Choral SSA Choir and
Piano
SKU:
CF.CM9718
Composed by
Meredith Tompkins. 8
pages. Duration 2
minutes, 23 seconds. Carl
Fischer Music #CM9718.
Published by Carl Fischer
Music (CF.CM9718).
ISBN 9781491160978.
UPC: 680160919574. Key: D
major. English. Manmohan
Ghose.
Manmohan
Ghose was a professor,
poet, and brilliant
scholar from Eastern
India in the late 19th
century. He was educated
in London, and was one of
the first poets
originally from India to
publish poetry in
English. A Lament is one
of his earliest published
poems; it progresses with
vivid, scenic language
from lullaby to permanent
goodbye. Much later in
life, Manmohan
experienced a series of
family tragedies that
gave him a unique
perspective on grief.
After returning to India
to mourn his father's
death and eventually the
passing of his wife, he
never again made it back
to England as he had
wished to before his own
death. The text of this
piece has been paired
with a mixolydian modal
structure and a blend of
musical elements designed
to invoke a nostalgic,
dream-like atmosphere. In
the words of the
composer: I like to think
of this piece as a
metaphorical hall of
mirrors. The original
'image' of the melody
becomes the source for
multiple echoes and
imitations that blossom
into layers of polyphonic
movement. As a nod to the
poet's birth place, notes
reminiscent of the
kan-swar grace note
technique of Hindustani
classical music add
ornamental interest to
the piano and voices.
This piece functions as
an excellent educational
introduction or further
study into the concept of
modes. When presenting
this piece to a choir,
directors may find it
helpful to identify G as
the tonal center and
follow up with an
explanation that G
mixolydian has the same
key signature as the key
of C, because it
naturally has no sharps
or flats.
Manmohan
Ghose was a professor,
poet, and brilliant
scholar from Eastern
India in the late 19th
century. He was educated
in London, and was one of
the first poets
originally from India to
publish poetry in
English. “A
Lament†is one of
his earliest published
poems; it progresses with
vivid, scenic language
from lullaby to permanent
goodbye. Much later in
life, Manmohan
experienced a series of
family tragedies that
gave him a unique
perspective on grief.
After returning to India
to mourn his
father’s death and
eventually the passing of
his wife, he never again
made it back to England
as he had wished to
before his own
death. The text of
this piece has been
paired with a mixolydian
modal structure and a
blend of musical elements
designed to invoke a
nostalgic, dream-like
atmosphere. In the words
of the composer: “I
like to think of this
piece as a metaphorical
hall of mirrors. The
original
‘image’ of
the melody becomes the
source for multiple
echoes and imitations
that blossom into layers
of polyphonic
movement.†As a nod
to the poet’s
birth place, notes
reminiscent of the
kan-swar grace note
technique of Hindustani
classical music add
ornamental interest to
the piano and
voices. This piece
functions as an excellent
educational introduction
or further study into the
concept of modes. When
presenting this piece to
a choir, directors may
find it helpful to
identify G as the tonal
center and follow up with
an explanation that G
mixolydian has the same
key signature as the key
of C, because it
naturally has no sharps
or flats.
Db Lydian Mode
