SKU: HL.14013676

Bel Piacere (Countless Pleasures) is a song from the opera Rinaldo. It has been arranged for SATB choir by Stanford Robinson, with the words translated into Enlgish by Geoffrey Dunn. A Piano reduction is provided for rehearsal purposes.

G F Handel (1685-1759) was a German-born British composer and organist who spent his life working in London. He is credited with popularising opera in Britain, both importing Italian works, and composing his own. Rinaldo was composed in 1711, and was the first opera written in Italian for the London stage. The libretto was written by the Italian poet Giacomo Rossi.

SKU: CF.CM9740

ISBN 9781491161203. UPC: 680160919789. Key: Bb major. English. Siegfried Sasson.

Everyone suddenly burst out singing; And I was filled with such delight As prisoned birds must find in freedom... These opening lines to Everyone Sang by the British war poet Siegfried Sassoon feel as relevant today as they did when the poem was first published in 1919. It was after the end of World War I and these words capture so much of the collective exhilaration, relief, and pure joy about the Great War finally coming to an end. And yet Sassoon himself felt none of that when he wrote this poem. In his own words, he was feeling dull-minded and depressed. Perhaps his time in the trenches was still too recent. One of the reasons the creative arts are so powerful is that a poet like Sassoon (or a painter like Van Gogh or a composer like Mahler) can take their own feelings of deep sadness or pain and transform them into something beautiful, even uplifting. Everyone Sang is a celebration of the promise that things can get better, that there are things worth looking forward to.   The poem itself has so much rhythm and musicality. The appearance of suddenly in the first line of each verse gives those verses a rush of energy. Attention to the crescendo in measure 7, and again in measure 37, from mf to f will help the listener experience that rush. There are expressive opportunities with so many of the poet's bold choices of action words - burst, winging, and shaken. Then there's alliteration - a poetic device that can be overdone, but Sassoon strikes a wonderful balance. Suddenly/singing (measures 6-7 and 10-11) Find/freedom (measure 21-22) Winging/wildly (measure 23) Setting/sun (measures 47-49) Was/wordless (measures 65-75) Give these alliterations just a hint of emphasis (without overdoing) to bring out the natural rhythm of the text.   And just as O is set apart in the poem by punctuation, I wanted the musical setting - in measure 57 - to honor that feeling of wonder - ...O, but Everyone Was a bird; and the song was wordless; the singing will Never be done. Friends, there is so much good ahead, so much to be excited about. May the singing never be done.
Everyone suddenly burst out singingAnd I was filled with such delightAs prisoned birds must find in freedom…These opening lines to Everyone Sang by the British war poet Siegfried Sassoon feel as relevant today as they did when the poem was first published in 1919. It was after the end of World War I and these words capture so much of the collective exhilaration, relief, and pure joy about the “Great War” finally coming to an end. And yet Sassoon himself felt none of that when he wrote this poem. In his own words, he “was feeling dull-minded and depressed.” Perhaps his time in the trenches was still too recent.One of the reasons the creative arts are so powerful is that a poet like Sassoon (or a painter like Van Gogh or a composer like Mahler) can take their own feelings of deep sadness or pain and transform them into something beautiful, even uplifting. Everyone Sang is a celebration of the promise that things can get better, that there are things worth looking forward to. The poem itself has so much rhythm and musicality.The appearance of “suddenly” in the first line of each verse gives those verses a rush of energy. Attention to the crescendo in measure 7, and again in measure 37, from mf to f will help the listener experience that rush.There are expressive opportunities with so many of the poet’s bold choices of action words – burst, winging, and shaken.Then there’s alliteration - a poetic device that can be overdone, but Sassoon strikes a wonderful balance.Suddenly/singing (measures 6-7 and 10-11)Find/freedom (measure 21-22)Winging/wildly (measure 23)Setting/sun (measures 47-49)Was/wordless (measures 65-75)Give these alliterations just a hint of emphasis (without overdoing) to bring out the natural rhythm of the text. And just as “O” is set apart in the poem by punctuation, I wanted the musical setting – in measure 57 - to honor that feeling of wonder –…O, but EveryoneWas a bird; and the song was wordless; the singing willNever be done. Friends, there is so much good ahead, so much to be excited about.May the singing never be done.

SKU: CA.3107312

ISBN 9790007044671. Key: G minor / c minor. Language: German/English.

In 1724, Bach composed the cantata Herr, wie du willt, so schicks mit mir [Lord, as you will, do unto me] BWV 73 for the third Epiphany Sunday. Like in some other cantatas from the first annual cycle, the opening movement contains a part for corno which would in fact have been unplayable on an instrument of that era - probably also a reason why Bach allocated this part to the organ in a repeat performance (both variants can be performed using the Carus edition). The unusual choral movement, interrupted by recitatives, is based quite substantially on a short four-note motive which is introduced by the horn; at the end of the chorus, the choir sings it to the words Herr, wie du willt [Lord, as you will] - an avowal which also quite substantially characterizes other movements of the cantata. Score and part available separately - see item CA.3107300.

SKU: CA.3107311

ISBN 9790007044664. Key: G minor / c minor. Language: German/English.

In 1724, Bach composed the cantata Herr, wie du willt, so schicks mit mir [Lord, as you will, do unto me] BWV 73 for the third Epiphany Sunday. Like in some other cantatas from the first annual cycle, the opening movement contains a part for corno which would in fact have been unplayable on an instrument of that era - probably also a reason why Bach allocated this part to the organ in a repeat performance (both variants can be performed using the Carus edition). The unusual choral movement, interrupted by recitatives, is based quite substantially on a short four-note motive which is introduced by the horn; at the end of the chorus, the choir sings it to the words Herr, wie du willt [Lord, as you will] - an avowal which also quite substantially characterizes other movements of the cantata. Score and part available separately - see item CA.3107300.

SKU: CA.3107314

ISBN 9790007044695. Key: G minor / c minor. Language: German/English.

In 1724, Bach composed the cantata Herr, wie du willt, so schicks mit mir [Lord, as you will, do unto me] BWV 73 for the third Epiphany Sunday. Like in some other cantatas from the first annual cycle, the opening movement contains a part for corno which would in fact have been unplayable on an instrument of that era - probably also a reason why Bach allocated this part to the organ in a repeat performance (both variants can be performed using the Carus edition). The unusual choral movement, interrupted by recitatives, is based quite substantially on a short four-note motive which is introduced by the horn; at the end of the chorus, the choir sings it to the words Herr, wie du willt [Lord, as you will] - an avowal which also quite substantially characterizes other movements of the cantata. Score and part available separately - see item CA.3107300.