I really enjoy reading your comments! Some of you have some great insights and ideas into the music. However, a few of you are not really listening - or at least your blogs don't seem to indicate that you are. Please give this your best attention. Don't race through this project. You can't really understand the music in one hearing only.
LISTEN TO THE SELECTION AT LEAST TWICE. You may want to make this a 2-3 day project so that you don't have to do everying in one sitting.
As you listen to this piece, here are some questions to consider:
1) Who has the melody in this piece? Is it always in the upper voices?
2) Are the harmonies a melody in itself or does it support the main melody?
3) Is there too much dissonance, too much consonance or is it just right?
4) Harmony is the emotion of a song. What kind of emotions do you feel in this piece?
5) What is the translation to “Agnus Day”? Does the music match the message?
6) This piece was originally written for strings alone but then the composer put words to it and had a Choir sing it. Do the words work?
7) If you listen to the string version (extra credit if you do), how do they compare in your opinion?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUtv776aYKo&feature=related (FEATURE PIECE)
EXTRA CREDIT!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KylMqxLzNGo&feature=fvw (String Version)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky271W94VHA (Extra Credit piece requested by Silas!)
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ReplyDeleteToo much dissonance, and it's very very very clashy and tacky, as I say, to the point where i had to turn it off for a while. The low voices are cool, but its way to much soprano, and I am not a fanno of the soprano in this case(it's killing my computer speakers)! It's kinda disturbing quite frankly, and it really creeped me out.. (: Agnus Dei means Lamb of God and that reminded me of like devil worshipers.. :/ Not cool.. Not cool.. But it's just an opinion feel free to dissagree with me!
ReplyDeleteWell i didnt really understand this one im not sure what they where even saying it sounded nice and peaceful but sometimes it did pick up and kill my speakers and i dont know what was up with the video kind of creepy
ReplyDeleteI think that the soprano higher voices were carrying the melody and the lower voices were the harmony. I think the harmony makes the song almost sad. Like since Victoria said it means the lamb of god you can guess they are probably singing about the crucifixion. You can tell the story that progresses through the song. When the voices crescendo and go really high around 5 minutes he is probably either resurrected or killed. Overall i think that the dissonance and consonance is perfect for the song because its holy and almost angelic in a eerie sort of way.
ReplyDeleteYeah...it was bad on my speakers too, I understand how it isn't really happy sounding at all...
ReplyDeleteIt is really a great sounding song, but the clash between the lower voices, and the higher isn't nice. I think the men take the melody around the middle(closer to 3 minutes though)
yeah,it killed mt speakers to! it didn't like the saprano part,it sounded too much like shouting!but I reallyliked how all the voices blended together.i really enjoyed it even though I think I might be half-deaf.
ReplyDeleteit peaked my intress at first but slowly and surely disapated...the singing goes well for the first 2 mins...but then i dont like it as much...it made me feel saddish cause well it sounded like in the part of a movie where everyones dying ...at the beginning anyways..then it goes into something that i like to listen to yet again taht makes me feel peaceful...ish anyway the singing doesnt help with the peacefulness..and then
ReplyDelete(silas') it was an amazing song...i had to watch it once and listen to it twice to get wat was going on i really understood it after awhile...truthefully ive never felt that way but it did touch me a lil...but i guesse thats just the heartless me talkin XD anyway it really was a very good song/opera/thing...thing
yyyeaaaaaaa (awkard silence)
This song was beautiful but in a sense that maybe others would put it in. The mix of the voices were clunky in my opinion and wasn't that pleaseing to me. To some this song may have some beauty but not to me.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the song was boaring. The melody was smooth and relacksing. I could tell that it was a middle eastern song, possible jewish. Obviously there were no instruments, but just voices. They had a good blend of high and low tones throught the whole song. I thought that it was a little bit long of a song.
ReplyDeleteWell, I think the melody is sometimes the higher voices and sometimes the lower voices. This song really overwhelms me, sometimes in a good way and sometimes in a bad way; I can barely tell what they're saying. Sometimes the voices clash a little bit, but really I am really liking the voices. I also like the popping. This song seems depressing, yet peaceful, and sad and slow. Again, I don't hear what they are saying so I can't say whether the words work, but I do like the flow of it all. Plus, I don't get the scene that they are acting. What's going on? Why are they walking around acting all solemn? "Agnus Dei" means "Lamb of God", but I don't get why they made this so solemn! Isn't the Lamb of God supposed to be a joyful thought?
