Dies Irae
Public Domain, (p) 2007, Mark BelbinA haunting piece of Gregorian Chant, "Dies Irae" (Day of Wrath) has a fittingly ominous tone. This rendition features a solo American Zither, mimicking the "Antiphonal" (call and response) style widely practiced in sacred Christian music of the medieval period.
Antiphonal style was achieved by simply playing the first three phrases in single notes with octave coupling turned on, then repeating those phrases in octaves on the keyboard. This "two mallet" octave results in a four-note two octave spread with the middle octave doubled, creating a rich, sonorous, "ensemble" sound. A low string drone provides accompaniment, swelling and fading with the melody.