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Books > Music > Other types of music > Sacred & religious music
for SSAATTBB unaccompanied This beautiful anthem was a winner of
the London A Cappella Festival Composition Competition 2012. A
sensitive setting of a text by Thomas Campion, it features
word-painting, a rich use of harmony, fluid melodic lines, and
expansive textures. Combining the old and the new, View me, Lord is
suitable for services throughout the church year.
for SATB (with divisions) and keyboard or orchestra This majestic
arrangement breathes new life into the patriotic hymn known to all
American congregations. The text, written to commemorate the
centenary of the US Declaration of Independence, makes the hymn
particularly suitable for 4 July, but it would work equally well
for other celebratory occasions. Wilberg has retained some of
George Warren's original harmonies, while also adding his own
distinctive stamp. The orchestral version has been recorded by the
Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square on the CD
Spirit of America (SKU 4600686). An accompaniment for orchestra is
available on hire/rental.
for upper voices and organ This radiant anthem was commissioned as
part of the celebrations to mark Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee. It
was first performed at the Service of Thanksgiving on 5 June 2012
at St Paul's Cathedral by choristers from the Chapel Royal, St
Paul's, and an expressly auditioned 'Diamond Choir' of young
singers from around the UK. Setting a text adapted from Proverbs 8
by Michael Hampel, Precentor of St Paul's Cathedral, that implores
the listener to place their trust in a faithful God, Todd employs
arching melodies and beautifully simple harmonies that are
underpinned by a gentle organ accompaniment. With its peaceful
simplicity and sparkling tranquillity, The Call of Wisdom would
make an affecting addition to any service or concert. There is also
a version for SATB.
for SATB and organ This is John Rutter's first setting of the
Magnificat and Nunc dimittis texts. The Magnificat features
rippling organ syncopations, contrasting textures, and an emphatic
Gloria. The Nunc dimittis is tender yet uplifting, beginning with a
reflective, lyrical section for tenors and basses or a solo voice.
This beautifully written setting is a welcome addition to the
Evensong repertoire.
for SATB and organ This stirring Christmas song, setting a text by
Kevin Crossley-Holland, combines bouncing rhythms, expressive
Chilcott harmonies, and vibrant word-painting to depict the gifts
brought to Christ's stable. Unison sections are contrasted with
imitative writing, and an undulating piano part creates a sense of
drive. An ideal addition to Christmas services and concerts for
more experienced choirs.
for SATB and organ This uplifting anthem combines two well-known
texts that are commonly read at weddings: 1 Corinthians 13:13 ('And
now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of
these is love.') and Song of Solomon 8:6-7 ('For love is strong as
death. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown
it.'). The music perfectly mirrors the message of the texts, with
flowing solo organ passages and melodic vocal lines building to
full homophonic textures at the climax. Portraying a theme that is
both personal and eternal, Faith, hope, and love remain is suitable
for use not only as part of a wedding ceremony but also for general
services and concerts.
for upper voices and organ This radiant anthem was commissioned as
part of the celebrations to mark Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee. It
was first performed at the Service of Thanksgiving on 5 June 2012
at St Paul's Cathedral by choristers from the Chapel Royal, St
Paul's, and an expressly auditioned 'Diamond Choir' of young
singers from around the UK. Setting a text adapted from Proverbs 8
by Michael Hampel, Precentor of St Paul's Cathedral, that implores
the listener to place their trust in a faithful God, Todd employs
arching melodies and beautifully simple harmonies that are
underpinned by a gentle organ accompaniment. With its peaceful
simplicity and sparkling tranquillity, The Call of Wisdom would
make an affecting addition to any service or concert. There is also
a version for SATB.
For SATB unaccompanied This is an innovative and moving setting of
Robert Herrick's popular Christmas text. The carol opens with an
uplifting unison melody, and each verse introduces new vocal
textures and increasingly expressive harmonies. Filled with
dance-like rhythms and tender four-part choral writing, it will
make a memorable addition to any Christmas celebration.
"Voices of the Magi" explores the popular Catholic musical
ensembles of southeastern Brazil known as "folias de reis"
(companies of kings). Composed predominantly of low-income workers,
the folias reenact the journey of the Wise Men to Bethlehem and
back to the Orient, as they roam from house to house, singing to
bless the families they visit in exchange for food and money. These
gifts, in turn, are used to prepare a festival on Kings' Day,
January 6, to which all who contributed are invited.
Focusing on urban folias, Suzel Ana Reily shows how participants
use the ritual journeys and musical performances of the folias to
create sacred spheres distinct from, yet intimately related to,
their everyday world. Reily calls this practice "enchantment" and
argues that it allows the folia communities to temporarily realize
the social ideals of mutual reciprocity and equality embodied in
their religious beliefs. The contrast between the ritual
experiences and daily lives of these impoverished workers
reinforces the religious convictions of these devotees of the Magi.
