Michael Steinberg's highly successful listener's guides--The Symphony and The Concerto--have been universally praised for their blend of captivating biography, crystal clear musical analysis, and delightful humor. Now Steinberg follows these two greatly admired volumes with Choral Masterworks, the only such guide available to this most popular of musical forms.
Here are more than fifty illuminating essays on the classic choral masterworks, ranging from Handel's Messiah, Bach's Mass in B Minor, and Beethoven's Missa solemnis, to works by Haydn, Brahms, Mendelssohn, and many others. Steinberg spans the entire history of classical music, from such giants of the Romantic era as Verdi and Berlioz, to leading modern composers such as Elgar, Rachmaninoff, Vaughan Williams, and Stravinsky, to contemporary masters such as John Adams and Charles Wuorinen. For each piece, Steinberg includes a fascinating biographical account of the work's genesis, often spiced with wonderful asides. The author includes an astute musical analysis of each piece, one that casual music lovers can easily appreciate and that more serious fans will find invaluable. The book also provides basic information such as the various movements of the work, the organization of the chorus and orchestra, and brief historical notes on early performances.
More than twenty million Americans perform regularly in choirs or choruses. Choral Masterworks will appeal not only to concert goers and CD collectors, but also to this vast multitude of choral performers, an especially engaged and active community.
"What sets Steinberg's writing apart is its appealing mixture of impregnable authority (he knows this music) and purelypersonal asides (by the end of the book, we know this man). Choral Masterworks can be read by anybody, from a professional musician to any young listener newly braced by the stoic pessimism of the Brahms 'German Requiem.'" --Washington Post Book World

for SATB and organ This is an exciting and accessible setting to a really memorable tune of William Dalrymple Maclagan's text. It is easy and fun to sing and ideal for any church choir looking for a contemporary anthem during All Saint's Day or throughout the month of November.

In shaping choral tone, directors often wish to improve the sound of their choir, but are challenged to pinpoint underlying problems or to guide singers toward solutions. Now, in Prescriptions for Choral Excellence, skilled vocal pedagogue Shirlee Emmons and leading choral director Constance Chase equip choral directors with the practical tools they need to help singers achieve peak choral performance.
Drawing on years of experience, Emmons and Chase help choral directors and singers effectively diagnose and resolve problems. They cover topics ranging from breath management and diction to range and intonation, and much more. Beyond describing vocal difficulties, the book provides concrete instructions on how to apply the concepts in day-to-day rehearsal and performance. The numerous practical exercises and planning aides allow directors to maximize both time and talent to elicit the highest potential from their singers. While grounded in the most up-to-date research in voice science, the discussion of vocal anatomy and function is accessible to readers with no previous knowledge of voice science. Going beyond other vocal and choral guidebooks, the authors also apply the most current theories in leadership principles and group dynamics to choral settings, helping directors translate their natural musicality and charisma into inspiring and motivational leadership.
A comprehensive and unique blend of practical expertise, voice science, and leadership psychology, Prescriptions for Choral Excellence is an invaluable guide for all choral directors seeking to create memorable and remarkable performances.

Composed in 1718 while Handel was residing in Cannons Park. Like the other Chandos Anthems, it was comissioned by the Earl of Carnarvon James Brydges, subsequently named First Duke of Chandos. The anthem was first performed that year under the composer's direction ay St. Lawrence's Church in Cannons Park. The text is taken from Psalms 117, 135, and 148 in Nahum Tate and Nicolas Brady's 1696 "New Versions of the Psalms."This complete vocal and pano score, edited by Max Seiffert with a piano reduction by Karl Pasler, is an unabridged reprint of the score first issued by Breitkopf & Hartel, Leipzig ca. 1900.

Robert Shaw is considered to be the most influential choral conductor in American history. This is the first collection of his letters and notes about music ever published--at another time, it is the book Shaw would have written himself.
The letters are an invigorating mix of music history and analysis, philosophy, inspiration, and practical advice. Shaw examines technique, but only as a means to an end--he moves beyond that, delving into the essence of what music is and what it has to say to us. The heart of the book is composed of Shaw's previously unpublished notes on fifteen major choral works, ranging from Bach's B Minor Mass to Stravinsky's "Symphony of Psalms.
"Often inspiring and sometime hilarious, these writings reveal the full breadth of Shaw's knowledge, intensity, and humor.

Handel wrote over 100 cantatas, compositions for voice and instruments that describe the joy and pain of love. In "Handel as Orpheus," the first comprehensive study of the cantatas, Ellen Harris investigates their place in Handel's life as well as their extraordinary beauty.

The cantatas were written between 1706 and 1723--from the time Handel left his home in Germany, through the years he spent in Florence and Rome, and into the early part of his London career. In this period he lived as a guest in aristocratic homes, and composed these chamber works for his patrons and hosts, primarily for private entertainments. In both Italy and England his patrons moved in circles in which same-sex desire was commonplace--a fact that is not without significance, Harris reveals, for the cantatas exhibit a clear homosexual subtext.

