There is no rose may be considered as having three distinct but musically interlinked phases. The first is reflective in nature a set of musings on the mysteries of Mary as the Mother of God the nature of God Creation and the Trinity; the music lends a sense of the rising expectation appropriate to the season of Advent. This increasing tension breaks out into the angelic chorus Gloria in excelsis Deo a brief glimpse of something other which is then echoed by the fading repetitions of Gaudeamus (we rejoice). Finally the poem moves on joining the procession towards Christmas; a new key the expanding range and Transeamus (we go/proceed/cross over) fading intothe distance serve to provide a musical metaphor for the journey.The Novello New Choral Series is an inspiring selection of new works from a range of contemporary composers offering pieces for all types of choirs including sacred and secular works from simple four-part settings to more expansive yet accessible repertoire in an exciting variety of styles. This collection is perfect for choirs looking to broaden their repertoire and explore some of the best new music around.Andrew Cusworth (b.1984) read music at Magdalene College Cambridge where he was also an Organ Scholar. Recent compositions include Factum est silentium for double choir and organ which won the first New Music for St Paul’s Cathedral Composition Competition and Give ear O ye heavens which was shortlisted for the King James Bible Trust Composition Awards. 'This is a piece whose effect greatly exceeds its simple means and it would be welcome in any serious carol service.' - Jeremy Summerly Choir & Organ

This work for soprano solo and SATB chorus was commissioned by the Norwich Festival of Contemporary Church Music.Tavener:'In the Orthodox Church the Lament of the Mother of God is normally sung on Holy and Great Friday. Inits full length it lasts about half and hour and it is intoned by the Priest or Bishop while the people venerate the Epitaphios (or Shroud of the Dead Christ) which is in the centre of the church and decorated withflowers.The Lament must be sung with an ikon-like stillness and great purity. It grows in intensity as it climbs in tessitura but without anything sudden or remotely melodramatic.For the Orthodox Church there is never thesense of absolute desolation felt by the Western Church on Good Friday. Hence the cry of the Mother of God 'Dost thou change my grief to gladness by thy Resurrection?' followed by the full forces: 'Rise O God and judge theearth.'Mother of God also features in the film Philomena starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan and directed by Stephen Frears.

The Veil of the Temple is a journey from darkness into light. Care and attention has been given to the key chosen for each anthem and to the voicings so that these versions are attractive to the broadest possiblerange of amateur as well as professional singers. The breathtakingly simple Mother Of God here I stand and the quietly ecstatic Awed by the Beauty are for unaccompanied chorus. The remaining three anthems are scoredwith Organ accompaniment: the sonorous You mantle yourself in light; the contemplative What God is we do not know and the radiant O Mary Theotokos.

Job (Vocal Score)-A substantial work for four soli SATB chorus and orchestra using text from the translation of Stephen Mitchell's The Book Of Job. Like Vaughan Williams in his Job: A Masque for Dancing Davies was inspired inpart by William Blake's 21 engravings for the Book of Job. His oratorio however is less dependent on find parallels for Blake's visual details given the direct poetry in David Lemon's adaptation of the Stephen Mitchelltranslation from the biblical original it is hardly surprising that the spotlight should be so much on Job's suffering litany. The baritone has the lion's share of the setting though the other soloists occasionally reinforce hisplea and chorale-like episodes universalize his predicament. Davies frames with work with two seminal plainsong-like passages; there is also plenty of dramatic contrast both within Job's monologues and in the vivid orchestralwriting for the smarmy Comforters the initially shrill God who finally appears out of a dazzling orchestral whirlwind and the animal life he uses to illustrate the wonders of creation to a humbled Job.Commissioned by theUniversity of British Colombia it was first performed in May 1997 by Valdine Anderson (soprano) Linda Maguire (mezzo soprano) Paul Moore (tenor) and Kevin McMillan (baritone) with the Vancouver Bach Choir and the CBC VancouverOrchestra conducted by the composer.Vocal score with piano reduction of the orchestral score. Duration c. 70mins.

Musikalisches Monodram-Lélio (The Return to Life) Hol.55: A Lyric Monodrama Lélio was composed during Berlioz's stay in Italy in 1831. He conceived the idea of a semi-theatrical work that combined music and monologues to express the idea of returning to life after a profound traumatic experience. Originally entitled Le Retour a la Vie' it consists of six separate compositions interspersed with dramatic monologues. The monologues are to be recited by an actor in front of a curtain which conceals the Orchestra and they reflect Berlioz's most passionate concerns in 1831 especially friendship love Shakespeare and thehealing power of music. 'The work is to be played immediately after the 'Symphonie fantastique' to which it forms the conclusion and the complement. The orchestra chorus and soloists should be out of sight on the stage behind the curtain. The actor speaks and acts by himself on the forestage. After the last monologue he exits and the curtain rises to reveal all the performers for the finale thus a platform must be built over the orchestral pit. The part of Lélio demands a skilful non-singing actor. In addition a Tenor is required for the Ballad another Tenor for the Song of Bliss and a strong Baritone for the brigand-chief' - Hector Berlioz Urtext of the New Berlioz Edition Full score (BA5447) and vocal score (BA5447-90) on sale Performance material available (BA5447-72) available for hire

The Christmas story is told with fresh perspective in this collaborative cantata from Joseph Martin and Heather Sorenson. Throughout time God has touched and motivated hearts through dreams and visions. Christmas Dreams visits these moments in scripture and connects the experiences of ancient times with our modern journey of faith pointing to Christ in whose birth the hopes yearnings and dreams of all the world are fulfilled. Using traditional carols newly composed seasonal selections and thoughtful narration this rich work delivers a tapestry of sound and emotion. Share this cantata with your people and help them discover God's graceful touch in their lives! Songsinclude: Christmas Dreams Overture; Advent Dreams; The Promise and the Prayer; A New Morning of Promise; Zechariah's Song; Mary's Dream; All Through the Night; Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; The Magi's Epiphany; Christmas Dreams; A Gentle Christmas Blessing.

Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series-In this beautiful poem by Dorothy Parker Mary knows her baby is holy simply because he is hers. She considers herself blessed whenever he reaches another birthday without even knowing how few he has left. Celebrating Mary themother and Christmas Doug Brandt creates an inner voice of Mary in the Altos and Tenors while the outer voices create the ironic voice of both joy and heartbreak.

The Whale written by John Tavener in 1968 as a documentary in music and spoken word was given its first performance by the London Sinfonietta and the London Sinfonietta Chorus conducted by David Atherton wit AnnaReynolds (mezzo-soprano) and Raimond Herinex (baritone) in the Queen Elizabeth Hall London on the 24th January 1968. For solo baritone solo mezzo-soprano speaker SATB chorus and orchestra.Large (A3) score. This is aspecial item which is made to order. Please e-mail our Mail Order Department for further information.

Anna R. Matthews writes: 'Frederick Niven's poem tells the story of Christmas in 1914. On Christmas Day a truce was spontaneously enacted by the two sides fighting in Flanders in World War One. This was five months into the war which until this point many in Britain had confidently believed would be over by that time. When the two sides lay down their weapons in the name of humanity and met in the middle of no-man's-land they would not have realised the bloodshed that was to come as the war dragged on for a further four years - a conflict so atrocious that it came to be known as 'the war to end all wars'.This carol conveys the unknowing innocence of thosemen and the joy of Christmas yet explores the sinister context in which they met and the future which was to come. Ultimately the events of the 1914 Christmas truce came to symbolise the universality of hope and peace at Christmas. This carol brings this message into the twenty-first century.' Anna R. Matthews is a composer living in Exeter England. Born in Devon Anna studied music at Durham University where she was awarded the Rosalind Dickinson Prize. She enjoys working with some of today's most talented and creative ensembles: from Psappha to EXAUDI and from cathedral choirs to youth ensembles. Her music has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and she has been a featured new music composer in Choir & Organ magazine. Anna was a finalist in the 2011 King James Bible Composition Awards and is a 2013/24 Arts Council England fellow on the Clore Leadership Programme. She is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

John Tavener's The Martydom Of Saint Stephen for Solo Horn Double SATB Choir and Organ. Commissioned by the Metropolitan and Cathedral Chapter of St. Stephen’s Cathedral Vienna. First performed on 16thMarch 2015 at St Stephen’s Cathedral Vienna by the Cathedral Choir conducted by Markus Landerer. Vienna's iconic gothic cathedral is dedicated to the first Christian martyr and the Metropolitan and Chapter chosewith discrimination and imagination when they asked John Tavener to write this work setting the account of the stoning of St Stephen from the Acts of the Apostles. The choral writing is far from difficult and rich double-choireffects from staggered entries singing the same music creates an impressive sense of the numinous. Tavener fans will not be surprised that the composer suggests that extra male voices might be required. The virtuoso horn part marked 'ferocious - wild and violent' is directed to be played from a gallery and suggests the hail of stones and hatred directed at the saint. The organ mostly offers brief interjections and chordal support until the last 18bars a lullaby(?) for the saint who 'fell asleep in the Lord' as he was being stoned. John himself went to his final sleep not long after composing this majestic work: Eternal memory! - Organists' Review

Another Look at Harmony Part 4 was written while Glass was working on Einstein on the Beach and it is easy to hear similarities between the two works. In Harmony the Voices use solfege and nonsense syllables where in Einsteinrecognizable words are sometimes set non-narratively. There are similar harmonic progressions that the two pieces share though it is less predictable in Harmony. In both works Glass takes all the time he needs to explore histheme. Another Look at Harmony requires approximately one hour to perform with intensity building through the many repetitions over time.American composer Philip Glass is widely known as one of the most celebrated influentialand prolific of the modern composers. He is frequently referred to as a minimalist though he prefers to call himself a composer of ‘music with repetitive structures.’ His operas among them the renowned Einstein On The Beach are performed across the globe and he has created work for small and large ensembles film and experimental theatre and founded his own performing group The Philip Glass Ensemble.

For Flute (doubling Piccolo) Clarinet in B flat* Very large Tam-Tam (sounding from a high gallery) and Choir (SSATTBB).* Notated in C in the score. 'According to Hindu Cosmology welive at the end of a cycle the Kali Yuga the Dark Age. There are two important sayings of Christ that should accompany his disciples always during these challenging times. The first is ?The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against my Church? (Matthew 16 v. 18); and the second ?I am with you always unto the end of the world? (Matthew 28 v. 20). These sayings form the basis of this work which falls into two main sections each with the same structure and with linked material. Each section begins with Kali Yuga which I havetried to represent in a chaotic unstructured way in contrast to the cosmic Cries of Humanity to Christ (Kyrie eleison - Lord have mercy) and Christ?s responses from Saint Matthew?s Gospel.The work ends with a serene?Coda? of the sacred monosyllable ?OM? representing the peace and beatitude of God?s presence. The intermingling of Christianity and Hinduism is an important simile for our times; in the same way early Christianity did nothesitate to incorporate Jewish and Greek thought.' - John Tavener

What an opportunity! The complete book of anthems by the hugely talented composer Malcolm Archer. This collection contains more than 50 stunning anthems for a variety of choral uses.Archer's talent for writing forvoices is legendary and the melodies are marvelously singable and rejoiceful with a fine sense of rhythm.There are varied choir settings throughout from Solo voice to full mixed choir. This volume also features anOrgan accompaniment part for both manuals and pedals.