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Books > Arts & Architecture > Music > Other types of music
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 (with divisions) and organ, with optional congregation
Here John Rutter follows Vaughan Williams' precedent in setting
this text from the fourth-century Orthodox liturgy of St James of
Jerusalem to the French carol melody 'Jesus Christ shabille en
pauvre'. The result is a hymn which is in turn haunting and
powerful, with a modal tonality that evokes the timeless
sound-world of plainchant.
for SATB double choir and organ In this rousing anthem for double
choir, Rutter uses frequent time signature changes to breathe new
life into Psalm 148. Guiding the two choirs through a series of
musical mood changes using intricate call-and-response patterns,
the composer steadily builds excitement before bringing them
together in a glorious finale. This anthem forms the conclusion to
John Rutter's Psalmfest, for which scores and parts are available
on hire.
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 (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 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 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 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.
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 unaccompanied This setting of the well-known
fifteenth-century text Lullay, my liking is both simple and
effective. With enchanting solos and a gentle choral refrain, this
tender carol will bring a moment of stillness and reflection to
Christmas concerts and services.
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.
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 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 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.
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