Addressing questions about style and form, dating, the relation of music to text, rhythmic and tonal devices, and voicing, "Handel as Orpheus" is an invaluable resource for the study and enjoyment of the cantatas, which have too long been neglected. This innovative study brings greater understanding of Handel, especially his development as a composer, and new insight into the role of sexuality in artistic expression.

Face to Face with Orchestra and Chorus is a crucial guide for choral conductors who are presented with the daunting task of conducting a full-size orchestra. This book provides a survival kit for both novice and experienced choral conductors, with an overview of the orchestral instruments and their particular needs, tips for rehearsing an orchestra effectively, and guidelines for proper baton technique. Conductors are walked through six case studies from the Baroque and Classical periods, including Handel s Messiah, Bach s Magnificat in D Major, Vivaldi s Gloria, and Beethoven s "Choral" Fantasia."

"This book comes from a very fine music educator with exceptional experience, who has common sense and a real understanding of what a beginning teacher should know. The book puts into print issues that are widely discussed at conventions and at conferences, and that are common knowledge for the experienced teacher, but that are not covered in a music education class. It is a plain and simple book, written in a language that is easy for anyone going into the profession to understand. It makes valuable suggestions in just about every aspect of the role of a choral music teacher." Michael Schwartzkopf, Professor of Music Education, Indiana University School of Music"

This collection of German songs contains two strains of tradition: the political song and the folk song. It is not always clear where the distinction between the two can be drawn, since many political songs become folk songs due to their popularity, and many folk songs have a clear, emancipatory - and thus political - dimension. But the main criterion for inclusion in this anthology is the popularity a song has enjoyed, either down through the centuries or more recently, in German-speaking or non-German-speaking countries. The addition of scores is another plus, offering an opportunity to recognize the songs musically.

The Oxford Book of Flexible Choral Songs is the perfect resource for secular choirs and singing groups who like the flexibility to perform songs in a range of combinations from unison to SATB. Each piece may be performed by a mixed choir, but is also presented with flexible scoring options, clearly explained throughout, enabling performance by various combinations of singers, including upper voices or men's voices alone. As well as new arrangements of existing repertoire, the collection also features newly commissioned original works, specially written for flexible forces.

for solo violin, upper-voice choir (women's and/or advanced children's choir), with harp, and strings or organ This four-movement work is inspired by the idea of 'Jerusalem' both as a Holy City and a utopian ideal of heavenly peace and seraphic bliss. The composer has selected four biblical texts, in English and Latin, that express different aspects of this vision. The solo violin part is identical for both full and reduced instrumentations.

All children must have an opportunity to share the joy of choral music participation - whether in school, church, or community choirs. What happens before the singing begins, is critical to supporting, sustaining, and nurturing choirs to give every child the opportunity to experience the wonder of choral singing. Based on years of experience conducting and teaching, Barbara Tagg brings a wealth of practical information about ways of organizing choirs. From classroom choirs, to mission statements, boards of directors, commissioning, auditioning, and repertoire, Before the Singing will inspire new ways of thinking about how choirs organize their daily tasks. The collaborative community that surrounds a choir includes conductors, music educators, church choir directors, board members, volunteers, staff, administrators, and university students in music education and nonprofit arts management degree programs. For all these, Tagg offers a wealth of knowledge about creating a positive environment to support artistry, creativity, dedication, and a commitment to striving for excellence.

More than forty years ago in the state archives of Lucca, Italy, musicologist Reinhard Strohm noticed that bindings on some of the books were unusual: they consisted of the pages of a centuries-old music manuscript. In the following years, Strohm worked with the archivists to remove these leaves and reassemble as much as possible of the original manuscript, a major cultural recovery now known as "The Lucca Choirbook."
The recovered volume comprises what remains of a gigantic cathedral codex commissioned in Bruges around 1463 and containing English, Franco-Flemish, and Italian sacred music of the fifteenth century--including works by the celebrated composers Guillaume Du Fay and Henricus Isaac.
This facsimile of the choirbook includes all the known leaves, ordered according to their proper placement in the original codex. In the introduction, Strohm tells the fascinating story of this choirbook, identifying its early users and reconstructing its travel from Bruges to Lucca.

for SATB choir, cor anglais (or clarinet in A or viola) and organ This reflective setting of verses from Psalm 139 opens with a folk-like melody from the cor anglais. The work grows in intensity with sombre choral harmonies, leading to anome ecstatic climax as the psalmist contemplates the awesomence power of God; it then gently subsides, tailing into silences with a return to the opening cor anglais melody. The work is a highly effective Lenten or contemplative anthem.