Reily explains and analyzes all the aspects of these folias,
bringing to life the enchanted journeys that are central to
Brazilian Catholic culture.
for SATB choir and organ or piano, with optional soloists,
congregation, and strings (string orchestra, string quintet, or
string quartet) Wondrous Cross is a reflective work suitable for
church or concert choirs at Passiontide. Bullard skilfully weaves
the traditional Seven Last Words of Christ with linking biblical
passages, 3 well-known hymns, and settings of 4 well-known sacred
texts, including 'Drop, drop, slow tears' and 'Ave verum corpus'
(both of which may be sung as independent motets) to create a
moving and at times dramatic work. The short solos are perfectly
suited to members of the choir, and strings (quartet, quintet, or
ensemble) may optionally join the organ or piano in the
accompaniment. If performed liturgically, the work may be
interspersed with prayers and readings. The result is a flexible
and striking work that re-presents this timeless story for a modern
audience. String parts and full scores are available to hire from
the Music Hire Library.
for SATB (with divisions) and piano or organ or strings A
delightful Christmas miniature, Waltz Carol is infused with Gallic
charm and an air of festive wonder. Words by the composer,
recounting the angel's prophecy to Mary and the subsequent birth of
Jesus, are set to tenderly lilting melodies, with a Satie-inspired
accompaniment and colourful harmonic touches. An enchanting
addition to any service or concert during the Christmas season. An
accompaniment for strings is available on hire/rental.
for SATB and organ or orchestra This beautiful setting of verses
from the psalms was commissioned by Westminster Abbey for the
wedding of HRH Prince William of Wales and Catherine Middleton. It
was first performed on 29 April 2011 by the combined choirs of
Westminster Abbey and the Chapel Royal, in the presence of the
royal family, and was broadcast live to millions across the globe.
With elegant melodic lines and warm harmonies, This is the day is
perfectly suited to performance at a wedding or special occasion,
and would make a joyous addition to any concert or service.
for SA (with divisions) and piano, with optional bass This is a
gentle, blues setting of 'A Cradle Song' from William Blake's Songs
of Innocence and Experience. Rich harmonies, blues chords, and
syncopation combine with the classic Chilcott sound to create a
charming addition to the upper-voice repertory. The optional bass
part is printed in the vocal score and also available from OUP's
website as a free PDF. The pianist may improvise around the printed
piano part. An optional drum part may also be added, following the
rhythm and metre of the written bass part.
2011 Reprint of 1963 edition. Full facsimile of the original
edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Selected
and with an introduction and notes by A.W. Tozer. The purpose of
this book is to bring together in one convenient volume some of the
best devotional verse the English language affords, and thus to
make available to present day Christians a rich spiritual heritage
which the greater number of them for various reasons do not now
enjoy. Includes works by Isaac Watts, Oliver Wendell Holmes, F.W.
Faber, Milman, Shirley, Wesley, Rossetti, Gerhardt, Pollock, Tate,
Brady, Tersteegen, Ware, Nicolai, Bonar and others. Tozer served 44
years of ministry, associated with the Christian and Missionary
Alliance, a Protestant evangelical denomination; 33 of those years
were served as a pastor in a number of churches. He is the author
of dozens of books, two of which, The Pursuit of God and The
Knowledge of the Holy, are considered classics. His books impress
on the reader the possibility and necessity for a deeper
relationship with God.
for SATB, accompanied and unaccompanied To celebrate the 50th
anniversary of the publication of Carols for Choirs 1, OUP presents
a new volume in this ground-breaking series. Carols for Choirs 5
continues the tradition of its predecessors by providing a complete
resource for choirs from Advent through to Epiphany. Featuring
brand new carols and arrangements of classic tunes, the collection
showcases the very best established and new names in choral
composition today, both in the UK and world-wide.
for SATB and organ or orchestra Novo profusi gaudio is a vibrant
Christmas motet, setting a medieval text that combines English,
Latin, and French words. This joyful account of the nativity is
combined with colourful, exuberant music featuring memorable
motifs, rhythmic phrases, and triumphant climaxes. Topped off with
an extra layer of character from the organ part, this piece is sure
to add sparkle to any service or concert at Christmas time.
for SATB and organ The Missa Sanctae Margaretae is a stunning new
setting of the Missa Brevis, showcasing Jackson's mesmerizing
choral writing. Scored for SATB and organ, the accessible choral
lines move through a variety of textures and harmonies, with linear
passages in the Kyrie and Agnus Dei and rich, chordal writing in
the Gloria. The idiomatic organ accompaniment brings additional
flavour to the music, sometimes answering the choral lines,
sometimes offsetting them with fast, rhythmic passages. Ideal for
use in services and concerts.
