Miriam Carpinetti – Chorale 68

 

This setting employs a second voice which, together with the melody, results in 4th harmonic intervals in direct motion. The low voice composed of parallel fifths moves slowly at first and fastest from bar 5. This duplicated bass line punctuates the work to bring an enlarged tonal character. The 4ths and 5ths provoke a sense of depth. There is also a counterpoint in quavers and irrational divisions of triplets. The three layers are complementary, following loosely Messiaen’s 3rd mode of limited transposition, with a balanced use of the sound space. Harmony is increasingly dense and coloured throughout the work.