Timothy Adorno

Professor Alexander
MUS 431

John Rutter Was born in London in 1945 he has dedicated his

life to music he has been given awards. He was been rewarded a
Lambeth Doctorate of music for his contribution to church music.
O clap your hands by John Rutter is a piece for SATB choir
that is accompanied by piano or organ. The piece is in ternary
form A (mm.1-32) B (mm.33-49) A'(mm.50-62) C (mm.63-76) A"(mm.7784) coda (mm.85-the end. The intro shows a large chunk of
material that will be a motivic element in the accompaniment. The
smallest subdivision in this piece is sixteenth notes that appear
in (mm.101-102) in the last four measures of the entire piece.
Thirty-second notes appear as a decoration to the final chord,
both are in the piano accompaniment. The piece starts in 4/4 and
the key is G major. The begging of the piece has the male and
female voices singing in unison as well as a Capella. In (m. 12)
the chorus is accompanied and sings no longer in unison but in
four parts. The piece rather often changes meter. Its first
metric changes start in (mm.18-23) it changes to 2/4, 3/8, 4/4,
2/4, 3/8, 4/4. Those changes in meter are all right next to one
another creating some difficulty for the conductor and the

performers. Another section with frequent metric changes that may

be challenging is from (mm.85-94) in the coda. This section
metrically shifts from 4/4 to 5/8, 7/8, 6/8, 7/8, 4/4. The
original tempo quarter note is 132 bright and rhythmic. There are
markings that say allargando which means to make slower and
slower (mm.62 and 94) both times the allargando moves to a tempo
change the first time largamente quarter note =116 and the second
a tempo. Molto maestoso, which means very majestic, also there is
an accelerando. Some rhythm challenges, tied notes that extend
over the bar line such as mm.16, 20, 23, 26, 29, 35, 37 and more
as this is a reoccurring theme.as well as tied notes that stay
within the measure. Quarter note triplets (m.65), two against
three in (m.72) is areas of caution.
Melodic and harmonic challenges are the abundance of seconds in
the vocal part, but mostly in the accompaniment both creates a
challenge for the voices. Measures (65-69, 75, 86), is an example
of it in the voices. Large leaps in the voices in (mm.89, and
91). Some of these issues may lead to pitch issues in the choir,
seconds are difficult because the voices are so close together
and dissonant, the leaps pose the problem of missing the intended
note.
There is a section where the voice break into duets were one
group of two sing and the other are tacit giving a sort of

trading between voices. This exchange begins in (m.32) with the

altos singing alone. The duets take place from (mm.36-49), the
soprano and altos, soprano and tenors, and altos and basses. The
piano accompaniment during the duets is a variation of the intro,
the left hand chords are a different rhythm but the same voicing
and the right hand as before is all eight notes but single notes.
In this section there is a clear modulation to a key that has a c
sharp.
I would consider this piece to be rather difficult for the
performers and the conductor in large part because of the metric
changes, dissonances, and dynamic and articulation changes. The
performers as well as the conductor will have to be aware of the
many sudden changes in the piece, the performers must watch the
conductor to receive dynamic, articulation and tempo changes and
the conductor will have to make clear and appropriate gestures.
As a conductor of this piece I would want to do warm ups
that might emphasize the difference between singing passages
legato, non-legato, and Mercado. I would do breathing and hissing
exercises that might imitate certain passages especially one with
rather difficult rhythmic and metric changes.