SKU: KN.52350

As recorded by the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra on their 1972 album Suite For Pops, soprano sax gets the lion's share of solo action in this bright swinger, with additional solos for tenor, trumpet and drums added for good measure. Plenty of bold tutti writing keeps the overall energy (and volume) level high, making this a great program opener or closer. Duration 5:30.

SKU: MN.56-0049

UPC: 688670220524. English.

Arranged for SATB choir, two keyboards, strings, and optional harp, with soprano, tenor (optional) and baritone soloists, this fresh and unorthodox interpretation reflects on the words of the Latin Mass by juxtaposing them with poems in English. The “Kyrie” uses Francis Quarles’ “Close now thine eyes and rest secure” as the opposing English text. After the choir begins the requiem text in Latin (“Requiem aeternam” through the “Kyrie eleison,”) the soprano soloist has a 27-measure solo in which the English text appears. Then the solo is repeated over choir accompaniment and the opening Latin text reappears to close the movement. Duration 9:13.

SKU: CA.210400

ISBN 9790007187651.

The choral collection Hallelujah. Gospels and Spirituals transports us into the fascinating world of African American folk songs. 30 gospels and spirituals have been arranged for mixed choir, unaccompanied or with piano. The choral parts sometimes divide, and occasionally solo parts (or even a small choral group) are required. The arrangements with their catchy rhythms, groove, their blue notes and other elements from Jazz and Blues and the principles of call-and-response will move performers and audiences in equal measure. As well as American classics (e.g. Amazing grace, Go down Moses, Kumbaya, Deep river, Down by the riverside, Good News, O when the saints, Nobody knows, Joshua fit the battle of Jericho), the collection also contains some discoveries from the beginnings of the genre. Just under half the arrangements were specially commissioned for the collection. Young composers from the USA (such as Courtney Carey, Marques Garrett) and arrangers from Canada, Denmark, and Germany (including Mark Sirett, John Hoybye, Thomas Gabriel, Carsten Gerlitz, Gunther Martin Gottsche, and Hans Ludemann) have contributed to this stylistically extremely varied choral collection. The medium difficulty level will enable many choirs to get to grips with the gospel style, something which perhaps few of them are very familiar with. Tips from the editors on performance, and a CD recording with a selection of the arrangements will help with learning the pieces. With their deep and emotional symbolism of captivity and repression on the one hand and redemption and freedom on the other hand, these Gospel settings are well-suited for many uses in concerts and church services. arrangements of around 30 spirituals and gospels for four-part mixed choir a cappella or with keyboard accompaniment medium difficulty level a good introduction for choirs with little previous experience of this repertoire includes popular classics such as Amazing grace, Deep river, Go down Moses, Good News, Nobody knows, Joshua fit the battle of Jericho wide variety of styles with many new arrangements conductor's score with CD Introductory price: 29.90 Euro, from 01.12.2019: 34.90 Euro.

SKU: MH.1-59913-054-8

ISBN 9781599130545.

