for SATB (with divisions) and two soloists unaccompanied In this beautiful setting, Latvian composer Laura Jekabsone presents a modern, popular take on the familiar carol text by Henry John Gauntlett. The piece is led by two soloists (one upper voice, one lower voice), who the choir underpin with a rich harmonic cushion of a cappella-style scats. The melodies are instantly memorable, and the choir's move from an accompanying role to presenting the final chorus gives a powerful lift and emphatic conclusion to this effective Christmas work.

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 (with divisions) unaccompanied Helvey's skilful arrangement of the popular hymn by American Baptist minister Robert Wadsworth Lowry is joyous and affirmatory. The anthem is suitable for performance throughout the liturgical year, and the sweeping melodies, contrasting textures, and rich harmonies complement the celebratory nature of the text.

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 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.

Music in the California missions was a pluralistic combination of voices and instruments, of liturgy and spectacle, of styles and functions-and even of cultures-in a new blend that was non-existent before the Franciscan friars made their way to California beginning in 1769. This book explores the exquisite sacred music that flourished on the West Coast of America when it was under Spanish and Mexican rule; it delves into the historical, cultural, biographical, and stylistic aspects of California mission music during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The book explores how mellifluous plainchant, reverent hymns, spunky folkloric ditties, "classical" music in the style of Haydn, and even Native American drumming were interwoven into a tapestry of resonant beauty. Aspects of music terminology, performance practice, notation, theory, sacred song, hymns, the sequence, the mass, and pageantry are addressed. Russell draws upon hundreds of primary documents in California, Mexico, Madrid, Barcelona, London, and Mallorca, and it is through the melding together of this information from geographically separated places that he brings the mystery of California's mission music into sharper focus. In addition to extensive musical analysis, the book also examines such things as cultural context, style, scribal attribution, instructions to musicians, government questionnaires, invoices, the liturgy, architectural space where performances took place, spectacle, musical instruments, instrument construction, shipping records, travelers' accounts, letters, diaries, passenger lists, baptismal and burial records, and other primary source material. Within this book one finds considerablebiographical information about Junipero Serra, Juan Bautista Sancho, Narciso Duran, Florencio Ibanez, Pedro Cabot, Martin de Cruzelaegui, Ignacio de Jerusalem, and Francisco Javier Garcia Fajer. Furthermore, it contains five far-reaching appendices: a Catalogue of Mission Sources; Photos of Missions and Mission Manuscripts (with over 150 color facsimiles); Translations of Primary Texts; Music Editions (that are performance-ready); and an extensive Bibliography.

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 piano, or brass quintet, timpani, and organ Chilcott's four-movement setting of the Latin Gloria will be welcomed by choirs looking for an uplifting and jubilant concert work. The driving 'Gloria in excelsis Deo' features syncopated rhythms and an upper-voice semi-chorus part in the 'Et in terra pax' section, which can be taken from the main choir. The tender yet majestic 'Domine Deus' leads into the lyrical 'Qui tollis peccata mundi', with interweaving melodic lines that express the solemnity of the text. Finally, the dancing 'Quonium tu solus sanctus' keeps singers on their toes with its upbeat tempo and lively cross-rhythms, culminating in exultant 'Amen's for a suitably exhilarating ending.

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.

for SATB (with divisions), oboe, and organ The text combines the nineteenth-century poet and Christian minister George MacDonald's emotive poem Lost and Found with the 'In paradisum' antiphon from the Burial Service in the Liber Usualis. The music is at times ethereal, melancholic, poignant, and life-affirming. The solo oboe and organ writing is integral to the emotive character of the piece, and the word-painting and angelic chorus moments encourage the listener to reflect on the subject at hand. The Quest is featured on the Collegium Records CD The Gift of Life. An orchestration for chamber ensemble (solo oboe, harp, and strings) is available on hire/rental.

for SATB, piano, and optional bass and drum kit The Nidaros Jazz Mass draws on a variety of jazz styles to present a fun and innovative setting of the Latin Missa brevis. With a gentle Kyrie, funky Gloria, ballad-like Sanctus, laid-back Benedictus, and passionate Agnus Dei, this work breathes new life into familiar words, perfectly combining the contemporary with the ancient. Recorded by a professional jazz trio (piano, bass, and drums), this backing track is a useful tool for rehearsal and performance, and is compatible with both mixed- and upper-voice versions.

