It has been said that the quickest way to God's innermost ear is through niggunim - Jewish tunes chanted or sung as prayers. Thousands of niggunim have been composed over the centuries, and they remain an active part of Jewish life today. Sung in the synagogue, around the Shabbos table, at farbrengenchasidic get-togethers - at work, in solitude, to express joy or sorrow, niggunim allow Jews to find that which is hidden deep within their souls, to connect with God and their own spiritually without the use of words. In Niggun: Stories behind the Chasidic Songs that Inspire Jews, Mordechai Staiman relates thirty-eight tales in which niggunim affect the lives of Jews. The stories range from those about great chasidic rebbes of the past, such as "The Purpose of Life", in which the Baal Shem Tov binds a Jew to the world of music to help him find his way; through those from recent history, such as "David without the Slingshot" and "Embers midst the Ruins", where niggunim helped to save people from certain death at the hands of the Nazis, and "Jerusalem on Her Mind", about Soviet-Jewish emigres; to contemporary situations, as in "Jail House Rock", in which the singing of a niggun helps to bring holiday magic to Jewish prisoners on Riker's Island in New York City, and "Leonard Bernstein Unbound", in which the great conductor is so moved by a tune that he is prompted to wrap tefillin for the first time. This wonderfully moving collection contains stories of faith, of miracles and transformations, and of daily life, all connected through the beauty of niggunim. According to the author, the stories, or "prayers", as he calls them, contained in Niggun will teach us about our deep, rich, Jewishheritage, helping us to reclaim our inheritance and share in the Jewish legacy.

Biblical songs of justice, World Church songs of protest and praise and songs of experience from late 20th century Britain.

for SATB and soloists (M-S, T, & B), with organ and flute or small ensemble With this majestic work Chilcott takes on a landmark of the choral repertory, the Christmas Oratorio. Words from St Luke and St Matthew are intertwined with 16th-19th-century poetry to create a compelling retelling of the Christmas story. Five hymn texts are set to new, original melodies that take their place among the season's tradition of great hymnody and enable the audience or congregation to join in with the choir. As in the St John Passion, much of the narrative is presented by a tenor soloist in the role of Evangelist, with focal points such as the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis and Rossetti's 'Love came down at Christmas' taken by mezzo-soprano and bass soloists. The chorus is integral to the storytelling, assuming small character roles and taking centre stage in two unaccompanied movements. A solo flute characterizes the angels, and the mellow tones of the brass ensemble evoke a sense of festive tradition.

for SATB, piano, and optional guitar, bass, and drum kit Samba Mass is a joyous and colourful setting of the Latin Missa brevis. The work is framed by the gentle bossa nova style of the warm Kyrie and relaxed Agnus Dei, which is prefaced by a funky Benedictus. The compelling rhythms of samba come to the fore in the second movement, a vivacious Gloria, which is followed by a beautiful Sanctus that offsets a steady flow of quavers with rhythmic syncopations. The stylistic piano part can be played as written or serve as a guide, and an optional guitar, bass, and drum kit part is available separately for band accompaniment. Performers will enjoy exploring the interplay between voices and the rich, warm colours of the samba and bossa nova styles. This work was originally commissioned in a version for upper voices by the New Orleans Children's Chorus, Cheryl Dupont, Director, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Crescent City Choral Festival, June 2019.

An innovative study of the ways in which theological themes related to earthly and heavenly 'treasures' and Bach's own apparent attentiveness to the spiritual values related to money intertwined in his sacred music. In Johann Sebastian Bach's Lutheran church setting, various biblical ideas were communicated through sermons and songs to encourage parishioners to emulate Christian doctrine in their own lives. Such narratives are based on an understanding that one's lifetime on earth is a temporal passageway to eternity after death, where souls are sent either to heaven or hell based on one's belief or unbelief. Throughout J. S. Bach's Material and Spiritual Treasures, Bach scholar Noelle M. Heber explores theological themes related to earthly and heavenly 'treasures' in Bach's sacred music through an examination of selected texts from Bach's personal theological library. The book's storyline is organised around biblical concepts that are accented in Lutheran thought and in Bach's church compositions, such as the poverty and treasure of Christ and parables that contrast material and spiritual riches. While focused primarily on the greater theological framework, Heber presents an updated survey of Bach's own financial situation and considers his apparent attentiveness to spiritual values related to money. This multifaceted study investigates intertwining biblical ideologies and practical everyday matters in a way that features both Bach's religious context and his humanity. This book will appeal to musicologists, theologians, musicians, students, and Bach enthusiasts.

The fifteen studies assembled here grew out of research on south-Italian ordinary chants and tropes for the multi-volume series Beneventanum Troporum Corpus II, edited by John Boe in collaboration with Alejandro Planchart. In the present essays, clerical and ordinary chants and tropes of the Mass (especially when derived from paraliturgical hymns and poems), certain aspects of chant notation and particular facets of the old Beneventan and the old Roman chant repertories are examined in relation to the three main cultic centres of the Italian south - Benevento, Montecassino and Rome - and as they relate to their European context, namely Frankish and Norman chant and the varieties of chant sung in Italy north of Rome. The volume includes one previously unpublished study, on the Roman introit Salus Populi.

