This majestic, approachable piece was arranged for the funeral of US President Gerald Ford and is also commonly known in the US as The Navy Hymn. Useful throughout the church's year, the text speaks of God's unending love, support, and protection for all those in peril. Cycling through three distantly related keys, the setting has exciting and seamless transitions and each verse feels fresh. The end is presented in unison with a final 'Amen', reflecting the unity of all those touched by God's unconditional love.

for SATB and organ or orchestra With a text by David Warner on the parable of The Prodigal Son from St Luke's Gospel, this dramatic choral work brings to life the ancient, universal story of reconciliation and belonging. The closely woven text and music feature an expansive range of expression-plaintive, exuberant, and resolute-before concluding with a transcendent coda that gives way to reverberating 'Amen's. With echoes of some of the minimalist elements of Wilberg's Requiem, as well as Arvo Part, Henryk Gorecki, and John Tavener, the work is scored for mixed voices without soloists, allowing the choir to function like a Greek chorus-sometimes narrating, sometimes participating in the action, sometimes reflecting on it-all underpinned by organ, or orchestra, or chamber ensemble.

for SATB and organ Taken from Rutter's edition of Faure's Requiem, this famous Introit and Kyrie features both the original French words and an optional English text, translated and adapted for singing by John Rutter himself. The piece's brevity and touching poignancy makes it a suitable addition to funerals and All Souls Day services. John Rutter's complete edition of Faure's Requiem is available from Oxford University Press, with scores and parts available on sale and on hire.

for SSA and piano Early in the Spring is the second song in Vaughan Williams's Folk Songs of the Four Seasons. It describes the courtship of a young couple in the spring as the cuckoo and nightingale sing sweetly - an idyllic pastoral scene matched by the music's simple beauty.

for soprano soloist, SSA chorus, and piano This tender lullaby sets William Ballet's well-known text 'Sweet was the song the Virgin sang'. An expressive soprano solo is gently accompanied by SSA chorus and a piano reduction of the original orchestral accompaniment. The lullaby is taken from the Christmas Cantata Hodie, for which scores and parts are available on hire.

Anhand der Entfuhrung aus dem Serail wird systematisch aufgezeigt, wie sich das markante Stimmprofil der Besetzung der Urauffuhrung 1782 am Nationaltheater in Wien darstellt. Indem Mozart der Virtuositat und dem Stimmumfang seiner Erstbesetzung (Catarina Cavalieri, Valentin Adamberger, Ernst Dauer, Therese Teyber und Ludwig Fischer) in ausserordentlichem Masse entgegenkommt, sprengt er gleichermassen den musikalischen Rahmen der Gattung des Singspiels. Das musikalisch-kunstlerische Ergebnis des Zusammentreffens von Mozart und "seinen" Sangern ist eine gluckliche Synthese zwischen der Leistungsfahigkeit der Sanger und der Inspiration des Komponisten. Die Partitur wird sichtbares Zeugnis von Mozarts Kunst, fur Stimmen zu schreiben. So kann das Werk als Musterbeispiel fur eine gegenseitige kunstlerische Befruchtung gelten.

Jane Dolby fell in love with a fisherman - the most dangerous peacetime occupation that exists - leading her to find a place in a traditional British world that many have forgotten. Jane was not expecting to fall in love, but she did with Colin, a local fisherman in her hometown. Then one day she faces the loss every fisherman's wife fears: the disappearance of her husband when his boat overturns at sea. Three days later, the boat is finally dredged up, without Colin. At the same time as Jane struggles with her grief, she must fight to keep a roof over her family's heads. With the help and kindness of friends and strangers, the fishing world rallies around one of their own and in time, Jane forms a plan to give something back to the community that has helped her. Jane brings together 40 women from fishing communities up and down the country to release a charity single, founding The Fishwives Choir, and gives a voice to women previously unheard. SONG OF THE SEA is the true story of one woman's love and loss, and after years in which grief stole her ability to sing, she finds her own voice again.

for upper voices, SATB, and piano or orchestra The Seeds of Stars is a resplendent setting of a philosophical text by Charles Bennett. The rippling piano part provides a shimmering accompaniment to radiant and expressive vocal lines, and Chilcott effectively contrasts upper- and mixed-voice sections with stirring passages for all voices. Reflecting the vivid imagery of the text, the upper voices soar above the choir during climatic moments, but also bring the piece to its gentle, profound close. An orchestral accompaniment is available on hire/rental.

for SA (plus lead voice) and percussion Following the success of Songs of Africa (for mixed voices), Fred Onovwerosuoke presents six authentic arrangements of African songs scored for upper voices and percussion. Published in two small collections - this set for SA and the second for SSA - the songs originate from a variety of locations, including Zimbabwe, Botswana, Nigeria, and the Republic of Benin. With texts to celebrate an assortment of themes, such as harvest, Christmas, play/leisure, and marriage, these arrangements are sure to delight all choirs looking for something a bit different. An English translation and a pronunciation guide are provided for each publication.

