Mizerna Cicha
for SATB choir
a cappella
   
         Mizerna Cicha, pronounced mee-zer-na chee-ha, uses the melody from a Polish Christmas carol for the same name.  The homophonic sections of the piece are not written with chord progressions.  They are written linearly with each voice singing a melody of its own.  The result is not a jumbled sound but a sound that lends the ear to the fluidity of the voices instead of what chords they are creating.  This section is in the time signature of 6/8.  The middle section of the piece is in the time signature of 3/4.  This middle section includes the melody in a 3 voice canon.  During the canon, the bass part enters with the melody in its original 6/8 time signature but is superimposed over the 3/4 time signature. 

Duration:  3 Minutes
Number of measures:  78
Number of pages (Score):  10

Mizerna Cicha

                                                         
Mizerna cicha, stajenka licha,
Pełna niebieskiej chwały.
Oto leżący, na sienie śpiący,
W promieniach Jezus mały.

Nad nim Anieli W locle stanęli
I pochyleni klęczą
Z włosy złotymi, skrzydły białemi,
Pod malowaną tęczą.

translates to

In a quiet, peaceful manger;
Full of Heaven's praise and joy,
Lies the small divine Jesus;
Asleep upon the straw.

Angels gently gather 'round him; Standing, bending, kneeling
Under a brightly colored rainbow.


                                                               Traditional Polish.
Performance History

    This piece was premiered by the CSULB University Choir and was conducted by Leland Vail for Winter Festival on December 3, 1994 and December 4, 1994 at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach, CA.

    This piece was also performed by the CSULB University Choir and was conducted by Leland Vail on December 11, 1994 at the Norwegian Seaman’s Church in San Pedro, CA.

    This piece was also performed on Eric D. Sharp’s composition recital on March 26, 1995 at the Daniel Recital Hall in Long Beach, CA.

    This piece was also performed by the St. Thomas Choir and was conducted by Eric D. Sharp on December 25, 2000 at the St. Thomas Church in Long Beach, CA. 


Excerpts

Measure Score
Audio








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