ReplyDeleteAgnus dei does mean lamb of God, i agree with rachel, it does have a sort of eerie soun to it. i think that the music would be good as just an instrunmental too, but its awesome with the voices. the mood seems kinda sad, but the words are saying lamb of God you take away the sins of the world, and if we were to sing something like this i suppose we are praising God but it still seems solem. i think that the words work, but maybe different words would be better... i liked how peaceful it sounded though. i think that the higher voices carried the melody for most of the song and maybe some where around the end the lower voices kinda got more of the melody line. i think that the harmonies carried the melody line really well. i thought it was pretty and i like the clashes in the harmonies and melodies, sometimes i cant stand the clashes in music but these went well togeather :) yup thats bout it!!! :)
ReplyDeleteI thought that the video over all was cool because the voices all together with the different harmonies sounded really good. I noticed that in the video it would kind of change where they were, for example at one point, they were doing a concert, then they were just with their composer then they were maybe I guess a building walking but I liked how the video showed the composer conducting then while they were singing. I thought each group was harmonizing really good and I also noticed how at times, they would get louder and softer. I thought that was pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the video over all was cool because the voices all together with the different harmonies sounded really good. I noticed that in the video it would kind of change where they were, for example at one point, they were doing a concert, then they were just with their composer then they were maybe I guess a building walking which I thought was a little weird. In the video it showed the composer conducting them while they were singing. I thought each group was harmonizing really good and I also noticed how at times, they would get louder and softer. I thought that was good.
ReplyDeleteI actually loved all the dissonance! I am a huge fan of suspensions and such! The melody was carried through the Sopranos and Tenors. I also loved the fortissimo system that stops and pauses right before a quiet section with amazingly beautiful chords! I heard many sforzzados! I think a song like this would be incredibly diffucult to sing because of all the dissonance.
ReplyDeleteI have the sheet music for the extra credit suggested by me, but its in italian, so, I'll comment anyways! Its about when a man finds out his fiance is a man! Hes saying "ridi pagliaccio/ sul tuo amore infranto/ ridi del doul, che t'avvelena il cor" which means "laugh clown/ at your broken love/ laugh at the grief that poisons your heart"! Its a sad song about dressing like a clown to hide your gender? Its odd but i think it's a beautiful song!
I felt calm when I listened to this music. the singing and the instruments were just right together. Im not sure which voices carried the melody. The harmony sounded well. I thing the lyrics added to the music. I think the lyrics were in Latin.
ReplyDeleteOh snaps!!! My speakers sound like someone is cracking something that would sound awful when it was being cracked! I agree with what Vitoria said..."and I am not a fanno of the soprano in this case(it's killing my computer speakers)!"
ReplyDeleteThe super high cantor part makes me cringe...like seriously it just sounds bleh! The 5:09 part where there is all of that harmony is just too much. If they just chopped off the soprano part it would be just lovely. The lower harmonies are awesome. I would actually prefer the strings version but if i had to listen to the voices it would be with just the lower ones. Too much dissonance...remember people less is more! And what is with the almost minute long clapping!? he higher voices have the melody.
I realy liked this piece of music. I like both versions of this song but the vocals get a little too intense for me at one point because the sopranos have the melody, and then they add some sort of Soprano chords in the background (5:06). The melody switches between the sopranos and altos with the same progresson. I personally like the strings a little bit better but all in all, its still a great song. I felt like i heard this before in some movie, maybe the matrix or lord of the rings. When I first heard this piece, it seemed like a cry out to the Lord. A song of sorrow, if you will. "Agnus Dei" means "Lamb of God". Im pretty familar with this having had to sing it every sunday. The rest of the song in English continues on with, "Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us." This is another reason why I think this version of it sounds a little sad or depressed, because the composer might have meant for it to sound like a cry for mercy.
ReplyDeleteI just now read the comments posted before me, and I realized it looked like I stole a little bit from......Barbie?!?!?! anyways i guess I should read the comments before typing or just comment sooner. I agree with Barbie and I also like the idea proposed by Rachel and the crucifixion. The speaker deal though, that doesnt really have anything to do with the song. Thats just bad recording on a live performance. Live rock concerts never sound the same as they do in the studio
ReplyDeleteO and I also tried to listen to the extra credit piece from Sylas, but im sorry. I just can't take too much opera. I tried tho
ReplyDeleteSo far I have listened and liked all of the songs. This angus song though was needless to say not my favorite. This song sounded like a church song that i would never listen to. It was also extreamly long. "Agnus Dei" means "Lamb of God." The full translation for the song is:
ReplyDeleteGrant them eternal rest, Lord,
and let perpetual light shine on them.