Hendrickson Worship presents the first non-denominational hymnal for children in many years. "The Kids Hymnal Piano Accompaniment "book is organized by hymn number and includes the piano score for each song in large, readable print. The "Kids Hymnal "features: - 80 hymns and songs - Melody lines, lyrics and guitar chords on each typeset page - Beautiful illustrations to reinforce the meaning of the song - An application lesson and child affirmation for each song - Stories behind the writing of the hymns - Indexes by title and by topic - Large print for easy reading and singing Topics include: - Hymns (40 songs) - The Teachings of Jesus (8 songs) - Sunday School Classics (9 songs) - Scripture (8 songs) - Praise and Worship (10 songs) - Seasonal (Christmas, Advent, Lent/Easter) (5 songs) For ages 5-10 SONG LIST HYMNS - Amazing Grace - Be Thou My Vision - When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder - The Old Rugged Cross - Holy, Holy, Holy - Come, Christians, Join to Sing - Blessed Assurance - Standing on the Promises - Fairest Lord Jesus - Near The Cross - Count Your Blessings - When We All Get to Heaven - O How I Love Jesus - What a Friend We Have in Jesus - I Have Decided To Follow Jesus - All Creatures of Our God and King - He's Got The Whole World in His Hands - Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee - O Happy Day! - Leaning on the Everlasting Arms - At the Cross - Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus - Come Thou Almighty King! - Crown Him with Many Crowns - For the Beauty of the Earth - How Great Thou Art - God Will Take Care of You - He Keeps Me Singing As I Go - Have Thine Own Way, Lord - This Is My Father's World THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS - The Mustard Seed - You Must Be Born Again - Do To Others - Do Not Judge - I Am the Way - Love Your Neighbor - I Will Make You Fishers of Men SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSICS - Jesus Loves Me - Deep and Wide - Jesus Loves the Little Children - Isn't He Wonderful - I've Got Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy - Father Abraham - I Love Him Better Every D-A-Y - I Am A C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N - We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder - My God Is So Big - This Little Light of Mine - Do Lord SCRIPTURE SONGS - Children, Obey Your Parents - The Lord Is My Shepherd - In The Beginning - The Lord's Prayer - I Know The Plans I Have For You - I Have Hidden Your Word In My Heart - For God So Loved The World - The Roman's Road PRAISE & WORSHIP - Shout to the Lord - Open The Eyes of My Heart Lord - Our God Is An Awesome God - Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart - The Lord Is My Rock - Blessed Be The Name of the Lord - J-O-Y - I Could Sing of Your Love Forever - Lord, I Lift Your Name on High - I Will Sing of the Mercies FOURTH OF JULY - The Star Spangled Banner - God Bless America - America the Beautiful EASTER - Christ the Lord Has Risen Today - Do Remember - Hosanna CHRISTMAS - Go Tell It on The Mountain - The First Noel - Away in a Manger - Joy to the World - O Come All Ye Faithful - Children Go Where I Send Thee - Silent Night

Choral Voices: Ethnographic Imaginations of Sound and Sacrality is about sacred and secular choirs in Goa and Shillong across churches, seminaries, schools, auditoriums, classrooms, reality TV shows, and festivals. Voice and genre emerge as social objects annotated by tradition, nostalgia, and innovation. Piety literally and metaphorically shapes the Christian lifeworld, predominantly those belonging to the Presbyterian and Catholic denominations. Indigeneity structures the political and cultural motifs in the making of the Christian musical traditions. Located at the intersection of Sociology, Anthropology, and Ethnomusicology, the choral voices emplace 'affect' and the visual-aural dispatch. Thus, sonic spectrum holds space for indigenous and global musicality. This ethnographic work will be useful for scholars researching music and sound studies, religious studies, cultural anthropology, and sociology of India.

The Sacred Harp choral singing tradition originated in the American South in the mid-nineteenth century, spread widely across the country, and continues to thrive today. Sacred Harp isn't performed but participated in, ideally in large gatherings where, as the a cappella singers face each other around a hollow square, the massed voices take on a moving and almost physical power. "I Belong to This Band, Hallelujah " is a vivid portrait of several Sacred Harp groups and an insightful exploration of how they manage to maintain a sense of community despite their members' often profound differences.
Laura Clawson's research took her to Alabama and Georgia, to Chicago and Minneapolis, and to Hollywood for a Sacred Harp performance at the Academy Awards, a potent symbol of the conflicting forces at play in the twenty-first-century incarnation of this old genre. Clawson finds that in order for Sacred Harp singers to maintain the bond forged by their love of music, they must grapple with a host of difficult issues, including how to maintain the authenticity of their tradition and how to carefully negotiate the tensions created by their disparate cultural, religious, and political beliefs.

A survey of secular, sacred, folk-influenced, and jazz-influenced choral music from: Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Wales, Yugoslavia.

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.