Discussion of original performance conventions of Bach's sacred works - cantatas, Passions, masses - by practising musician and director of Taverner choir. What type of choir did Bach have in mind as he created his cantatas, Passions and Masses? How many singers were at his disposal in Leipzig, and in what ways did he deploy them in his own music? Seeking to understand the verymedium of Bach's incomparable choral output, Andrew Parrott investigates a wide range of sources: Bach's own writings, and the scores and parts he used in performance, but also a variety of theoretical, pictorial and archival documents, together with the musical testimony of the composer's forerunners and contemporaries. Many of the findings shed a surprising, even disturbing, light on conventions we have long taken for granted. A whole world away from, say, the typical oratorio choir of Handel's London with which we are reasonably familiar, the essential Bach choir was in fact an expert vocal quartet (or quintet), whose members were also responsible for all solos and duets. (In a mere handful of Bach's works, this solo team was selectively supported by a second rank of singers - also one per part - whose contribution was all but optional). Parrott shows that this use of aone-per-part choir was mainstream practice in the Lutheran Germany of Bach's time: Bach chose to use single voices not because a larger group was unavailable, but because they were the natural vehicle of elaborate concerted music. As one of several valuable appendices, this book includes the text of Joshua Rifkin's explosive 1981 lecture, never before published, which first set out this line of thinking and launched a controversy that is long overduefor resolution. ANDREW PARROTT has made a close study of historical performing practices in the music of six centuries, and for over twenty-five years he has been putting research into practice with his own professional ensembles, the Taverner Consort, Taverner Players and Taverner Choir.

Choral Sight Reading provides a practical and organic approach to teaching choral singing and sight-reading. The text is grounded in current research from the fields of choral pedagogy, music theory, music perception and cognition. Topics include framing a choral curriculum based on the Kodaly concept; launching the academic year for beginning, intermediate, and advanced choirs; building partwork skills; sight-reading; progressive music theory sequences for middle to college level choirs; teaching strategies; choral rehearsal plans as well as samples of how to teach specific repertoire from medieval to contemporary choral composers. This volume includes basic and advanced music theory concepts to develop fluent sight-reading skills for reading standard choral repertoire, providing examples for the process outlined in Chapters 6-8 of Volume 1 (Choral Artistry). This guide provides choral directors with a choral curriculum and choral rehearsal models that place performance, audiation, partwork, music theory, and sight-signing skills at the heart of the choral experience, through a 'sound thinking' approach to teaching that results in greater efficiency in creating independent choral singers with a well-rounded repertoire.

for SATB and organ This superb Latin mass setting for choir and organ demonstrates the composer's strong melodic sense and innate feeling for the sound of choral worship. The atmospheric Kyrie leads to a Gloria that contrasts vibrantly rhythmic passages with smoother, expressive sections. The mysterious harmonies of the Sanctus pave the way for a tender Benedictus, and the Agnus Dei is a haunting and powerful prayer for peace.

This book presents a comprehensive view of children's musical artistry and how to develop it in both the music classroom and children's chorus. Presenting the musical mind as the gateway to children's artistry, and addressing the power of movement in its embodiment and advancement, author Mary Ellen Pinzino shows how song-rhythm, melody, and text, independently and together-influence children's developing artistry musically, expressively, and vocally at every level. Accordingly, she also offers a multitude of specific songs that inspire children's artistry, all in various tonalities and meters and on a continuum of increasing difficulty. Keeping the need for practical application in mind, Pinzino offers materials for implementation with children from kindergarten through seventh grade, as well as guidance for professional development. Content can be applied alongside any pedagogical methodology, as well as with older singers in the process of developing their own artistry. In short, this book makes the intangibles of children's artistry more tangible. It enables music teachers and choral conductors to draw artistry out of every child and draw every child into the choral art. It summons music teachers and choral conductors to bring artistry to the forefront of every music class and choral rehearsal-and to the forefront of the field of music education as a whole.

for TTBB and piano or organ, or unaccompanied This collection of nine of John Rutter's most popular choral works, arranged by the composer for tenors and basses, has been carefully compiled to reflect a wide variety of texts and styles. Encompassing both sacred and secular pieces, the collection provides a valuable and attractive body of repertoire for TTBB choirs.

for SATB chorus and orchestra This joyous arrangement of a traditional spiritual for choir and orchestra is propelled by a light swing tempo. The mood grows more and more euphoric with each succeeding stanza of text, and the uplifting music surges towards an opulent conclusion.

for SATB chorus and orchestra This joyous arrangement of a traditional spiritual for choir and orchestra is propelled by a light swing tempo. The mood grows more and more euphoric with each succeeding stanza of text, and the uplifting music surges towards an opulent conclusion.

