Sir David Willcocks: A Celebration in Carols marks the 95th birthday of one of the most acclaimed choral conductors, editors, and arrangers of our time. A survey of his work, the collection brings together many of Willcocks's best-loved carol arrangements, spanning his career as co-editor of Carols for Choirs and as conductor of the UK's finest choirs. It includes a selection of his original compositions too, and gives an overview of the styles and traditions that have enhanced the Christmas musical experience of thousands of singers and listeners. As an affectionate birthday tribute, A Celebration also includes specially-commissioned new carols by John Rutter, Bob Chilcott, and Jonathan Willcocks.

for SSAA unaccompanied Morning Light sets an optimistic text by the composer about home and finding your way. Inspired by American folksongs, the captivating melody and warm harmonies perfectly complement the uplifting theme of the text. Morning Light will be a welcome addition to the upper-voice repertoire.

for SATB choir, brass quintet, organ and percussion This engaging 15-minute cantata combines several popular carols to create a performance full of Christmas spirit. Through creative re-harmonization, rhythmic variation, and imaginative linking passages, McDowall conjures up a joyful atmosphere, delighting with familiar and surprising material in equal measure. A rousing finale weaves together several of the tunes to bring the piece to a jubilant close. Instrumental material is available on hire/rental.

for SATB and organ This short collection presents the complete set of hymns from Chilcott's stunning setting of the St John Passion. The five well-known hymn texts are set to new, original melodies, which are also intended for performance by the audience or congregation. The parts for SATB choir are simple yet beautifully crafted, with a soaring soprano descant to complete four of the hymns. Perfect for liturgical use during holy week, the set would also be ideal for concert performance.

for SSAATTBB unaccompanied Combining the evocative Emily Dickinson poem Before the ice and the familiar Latin responsory for Christmas day O magnum mysterium, this carol has beautifully rich textures and harmonies and a sensitive text setting that captures the mystery and wonder of Christmas. The final alleluias lift the carol from the minor to the major to bring the carol to a radiant and affirmatory conclusion. Before the ice features on the Naxos CD of Bob Chilcott's Christmas music, The Rose in the Middle of Winter.

for SATB, organ, and optional handbells Through luminous choral harmonies, images of a winter night, and echoes of scripture, Advent Moon evokes deep human longing as well as the promise of the coming of light. The delicate organ accompaniment and optional handbells underscore both the haunting opening and the radiant conclusion of this piece.

for SATB and piano Part of the Voice Junction series, Don't forget tomorrow is an uplifting encore-style piece ideal for college and community choirs, with independent parts during verses and a catchy chorus in harmony - all supported by an infectious samba rhythm from the piano.

for SATB and organ This moving and prayerful arrangement of the well-known traditional song was written in memory of Nelson Mandela. Rutter treats the melody in simple yet varied ways, with a mixture of unison and four-part choral textures, into which the organ is gently interwoven. The piece reaches a dynamic and emotional peak in the fourth and final verse, before a quiet and reflective ending.

for SATB (with divisions) unaccompanied I my Best-Beloved's am was written in 1999 for a BBC Singers broadcast concert on the theme of the Seven Sacraments. This a cappella anthem focuses on the theme of marriage, setting the nuptial responses from the old Tridentine Catholic marriage service and stanzas from Francis Quarles's poetic paraphrase of the Song of Solomon. Gregorian chant is the prevalent musical influence, and the male and female voices are offset against each other in an effective contrast.

for SSAATTBB and SSATB unaccompanied The three Choral Amens in this set were written to fill a liturgical and musical gap in chapel services where the prevailing style of the music is romantic. This is the first publication of two of the Amens (in F and A), and the musical style of the three may be characterized as Anglican-romantic.

