# Good Texts



## Mr Salek (Apr 11, 2006)

I feel like writing a piece for soprano and piano, but I'm stuck for texts to use. Does anyone have any reccomendations? The language isn't hugely important, although English is my first language.


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## Edward Elgar (Mar 22, 2006)

Check out the bible! No - in all honesty, ye olde poem books can be found in antique shops and can be very useful. I composed a choral work in such a way.


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## Topaz (Oct 25, 2006)

Mr Salek said:


> I feel like writing a piece for soprano and piano, but I'm stuck for texts to use. Does anyone have any reccomendations? The language isn't hugely important, although English is my first language.


What do you want the subject of the song to be, broadly? There must be some English poetry that would fit if you can provide a few clues.


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## hlolli (Dec 31, 2006)

The best text you can find are in Icelandic mythology!

Jon Leifs did songs to alot of those text in Icelandic and Icelandic sounds best. I think no-one has ever done this at another language.

But check out Voluspa, Havamal, Snorra-Edda, Edda and Godakvaedi.
icelandic: Völuspá, Hávamál, Snorra-Edda, Edda and Goðakvæði.


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## Mr Salek (Apr 11, 2006)

Thanks guys, I'll take all of your points into consideration. Another thing I am wondering, is when, say, Mozart wrote for voice, would he assign one verse to a subject, allowing them to be repeated, or just write the whole tune with the words in mind?


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## Saturnus (Nov 7, 2006)

I'ts funny you took Mozart for an example because he composed one tune that was repeated throughout the verses but most later, and some earlier, composers did write the whole tune with the words in mind.


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