for SATB and organ. A work of thanksgiving, The Song of Harvest is an artfully crafted celebration of the earth and its riches. The piece is structured around five well-known hymns of praise, for which Chilcott has composed striking original melodies that may be easily learnt by an audience or congregation, who are invited to join in with the choir. In keeping with tradition, the hymns feature soprano descants for the final verses, and the organ is used to great effect throughout the work in providing characterful introductions and interludes, as well as supporting the choir. The choral movements explore words from the psalms and poems by writers such as Henry van Dyke and Christina Rossetti, whose famous poem 'Consider' provides a moment of solemn reflection before the rousing closing hymn 'Now thank we all our God'.

for T. solo, SATB (with divisions), and orchestra The World Imagined explores themes around the smallness of man, the apprehension of the divine in everything around us, and our ecstatic communion within that vastness. The powerfully evocative texts invite deep spiritual contemplation, and are drawn from diverse sources ranging from an early Latin hymn by St Ambrose to contemporary poems by Doris Kareva and Kenneth White. The work is structured in five continuous movements, with a tenor soloist joining the choir in the second, fourth (where they have a melismatic extended solo passage), and fifth. Profound words by Wallace Stevens-'How high that highest candle lights the dark. Out of this same light, out of the central mind, We make a dwelling in the evening air, In which being there together is enough.'-draw this monumental work to a close, with wind and strings leading us to a final chord that resounds with quiet, hopeful optimism at the end of this transformative musical experience.

The Sarah Quartel Songbook brings together a selection of the composer's best-loved pieces for mixed voices, including favourites such as Sing, my Child, Voice on the Wind, and Swept Away. This is an invaluable resource both for choirs looking to explore the work of this fine choral composer for the first time and for admirers of Quartel's style hoping to find staple repertoire conveniently gathered together in one volume.

The Power of Song shows how the people of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania confronted a military superpower and achieved independence in the Baltic "Singing Revolution." When attacked by Soviet soldiers in public displays of violent force, singing Balts maintained faith in nonviolent political action. More than 110 choral, rock, and folk songs are translated and interpreted in poetic, cultural, and historical context. Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh7vFFjK0rc

for SATB and piano In this passionate four-movement work, composer Bob Chilcott and lyricist Delphine Chalmers explore themes of inclusivity, identity, and unity. The middle movements, 'Harmony' and 'Rhythm', have strong grooves and rhythmic drive, while the outer movements, 'Unison' and 'Resolution', are steadfast and uplifting. Songs my Heart has Taught Me brings singers and audience together in a celebration of all that unites us.

Breath of Song brings together ten exquisite works by contemporary women composers. Compiled and edited by Sarah Quartel, the collection features an eclectic mix of styles and colours, specially selected with modern concert programming in mind - from settings of hymn-like simplicity and a rich choral sound to works featuring theatrical body percussion and a fresh close-harmony style. Secular and sacred texts from across the centuries are given fresh life, and new words and sounds are introduced to the repertoire, including the onomatopoeic echoes of Hindustani classical instruments in Esmail's 'TaReKiTa' and the whistling of the wind and birds in Hawley's 'The Arrow and the Song'. Scored for unaccompanied mixed voices, this collection of ten compelling works is fresh, dynamic, and exciting - a long-awaited celebration of some of today's most inspirational voices in choral composition.

A second collection of 50 carols, mostly for SATB, some unaccompanied, and some having accompaniments for piano, organ, orchestra, or brass ensemble. Many of the carols are from traditional sources, rearranged, as well as carols written especially for this volume by composers including William Walton, Benjamin Britten, Richard Rodney Bennett, and William Mathias. Instrumental material for most of the accompanied items is available on hire. Eight Carols for Brass for 5 and 8 part brass (to accompany carols from Carols for Choirs 1 and Carols for Choirs 2) are also on sale.

For this beloved Cantata, the classic vocal score arranged by Bernhard Todt as a companion to the renowned Bach Gesellschaft Ausgabe was re-engraved by G. Schirmer in the early part of the 20th century with Henry Drinker's English translation added beneath the original German text. Now available in an easy-to-use, convenient size designed to fit comfortably in choral folders.

