Consummatum est

Consummatum est.

It is finished.

*

For five voices from the Seven Last Words of Christ, this is traditionally counted as the 6th. The words are repeated six times in a Gregorian chant-like chorale fashion. After the third repetition a new melody rises above. You'll notice that on the second version of the melody, I didn't quite get all the Latin out. The fifth voice you hear at the end is feedback, the rest are me.

I didn't plan anything on this. I hit record and sang the words. Then I added the harmonies. The melody is also off the cuff. Due to the improvisational and aleatoric nature of this recording, I decided to let that fifth voice be.

Mockingbird

A mockingbird told me
About a silver place
I had the map, for it was drawn
In the lines of my face

I asked her about
The lines in my hand
She answered with a song
That I didn't understand

Can I believe what I've heard
From the mockingbird?

A mockingbird told me
About a golden song
But when I tried to sing it
I had the notes all wrong

I asked if she'd sing it
Once again for me
She answered with my words
In perfect mimicry


A mockingbird told me
About a two-way mirror
One side showed joys to come
The other all my terrors

When I'd seen one side
The other would go black
And I would be unable
To ever change my path.