The compositions of Eric Whitacre can be categorized as neoclassical choral electronic music, and this statement requires a detailed analysis. Neoclassicism implies the renewal of conservative musical material in order to extract and enhance the value of the aesthetic elements in it. Neoclassical music does not duplicate traditional classical music, but takes into account the position of the modern listener and his hearing. Based on this, the neoclassical composer strives to adapt the music to the trained modern ear in a way that makes it sound fresh and exciting. Whitacre creates choral music based on samples of voices sent to him, but uses computer tools for this, which explains the name of the genre as “choral electronic” music.
The composition consists entirely of voices sent to the composer by mail. The peculiarity of the composition lies in the fact that the composer also acted as a conductor, who recorded a video instruction in which he conducts future performers as an instruction for the performance participants. The sequencer used to process and master the voices also plays a very important role in making the piece feel emotional. The compositions are quite slow, but at the same time they have constant dynamics. Melodic shifts are divided into polyphonic, when only part of the harmonic structure changes, and full-fledged, when two melodies are shifted, producing a stunning effect on the listener. Knowledge of the theory of religious, choral, and organ music of the previous millennium clearly helps Whitacre organize music in such a way as to evoke an emotional response from the modern listener.
The compositions of Eric Whitacre are conceptual and are projects created in collaboration with the global Internet audience. Whitacre creates classical choral compositions, which are subsequently performed and recorded by the project participants and subsequently synchronized by the author. Participants of the performance from all over the world perform a choral-type composition based on harmonic constructions from combinations of human voices.
Reverberations applied to countless voices produce a grandiose effect that is difficult or almost impossible to reproduce in material reality. It is interesting to note that although the voices of many performers are not professionally trained, the mixing and the sheer mass of voices create timbres of such purity that the compositions sound almost angelic. The composer used different voice tones to create two compositions, ‘Lux aurumque’ and ‘Sleep’ (TED, 2011). While in the first composition higher timbres were used, in the second composition the composer collected low, adult, and very high, children’s timbres of voices. This gives the composition greater harmonic spread and timbre variation, as low male voices produce additional polyphonic melodies.
From the monologue given by Whitacre during the demonstration of compositions, it follows that he did not immediately choose his creative path, initially wanting to be a pop singer. This explains his commitment to making accessible and technically impressive academic music. The author clearly enjoys interacting with the audience and getting feedback from it, but he not only reaps the benefits of fame, but uses the audience to create original musical works. I would recommend this performance to anyone interested in classical or religious music. Connoisseurs of the orthodox choir are guaranteed to find blissful harmonies in the compositions of Eric Whitacre, creating a sense of connection with the spiritual and sublime.
Work Cited
“Eric Whitacre: A virtual choir 2,000 voices strong.” YouTube, uploaded by TED, 2011.