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 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 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 organ or orchestra John Rutter's original setting of this popular Easter hymn is resplendent and celebratory, with frequent metre changes that give a fresh feel to these historic words. Also available in Anthems for Choirs 4 and Ash Wednesday to Easter for Choirs, with a version for SSA and organ available in Anthems for Choirs 3. Orchestral scores and parts are available on hire/rental: 2fl, 2ob, 2cl, 2bsn, 2hn, 2tpt, timp, perc, hp, str.

for SATB (with divisions) and organ Set to Ursula Vaughan Williams's celebrated paean to the patron saint of music, this work is by turns joyous and reflective. Rich harmonies, shifting tonalities, and expressive melodies combine to evoke the changing moods explored within the text. The poignant Andante section midway through the piece, sung by a solo soprano, is a pivotal moment; it gives way to increasingly jubilant and powerful writing that brings the work to an ecstatic conclusion.

for SSA and organ This concise Latin mass setting is entirely suitable for liturgical use, but the sharply delineated characters of the different movements make it also an appealing concert work. The organ part is supportive, but full of interest and not merely accompanimental. Particularly memorable are the jaunty Gloria, with its constantly shifting time-signatures, and the haunting Agnus Dei.

for SSA(A)TB unaccompanied This attractive motet was written for performance alongside Brahms's Requiem, following the precedent of Handel's famous setting of the same text being sung at the premiere of the Brahms in 1868. The gracefully sculpted music clothes the text with touching melodies, expressive harmonies and varied sonorities.

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 organist's library.

for SATB (with divisions) unaccompanied This serene communion motet sets the last two verses of the Pangue Lingua and oscillates between 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures. The melodic lines are expressive and at times melismatic and the divisi in all parts creates a rich texture.

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).

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 (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 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.