Re: lyrics to music

[Fr. Michael Gilmary, mma]

On Nov 21 AD 2012, at 1:49 PM, Kieren MacMillan wrote:



> So you're going to write out the music multiple times, each beamed  
> differently to suit the different syllabic structures of each verse?
> As an engraver of a lot of multi-verse vocal music, I'm definitely  
> glad I'll never have to face that nightmare…
> But I'm glad to hear you've settled on the answer you were looking  
> for.  =)


No, given the needs here, I'll probably set the music with one verse  
and put the other verses outside the music. Maronite music follows a  
rhythmic pattern of syllables and not the usual measure of time with  
western-style music --- so the "measures" in the music that's been  
engraved in recent years have no time signature as such. I'm just  
trying to find what works best for our choir which isn't chiefly  
looking at the music (since many melodies are used for a variety of  
hymns) but at the lyrics.

Here's a conjecture: maybe music used to be engraved by focusing on  
the lyrics because music engravers were mostly typographers and not  
musicians. Today, however, musicians can engrave their own music and  
emphasize what works best from the perspective of music and not the  
lyrics.

Thanks, again!



United in adoration of Jesus,



fr. michael gilmary, mma

Most Holy Trinity Monastery
67 Dugway Road
Petersham, MA 01366

www.MaroniteMonks.org