Thursday 12 October 2006

What's in a name

My motet Nunc Dimittis isn't strictly a Nunc Dimittis at all. It uses the words of the Nunc Dimittis alongside a text from Job. In fact in its original version (and its been through a few) it was called Job and Simeon and is a sort of dialogue between the 2, Job's depression ("My day's are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope") contrasted will Simeon's Godly acceptance.


The motet is known as Nunc Dimittis and in that form it has been performed (twice at the Chelsea Festival by FifteenB).


The problem is, now I'm writing a real Nunc Dimittis to complement my recently penned Magnificat. I'm hoping to include the original Nunc Dimittis and the new Magnificat on the planned new recording pencilled in for next spring. Are you now beginning to see the problem? Perhaps I should rename the original motet Nunc Dimittis - Job and Simeon but that's hardly a catchy title is it?


I've also discovered a bug in my classification system. My electronic music archive at home and the publishing website Spherical Editions> have sections for Latin Masses, English Masses, Latin Motets, English Motets; in the latter category I include anthems (I've never been sure of the difference). Of course, now I'm writing canticles for Evensong and have no idea where to file them. Calls for a revision to the classifications I think.

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