Today's choral directors are faced with the dilemma of how to teach music literacy within the demands of a school system increasingly focused on testing outcomes and high-level performances. Many teachers feel they simply do not have the classroom time for adequate sight singing and ear training instruction, and those who do set aside the time for it face a dearth of engaging teaching materials. Solfege and Sonority is a guide for teaching music literacy in a choral rehearsal, with a focus on the needs of teachers who work with young singers. The book lays out teaching sequences for melodic and rhythmic concepts, lesson plans, and concise strategies for introducing key techniques. The graduated progression of topics starts from teaching basic concepts, such as "do-re-mi," and ends with more complex subjects, such as minor modes and the sight reading of more advanced music. The individual lessons themselves are short (no more than 4-6 minutes) and comprehensive, encouraging singers to develop a literacy of rhythm and melody together. By developing 18 easy-to-use lessons for teachers and conductors and tying the lessons to the teacher's current repertoire, longtime choral director and teacher David Xiques has created a practical and viable solution to the challenges of many conductors. The book features a comprehensive companion website that includes videos of exercises, worksheets, and teaching materials.

for SATB unaccompanied Part of the John Rutter Anniversary Edition, this is a profoundly beautiful setting of one of the earliest English prayers, from the Sarum Primer of 1514.

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!

for SATB wordless chorus, viola solo, and orchestra A suite for solo viola, wordless chorus (SATB), and small orchestra, Flos Campi is one of Vaughan Williams's most enigmatic pieces. Although the six movements all borrow their titles from the Old Testament's Song of Solomon, the chorus never articulates a single word. Instead, it serves as a section of the orchestra, creating an elegant vocal texture and backdrop to the viola's haunting solo lines. The work was premiered in October 1925 by the violist Lionel Tertis, singers from the RCM, and the Queen's Hall Orchestra, directed by Sir Henry Wood.

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 children's choir and piano Written for Children's International Voices, this delightfully uplifting piece will appeal to children's choirs everywhere. A highly singable melody alternates between unison and two parts, and the words, written by the composer, are full of excited optimism for the future. Rutter skilfully combines a flowing character with a strong rhythmic pulse, and the piano accompaniment provides harmonic support throughout.

for SATB and piano or orchestra This tender piece was composed in memory of the victims of Fukushima in 2011. It is both reflective and heartfelt, with a simple, appealing melody, rich harmonies, and a flowing accompaniment. It is a dual language publication, allowing for performance in both Japanese and English. There is a version for SSA. Orchestral material is available on hire.

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 SATB (with divisions), S. and T. solos, and 10 players Commissioned by Merton College, Oxford, this hour-long work for soloists, choir, and 10 players is divided into seven movements, beginning with Palm Sunday. Jackson's setting takes material from each of the four Gospel narratives, interspersed with Latin hymns and English texts by poets associated with Merton College over the centuries including Edmund Blunden and T. S. Eliot. The vocal score includes a piano reduction for rehearsal purposes.

for SAA and piano The quirky style of The Look perfectly complements the nature of Sara Teasdale's poem, which reminisces on past romances. The melody is catchy and colourful, with a stylistic ornament that gives the piece a carefree feel, and there are effective contrasts of tonality and texture. The voices are accompanied by a jazzy, characterful piano part with driving syncopations.

Music as Prayer explores the spiritual and theological character of church music. Author Thomas H. Troeger-a theologian, preacher, poet and flutist-traces how making and listening to music can be an act of prayer, a way of sensing the irrepressible resilience of the divine vitalities, in down-to-earth language that everyone can enjoy. The book employs a wide range of perspectives: from scientific observations about the affect of music on the brain, to the insights of early church fathers about the place of music in worship, to the compositions of great composers and their reflections upon their art, to the Bible and theologians, to organists, choir directors and instrumentalists, to hymnists and poets. Listening to the wisdom of these varied tribes, Troeger finds them to be a cloud of witnesses, a choir giving testimony to how music puts the human heart in touch with the spirit in times of sorrow and seeking, in times of joy and gratitude. The book is addressed to listeners and performers alike, instrumentalists and singers, clergy and seminarians, worship committees and congregation members, scholars and teachers of liturgy and sacred music. It helps musicians and clergy to develop a mutual understanding of the theological and spiritual dimensions of their collaborative work. As a whole, the book celebrates the ministry of making music that awakens people to those gifts of the spirit that sustain hope, promote healing, and enliven a visionary faith in the possibility of a transformed world.