Thursday, August 25, 2005
"What's going on with Tobit??"
Glad you asked. Seven songs are done. I have scored the vocals for the duets, including Tobit's and Sarah's simultaneous prayers for death, and Tobiah and Sarah's song (8:4-9) in their wedding chamber. The canticle (all of Tobit 13) has really eluded me. I've had two or three ideas, but I've trashed each of them. There will be three to five other songs, but I'm not completely happy with them at the moment. They either have music and some lyrics, or the lyrics are set, but the music's undone. This Fall, I'm hoping to get some new ideas and finish them off.
My friend Sandy made a brilliant suggestion: have a concert of just the songs and music. I grumbled about it to myself at first, for I was hoping to talk her into singing one of the roles. But when I woke up the next morning, I realized it would be a good step for a tyro musical composer. I can further polish the songs with the input from the singers and musicians. So sometime early next year, we'll have it at the parish. There are eight roles, backing choruses for a few numbers, and I'll keep it simple music-wise: piano, bass, drums, clarinet, trumpet, and maybe guitar. I'll schedule it once I get Tobit 13 finished. I think if I had someone interested in working on staging it with me, the impetus to polish up those last few songs would come pretty quick.
The next project is an opera based on the Book of Ruth. Been looking at that one for a few years now.