for baritone solo, SATB chorus, children's choir (or semi-chorus), and small orchestra (or piano/organ) McDowall's setting of the Stabat Mater has been described as 'an outstanding work of great solemnity and poignancy' (Tempo, 2013). The work comprises seven movements in a symmetrical structure-from the impassioned choral opening, through two intense yet diverse baritone solos and contemplative plainchant chorales, to the stately finale uniting all the voices. The optimistic central movement, in a major tonality, may be performed by children's choir or a semi-chorus of sopranos and altos from the main group. A plaintive meditation on the sorrows of the Virgin Mary as she stands by the Cross, McDowall's Stabat Mater is a sophisticated modern alternative to more well-known settings, ideal for performance at non-liturgical Lenten services. The piano reduction in the score, which can be adapted for organ, may be used for concert performance if an orchestra is not available.

With a host of accessible, quality new settings, and with pieces based on all the major hymn tunes, these volumes are a must for every church organistas library.

for SATB and organ Archer's setting of this well-known Christmas text is lilting and buoyant, with a memorable melody and charming organ interludes. Suitable for liturgical or concert use, the carol features great textual variety, building to a rousing finish that is sure to fill audiences with Christmas cheer!

In this volume fifteen musicologists from five countries present new findings and observations concerning the production, distribution and use of music manuscripts and prints in seventeenth-century Europe. A special emphasis is laid on the Duben Collection, one of the largest music collections of seventeenth-century Europe, preserved at the Uppsala University Library. The papers in this volume were initially presented at an international conference at Uppsala University in September 2006, held on the occasion of the launching of The Duben Collection Database Catalogue on the Internet. For the first time, the entire collection had been made acessible worldwide, covering a vast number of musical and philological aspects of all items in the collection.

for unison or 2-part choir and organ or piano This setting of the well-known hymn text 'Christ the Lord is risen again!' features bright vocal lines and an energetic accompaniment. The scoring is flexible, allowing performance with either one or two vocal parts made up of upper, lower, or mixed voices. Offprinted from The Oxford Book of Easy Flexible Anthems.

for SATB and piano or orchestra Written for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, this new arrangement of the well-known spiritual is presented in two versions: one for mixed chorus and the other for men's voices. Each version opens gently with an effective unaccompanied unison section, and the accompaniment and further choral parts are gradually added. In classic Wilberg style, the piece builds up verse by verse with expanding textures, via two upward modulations, towards a grand and triumphant climax, leaving no doubt about the joy expressed in the text. Orchestral material is available on hire/rental.

for TTBB and piano or orchestra Written for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, this new arrangement of the well-known spiritual is presented in two versions: one for mixed chorus and the other for men's voices. Each version opens gently with an effective unaccompanied unison section, and the accompaniment and further choral parts are gradually added. In classic Wilberg style, the piece builds up verse by verse with expanding textures, via two upward modulations, towards a grand and triumphant climax, leaving no doubt about the joy expressed in the text. The male-voice version of He's got the whole world in his hands features on the CD 'Men of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir', with the Orchestra at Temple Square, conducted by Mack Wilberg (SKU 5053126). Orchestral material is available on hire/rental.

for soloists, SATB, and organ Written for the Choir of Wells Cathedral, of which Matthew Owens is Organist and Master of the Choristers, this setting of the St Matthew Passion is ideally suited to liturgical performance during Holy Week. The principal role of the Evangelist is taken by a baritone soloist, who narrates the story of Christ's trial and Crucifixion in unaccompanied chant. The other, smaller, solo roles of Judas (tenor), Pilate (tenor), Jesus (bass), and Pilate's wife (alto) continue in the same vein, with four-part choral interspersions from the crowds, soldiers, and priests providing a contrast in texture. The hymn 'When I survey the wondrous cross', set to the Rockingham hymn tune, appears twice throughout the work, and the congregation are encouraged to join in on both occasions. The simple organ part supports the voices for the hymn, and may also optionally double the choir during the narrative.

for TTBB and piano or organ or small orchestra Originally published in versions for SA and SATB voices, this classic Rutter anthem has now been adapted by the composer for performance by male-voice choirs. The flowing choral melodies perfectly complement the positive message of the well-known thanksgiving text by F. S. Pierpoint, and the gentle, arpeggiated keyboard part provides a supportive harmonic accompaniment.

for TTBB (and two soloists) unaccompanied This is a stirring arrangement of the gospel classic for unaccompanied male voices, with two idiomatic solos. The popular text uses the imagery of combat to express faithfulness to God, and Jefferson's characterful arrangement of the familiar melody features swing rhythms, jazz harmonies, and scat-style accompaniments. Also available in an SATB version.