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Books > Music > Musical scores, lyrics & libretti
for SATB & piano/chamber orchestra This charming carol,
composed in 1975 by Barbara Bell, was discovered by John Rutter,
who enlisted the help of John Suchet and Classic FM to track down
the composer. Haunting in character, but with a delightful French
waltz feel and a sweeping piano part, La Berceuse has been recorded
by Voces8 on the Decca label.
for SATB (with divisions) and piano or orchestra This joyful,
sprightly carol has been offprinted, by popular request, from Sir
David Willcocks: A Celebration in Carols. With its uplifting 7/8
time signature, memorable melody, rich and diverse textures, and
delightful orchestral accompaniment, this carol is a fitting
tribute to one of the great names synonymous with Christmas: David
Willcocks.
for SATB (with divisions) and organ This jubilant carol sets a
fifteenth-century text that rejoices in the birth of the baby
Jesus. Bednall's rhythmically exciting setting features frequently
changing time signatures, with 7/8 passages creating a jaunty feel.
There are a variety of tempi and textures: a slower, tender middle
section contrasts with the lively outer sections, and an
unaccompanied section for the choir is juxtaposed against
glittering, rhythmic organ passages. An ideal opener for any
Christmas Carol concert, the work is featured on the Choir of Truro
Cathedral's CD A Year at Truro (Regent Records).
for SATB unaccompanied This warm and expressive carol sets a
Christmas poem by English poet U. A. Fanthorpe that centres on the
moment of Christ's birth. Fleeting unisons call the listener's
attention to the focal point of the text, the 'moment', and the
rich, luminous harmonies create a sense of wonder at this momentous
event.
for SATB and organ or small orchestra Christmas Lullaby was
commissioned in 1989 by the Bach Choir in celebration of the
seventieth birthday of its conductor, Sir David Willcocks. The
haunting melody of the verses and the reflective refrain of 'Ave
Maria' have made this an immensely popular carol. The orchestral
accompaniment is available on sale and on hire/rental. A version
for upper voices is also available.
for SATB (with divisions) unaccompanied The text for this
arrangement of the second of William Walton's Two Pieces for
Strings from Henry V' is based on the line 'Touch her soft mouth,
and part' from Shakespeare's Henry V (Act 2, Scene 3). Featured on
the Tenebrae Consort's CD Sun, Sea, Moon and Stars (released
January 2016), this melancholic setting is simple yet highly
effective.
for SATB double choir and piano or small ensemble Another winning
collaboration between Bob Chilcott and author Charles Bennett, this
work was commissioned by Age UK Oxfordshire as part of a project to
highlight and combat loneliness. The singers assume the role of
narrator, guiding the listener on a journey made by boat, with nine
choral songs presenting their own stories within this larger
excursion. The outer movements provide a watery framework with
rippling figures and gentle choral waves. An air of nostalgia
pervades 'My father's boat' and 'What we did on our holiday', while
the central songs use naval and meteorological imagery to speak of
some of life's difficulties. Soliloquies between the choral songs
highlight a variety of solo instruments, but these may be omitted
if performing with piano.
for SSA and piano This playful song sets the famous 'Beautiful
Soup' poem from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in
a suitably tongue-in-cheek manner. With lilting rhythms,
intertwining lines, and opportunities for portamento, Beautiful
Soup will make an enjoyable addition to any concert programme.
for SSA and piano As She Goes sets words by the composer on a
reflective yet inspirational theme ('We were born to fly, but your
wings come without a trial run'), against the backdrop of images
from the natural world. The choral lines are simple and melodic,
drawing on the sound-world of the folksong 'My Love's An Arbutus',
which opens the work. Ideal for adult and youth upper-voice choirs,
as well as children's choruses.
for SATB and piano As Joseph was a-walking is a lilting and
uplifting setting of the well-known traditional text about the
prophecy of Christ's birth, as received by Joseph from an angel.
The accessible musical language, with interesting harmonic
inflections, and attractive piano writing makes this an appealing
choice for Christmas concerts and services.
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (1813-1901) was an Italian
Romantic opera composer, best known for Rigoletto, La Traviata, and
Aida -- an Ethiopian princess, who is captured and brought into
slavery in Egypt. A military commander, Radames, struggles to
choose between his love for her and his loyalty to the Pharaoh.
Antonio Ghislanzoni (1824-1893) was an Italian journalist, poet,
and novelist who wrote librettos for Verdi, among other composers,
of which the best known are Aida and the revised version of La
Forza del Destino.
for TTBB and piano Like the original version for SATB voices, this
new male-voice arrangement of Wide Open Spaces reflects on the
journeys and adventures to be found in the wide opens spaces within
ourselves and in the world around us. The uplifting melody is
passed from the tenors to the baritones before the piece opens out
into an expansive texture with rich harmonies. Quartel introduces a
playful episode of scat singing before a resolute final chorus
brings this evocative piece to a peaceful and serene close.
for SATB and organ Commissioned by the 2015 Three Choirs Festival,
this is Chilcott's second setting of the Evening Canticles. Bright
and rhythmical, the Magnificat features syncopated chords in the
organ part that punctuate the more sustained choral textures. In
contrast, the Nunc dimittis is reflective, opening with a soaring
soprano melody and building towards an expressive climax on the
word 'glory'. Ideal for church and cathedral choirs looking for
something new for their evening service.
for SSATB unaccompanied Setting part of a Eucharistic hymn text by
Thomas Aquinas, Adoro te devote is a beautiful, devotional piece
suitable for liturgical or concert use. Flowing and expressive, it
features homophonic sections, melismatic lines, and optional
soaring soprano solos. Adoro te devote was written for Martin Baker
and Westminster Cathedral Choir and is dedicated to the memory of
the victims of the Nepalese Earthquake in April 2015.
for SATB and piano or organ First published in Carols for Choirs 5,
this is a beautiful and touching setting of the well-known
fifteenth-century words. The contours of Stroope's melodic writing
perfectly mirror the narrative from the manger scene, while the
simple refrain highlights the Christ-child's innocence as his
mother lulls him to sleep.
for SSAATTBB unaccompanied Ave gloriosa mater salvatoris is a
challenging and yet delicate anthem, with subtle key-signature
changes, vocal divisions in up to eight parts, and alternating
homophonic and polyphonic passages. The text includes excerpts from
the synonymous medieval hymn and Wordsworth's poem The Virgin,
making the piece suitable for a variety of sacred celebrations and
particularly those of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
for SATB and piano Composed in celebration of David Willcocks's
95th birthday, Jonathan Willcocks sets a suitably uplifting
traditional text from Cornwall, the county of his father's birth.
Telling the story of the shepherd's and wise men's visits to Jesus,
this carol is both joyous and sprightly, and would be suitable for
both Christmas and Epiphany.
The Immortal was commissioned by the BBC World Service, and was
premiered at the BBC Proms in 2004. This work pays tribute to the
influence of Chinese artists and intellectuals in the twentieth
century. With an undercurrent of tranquillity and meditation, the
work features a powerful and rhythmic introduction, from which
emerges a section of sustained high-pitched glissandos, as well as
lyrical melodies and expressive glissandos that characterise many
of the solo motifs.
for SATB and organ with optional congregation Perfect for
celebrating Pentecost, this joyous anthem on the theme of the Holy
Spirit centres around the Veni Creator Spiritus plainchant,
fragments of which have been skilfully developed to create an
expressive setting of Edwin Hatch's Breathe on me, breath of God.
Masterfully crafted, the anthem moves seamlessly between the
familiar plainchant and Bullard's original melody, before
culminating in a climactic final verse in which the two melodies
are sung simultaneously, bringing the anthem to an exultant close.
for SATB and organ or piano Horatius Bonar's well-known hymn
Beloved, let us love is a perfect text for wedding services,
expressing the belief that it is only through loving others that we
can know God's love for us. Bullard's celebratory and emotive
setting begins by offsetting male and female voices, before
exploring full-choir textures, rich harmonies, and contrasting
keyboard accompaniments. Both affirmatory and exultant and
reflective and wondrous, the anthem should find a place in church
services and concerts throughout the year.
for SSATB and piano Originally the second movement of Chilcott's
choral work Five Days that Changed the World, this poignant setting
of words by Charles Bennett reflects on one of the most significant
events of our time. The choral parts are melodic and interweaving,
and the flowing piano part provides harmonic support for the voices
throughout.
for SATB and organ Setting a text by the composer, this choral hymn
addresses God, the risen Christ, and the Holy Spirit in turn, with
a strong sense of worship and adoration. With an appealing melody,
sumptuous harmonies, and a captivating soprano descant, this is the
ideal piece for Trinity Sunday.
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