for upper voices, SATB, and organ or chamber ensemble On Christmas Night is a musical celebration of the Christmas story, presented as a sequence of eight original carols. Chilcott calls upon several familiar carol melodies within his own settings, resulting in an impressive array of styles and moods-from comforting and reflective to jubilant, swinging, and folksy. The work as a whole can be performed liturgically or in concert, with or without the composer's suggested readings, while individual carols may also be programmed separately. Combining tradition and invention, On Christmas Night is a versatile and enchanting addition to the choral repertory. An accompaniment for chamber ensemble is available on hire/rental.

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.

for SATB and keyboard or orchestra This is a reflective and beautiful arrangement of the classic Christmas carol by Holst. Wilberg underpins the well-loved melody with luscious, romantic harmonies, including moments of exquisite chromaticism. This wonderful carol would make an ideal choice for any Christmas service or concert and will strike chords with choirs and audiences alike.

for SSAA and piano four-hands, or orchestra This lovely arrangement of the popular American folk song perfectly captures the sense of loss and longing in the words. From the gentle unison opening, the music builds up through a range of textures and harmonies to a rich climax, before gently relaxing for a quietly evocative close. Ideal with either piano or orchestral accompaniment. There is also a version for SATB. Orchestral material is available on hire.

'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.

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.

Described as the "life and soul of British contemporary music", Jane Manning is an internationally celebrated English concert and opera soprano. In this new follow-up to her highly regarded New Vocal Repertory, Volumes I and II, she provides a seasoned expert's guidance and insight into the vocal genre she calls home. Vocal Repertoire for the Twenty-First Century spans the late middle-20th century through the second decade of the 21st. Manning's comprehensive selection of contemporary art songs ranges from the avant-garde to the more easily accessible, including substantial song cycles, shorter encore pieces, and songs suitable for auditions and competitions. The two-volume guide presents expertly-informed selections tailored to particular voice types. Each of the 160 selections is accompanied by a highly detailed performance guide, music examples, levels of difficulty, and a brief encapsulation of vocal characteristics or challenges contained in the piece. A supplemental companion website provides composer biographies and an up-to-date list of recommended recordings. With a focus on younger composers in addition to prominent figures, Manning encourages singers to refresh and expand their recital repertoire into less familiar territory, and discover the rewards therein. Volume 2 features works written from 2000 onwards, including pieces from contemporary composers Mohammed Fairouz ("Annabel Lee"), Missy Mazzoli ("As Long as We Live"), Judith Weir ("The Voice of Desire"), and Raymond Yiu ("The Earth and Every Common Sight").

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.

for SATB and organ or brass ensemble This Easter anthem is a triumphant setting of words by Edmund Spenser and St John Damascene for mixed choir and organ. Featuring joyful choral parts and an optional soprano solo, Most glorious Lord of life ends with a new harmonization of the Easter hymn tune 'Ellacombe', with an optional congregational part. Material for an accompaniment for brass, timpani, and organ is available on hire/rental. Featured on the CD A Song in Season, on the Collegium label.

for SATB choir and piano four-hands or orchestra First published in My Song in the Night (2009), Wilberg's Down to the River to Pray is a spirited arrangement of the traditional melody. The piano duet accompaniment provides a folk-like rhythmic underpinning, and the piece ascends to a magnificent finish. Orchestral material is available on hire/rental.

for SATB and organ or orchestra Featured in My Song in the Night (2009), Amazing grace! is a majestic arrangement of the well-known melody. Beginning with male voices in unison, Wilberg gradually introduces more vocal parts, building ultimately to a grand climax in eight parts. A subtle Scottish influence is evident through the use of drones and a Scotch snap motif in the organ. Orchestral material is available on hire/rental.

for SA (with divisions) and piano Setting a love poem by W. B. Yeats, Tread Softly is a charming addition to the upper-voice repertory. Gradually opening out from unison, this piece features melodic vocal lines, colourful harmonies, and luscious modulations, and the rhythmic contrasts in the choir are complemented by a gently flowing piano part. Suitable for use in a variety of concert programmes and at weddings.

for SATB (with divisions) unaccompanied Displaying Chydenius's unique style, I am the great sun is a driven and focused setting of Charles Causley's poem. This is textured choral writing: you'll find imitative passages, melodic and rhythmic motifs, sections requiring precise articulation, and full homophonic climaxes. An exciting challenge for established choirs!

Oxford Choral Classics: English Church Music assembles in two volumes around 100 of the finest examples of English sacred choral music of the past five centuries. The first volume, dedicated to anthems and motets, presents both favourite and lesser-known works, from the exceptional Renaissance polyphony of Taverner, Tallis, and Byrd, through the Restoration led by Purcell, to the glorious works of the great nineteenth- and twentieth-century composers, including Wesley, Elgar, Stanford, Vaughan Williams, and Howells. The volume contains a number of more substantial works, including Mendelssohn's Hear my prayer, Stainer's I saw the Lord, and Naylor's Vox dicentis: Clama, as well as a wonderful selection of shorter pieces, from Gibbons's O Lord, in thy wrath to Walton's Set me as a seal upon thine heart. With the second companion volume of canticles and responses, this bipartite collection presents a comprehensive survey of English sacred music at its best.

for SATB and piano Following the success of the upper-voice version, Chilcott has arranged the beautiful Like a Singing Bird for mixed choir. Combining texts by Christina Rossetti and Robert Burns, this version retains the upper-voice opening of the original, with the latter section being expanded into mixed-voice harmony.

for SATB, solo violin (or flute), and organ This charming melody is a refreshing and beautiful alternative to Cesar Franck's setting of the same text, taken from Sacris Solemniis and written by St. Thomas Aquinas. The inclusion of the violin adds something special to the texture. This work is appropriate for multiple denominations and includes an English singing translation. The violin part is included in the back of the vocal score.

for SSAATTBB unaccompanied This is a truly beautiful addition to the Christmas repertory, setting a specially commissioned poem by Charles Bennett. The flexible metre creates a sense of movement, while the luscious harmonies and often-homophonic textures provide an anchor to the choral writing. The Rose in the Middle of Winter will appeal to all mixed-voice choirs looking for a poignant centrepiece for a Christmas concert or service.

for SATB unaccompanied This lively and uplifting carol sets a joyful fifteenth-century Christmas text by James Ryman. The music is rhythmic and powerful, with moments of rich and vibrant harmony offset by the strong, fanfare-like Latin refrain.

for SATB (with divisions) unaccompanied Commissioned by King's College, Cambridge for the 2009 Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, this beautiful carol sets a well-loved text by G. K. Chesterton. With Jackson's trademark luscious harmonies alongside gentle changes in metre and mode, this piece would make an ideal introduction to Jackson's music for mixed choirs.

for flexible voices in one or two parts, with optional mixed-voice choir and piano or organ or chamber orchestra Due to popular demand, this tuneful carol is being made available as a separate choral publication. Setting a text by Timothy Dudley-Smith, the piece is characterized by a strong, memorable melody and warm harmonies. The choral leaflet preserves the flexible scoring of the original (first published in The Oxford Book of Flexible Carols), making it accessible to choirs of all types and sizes.