesky errors where Sibelius thinks it's okay to put two quaver rests instead of one crotchet rest. I have also added the file to the Choral Public Domain Library. This will be one of around five pieces performed at the Small Choirs Festival on 2nd February. We also...

AcWriMo 9: Poppleton 887 887

Byartsyhonker November 12, 2012 0 Comments

This text by Ben Jonson is often sung to Melita: 1 I sing the birth was born tonight, The Author both of life and light: The angels so did sound it; And like the ravished shepherds said, Who saw the light and were afraid, Yet searched, and true they found it. 2 The Son of God, th'eternal King, That did us all salvation bring, And freed the world from danger, He whom the whole world could not...

AcWriMo 8 & #10eleven12: Leyton DCM

Byartsyhonker November 12, 2012 2 Comments

I completed this on Saturday, 10th November as my contribution to 10eleven12 but didn't get a chance to transcribe it and upload it until today. Words by Thomas Thurman: Elijah thought he stood alone; you spoke of his mistake, but took no form throughout the storm nor showed within the quake. O Lord, whose peaceful whispering within the silence stirred give now to those who bear your name an ear...

AcWriMo 7: Old Street CM

Byartsyhonker November 9, 2012 0 Comments

I like these words by Isaac Watts, but the only sung version of them I know is a bit difficult for congregational singing. You can hear it about 33 seconds into my Easter Journeys contribution from spring 2012: Now, I'm sure there are other tunes. "Martyrdom" is certainly used sometimes, but that is now so closely associated with "As pants the hart for cooling streams" that it feels a bit odd....

AcWriMo 6: Domine, fac me servum pacis tuae CM

Byartsyhonker November 8, 2012 0 Comments

I'm pleased with this one. Some months ago I asked a few friends if any of them would like to write a metrical version of the Prayer of St Francis of Assisi, as I've long been mildly dissatisfied with "Make me a channel of your peace". Alex Roberts obliged with this lovely Common Metre version: Make me an instrument of peace, To do your bidding, Lord. With love let me bid hatred cease, And bring...