for SATB unaccompanied (with divisions) Three Prayers, with a Vision of Light sets early Christian texts by St Augustine of Hippo, Baldwin of Forde, and St Mary Magdalene de Pazzi alongside words by Estonian poet Doris Kareva. Each movement offers a change of mood, from the reflective 'Conversi ad Dominum' to the more urgent and pleading 'Aufer a me, Domine' and serene 'Veni, Sancte Spiritus', with 'He who lives in light' offering an expressive and contrasting central movement.

for SATB and piano Written for the 2016 'Requiem to Cancer' event at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden, Now is the Time sets hopeful and inspirational words by Marie Curie. McDowall's setting is optimistic and appealing, with charming interplay between the voices and piano.

for SATB unaccompanied This anthem for unaccompanied choir juxtaposes the words of the Antiphon for the Washing of Feet on Maundy Thursday with 'The red rose whispers of passion' by the poet John Boyle O'Reilly. Jackson combines lyrical polyphonic phrases for upper and lower voices with atmospheric passages for full choir, frequently accompanied by repeated half-whispered text in free time.

for soprano solo and SSATB unaccompanied Cecilia, Busy Like a Bee is a reflective and reverential setting of a text adapted from the Divine Office for St Cecilia's Day. The influence of plainchant is particularly apparent in the soprano solo, and McDowall intersperses effective imitative passages amidst homophonic writing with rich harmonies.

for SATB and organ Setting the George Herbert poem 'Whitsunday' from the 1633 collection The Temple, this lilting, gentle anthem is particularly useful for Whit Sunday services. Syncopations and duplets provide rhythmic interest, with memorable melodies, sumptuous harmonies, and contrasting textures making this a rewarding anthem for performer and listener alike.

for soprano solo, SSATB, and organ As Each Leaf Dances is a setting of a powerful text by Kevin Crossley-Holland about the cruelty of child abuse being overcome by love and kindness. Reflecting this, the first section features a relentless organ part, jagged vocal lines, and dissonant harmonies, before giving way to a jaunty, dancing, and uplifting second section.

for SA, piano, and percussion This original composition sets the composer's own text celebrating freedom of expression and the music within each of us. Accompanied by hand-drum and piano, the piece is an exciting and engaging sing filled with teachable moments and opportunities for musical growth, with simple legato and two-part passages, and vocal percussion. Also available in a version for CBar, piano, and percussion, which is fully compatible with this upper-voice version.

"This is an excellent and authoritative book -- one that will no doubt become the standard biography of Richard Rodgers". -- Allen Forte, Yale University

Richard Rodgers, a musical genius whose Broadway career spanned six successful decades, composed more than a thousand songs for the American stage. Although he reaped wealth, success, and recognition that included two shared Pulitzer Prizes, Rodgers found happiness elusive. In this first comprehensive biography of Rodgers, William G. Hyland tells the full story of the complex man and his incomparable music.

Hyland's portrait of Rodgers (1902-79) begins with his childhood in an affluent Jewish family living in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan. During college years at Columbia University and early work on the amateur circuit and Broadway, Rodgers entered into a historic collaboration with the lyricist Lorenz Hart. The team produced a dozen popular shows and such enduring songs as "The Lady Is a Tramp". Rodgers' next partnership, with Oscar Hammerstein II, led to the creation of the musical play, a new and distinctively American art form. Beginning with Oklahoma in 1943, this pair dominated Broadway for almost twenty years with a string of hits that remain beloved favorites: Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. When Hammerstein died in 1960, Rodgers began a new phase in his career, writing the lyrics to his own music, then joining lyricists Stephen Sondheim, Sheldon Harnick, and Martin Charnin. Despite periods of depression, excessive drinking, hypochondria, and devastating illness at different points in his life, Rodgers' outpouring of music seemed little affected, and he continued to compose untilhis death at age seventy-seven. An icon of the musical theater, Rodgers left a legacy of timeless songs that audiences return to hear over and again.

for SATB and organ Michael Finnissy's John the Baptist won the 2015 British Composer Award in the Liturgical Category. Commissioned by St John's College, Cambridge, for Advent 2014, the piece recalls the folk music of the Middle East, and alternates between boisterous two-part homophony and slower, reflective polyphony.

for SATB or unison voices and organ This joyous, celebratory introit sets well-known words from Psalm 95 and features appealing recitative-like melodies, striking harmonies, and fluctuating metre. The flexible scoring facilitates performance by SATB choir, unison voices, or high voices, and the organ part provides a supportive yet compelling accompaniment. O come, let us sing has been recorded by Wells Cathedral Choir, conducted by Matthew Owens, on the CD 'Flame Celestial' (REGCD320).

for SSAA, solo cello, djembe, and piano This evocative anthem, from the larger work Snow Angel, is a piece of two halves. Opening with a haunting cello line, the first section ('God Will Give Orders') is mystical and ethereal, until a vibrant figure from the djembe lifts the music into the second section ('Sweet Child'), which is uplifting and bold in character, with a distinctly African feel and an effective a cappella ending.

for SATB, trumpet in C, and organ This substantial anthem was composed in 2015 to celebrate the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta and to mark Salisbury Cathedral's stewardship of the charter since 1215. Rutter succeeds in weaving together passages from the books of Isaiah, Zechariah, and Amos with music that is both ceremonial and mysteriously intense to create a dignified and powerful work.

for SATB, trumpet, and organ/orchestra The second of two Rutter anthems celebrating the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, Give the king thy judgments, O God is a ceremonial work that draws upon the Book of Psalms alongside text written by the composer to create a suitably festive piece. Although the prevailing mood is jubilant, the closing pages provide a prayerful moment as Orlando Gibbon's gentle hymn tune Song 1 is interpolated to great effect. This anthem is featured on Rutter's highly-acclaimed CD The Gift of Life. A trumpet in C part is included in the vocal score, and a B flat trumpet part is available separately.

for SATB and piano/orchestra John Rutter's rousing drinking song Good Ale, which was originally published as part of his cycle of six choral settings with small orchestra When Icicles Hang, is full of spirit and character. An accompaniment for orchestra is available on hire/rental.

for CBar, piano, and percussion This original composition sets the composer's own text celebrating freedom of expression and the music within each of us. Accompanied by hand-drum and piano, the piece is an exciting and engaging sing filled with teachable moments and opportunities for musical growth, with simple legato and two-part passages, and vocal percussion.

for CCBar and piano This original suite, written for the Warwickshire Youth Choir, represents an extended concert item at the centre of the Emerging Voices series. It sets anonymous instructions found in packaging to general household goods, providing amusing and theatrical highlights as well as musical interplay and formal episodes.

for SATB, optional baritone solo, cello, and string orchestra This is a tuneful epiphany carol, setting a text by the composer. Underpinned by a beautiful cello solo, the vocal lines are rich and flowing, and the organ supports the choir with warm harmonies. The carol was written at the invitation of Red Balloon, a Cambridge-based UK-wide organization dedicated to the recovery of bullied children. The cello part is published separately and an accompaniment for strings is available on sale and on hire/rental. This set of parts includes the following string parts: 4 x vln I, 4 x vln II, 3 x vla, 2 x vc, 1 x db.

for SATB and organ or orchestra Mack Wilberg's arrangement of 'Old Hundredth', paired with William Kethe's popular hymn of exaltation, builds from a simple opening to a rich-textured, rousing conclusion, with a soaring soprano descant for the last verse. An alternative ending is included, providing the option of finishing the piece more softly if preferred. An orchestral accompaniment is available on hire/rental.