Plague, a devastating and recurring affliction throughout the Renaissance, had a major impact on European life. Not only was pestilence a biological problem, but it was also read as a symptom of spiritual degeneracy and it caused widespread social disorder. Assembling a picture of the complex and sometimes contradictory responses to plague from medical, spiritual and civic perspectives, this book uncovers the place of music - whether regarded as an indispensable medicine or a moral poison that exacerbated outbreaks - in the management of the disease. This original musicological approach further reveals how composers responded, in their works, to the discourses and practices surrounding one of the greatest medical crises in the pre-modern age. Addressing topics such as music as therapy, public rituals and performance and music in religion, the volume also provides detailed musical analysis throughout to illustrate how pestilence affected societal attitudes toward music.

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.

Music does not make itself. It is made by people: professionals and amateurs, singers and instrumentalists, composers and publishers, performers and audiences, entrepreneurs and consumers. In turn, making music shapes those who make it-spiritually, emotionally, physically, mentally, socially, politically, economically-for good or ill, harming and healing. This volume considers the social practice of music from a Christian point of view. Using a variety of methodological perspectives, the essays explore the ethical and doctrinal implications of music-making. The reflections are grouped according to the traditional threefold ministry of Christ: prophet, priest, and shepherd: the prophetic role of music, as a means of articulating protest against injustice, offering consolation, and embodying a harmonious order; the pastoral role of music: creating and sustaining community, building peace, fostering harmony with the whole of creation; and the priestly role of music: in service of reconciliation and restoration, for individuals and communities, offering prayers of praise and intercession to God. Using music in priestly, prophetic, and pastoral ways, Christians pray for and rehearse the coming of God's kingdom-whether in formal worship, social protest, concert performance, interfaith sharing, or peacebuilding. Whereas temperance was of prime importance in relation to the ethics of music from antiquity to the early modern period, justice has become central to contemporary debates. This book seeks to contribute to those debates by means of Christian theological reflection on a wide range of musics: including monastic chant, death metal, protest songs, psalms and worship music, punk rock, musical drama, interfaith choral singing, Sting, and Daft Punk.

Vivaldi's Magnificat probably dates from shortly after the 1726 death of composer C.P. Grua, which resulted in his having to provide sacred music for the Venetian orphanage and convent he enjoyed a long-standing relation with: the Ospedale della Pieta. There are actually three versions of the work: 1) for single chorus and orchestra (RV 610); 2) for double chorus and two orchestras (RV 610a); and the final version (RV 611), which takes six movements from replaces the other three movements woth solos written for specific singers at the Pieta: Apollonia, la Bolognesa, Chiaretta, Ambrosina and Albetta.The present edition, originally published by E.F. Kalmus in 1969, retains the material from the original single-choris version (RV 610), while including the added solo material Vivaldi inserted for RV 611 as alternatives, making it eminently practical for today's choral groups. Now available in a digitally-enhanced reprint.

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.

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.

Everyone loves a Christmas carol - in the end, even Scrooge. They have the power to summon up a special kind of midwinter mood, like the aroma of mince pies and mulled wine and the twinkle of lights on a tree. It's a kind of magic. But how did they get that magic? In Christmas Carols Andrew Gant tells the story of some twenty carols, each accompanied by lyrics and music, unravelling a captivating - and often surprising - tale of great musicians and thinkers, saints and pagans, shepherd boys, choirboys, monks and drunks. We delve into the history of such favourites as 'Good King Wenceslas', 'Away in a Manger' and 'The Twelve Days of Christmas', discovering along the way how 'Hark, the Herald angels sing' came to replace 'Hark, how all the welkin ring' and how Ralph Vaughan Williams bolted the tune of an English folk song about a dead ox to a poem by a nineteenth-century American pilgrim to make 'O little town of Bethlehem'. Christmas Carols brims with anecdote, expert knowledge and Christmas spirit. It is a fittingly joyous account of one of our best-loved musical traditions.

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.

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.

A brand new edition of the ultimate combination of traditional hymns and modern worship songs. 'Mission Praise' is a much-loved hymn book, and has remained so since its outset in 1984. Initially used for Billy Graham's Mission England rallies - where thousands of people converted to Christianity - it has become a staple of worship throughout the UK and across the world. It was the first hymn book of its kind, introducing more modern styles of music into worship yet retaining the best of traditional hymnody loved by churchgoers of every age. This new, expanded edition of 'Complete Mission Praise' includes the whole of the existing collection of over 1000 songs and hymns, and adds the best new songs in various styles from the past few years. This brand new edition has been put together by 'Mission Praise''s original editorial team of Peter Horrobin and Greg Leavers, and contains - in this 30th anniversary year - over 100 new songs and has, by popular request, been split into two volumes in order to be more user-friendly.

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.