This string quartet began with a desire to write an In nomine, a popular instrumental form from the sixteenth century. At that time it became popular to write music for viol consort based on the meane (ie. alto) part from the In nomine section of John Taverner’s Missa Gloria Tibi Trinitas. With this idea, I …
Author Archives: Vaughan
Compositions
Undeterred by a disastrous performance of my first song at a school camp, I have been composing in earnest since 1984. In 2000 I settled on an idiom that allowed me to fully indulge my enthusiasm for the expressive possibilities of counterpoint. Here is a incomplete list of my music. You may also find complementary …
Hymn arrangements for brass quintet
I have a number of exciting hymn arrangements. They have been performed over the years at Scots’ Church on Easter morning and at “Big Hymn Sings”. I am intending to put them all into the shop, but if you are interested, let me know, and we should be able to come to an arrangement. The …
Biography
Vaughan McAlley briefly studied flute at the University of Melbournewith Prudence Davis before specialising in Composition under BrentonBroadstock. Since joining the chamber choir Ensemble Gombert in 1999he has composed primarily choral music, exploring the potential of therelatively strict rules of renaissance counterpoint combined with justintonation, a typically choral method of tuning. Major works includethe 3rd …
Omnes angeli
motet for 40-part choir by Vaughan McAlley (2012) The idea for Omnes angeli came to me when I decided to organize a casual performance of Thomas Tallis’ Spem in alium for my fortieth birthday. With forty voices voices to be assembled, I decided to try writing a forty-part piece of my own. The text for …
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A near-native of Melbourne, Australia, Vaughan McAlley has spent his now-long career developing expertise in many aspects of music, including choral music, instrumental and orchestral music, conducting, singing, and composing. He is a long-time member of Ensemble Gombert, and is a principal tenor in the choir of Scots’ Church in Melbourne. His love of renaissance …
