Stella Splendens; The underlay.

Two Methods for understanding how to manage the underlay in Stella Splendens follow. In defference to our different learning styles, I give you both. I hope that at least one of them makes everything clear.

You MAY want to write the 7th verse into your music, the exercise of doing that may make this clearer than either description. Remember WE WILL NOT BE USING OUR MUSIC for the performance on this piece. You will have (at most) the words, so get the melody in your bones.

  1. TOP LINE
    Where a syllable is held over a change in pitch, I have put a dash. I included the refrain so you can see what I'm up to. Since the whole group is only doing verse 7, I will do 'chorus' & then verse 7.

    Stel - la splen dens in mon - - - - te
    Ut so lis ra - di um
    mi - ra cu lis se ra - - - - to
    ex au di po - pu -- lum.

    Cun ti er go pre can - - tes
    sex us ut tri - us - que
    men tes nos tras mun dan - - tes
    or e mus de - vo - te
    vir - gi nem glo ri o - - - - sam
    Ma trem cle men - ti e
    In - ce lis gra ci o - - - - sam
    sen ci a mu - ve -- re.

    BOTTOM LINE
    (dash represents a quarter note pulse & does not represent pitch changes)

    Ste - la splen dens in mon - - - te
    ut so lis ra di um - - -
    Mi - ra cu lis se ra - - - to
    ex au di po pu lum -

    Cun ti er go pre can - tes
    Sex us ut tri us que -
    Men tes nos tras mun dan tes*
    Or e mus de vo te - - -
    vir - gi nem glo ri o - - - sam
    ma trem cle men ti e - - -
    in - ce lis gra ci o - - - sam
    sen ci a mus ve re -

    * note, if we match the top line in underlay here,we have to split the half note on into 2 syllables. We want to put the "O" in Oremus on the half note.

  2. TOP LINE

    music of refrain (same as lines 5 to 8 of verses)
    line 1 & line 3; syllable one, 2 notes: syllable 6, 5 notes
    line 2 & line 4; s. 4 and 5 (usually) 2 notes

    refrain
    line 1 & line 3, syllable 6, 3 notes
    line 2 & line 4, syllable 4 and 5, 2 notes

    BOTTOM LINE
    part a (refrain)
    NB: rests irrelevant
    long beginning notes (2 beats) for each 2 lines
    long ending notes going to next note (4 beats if next note begins measure/ 3 beats if there is a pick up--with consonants on last quarter)--

    syllabic except for next to last syllable of lines 1 and 3 which has 2 half notes

    part b (verse)
    ties irrelevant, end notes--see above
    syllabic except for next to last syllable of lines 1 and 3 (2 notes) --