This in an outstanding collection of twelve African-American
spirituals arranged for upper voices. Rosephanye and William C.
Powell have collaborated with some of the most talented and
respected spiritual arrangers in the United States to deliver
specially commissioned, authentic settings. You'll find familiar
melodies, such as 'Deep River' and 'Somebody's knockin' at yo'
do'', alongside lesser-known spirituals, and a range of styles and
moods extending from the aspirational to the celebratory. Many of
the arrangements include a 'lead voice' part, allowing the
opportunity for solo singing, and idiomatic piano parts support the
voices for the accompanied spirituals; piano reductions are
included for the unaccompanied arrangements. This inspirational
journey through the African-American spiritual tradition is sure to
captivate and delight all upper-voice choirs.
'Erudite, original and surprisingly moving ... This Christmas, as
at every Christmas, millions of listeners will have relished the
ethereal King's choir ... Day's meticulous history of a special
choral sound investigates the creation of a style, and the
evolution of a tradition, that now feels as anciently English as
the stonework of King's chapel itself' Boyd Tonkin The sound of the
choir of King's College, Cambridge - its voices perfectly blended,
its emotions restrained, its impact sublime - has become famous all
over the world, and for many, the distillation of a particular kind
of Englishness. This is especially so at Christmas time, with the
broadcast of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, whose
centenary is celebrated this year. How did this small band of men
and boys in a famous fenland town in England come to sing in the
extraordinary way they did in the twentieth and early twenty-first
centuries? It has been widely assumed that the King's style
essentially continues an English choral tradition inherited
directly from the Middle Ages. In this original and illuminating
book, Timothy Day shows that this could hardly be further from the
truth. Until the 1930s, the singing at King's was full of high
Victorian emotionalism, like that at many other English choral
foundations well into the twentieth century. The choir's modern
sound was brought about by two intertwined revolutions, one social
and one musical. From 1928, singing with the trebles in place of
the old lay clerks, the choir was fully made up of choral scholars
- college men, reading for a degree. Under two exceptional
directors of music - Boris Ord from 1929 and David Willcocks from
1958 - the style was transformed and the choir broadcast and
recorded until it became the epitome of English choral singing,
setting the benchmark for all other choral foundations either to
imitate or to react against. Its style has now been taken over and
adapted by classical performers who sing both sacred and secular
music in secular settings all over the world with a precision
inspired by the King's tradition. I Saw Eternity the Other Night
investigates the timbres of voices, the enunciation of words, the
use of vibrato. But the singing of all human beings, in whatever
style, always reflects in profound and subtle ways their
preoccupations and attitudes to life. These are the underlying
themes explored by this book.
The introduction of hymns and hymn-singing into public worship in
the seventeenth century by dissenters from the Church of England
has been described as one of the greatest contributions ever made
to Christian worship. Hymns, that is metrical compositions which
depart too far from the text of Scripture to be called paraphrases,
have proved to be one of the most effective mediums of religious
thought and feeling, second only to the Bible in terms of their
influence.
This comprehensive collection of essays by specialist authors
provides the first full account of dissenting hymns and their
impact in England and Wales, from the mid seventeenth century, when
the hymn emerged out of metrical psalms as a distinct literary
form, to the early twentieth century, after which the traditional
hymn began to decline in importance. It covers the development of
hymns in the mid seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, the
change in attitudes to hymns and their growing popularity in the
course of the eighteenth century, and the relation of hymnody to
the broader Congregational, Baptist, Methodist, and Unitarian
cultures of the nineteenth and earlier twentieth centuries.
The chapters cover a wide range of topics, including the style,
language, and theology of hymns; their use both in private by
families and in public by congregations; their editing, publication
and reception, including the changing of words for doctrinal and
stylistic reasons; their role in promoting evangelical
Christianity; their shaping of denominational identities; and the
practice of hymn-singing and the development of hymn-tunes.
for SATTBB unaccompanied Gombert's In illo tempore: loquente Jesu
is a six-part unaccompanied study in intricate part-writing, with
sinuous stepwise motion and persistent imitative entries. The
optimism of the text, taken from the Gospel of Luke, is reflected
in the music of this buoyant motet, and the dashes of harmonic
colour, unexpected cadences, and elaborate textures make this
highly rewarding counterpoint to sing.
for SATB and keyboard or orchestra Setting a text by David Warner,
this charming composition has a warm, memorable tune and rich,
expansive harmonies. Wilberg masterfully moves through different
keys and scorings, culminating in a stirring unison 'amen'.
Benediction has been recorded on the CD Heavensong: Music of
Contemplation and Light, and is ideal for use both in concerts and
services throughout the year. An orchestral accompaniment is
available on hire.
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