You are praised, God, in Zion,
and homage will be paid to You in Jerusalem.
Hear my prayer,
to You all flesh will come.
Grant them eternal rest, Lord,
and let perpetual light shine on them.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Day of wrath, day of anger
will dissolve the world in ashes,
as foretold by David and the Sibyl.
Great trembling there will be
when the Judge descends from heaven
to examine all things closely.
The trumpet will send its wondrous sound
throughout earth's sepulchres
and gather all before the throne.
Death and nature will be astounded,
when all creation rises again,
to answer the judgement.
A book will be brought forth,
in which all will be written,
by which the world will be judged.
When the judge takes his place,
what is hidden will be revealed,
nothing will remain unavenged.
What shall a wretch like me say?
Who shall intercede for me,
when the just ones need mercy?
King of tremendous majesty,
who freely saves those worthy ones,
save me, source of mercy.
Remember, kind Jesus,
my salvation caused your suffering;
do not forsake me on that day.
Faint and weary you have sought me,
redeemed me, suffering on the cross;
may such great effort not be in vain.
Righteous judge of vengeance,
grant me the gift of absolution
before the day of retribution.
I moan as one who is guilty:
owning my shame with a red face;
suppliant before you, Lord.
You, who absolved Mary,
and listened to the thief,
give me hope also.
My prayers are unworthy,
but, good Lord, have mercy,
and rescue me from eternal fire.
Provide me a place among the sheep,
and separate me from the goats,
guiding me to Your right hand.
When the accused are confounded,
and doomed to flames of woe,
call me among the blessed.
I kneel with submissive heart,
my contrition is like ashes,
help me in my final condition.
That day of tears and mourning,
when from the ashes shall arise,
all humanity to be judged.
Spare us by your mercy, Lord,
gentle Lord Jesus,
grant them eternal rest. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory,
liberate the souls of the faithful,
departed from the pains of hell
and from the bottomless pit.
Deliver them from the lion's mouth,
lest hell swallow them up,
lest they fall into darkness.
Let the standard-bearer, holy Michael,
bring them into holy light.
Which was promised to Abraham
and his descendants.
Sacrifices and prayers of praise, Lord,
we offer to You.
Receive them in behalf of those souls
we commemorate today.
And let them, Lord,
pass from death to life,
which was promised to Abraham
and his descendants.
Lamb of God, who takes away
the sins of the world,
grant them eternal rest.
Lamb of God, who takes away
the sins of the world,
Grant them eternal rest.
Lamb of God, who takes away
the sins of the world,
grant them eternal rest forever.
Let eternal light shine on them, Lord,
as with Your saints in eternity,
because You are merciful.
Grant them eternal rest, Lord,
and let perpetual light shine on them,
as with Your saints in eternity,
because You are merciful.
I think that this song should be reserved for a church not music analysis. Anyway I agree with Barbie when she said that it sounds very peaceful. I then listened to the strings version it was so much better. I just really liked the melody and the way that it flowed. It was good. The best part was the other extra credit by sylas. The opera was very gangsta swag. I wish the choir here at msm could do an opera performance in front of the whole school. That would be cool.
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ReplyDeleteif you didnt see above i listened to the string version and the opera video.
ReplyDeleteThey sang this a lot slower than we do at church. The melody was mostly kept in the lower voices it seemed. While the high voices would say agnus dei, the low voices would seem to be humming the melody. At about halfway through the song, they all seemed to be singing the melody. I believe that the people who sang this did it very well. At about 5 minutes through, I felt true terror from the voices. The string version would never be able to do this. The whole song translates to "Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us." The words definitely match the music. They sang with fear, the fear of sin, and they were asking Jesus for mercy.
ReplyDeletethe high voices killed my speakers.... but regardless... uh..i liked it i guess... i'm not a huge fan of church hymns if that's what you'd call this. But anywho, I think the melody switched between the alto and soprano and i noticed a lot of people said that the low and the high voices clashed... i don't really think they do. I think it's just because a lot of people's speakers are distorting the sound of the voices. But the high voices are a liiiiittle high pitched. But i still think the clashing has to do with speakers. Anyways besides that, this has a rather sad feel to it... the meaning (Lamb of God) doesn't exactly match up to the piece because "Lamb of God" could be referring to something happy, sad, merciful, etc and this piece is mostly sad, so it's kind of like it's putting a false label on "Lamb of God". i dunno, i just think it's mis-titled.