Choral Repertoire is the definitive and comprehensive one-volume presentation of the canon of the Western choral tradition. Designed for practicing conductors and directors, students and teachers of choral music, amateur and professional singers, scholars, and interested vocal enthusiasts, it is an account of the complete choral output of the most significant composers of this genre throughout history. Organized by era (Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern), Choral Repertoire covers general characteristics of each historical era; trends and styles unique to various countries; biographical sketches of over 500 composers; and performance annotations of more than 5,000 individual works. This book will be an essential guide to programming, a reference tool for program notes and other research, and, most importantly, a key resource for conductors, instructors, scholars, and students of choral music.

for SATB accompanied and unaccompanied
Fred Onovwerosuoke and the St. Louis African Chorus carefully selected the favorite, most requested songs from their workshops, while trying to represent a wide spectrum of Africas regions and cultural practicessongs of spirituality, religion, community, work, and play from Nigeria, Ghana, Congo, Benin Republic, South Africa, Namibia, Gambia, and others. The result is Songs of Africa, a user-friendly resource that will satisfy the hunger for new, diverse choral repertoire. As a performance aid, this exciting collection also includes a pronunciation guide, notes on performance practice and cultural context, and, where accompaniment is needed or suggested, some accessible percussion charts.

for SATB and piano or orchestra or brass ensemble This carol (in E major) is also available in Carols for Choirs 2, and 12 Christmas Carols Set 1. The orchestral and brass accompaniments are available on hire. A different arrangement (in E flat major), not compatible with the orchestral or brass accompaniments, is available in 100 Carols for Choirs.

for unison (junior) and SATB (senior) choirs and keyboard The unison line, or junior choir, does have some small simple divisi. Overall, this is an accessible piece that is both rich and moving.

for TTBB unaccompanied, with a piano reduction This is a simple, well-arranged carol based on a sixteenth-century tune.

This major new collection is the perfect resource for small choirs, young choirs, and all choirs whose numbers fluctuate week by week. Each piece is scored flexibly with optional parts or parts for equal voices, so that it can be performed by more than one combination of performers; many pieces can also be sung in unison. The music is accessible - ideal for choirs with limited rehearsal time - and keyboard parts are playable on organ (with or without pedals) or piano. The repertoire spans the sixteenth century to the present day and includes new, flexibly scored arrangements of traditional pieces, as well as newly commissioned anthems. There are also pieces in lighter styles, to cater for a broad range of tastes. With complete coverage of the church year, this is an essential resource for those looking for fresh and accessible options for church services.

This is the first book to survey the performing practices in English choral music in the fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, including the period of the English Reformation. The essays, all written by specialists in the field, consider in depth such areas as the growth and development of the 'church' choir, related issues of vocal tessitura, performing pitch, the systems of pronunciation appropriate for Latin- and English-texted music, and the day-to-day training of choristers. There is also an investigation of the local circumstances under which many of the important manuscripts of the period were compiled, which reveals an unsuspectedly close interrelationship between domestic music and music for the church. In addition, a study of surviving sources reveals that they give little more than a general guide as to their composers' and copyists' intentions.

A first-of-its-kind history, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir tells the epic story of how an all-volunteer group founded by persecuted religious outcasts grew into a multimedia powerhouse synonymous with the mainstream and with Mormonism itself. Drawing on decades of work observing and researching the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Michael Hicks examines the personalities, decisions, and controversies that shaped "America's choir." Here is the miraculous story behind the Tabernacle's world-famous acoustics, the anti-Mormonism that greeted early tours, the clashes with Church leaders over repertoire and presentation, the radio-driven boom in popularity, the competing visions of rival conductors, and the Choir's aspiration to be accepted within classical music even as Mormons sought acceptance within American culture at large. Everything from Billboard hits to TV appearances to White House performances paved the way for Mormonism's crossover triumph. Yet, as Hicks shows, such success raised fundamental concerns regarding the Choir's mission, functions, and image.

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 TTBB and piano, or orchestra, or piano and strings This hearty song from the cantata In Windsor Forest (adapted from the opera Sir John in Love) is full of character. With a rollicking 'oom-pah' accompaniment and spirited vocal writing, it makes a fun and entertaining closing number or encore. Orchestral material is available on hire.

The Power of Song shows how the people of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania confronted a military superpower and achieved independence in the Baltic "Singing Revolution." When attacked by Soviet soldiers in public displays of violent force, singing Balts maintained faith in nonviolent political action. More than 110 choral, rock, and folk songs are translated and interpreted in poetic, cultural, and historical context. Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh7vFFjK0rc