A unique tribute to often overlooked women who have left an indelible mark on Gospel Music-powerful talents who overcame racism and sexism to define the genre, establish its sound, and set the standard for good sangin' for generations. Nothing in the world soothes the soul better than Gospel music. From the foot-stomping, hand-clapping melodies of yesterday to the head-bobbing, bass-thumping hits of today, Gospel music ignites the spirit and delivers the inspiration that takes us from the rough side of the mountain to the peak of God's love and grace. That feeling of joy, peace, love, and contentment is amplified when it's ringing through the voice of a sister who can SANG, Cheryl Wills reminds us. The remedy for a tough day at work can be alleviated with Mary Mary's uplifting jam Shackles, the answer to your heart's desires can be found in the harmonies of The Clark Sisters Name It, Claim It, and if you need a reminder of God's love, there is nothing more timeless that Aretha Franklin's stirring rendition of Amazing Grace. Some talented performers, like Sister Rosetta Tharpe have faded from history, while singers like Yolanda Adams are at the top of her game. During the twentieth century, Willie Mae Ford spent most of her life encouraging and uplifting Christians both in church and on stage and composed more than 100 Gospel songs, yet it was men like her co-writer, Thomas A. Dorsey, who received the accolades and fame. Many women in the Gospel music industry go unnoticed, unpaid, and under-appreciated for their contributions, yet it is these women who are often the bedrock for songwriting, arranging, directing, and developing singers. Cheryl Wills, the granddaughter of a Gospel singer, at last shines a spotlight on these spectacular women of song. The only book of its kind, Isn't Her Grace Amazing! showcase the talents, gifts, and skills of women in the Gospel music industry. It celebrates these heroines, chronicles their journeys from the choir loft to the world's largest stages, and reveals how they revolutionized this sacred music that is beloved worldwide. From the matriarchs of this movement to today's chart-topping divas, Wills offers in-depth portraits of twenty-five amazing women of Gospel music-based on interviews and extensive research-behind-the-scenes stories of favorite gospel hits, and illuminates what makes each of them shine.

Musical culture in Jewish communities in early modern Italy was much more diverse than researchers originally thought. An interdisciplinary reassessment, Music and Jewish Culture in Early Modern Italy evaluates the social, cultural, political, economic, and religious circumstances that shaped this community, especially in light of the need to recognize individual experiences within minority populations. Contributors draw from rich materials, topics, and approaches as they explore the inherently diverse understandings of music in daily life, the many ways that Jewish communities conceived of music, and the reception of and responses to Jewish musical culture. Highlighting the multifaceted experience of music within Jewish communities, Music and Jewish Culture in Early Modern Italy sheds new light on the place of music in complex, previously misunderstood environments.

The Exultet rolls of southern Italy are parchment scrolls containing text and music for the blessing of the great Easter candle; they contain magnificent illustrations, often turned upside down with respect to the text. The Exultet in Southern Italy provides a broad perspective on this phenomenon that has long attracted the interest of those interested in medieval art, liturgy, and music. This book considers these documents in the cultural and liturgical context in which they were made, and provides a perspective on all aspects of this particularly southern Italian practice. While previous studies have concentrated on the illustrations in these rolls, Kelly's book also looks at the particular place of the Exultet in changing ceremonial practices, provides background on the texts and music used in southern Italy, and inquires into the manufacture and purpose of the Exultets--why they were made, who owned them, and how they were used.

The classic text of Christian reverence by Richard Baxter is presented to the reader unabridged with all sixteen chapters, and the conclusion. Written by Baxter as he lay suffering from a serious illness, The Saints' Everlasting Rest may be interpreted both as a final correspondence between the author and God, and as a message from Baxter who sought to give a pure example of devotion to all Christians. He endured much persecution in life, and was on multiple occasions incarcerated for his beliefs. As a leading figure in the Puritan movement of the 17th century, Richard Baxter spent his life teaching the Christian faith. A reformer who sought to install rigor and observance of faith in the Church of England, Baxter's sudden and unexpected descent to illness steeled him with the devotion to write this book. He had hitherto spent his life as a preacher with some proclivity to writing: his illness however instilled an urgency which accelerated his written output in service of God.

for SATBarBarB unaccompanied Chilcott's arrangement of the popular American folksong Shenandoah is atmospheric and expressive, with the traditional melody moving seamlessly between voice parts and resting on a cushion of rich harmonies. Shenandoah has been recorded by The King's Singers on the album GOLD (Signum, SIGCD500).