ReplyDeletestarts of dreary and slow then voices high then lowmelody swithces get loud fff then stops and goes again not familur with son but i dont like it every now and then there is a round i think it means lamb of god not for sure.mad me feel very sad dunno y little scared also.
ReplyDeleteextra credit 1st one ummmmmm really same song with strings and mostly hear the higher strings not so much of the low strings i dont know a whole lot of string instrument but i heard the violin the viola and couldnt tell u wat else mabye there a keyboard in the back ground low string is the cello and others i dont know maybe woodwinds
ReplyDeletethe 2nd extra credit ummm starts off very strong and ends pretty good love the voices of the man was great and percussion in the back lots of strings and woodwinds in the back not a lot of brass but little that i heard was low brass and tumpetsoprah really dramatic guy looks sad sad song /sad because he is a clown? dunno but put white clown stuff on his face looks at an old pic of himself he maybe got fired dunno and ends song with great orchestra music then applause
the low voices were the best part. though i only thought it was good for the first half. i don't know why but the second half just did fit right with me those it gave off that sorrowful feeling.
ReplyDeleteThis post is from Giorgio
ReplyDeleteThis peice isnt really one that I particularly liked. It made me feel like I was in church. The only part that I like is the low voices. They only were effective in the very begining. But this peice is just not my style to be honest i wouldnt ever listen to it but thats just my opinion. I think it sounds horrible. But this is a blog made to post our opinions so thats mine. But at the very least it sounds sad and mournful.
This peice KILLED my speakers. I did not really care for this peice. I agree with the numerous people who have said that the low voices were the only ones that i liked. I also agree with Anonymous (Giorgio) that it sounds mournful and sad and that really doesnt make sense because it is about the lamb of God (Jesus) and that sound is only appropriate in Jesus' life when he died. Then the song gets louder and it sounds like the sopranos are YELLING. This song is not one of my favorite blogs to do. I think that they blend a tiny bit but not very well.
ReplyDeleteI thought this was a beautiful piece. I could almost imagine it reverberating from the rafters of a cathedral. I do agree that it sounds a bit crystalline but overall it seems that the singers are really putting the soul into making it music not just noise. I especially like the part around 4:20 because so much was going on between the different sections. Also it loses is somber tone and picks up a tone of glorifications with its extra volume and harmonies. BTW I think that crackling is from the recording because I am playing it through my dad's stereo system and it still cracks.
ReplyDeleteThe high-voices seemed to carry the melody at first. Then, the low-voices made the melody. After that they switched back and forth, and then came together. I thought that was cool, it changed the song up. At some points, each group of singers had their own melodies that fit together. This song was sung kind of in round-style.
ReplyDeleteI like that it has voices singing. I, and I think a lot of other people, tend to be more apt to respond to music if there is singing. I thought it soudned pretty but kind of haunting.
In regard to the video, I thought it was interesting how the location suddenly switched, and then switched back adn forth. The video was cool.
I liked the climax of the song, at a little bit before the five-and-a-half mark where the singing got really loud. It was neat. I like it when songs go from quiet to loud.
Have a great night, everybody! :)
I also would like to say that I listened to both extra credit pieces! I liked them. The strings one was quietly pretty. In the other opera one, the man has a beautiful voice.
ReplyDeleteThis was amazing. it was simple but also deep and complicated. Even though i dont know if they wer saying anything,just the sounds of their voices were awesome. It reminded me of and old school catholic chant from like middle ages. I imagine that when i go to meet God in heaven that this is what i would hear, i also lisned to the strings versiion, and even though it was breathtaking as well, i refered the choir version. The opera reminded me of my aint who is an amazing opera singer. Even though i couldn't understand what he was saying, i could kinda find out what was going on through his emotions and expressions.
ReplyDeleteI really like this piece because of how soothing and peaceful it sounds. You said this piece was made originally for strings and was then composed to a choir. I really like the way the choir's harmony goes together. Some parts of this piece sound like they would be at the most intense part a movie. Also if I were to go to the Pope's mass I wouldn't be suprised to hear this song.
ReplyDeleteWOW...... Well umm that was seriously incredible. It almost put me to sleep. Needless to say, this could be an epic church piece or the score to the next lame Halo game. But this piece deserves much more recognition than just from Halo, with all of the flawless harmonies and warm, melting progressions, this is all natural to listen to. By far, one the best vocal picecs ive heard in my complicated 16 years of life.
