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should encourage singers to use whatever will help them when writing for three-part women’s voices for the alto
keep their place when longer notes enter on the “wrong” line to lie somewhat lower than usual. But Smyth takes
beats, whether that is numbering beats in a measure or this tendency to the extreme. By the end of the page the

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adding hash marks. alto line has descended to g sharp below middle c ; it
Figure 4 also shows some of Smyth’s harmonic ten- moves to g natural at the top of the next page, and else-
dencies. Even though the overall harmonic plan of the where in the movement it sinks to the f sharp a fifth be-
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Mass is quite straightforward—with the exception of low middle c , a half step lower than the recommended
the C Major Benedictus, all movements have D minor limit for basic alto part-writing. Now, many alto parts
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or D Major as their home key—Smyth frequently shifts go below middle c , and sometimes indeed down to low

the harmonic focus within movements, rapidly and not f sharpor even f. But in most part writing, the alto line
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always to closely related keys. The excerpt shown here usually stays at middle c or above, and when it goes be-
begins in B minor, but by the end of the page the key has low that, it tends not to linger there. In contrast, the alto
shifted to the distant E flat minor. Such unexpected mod- part in Benedictus, when the writing is in three voices,
ulations and Smyth’s extreme fondness for harmonically spends most of its time below middle c . The part con-
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unstable seventh chords (and other extended harmonies) tains 153 notes, of which only 53 are middle c or
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can generate melodic lines that require special attention above and 100 are below middle c . I know of no alto
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in rehearsal. part anywhere written for women’s voices that spends
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The Mass in D presents some challenge in the ranges that much time in the lowest range of the alto voice.
required for the singers. Figure 5 shows that these are Smyth’s unusual emphasis on this low tessitura makes
extensive for every voice part: close to two octaves for for one of the most effective sections of the Mass.
altos and second tenors, two octaves precisely for first so- The Mass is D was only Smyth’s second choral/or-
pranos, first tenors, and first basses, and more than two chestral composition; her earlier work, The Song of Love
octaves for second sopranos and second basses. Further, (Op. 8), is a cantata from 1888. Although Smyth was
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Smyth is not always sparing in her use of registral ex- evidently a compelling solo singer, she was not a cho-
tremes. The low D in the second bass part—a pitch nor- ral singer. But that did not prevent her from writing an
mally avoided in choral writing—is found in every move- impressive work. One is reminded of John Adams and
ment, and it is held for four full measures in the “pax his first choral work, Harmonium. In his memoir, Adams
hominibus” section of the Gloria. Sopranos, meanwhile, candidly acknowledges that:
hold high a for four measures right before the end of the
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Credo, and at letter S in the same movement their a ex- The choral writing was full of unreasonable
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tends for five and a half measures. The most striking use difficulties, the result of my inexperience in
of extreme ranges is found in the Benedictus, however. composing for voices … Singers continue to
Figure 6 on the next page shows the second choral en- blanch at the challenges to their voices and
trance in the Benedictus, with some slightly unexpected my requirement that they count bars as if they
melodic writing and, most striking, the tessitura of the were rivets in a stadium roof. 41
alto part when the texture is for three voices. It is normal

CHORAL JOURNAL August 2025 Volume 66 Number 1 17