Music played an enormous role in the works of William Shakespeare, while his own sonnets, poems and soliloquies have provided continuing inspiration for many composers through the years. The Novello Shakespeare Choral Collection, inspired by the 400th anniversary of the Bard's death in 2016, is an exciting anthology of choral works that are settings of Shakespeare's words. For choirs of all types and abilities, this collection has been edited by David Wordsworth so that all the pieces are fantastic both to sing and hear.The collection features some beautiful settings that have well and truly stood the test of time, such as Thomas Arne's Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind and Henry Leslie's How Sweet The Moonlight Sleeps. More recent settings from 20th century and contemporary composers include Ernest Moeran's Sigh No More, Ladies, Gary Carpenter's Lo, Here, The Gentle Lark and John Tavener's Fear No More and Look In Thy Glass.Not only this, the Shakespeare Choral Collection boasts several works that were specially commissioned, including John Joubert's Be Not Afeard, Richard Sisson's Light Thickens and Pawel Lukaszewki's Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed. Some pieces have never appeared before in print, such as those by Kevin Olsen, Bernard Hughes and John Gardner. These songs truly are a joy to perform, with some relatively simple arrangements that are purely fun to sing, while some more complex settings that will be thoroughly rewarding for choirs and audiences alike.A total of 26 fantastic works comprise The Novello Shakespeare Choral Collection, which would work as a wonderful concert programme on its own, or could provide a wealth of options for choirs looking to expand their repertoire with a range of unique settings. Also included is a fascinating introduction by editor David Wordsworth, and notes describing each piece.Words written by indisputably the greatest writer in the English language can only be matched with music by composers of talent and renown such as these. The Novello Shakespeare Choral Collection is an essential anthology of stunning settings of beautiful words which will be performed and enjoyed for many years to come. / Choeur Mixte (SATB)

Psalms And Hymns For Choirs-Sing Choirs! is a library in miniature. It contains many of the Christian church’s popular traditional anthems including at least one example that will be suitable for each of the major services of the year.A number of Anglican chants (Psalms Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis) are included set out in a way that should enable those who are unfamiliar with the style to perform them easily. The selection of movements from the Mass can be used to enrich the music of the liturgy in services.Many of the works in Sing Choirs! are presented in their original form such as Bruckner’s Locus Iste and Mozart’s LaudateDominum. Others are arrangements adaptations or longer pieces abridged to bring them into the scope of a useable anthem including choral arrangements of Handel’s Largo the Ave Marias by Schubert and by Bach and Gounod and Franck’s Panis Angelicus amongst many others.This collection has practicability as a priority. The Organ parts can be played on either the Piano or the Keyboard.Much of the music in Sing Choirs! will be suitable for special occasions making this an indispensable volume for choirs singing at weekly church services weddings funerals and in the concert hall.

Uses: AdventScripture: Matthew 24:42; I Thessalonians 2:19; Zechariah 9:9; Psalm 149:2The joyful anticipation of Advent is captured in this useful two-part choral. The King Is Coming Soon has aclassical sound yet is easily learned. During the busy holidays this energetic anthem will be a welcome addition to your choral folders. Available separately: 2-Part Mixed SA(T)B StudioTrax CD (Accomp. SplitTrax Perf.).Duration: ca. 2:00.

Uses: GeneralScripture: Matthew 6:9-13The celebrated passage where Jesus teaches His followers to pray is often set to music. This melodic original brings new understanding to the words of thisfoundational Scripture. Following the natural arch of the text the music rises and falls effortlessly with caressing tenderness. As the anthem develops the music grows in intensity to this regal final affirmation: “Foryours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever!” The final sounds of the anthem are a series of meditative hushed “Amens” that bring the prayer to a gentle and reverent conclusion.