This study of the Bach Choir provides a much-needed overview of one of the major choral societies in London. Dr Basil Keen examines the background that led to the formation of an ad hoc body to give the first performance in England of J.S. Bach's B minor Mass. The musical and organizational effects of a permanent choral society drawn from one social group are traced during the first twenty years, after such time the pressures of social change led to a complete review followed by a restructuring of the methods of recruitment and internal organization. The rebuilding of the choir at the opening of the twentieth century, the expansion of the repertoire, the upheaval resulting from the First World War and the impact of these events on preparation and performance, are all considered. The book is essentially structured around the tenure of successive Musical Directors: Otto Goldschmidt, Charles Villiers Stanford, Walford Davies, Hugh Allen, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Adrian Boult, Reginald Jacques and David Willcocks, since their varied tastes and interests inevitably had a decisive influence on policy. Keen draws upon previously unpublished material, including minutes and correspondence of the Bach Choir, interviews with relatives and descendants, and examination of family records and correspondence. To date, there has been no survey of a major London choir that encompasses the full history of the organization in context. In this study, Dr Basil Keen provides a thorough examination of the Bach Choir, including the response of the choir to social changes; the influence of conductors and officials; changes in musical taste; relationships with composers and composition; major national and international events; and the effect of these matters on organization and repertoire.

The Universal Edition is designed for all English-speaking countries outside of the United States, including Canada, the U. K. and Australia. This edition uses the British system of terminology for rhythmic values such as "crotchet" for quarter note.

for soprano soloist, mixed choir, and orchestra or ensemble (with organ) This is one of the best-loved and most widely performed choral works of the twentieth century. The texts (in Latin and English) are from the Missa pro Defunctis, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Psalms. The seven sections form an arch-like meditation on the themes of life and death: prayers on behalf of all humanity, psalms, personal prayers to Christ, and in the central Sanctus an affirmation of divine glory. The full scores have been edited and engraved by the composer himself and are presented in handsome, cloth-bound editions. Vocal and orchestral material is available on hire.

The two lead choir mentors from BBC's The Naked Choir. which airs autumn 2015, provide a practical dip-in book of tips and techniques to get choirs to excel. Perfect for all choral leaders, enthusiasts and singers, Dominic and Mark explain how to raise your game and take your choir to the next level, with advice on technical excellence, creating a good working environment, and managing people. The two lead choir mentors from BBC's The Naked Choir. which airs autumn 2015, provide a practical dip-in book of tips and techniques to get choirs to excel. Perfect for all choral leaders, enthusiasts and singers, Dominic and Mark explain how to raise your game and take your choir to the next level, with advice on technical excellence, creating a good working environment, and managing people. With over 25,000 choirs in the UK and the numbers growing, Mark De-Lisser (vocal coach on BBC's 'The Voice' and mentor on 'The Naked Choir') and Dominic Peckham (leading choral director & ambassador and mentor on 'The Naked Choir') provide 100 ideas on how to take choirs to the next level. Sharing their wealth of knowledge and experience, Dominic and Mark's advice will get great groups started, keep choirs moving forward and encourage the best from individual singers, keeping it fun along the way. With advice on how to start a choir from scratch, develop your own musicianship, rehearse effectively, and excel in performance, this pocket-sized guide is an essential resource and its practical guidance will get all choirs on the right track!

A diverse collection of seasonal organ music for manuals only, covering the church's year from Advent to Epiphany. The pieces are drawn internationally from across the centuries and include a mixture of established repertoire, attractive new arrangements, and four newly commissioned pieces. The collection is technically accessible and provides approachable repertoire for all church musicians, making it an attractive companion to The Oxford Book of Christmas Organ Music.

Shows how Charles V used music and ritual to reinforce his image and status as the most important and powerful sovereign in Europe. The presentation of Charles V as universal monarch, defender of the faith, magnanimous peacemaker, and reborn Roman Emperor became the mission of artists, poets, and chroniclers, who shaped contemporary perceptions of him and engaged in his political promotion. Music was equally essential to the making of his image, as this book shows. It reconstructs musical life at his court, by examining the compositions which emanated from it, the ordinances prescribing its rituals and ceremonies, and his prestigious chapel, which reflected his power and influence. A major contribution, offering new documentary material and bringing together the widely dispersed information on the music composed to mark the major events of Charles's life. It offers.a very useful insight into music as one of many elements that served to convey the notion of the emperor-monarch in the Renaissance. TESS KNIGHTON Mary Ferer is Associate Professor at the College of Creative Arts, West Virginia University.

