widely-divided or close.

_Examples:_

_Ivan the Terrible_, Act I [[25-26]], [[23-31]] (Women's chorus).

_Sadko_, before [[181]]--Men's chorus (cf. Ex. 27).

No. 311. _Sadko_ [[270-272]]--Women's chorus.

In four-part choral writing close harmony is preferable, otherwise the
upper part will be in too high a register and the range of the bottom
part too low.

_Examples:_

_Sadko_ [[17]]--Male chorus.

_Ivan the Terrible_, Act II [[36-38]]--Female chorus (cf. Ex. 296).

Distribution in two parts which is generally polyphonic does not call
for any special remarks; the same may be said of chorus in unison.

_Examples:_

_Sadko_ [[50]]--Male chorus.

_Mlada_, beginning of Act I. }
_Ivan the Terrible_, Act III [[13-15]]. } Female chorus.
_Servilia_ [[26]]. }

If male and female choruses are handled in a purely harmonic manner
close part writing should be adopted. This is the only way to secure
proper balance of tone in chords given to voices of the same kind.
Successions of chords in three parts are more frequent than those in
four; sometimes a series of chords is practicable only in two parts.

_Examples:_

_Snegourotchka_ [[19]]--Chorus of Birds.

" [[281-285]]--Chorus of Flowers (cf. Ex. 26).

In _fugato_ writing, and fugal imitation in three parts, allotted to a
chorus composed of voices of one kind, the principal subject is given
to two parts, the counter subject to one; by this method the doubled
themes will stand out to better advantage.

_Examples:_

_Sadko_ [[20-21]].

* _The Tsar's Bride_ [[29-30]].

Male and female choruses, apart from the part they play as individual
unities, may be introduced as separate groups in mixed choruses
alternating with the whole _ensemble_.

_Example:_

_Snegourotchka_ [[198]]--Hymn of Tsar Berendey's Subjects (cf. Ex.
166).

As a general rule a female chorus does not contain the real harmonic
bass part when this part is situated in the low register, so that no
octaves are formed between the real bass and the lower choral voice.
Harmony in a chorus for women is generally given to the three upper
parts, the lower part acting as accompanying bass. It will be noticed
that this rule may lead to the employment of chords of the sixth and
empty consecutive fourth's and fifth's which should be avoided. In
example No. 311 (_Sadko_ [[270]]), this is remedied by the high
position of the bass part; later an empty inter