Dear Final Chords in Renaissance Polyphonic Choral Music,

I love you. There, I said it.

It is so satisfying to sing through a piece and reach you, Final Chord. All the busyness and complexity of the piece dissolves into stillness, and you settle in perfection.

As an alto, I am often the one who gets to fill in the third of the chord – a powerful and beautiful position! But I can’t do it alone. It only really works when the fifths around me are perfectly tuned and I can fit my note, just-so.

I love that, after years of singing this music, I don’t have to work hard when I get to you, Final Chord. I trust my ears, my instincts, and my voice. I trust the composer and the people around me, and just sing.

Love, Katy

Here are a couple pieces if you would like to fill your ears with polyphony, and enjoy hearing some Final Chords: