|
|
Books > Arts & Architecture > Music > Musical scores, lyrics & libretti
for CCBarBar and piano This celebrated Spiritual has a strong,
appealing, comfortable melody suitable for boys' choirs, and is
arranged skilfully here for four-part choir and piano, with Ia
cappella sections and affecting modulations. Suited to more
established choirs, it has plenty of opportunities for musical
growth.
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 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.
for SSSAA unaccompanied Sanctum is a captivating setting of four
movements of the Requiem text, inspired by the landscape of the
west coast of Canada. Each movement depicts an aspect of Vancouver
Island (the water, mountains, wind, and sky), exploring landscape
as a place of healing and sanctuary. The combined effect is some of
Quartel's most atmospheric and dramatic writing to date.
for SATB, piano, and optional saxophone, bass, and drum kit
Ophelia, Caliban, and Miranda puts a jazzy twist on three
Shakespearean characters. With newly written texts by Charles
Bennett, each of the three movements focuses in on Ophelia from
Hamlet and Caliban and Miranda from The Tempest. In the funky
opener, 'River Bride', the upper voices take the part of Ophelia,
while the tenors and basses play a lover figure. Caliban's song,
'Ariel taught me how to play', is a reflective ballad in which the
slave tells Miranda, who has escaped his advances, about the spirit
helper Ariel teaching him to play the saxophone. The final
movement, 'All good things come to an end', is a sassy yet tender
number, where Miranda bids farewell to her beloved husband
Ferdinand, declaring: 'I've gone back to the island to remember who
I am'. The piano part may be played as written or serve as a guide,
and a part for saxophone, bass, and drum kit is available
separately for jazz quartet accompaniment.
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 SATB and organ In this arrangement of the hymn tune St Clement,
traditional verses alternate with those newly arranged by John
Rutter. The piece is part of a wider collection of hymn
arrangements, which have been recorded by the Cambridge Singers,
directed by John Rutter, on the Collegium CD Sing, ye heavens
(COLCD 126). Individual leaflets from the series are available on
sale from Oxford University Press.
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 and piano or piano four-hands or orchestra Wilberg's
arrangement of the Christmas favourite Deck the hall is bright and
energetic from beginning to end. After an uplifting introduction
going through several keys, the choir sings the three carol verses
in up to seven parts. The accompaniment provides both a harmonic
underpinning and almost continuous flourishing semiquaver movement.
Further modulations throughout the piece lead to an extended 'fa la
la' section to bring the piece to an exhilarating close.
for SATB (with divisions) and piano or chamber orchestra Rutter's
charming piece sets a secular text by the composer that emphasises
the significance of music and harmony in an ephemeral world. A
simple accompaniment figure in the piano provides the backdrop to
alternating unison and polyphonic verses that manage to capture
both nostalgia for what was and optimism for what is to come.
for SATB (with divisions) and harp or piano This is a simple and
gentle setting of the popular American folk hymn. Beginning softly
with the sopranos accompanied by piano/harp in the first verse,
Rutter explores a wide variety of textures, building to a powerful
final verse before ebbing away in a poignantly quiet close.
for SATB (with divisions) unaccompanied This festive arrangement of
a traditional German carol features an English text, translated and
adapted by John Rutter himself. The first two verses are sung by
soloists (or alternatively by a semi-chorus over a background of
choral hums) before all singers come together in the final verse
and then fade into solemn stillness.
for SATB and optional congregation with two keyboards, timpani, and
percussion, or full orchestra or concert band Setting this classic
American patriotic song, which dates back to the Civil War, Rutter
makes prominent use of trumpets and percussion to create a rousing
arrangement. The setting is equally effective when accompanied by
the two keyboard parts of the reduced vocal score, which may be
performed by two pianos, piano and organ, piano and synthesiser, or
two synthesisers. Orchestral and band parts are available on hire.
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.
(Book). Jimi Hendrix was such an extraordinary guitarist, it can be
easy to forget that just as much passion, soul, and precision went
into his lyrics. Inspired by Bob Dylan, Hendrix was a fearless
lyrical innovator, willing to let his imagination guide him to
landscapes hitherto unexplored within the realm of pop music. From
the existential euphoria of "I Don't Love Today" to the elusive
beauty of "Little Wing" to the psychedelic blues of "My Friend" to
the otherworldly "1983 (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)," his lyrics
remain among the greatest in the pantheon of rock, infused with the
same inventiveness, virtuosity, and courage that informed his
guitar playing. Here are all the words to the Hendrix classics
you've rocked along to for years, as well as unpublished songs from
Valleys of Neptune and other hitherto undiscovered sources. Jimi
Hendrix: The Ultimate Lyrics Book, compiled by Janie L. Hendrix, is
extraordinarily personal. It includes numerous examples of Jimi's
handwritten lyrics, often scribbled on hotel stationery, as well as
photos of Jimi to accompany every song. Much of this material has
never been seen before. Jimi Hendrix: The Ultimate Lyrics Book will
give you a glimpse of the lyricist behind the songs, a songwriter
whose words were just as searing as his solos.
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 optional piano Inspired by the simple directness of
William Chatterton Dix's vivid, pictorial text, the composer
explores the breadth of the choral canvas in this expressive and
artful carol. The piece has a straightforward verse-chorus
structure, with gentle development of the verse material and an
effective motif to close each verse, making it accessible to and
rewarding for choirs of all abilities. Also available in a version
for upper voices.
for SSA and piano Inspired by the simple directness of William
Chatterton Dix's vivid, pictorial text, the composer explores the
breadth of the choral canvas in this expressive and artful carol.
The piece has a straightforward verse-chorus structure, with gentle
development of the verse material and an effective motif to close
each verse, making it accessible to and rewarding for choirs of all
abilities. Also available in a version for mixed voices.
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.
The American Song Book, Volume I: The Tin Pan Alley Era is the
first in a projected five-volume series of books that will reprint
original sheet music, including covers, of songs that constitute
the enduring standards of Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, the
Gershwins, and other lyricists and composers of what has been
called the "Golden Age" of American popular music. These songs have
done what popular songs are not supposed to do-stayed popular. They
have been reinterpreted year after year, generation after
generation, by jazz artists such as Charlie Parker and Art Tatum,
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. In the 1950s, Frank Sinatra
began recording albums of these standards and was soon followed by
such singers as Tony Bennet, Doris Day, Willie Nelson, and Linda
Ronstadt. In more recent years, these songs have been reinterpreted
by Rod Stewart, Harry Connick, Jr., Carly Simon, Lady GaGa, K.D.
Laing, Paul McCartney, and, most recently, Bob Dylan. As such,
these songs constitute the closest thing America has to a repertory
of enduring classical music. In addition to reprinting the sheet
music for these classic songs, authors Philip Furia and Laurie
Patterson place these songs in historical context with essays about
the sheet-music publishing industry known as Tin Pan Alley, the
emergence of American musical comedy on Broadway, and the "talkie"
revolution that made possible the Hollywood musical. The authors
also provide biographical sketches of songwriters, performers, and
impresarios such as Florenz Ziegfeld. In addition, they analyze the
lyrical and musical artistry of each song and relate anecdotes,
sometimes amusing, sometimes poignant, about how the songs were
created. The American Songbook is a book that can be read for
enjoyment on its own or be propped on the piano to be played and
sung.
|
|