This is the first study to provide a systematic and thorough investigation of continuo realization styles appropriate to Restoration sacred music, an area of performance practice that has never previously been properly assessed. Rebecca Herissone undertakes detailed analysis of a group of organ books closely associated with the major Restoration composers Purcell, Blow and Humfrey, and the London institutions where they spent their professional lives. By investigating the relationship between the organ books' two-stave arrangements and full scores of the same pieces, Herissone demonstrates that the books are subtle sources of information to the accompanist, not just short or skeleton scores. Using this evidence, she formulates a model for continuo realization of this repertory based on the doubling of vocal parts, an approach that differs significantly from that adopted by most modern editors, and which throws into question much of the accepted continuo practice in modern performance of this repertory.

Full score for the orchestral accompaniment of John Rutter's arrangement of Joy to the World. The carol is available as both an individual choral leaflet and as part of the Christmas collection Joy to the World; this score is compatible with both. Please note that this accompaniment is not compatible with the version of the carol in the O holy night collection.

The Oxford Book of Easy Flexible Anthems caters for church choirs of all types and sizes, enabling them to have at their fingertips easy music for every occasion. The collection presents flexibility of scoring in a constructive and realistic way, with particular provision for unison or two-part singing, while not forgetting SATB choirs, and a focus on ease of learning and performance. With complete coverage of the Church's year, and a fabulous range of accessible, quality material, this is a vital resource for all church choirs.

50 carols for sopranos and altos (suitable for boys', girls', or women's choirs). It contains mostly simple arrangements of the best-loved carols, some less well-known ones, and four original pieces by Britten (2), Rutter, and Hadley. Most of the Christmas hymns are presented in two versions; for choirs only, unaccompanied, and for choir and audience/congregation, with accompaniment.
Orchestral accompaniments for many of the carols are available on hire.

Taking up questions and issues in early chant studies, this volume of essays addresses some of the topics raised in James McKinnon's The Advent Project: The Later Seventh-Century Creation of the Roman Mass, the last book before his untimely death in February 1999. A distinguished group of chant scholars examine the formation of the liturgy, issues of theory and notation, and Carolingian and post-Carolingian chant. Special studies include the origins of musical notations, nuances of early chant performance (with accompanying downloadable resources), musical style and liturgical structure in the early Divine Office, and new sources for Old-Roman chant. Western Plainchant in the First Millenium offers new information and new insights about a period of crucial importance in the growth of the liturgy and music of the Western Church.

Stephen Bonta's research on seventeenth-century Italian music, particularly for strings, spans more than 30 years. Included in this selection of his published articles is his seminal study of the early history of the bass violin which proved to be the foundation for his subsequent articles on the early history of the violoncello. In addition to the discussions of secular instrumental music, the volume features essays that explore Italian sacred music of the period, including Monteverdi's Marian Vespers.

Camille Saint-Saens is a memorable figure not only for his successes as a composer of choral and orchestral works, and the eternally popular opera Samson et Dalila, but also because he was a keen observer of the musical culture in which he lived. A composer of vast intelligence and erudition, Saint-Saens was at the same time one of the foremost writers on music in his day. From Wagner, Liszt and Debussy to Milhaud and Stravinsky, Saint-Saens was at the center of the elite musical and cultural fin de siecle and early 20th Century world. He championed Schumann and Wagner in France at a period when these composers were regarded as dangerous subversives whose music should be kept well away from the impressionable student. Yet Saint-Saens himself had no aspirations to being a revolutionary, and his appreciation of Wagner the composer was tempered by his reservations over Wagner the philosopher and dramatist, suspicious as he was of what he called the Germanic preoccupation with going beyond reality. Whether defending Meyerbeer against charges of facility or Berlioz against those who questioned his harmonic grasp, Saint-Saens was always his own man: in both cases, he claimed, it was not the absence of faults but the presence of virtues that distinguishes the good composer. Saint-Saens's writings provide a well-argued counter-discourse to the strong modernist music critics who rallied around Debussy and Ravel during the fin de siecle. And above all, they demonstrate a brilliantly sharp and active brain, expressing itself through prose of a Classical purity and balance, enlivened throughout with flashes of wit and, at times, of sheer malice. In this generously annotated volume, renowned scholar, seasoned translator and radio broadcaster Roger Nichols brings some of the composer's most striking and evocative writings brilliantly to life in English translation, many for the first time. Nichols has carefully chosen these selections for their intrinsic interest as historical documents to create a well-balanced and engaging view of the man, the music, and the age.

for SATB and small orchestra Full score for Rutter's arrangement of this buoyant Cornish carol. With its combination of pagan and Christian imagery and references to the Crucifixion and Resurrection, this carol is well suited to performance at Passiontide and Easter, as well as at Christmas.