A leading British composer of the twentieth-century, Ralph Vaughan Williams was a lifelong exponent of choral music and singing. This two-part collection of new arrangements and editions features well-loved and lesser-known Vaughan Williams songs, anthems, and carols - for today's mixed-voice choir. It presents unison or treble pieces scored for SATB, creating new repertoire, and provides new accompaniment options and durations that widen the appeal of the pieces for church or concert use. The adaptations may introduce or give new light to the repertoire, yet are complementary to the original settings published as single pieces. John Leavitt, being an experienced conductor, composer, editor, and champion of Vaughan Williams, brings great sensitivity to this process, and knows how best to maximize rehearsal time with choirs of various types and sizes.

for SATB and organ, and optional brass ensemble and timpani Make We Merry is an eight-movement piece which sets texts from the 15th to 19th centuries to a variety of choral textures with a highly characterful accompaniment. A vast array of sentiments is depicted, from quiet expectance and gentle wonder to boisterous jubilation, and the different movements provide a wonderfully paced journey through these moods. The final movement brings back motifs from the opening and grows to a thrillingly climactic ending to this exciting Christmas concert work. This piece was originally commissioned in a version for upper voices by Benenden School.

A leading British composer of the twentieth-century, Ralph Vaughan Williams was a lifelong exponent of choral music and singing. This two-part collection of new arrangements and editions features well-loved and lesser-known Vaughan Williams songs, anthems, and carols - for today's mixed-voice choir. It presents unison or treble pieces scored for SATB, creating new repertoire, and provides new accompaniment options and durations that widen the appeal of the pieces for church or concert use. The adaptations may introduce or give new light to the repertoire, yet are complementary to the original settings published as single pieces. John Leavitt, being an experienced conductor, composer, editor, and champion of Vaughan Williams, brings great sensitivity to this process, and knows how best to maximize rehearsal time with choirs of various types and sizes.

Jane Dolby fell in love with a fisherman - the most dangerous peacetime occupation that exists - leading her to find a place in a traditional British world that many have forgotten. Jane was not expecting to fall in love, but she did with Colin, a local fisherman in her hometown. Then one day she faces the loss every fisherman's wife fears: the disappearance of her husband when his boat overturns at sea. Three days later, the boat is finally dredged up, without Colin. At the same time as Jane struggles with her grief, she must fight to keep a roof over her family's heads. With the help and kindness of friends and strangers, the fishing world rallies around one of their own and in time, Jane forms a plan to give something back to the community that has helped her. Jane brings together 40 women from fishing communities up and down the country to release a charity single, founding The Fishwives Choir, and gives a voice to women previously unheard. SONG OF THE SEA is the true story of one woman's love and loss, and after years in which grief stole her ability to sing, she finds her own voice again.

for upper voices with piano accompaniment or unaccompanied A compelling collection exploring different times of the day and the four seasons, Times and Seasons presents a fruitful collaboration between Bob Chilcott and poet Delphine Chalmers. Four of the pieces are unaccompanied, while the remainder have characterful and supportive piano accompaniments; the voices sing in unison or two parts, making this collection eminently accessible. Suitable for performance as a suite or as stand-alone pieces, these charming songs will be a welcome addition to the repertoire of any children's or upper-voice choir.

Contents: 1. Magnificat Anima Mea (Coro) 2. Et Exultavit (Aria) 3. Quia Respexit (Aria) 4. Omnes Generationes (Coro) 5. Quia Fecit Mihi Magna (Aria) 6. Et Misericordia (Duetto) 7. Fecit Potentiam (Coro) 8. Deposuit (Aria) 9. Esurientes (Aria) 10. Suscepit Israel (Terzetto) 11. Sicut Locutus (Coro) 12. Gloria Patri (Coro) Unabridged digitally enhanced reprint of the vocal score prepared by musicologist Karl Straube and published by C.F. Peters, Leipzig in the late 19th century. Bach composed the initial version in E flat in 1723 for the Christmas Vespers in Leipzig which contained several Christmas texts. Over the years he removed the Christmas-specific texts to make it suitable for year-round performance, transposing it into D major to provide better sonority for the trumpets. The work is divided into twelve parts which can be grouped into three movements, each beginning with an aria and completed by the choir. This large-format, easy-to-read vocal score, a welcome addition to the libraries of choruses and orchestras everywhere, is completely compatible with the widely available orchestra material reprinted by E. F. Kalmus.

for SSA, piano, and optional guitar, bass, and drum kit Samba Mass is a joyous and colourful setting of the Latin Missa brevis. The work is framed by the gentle bossa nova style of the warm Kyrie and relaxed Agnus Dei, which is prefaced by a funky Benedictus. The compelling rhythms of samba come to the fore in the second movement, a vivacious Gloria, which is followed by a beautiful Sanctus that offsets a steady flow of quavers with rhythmic syncopations. The stylistic piano part can be played as written or serve as a guide, and an optional guitar, bass, and drum kit part is available separately for band accompaniment. Performers will enjoy exploring the interplay between voices and the rich, warm colours of the samba and bossa nova styles.