A feet washing song

[Robert Vaughn]

I've spent some 30 years researching the subject of feet washing (mostly as practiced by Baptists and mostly in America). I have also been collecting hymns that address the subject. The first two stanzas of one of those hymns has become the text of the tune Bane Branch. The title is only coincidental (washing/branch); Bane Branch is a small (dry right now) branch about a half mile from my home and named after a family that married into my maternal ancestors' family.

Rather than the traditional bass fuge entry, I decided to go with a treble entry and then rotate around the square -- alto, bass, tenor. I went with a duet in the middle somewhat reminiscent (to me at least) of a call and response. It seems to me that it turned out fairly well, though it is yet to stand the singers' test. Any comments and critique will be appreciated.

His glories sing,
Robert Vaughn
Mount Enterprise, TX
http://baptistsearch.blogspot.com/
Ask for the old paths, where is the good way.
http://mtcarmelbaptist.blogspot.com/
For ask now of the days that are past...
http://oldredland.blogspot.com/
Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land.

[Randy Webber]

I downloaded Bane Branch, will look at it more closely, and probably try it in Louisville, Lexington, or Cincinnati.  My off-the-cuff observation is that there is nothing sacred about the upwardly cascading order of entries, even though it is statistically normal in fasola.  Other orders occur less frequently but still occur and, in most cases, are well written.  One example of an alternative order that I like, though not from the fasola tradition, is Handel's setting of "And with his stripes we are healed," which Mozart apparently found striking enough to use as his model for the D minor "Kyrie eleison."  Incidentally, I will be the first to admit that I am still learning how to write counterpoint.

Randy

[Robert Vaughn]

Thanks, Randy. If y'all sing it, let me know what kind of feedback you have and you hear. One other thing I did with this tune was use the 6th more than I normally would.

His glories sing, Robert Vaughn Mount Enterprise, TX http://baptistsearch.blogspot.com/ Ask for the old paths, where is the good way. http://mtcarmelbaptist.blogspot.com/ For ask now of the days that are past... http://oldredland.blogspot.com/ Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land.

--- On Sat, 7/30/11, Randy Webber <randy.we...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Wade Kotter]

Looks and sounds good, Robert, although I haven't had the chance to sing it with a group. I have a little concern with the rather long silence between "feet" and "of his Disciples" in the treble and alto parts just before the duet. It seems to me that this musical gap takes away from the continuity of the phrase "washed the feet of his disciples." Perhaps you could have the trebles and altos hold their note on "feet" until a beat or two before the duet starts. 

Wade

---

From: Robert Vaughn <rl_v...@yahoo.com>
To: Fasola songwriters <fasola-so...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, July 29, 2011 12:08 PM
Subject: [fasola-songwriters: 817] A feet washing song

[Robert Vaughn]

Thanks for pointing this out, Wade. The immediate reaction is to think I still like it like it is, but I'll revisit it and see what might be done as per your suggestion or some other way. Another option might be to hold them off until the bass and tenor finish their "washed the feet" line. The poetry is a little unusual there in those lines with "of His disciples" starting a metrical/poetic line of 8, while completing the thought of the previous metrical/poetic line of 6 -- "Christ bowed and washed the feet of His disciples."   This illustrates one of the difficulties of writing fuging tunes -- getting a good musical interaction of parts while maintaining some semblance of continuity of thought. I appreciate your looking at it and offering this suggestion.

His glories sing, Robert Vaughn Mount Enterprise, TX http://baptistsearch.blogspot.com/ Ask for the old paths, where is the good way. http://mtcarmelbaptist.blogspot.com/ For ask now of the days that are past... http://oldredland.blogspot.com/ Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land.

--- On Wed, 8/3/11, Wade Kotter <wadek...@yahoo.com> wrote:

[Wade Kotter]

The option you mention is the other one that I considered. Actually, I think the problem you identify with writing fuging tunes can also be a problem in non-fuging tunes.

Wade

---

From: Robert Vaughn <rl_v...@yahoo.com>

To: fasola-so...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, August 3, 2011 3:47 PM
Subject: Re: [fasola-songwriters: 824] A feet washing song

[Robert Vaughn]

--- On Wed, 8/3/11, Wade Kotter <wadek...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> The option you mention is the other one that I considered.
> Actually, I think the problem you identify with writing fuging tunes
> can also be a problem in non-fuging tunes.

I agree, Wade. Although the very nature of a fuging tune may exacerbate the problem. Some gospel part songs have this kind of problem, especially where some parts are only singing part of the words. I suppose a plain tune/psalm tune has the least problem in this area, although the stress in the music sometimes affect how we take the words.

Re my Bane Branch tune, I think that a different set of common meter words might alleviate the loss of continuity there in that place. (Although I don't think I want to change the words.)

[invisibl...@gmail.com]

Robert, six months later (oops), I like the tune as well as the use of the 6th scale degree, particularly in the treble fugue entrance.  

In that other particular place, I like the idea of making the altos and trebles wait a measure to come in so that they are picking up the musical and lyrical line from the basses and tenors.

Matt Bell

[Robert Vaughn]

Thanks, Matt. I had to go back and pull up the tune and look at these places. The use of the sixth in minor is rather uncommon for me. I must have been in a different mood that day! Thanks for taking a look and giving your thoughts. Hope all is going well your way.

His glories sing,

Robert Vaughn
Mount Enterprise, TX
http://baptistsearch.blogspot.com

Ask for the old paths, where is the good way

http://mtcarmelbaptist.blogspot.com

For ask now of the days that are past...
http://oldredland.blogspot.com

Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land.

---

From: "invisibl...@gmail.com" <invisibl...@gmail.com>
To: fasola-so...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 3:07 PM
Subject: Re: [fasola-songwriters: 1048] A feet washing song