Eclipse

Description

Soprano, Alto, Bass, Piano — During the Summer of 2024, I was itching to write some new choral music. However, I wanted to be able to work with a director and ensemble in putting it together. After deciding to reach out to local choir directors, I soon began working with Heather Baker and the Clyde High School Concert Choir to put together a never-before-heard piece just for them. Not only that, I even recorded a series of videos that catalogued my journey in writing the piece from start to finish. Overall, I’m so happy and grateful that I was able to work with Heather and her choir, as it led to the creation of two very cool things. The first was this piece, Eclipse - the story of people that experience a solar eclipse for the first time without knowing what’s actually going on. The second was the video series that is now on the Christian Fortner Music YouTube channel, called Choral Music From Scratch. The Clyde High School Concert Choir premiered Eclipse in October of 2024 in Clyde, Texas.The "darkness" ostinato that is established in all three voice parts at the start of the piece should be sung firmly and confidently, but still in a light, staccato fashion. Despite what the ostinato implies, however, the overall feel of the piece should be smooth and elegant. It may help to conduct in "two" rather than "four" to make this naturally happen. Eclipse tells the story of people witnessing a solar eclipse for the first time, unaware of the reason behind the sudden darkness. A steady “darkness” ostinato moves through all three voices, while moments of brightness emerge in lighter, flowing lines. Smooth, elegant phrasing ties the narrative together, creating a piece that is atmospheric, expressive, and memorable for singers and audiences alike.

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