Assignment 12: A short song
Write a short song for voice and piano—or any other accompaniment instrument or instruments as long as they are together capable of expressing a clear harmonic progression.You can use a haiku or poem of similar length; you can also write your own lyrics.
The harmony needs to include a Neapolitan chord (any position is—it doesn’t have to be in first inversion).
The song can be in any style: you do not need to follow Western classical practice in your progressions or voice leading/ The harmony should be expressive of the text; in particular, the Neapolitan is typically used to convey the dark/somber/doomful family of sentiments we've discussed. It is also a dramatic harmony, so consider using it at a point of drama or twist in the text. Haiku typically have a twist in their their line.
Choose your text by Friday and tell me what it is. You should also have some sort of sketch or at least a compositional plan or notion you can articulate. (This can hchange as you write!)
Complete your song for Monday's class and come with a clearly legible score (whether by hand or computer).
Below are a few possible texts., Feel free to choose or write your own.
On a withered branch A crow has alighted; Nightfall in autumn. (Bashō) A world of dew, And within every dewdrop A world of struggle. (Kobayashi Issa) First autumn morning the mirror I stare into shows my father's face. (Murakami Kijo) Everything I touch with tenderness, alas, pricks like a bramble. (Issa) The snow of yesterday That fell like cherry blossoms Is water once again (Gozan) from Three Lockdown Haiku (Feurzeig) I hail the new day teeming with endless promise through this glowing screen “Welcome to the class!” I greet my eager students– thirty rectangles