Royal Coronation Dances is the first sequel to the Fanfare Ode & Festival, both being settings of dance music originally arranged by Gervaise in the mid 16th-century (the next sequel is The Renaissance Fair, which uses music of Susato and Praetorius). Fanfare Ode & Festival has been performed by many tens of thousands of students, both in high school and junior high school. I have heard that some of them are amazed that the music they are playing was first played and danced to over 400 years ago. Some students tend to think that music started with Handel and his Messiah to be followed by Beethoven and his Fifth Symphony, with naught in between or before of consequence. Although Royal Coronation Dances is derived from the same source as Fanfare Ode & Festival, they are treated in different ways. I envisioned this new suite programmatically -- hence the descriptive movement titles, which I imagined to be various dances actually used at some long-ago coronation. The first movement depicts the guests, both noble and common, flanked by flag and banner bearers, arriving at the palace to view the majestic event. They are festive, their flags swirling the air, their cloaks brightly colored. In the second movement, the queen in stately measure moves to take her place on the throne as leader and protector of the realm. In the third movement, the jesters of the court entertain the guests with wild games of sport. Musically, there are interesting sonorities to recreate. Very special attention should be given to the tambourine/tenor drum part in the first movement. Their lively rhythms give the movement its power. Therefore they should be played as distinctly and brilliantly as possible. The xylophone and glockenspiel add clarity, but must not be allowed to dominate. Observe especially the differing dynamics; the intent is to allow much buzzing bass to penetrate. The small drum (starting at meas. 29) should be played expressively, with attention to the notated articulations, with the brass light and detached, especially in a lively auditorium. It is of some further interest that the first dance is extremely modal. The original is clearly in G mixolydian mode (scale: G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G). However, other editors might put in F-sharps in many places (changing the piece almost to G major), in the belief that such ficta would have been automatically put in by the 16th-century performers as they played. I doubt it. I have not only eschewed these within the work, but even at the cadences. So this arrangement is most distinctly modal (listen to the F-naturals in meas. 22 and 23, for instance), with all the part-writing as Gervaise wrote it. In the second movement, be careful that things do not become too glued together. In the 16th century this music might have been played by a consort of recorders, instruments very light of touch and sensitive to articulation. Concert band can easily sound heavy, and although this movement has been scored for tutti band, it must not sound it. It is essential, therefore, that you hear all the instruments, with none predominating. Only when each timbre can be heard separately and simultaneously will the best blend occur, and consequently the greatest transparency. So aim for a transparent, spacious tutti sound in this movement. Especially have the flutes, who do this so well, articulate rather sharply, so as to produce a chiffing sound, and do not allow the quarter-notes to become too tied together in the entire band. The entrance of the drums (first tenor, then bass) are events and as such should be audible. Incidentally, this movement begins in F Major and ends in D Minor: They really didn't care so much about those things then. The third movement (one friend has remarked that it is the most Margolisian of the bunch, but actually I am just getting subtler, I hope) again relies upon the percussion (and the scoring) to make its points. Xylophone in this movement is meant to be distinctly audible. Therefore, be especially sure that the xylophone player is secure in the part, and also that the tambourine and toms sound good. This movement must fly or it will sink, so rev up the band and conduct it in 1 for this mixolydian jesting. I suppose the wildly unrelated keys (clarinets and then brass at the end) would be a good 16th-century joke, but to us, our put-up-the-chorus-a-half-step ears readily accept such shenanigans. Ensemble instrumentation: 1 Full Score, 1 Piccolo, 4 Flute 1, 4 Flute 2 & 3, 2 Oboe 1 & 2, 2 Bassoon 1 & 2, 1 Eb Clarinet, 4 Bb Clarinet 1, 4 Bb Clarinet 2, 4 Bb Clarinet 3, 2 Eb Alto Clarinet, 1 Eb Contra Alto Clarinet, 3 Bb Bass & Bb Contrabass Clarinet, 2 Eb Alto Saxophone 1, 2 Eb Alto Saxophone 2, 2 Bb Tenor Saxophone, 2 Eb Baritone Saxophone, 3 Bb Trumpet 1, 3 Bb Trumpet 2, 3 Bb Trumpet 3, 4 Horn in F 1 & 2, 2 Trombone 1, 4 Trombone 2 & 3, 3 Euphonium (B.C.), 2 Euphonium (T.C.), 4 Tuba, 1 String Bass, 1 Timpani (optional), 2 Xylophone & Glockenspiel, 5 Percussion.

SKU: CY.CC2598

Crucifixus by Antonio Lotti is part of his Credo in F. This motet of 8 voices is a wonderful example of polyphony with many suspensions thrown in for good measure. The music is sweet with a beautiful sadness, making it a work that touches most listeners in a very personal way.

Mr. Brink has transposed the work down a fifth into the key of F minor (resolving to F major at the conclusion), otherwise keeping the music true to its origins.

This 4 minute work has a range of up to high B-flat for the 1st part. The top four parts are in tenor clef.

The mp3 sound file is from a live performance of the Rundfunkchor conducted by Sir Simon Rattle from YouTube.

SKU: HL.365819

UPC: 840126962109. 6.75x10.5x0.029 inches. Daniel 12:3, Matthew 2:2, Psalm 19:1, Psalm 85:8.

This rustic approach to the early-American tunes WARRENTON and NETTLETON will raise the joy level in your sanctuary! The original text has a sprinkling of Wesleyan lyric thrown in for good measure and comes wrapped up in a surprising choral/bluegrass jubilee. A contrasting middle section delivers a lyrical pause in the dance, but the joy soon returns as the anthem races to a decisive ending. Score and Parts (fdl, bjo, mndln, ac gtr, up b, dm) available as a digital download.