ReplyDeleteI liked how the voices kept getting louder, even though I couldn’t understand what they were saying. I also thought the range of the dynamics were constant. The dynamics affected the mood by staying steady. I also thought the dynamic changes were subtle. The dynamics changed by getting louder, and in the range in their voices.
ReplyDeleteThe melody was the upper voices. The harmonies support the melodies. The vocal 'clashing' at some points did not work AT ALL for me. Emotions I feel are calm, depressed, and like being in church. I liked the peaceful parts, but did not like the louder parts. Agnus Dei means Lamb of God (what Christian wouldn't know what this meant?) I don't think the words worked for this piece. I listened to the strings version and I like it a lot better than the choir version. The strings version sounds more depressing and probably more suspenseful in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteHi this is shadow42
ReplyDeleteangus day means the "lamb of god",I thought that the women carried the main melody,I thought the song was kind of depressing something that would be played at church,or a funeral,I listened to the strings version and I thought it was dramatic and kept my intrest more.
ReplyDeleteOk, so I really don't like this song. Its very depressing and sad. I looked at the translation that Chris put and it seems as if the composer was trying to have a happy song of sorts. Well the vocalists do NOT compliment that. The high vocalists also caused distortion not only in my computer speakers but also in my Studio Headphones. That is very difficult to do, considering that these things don't peak out until about 25k Hz. Either they are singing REALLY loudly with a mic like right in front of them or they can achieve notes higher than most humans can.
ReplyDeletei liked this song but kinda depressing cause of all the movies iv seen with this song it has to do with death or with somebody dying. but its a good piece of work i think. and it would be great to hear them live but im sure they would be very loud tho
ReplyDeleteit was very pretty... i liked how the voices blended together and made a sweet harmonyi think i was about to fall asleep (LOL) but ya i liked it and i cant see why anyone would hate it.
ReplyDeletethe upper voices (women) mostly have the melody, but in the end they all some together in unison. The harmony kinda acts like a counter melody. It could possibly stand on its own, but without the main melody, it wouldn't be as interesting. The amounts of consonance and dissonance are just right. It has alot of the un resolved tones, but I think it evens out okay in the end. This song kinda makes me feel sad. It sounds like a dirge. Agnus Dei means Lamb of God. The rest of the words are "Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi" Which means "Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world" and "miserere nobis" which means "have mercy on us" and last but not least "dona nobis pacem" Which means "Grant us peace." In my book, the words fit the song. It is a song about begging God for Mercy, and it sounds sad and contrite to match. Even though I'm used to hearing these same words (in English) with more happy music so at first it felt weird until I actually surveyed the meanings of the words and looked at what the composer was actually asking God.
ReplyDeleteLauren Smith
The melody seemed to stay in the upper voices for the longest duration of the piece but it may have migrated over for a small amount of time. The harmonies seemed, a little unorthodox I guess but it worked really well. I think the dissonance in the song made it better than how the consonance did. The emotion just sounded like a praising, almost mournful sound to me. Agnus Dei mean, Lamb of God. Jesus Christ is the lamb and it seemed like they were thanking him, but in a rather somber tone. This is just me, but I think I'd have liked it better with Strings. No voices. Yeah...
ReplyDeleteThis is my answer to Miss Burke's questions.
ReplyDeleteI've thought a lot about your questions. If I were Satan, I would do whatever I could to keep a person from God. I would play to win and get to know their weaknesses. Then I could figure out what I needed to do to beat them down. People want to do what is easy and feels good. If I were Satan, I would want them to keep on thinking that way. Since I'd want to get my message across LOUD and CLEAR, the smartest way would be through television, movies, and music.
I liked this piece thought its not my first thought when someone askes me to think of music. i like the fact that the song is 100% vocal. it shows that there is alot of power and variety in just our voices, that we dont need instruments to make buetiful music. i like the peice, but if i had a choice, id go with rock and roll.
ReplyDelete1. The upper voices have the melody for most of the song.
ReplyDelete2. To me it’s a little bit of both there are parts were I hear the direct correlation on the melody and the harmony and there are parts were it sounds like the harmony goes and does it own thing.
3. It sounds like there is some dissonance maybe it’s due to the recording of the piece.
4. This piece has a mournful feel to it with the minor sounding pitches.
5. I guess if you look at it as being the Lamb of God being slaughter yes it does reflect that.
6. I really don’t understand what their saying so it’s hard to tell.
7. The piece played by strings does not have such a mournful sound more of hope compared to the singing. It sounds like people are telling other that hope has come because the Lamb of God is here.