Uses: General Christ the King call to worshipScripture: Revelation 19:6This powerful arrangement of a traditional worship masterpiece is made even more spectacular by the inclusion of organ andpiano as accompaniment. This mighty hymn invites the gathered to joyous worship and the congregation is encouraged to lift their voices with the choir as the anthem reaches a triumphant finale. Available: SATB piano and organ.Duration: ca. 2:50.

Uses: Christmas CommunionScripture: Matthew 25:36From the opening melodic line that rises effortlessly over peaceful chords this captivating choral illuminates the true meaning of Christmas. Bothartful and spiritual the anthem presents quiet truth while also confronting the listener with these questions: Will we miss the miracle? Will we see the King?

Join the King's Singers as they celebrate an English Christmas Eve service with seasonal yuletide songs. From mediaeval to renaissance romantic to contemporary folk and pop their repertoire is all encompassing. Taken from King's Singers Christmas these beautiful arrangements will certainly help spread the Christmas message. SATB arrangements for mixed choir.

Sing Pop A Cappella is a collection of a cappella arrangements of fantastic pop songs old and new, by renowned teacher, singer and director Gitika Partington. Her arrangements are used by choirs across the UK, and she emphasises that being able to read music is not necessary. Rewarding and enjoyable, Book Three continues her project to bring people together through the power of song.What's great about Gitika Partington's Sing Pop A Cappella series is how she understands that to make great music or to sing a great song, it's not necessary to be able to sight-read. It may be useful, but she has learned that there are other ways to communicate music, namely through ear training, repetition and gesture. Her arrangements, five of which appear in this book, have enabled youth and community choirs to spring up across the country, making singing truly and universally accessible. Included in this book are wonderfully rich a cappella arrangements of Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers, Black Is The Colour Of My True Love's Hair, Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up, Adele's Rolling In The Deep and a huge favourite, Sway (Quien Sera). Vocal scores for these innovative and enjoyable arrangements are included in standard notation, although Partington recommends learning by ear as something equally beneficial. To aid with this, the accompanying download card includes five tracks of audio for each song. One features a full performance demonstration while the other four each focus on either soprano, alto, tenor or bass. The easy download of these tracks makes learning efficient and fun, as you are able to listen wherever you are.The great thing about a cappella singing is that it can be done anywhere, with limited resources, with members who don't necessarily have any musical training. Partington has created a book that can be used by a cappella choirs who love pop music that sounds great and will thrill audiences. Sing Pop A Cappella is not just a songbook, though, it also includes an extensive introduction by Partington, as well as performance tips for each song and information on voice care and learning the tunes. It's a personal book for Partington, who is passionate about the power of music to bring people together, and enthusiastic about getting people who wouldn't believe they had the confidence or ability, to sing pop!Sing Pop A Cappella is a brilliant book for choirs of any type or size who would enjoy singing five incredible pop tunes without accompaniment. The fantastic sound of a group of people singing a well-known song in a completely new and interesting way is something that Gitika Partington knows well, and something that she wants to impart to groups across the country. Songs like this were made to be sung, so pick up Book Three and Sing Pop A Cappella! / Choeur Mixte (SATB) Et Piano

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.

The Oxford Book of Flexible Carols is perfect resource for choirs of all types and sizes. Each piece is presented with flexible scoring options clearly explained throughout enabling performance by various combinations of singers. With carols for Advent Christmas New Year and Epiphany and a fabulous range accessible quality material this is a must-have collection for all choirs at Christmas.

(Novello New Choral Series)-There is no rose of such virtue is an anonymous mediaeval text already well known through beautiful settings by Britten (in his Ceremony of Carols) John Joubert and others. The poem is ‘macaronic’ (it presents a verse in English followed by a varying Latin refrain). This new version follows the illustrious examples above by remaining strophic and presenting broadly the same music in a succession of slightly different guises. The first verse is a straightforward four-part setting the second gives the melody to the tenors and surrounds them with hushed wordless writing for the other parts and the third explores a freely canonic relationshipbetween the tenor and soprano lines before carrying the previous verse-endings to a higher more exalted pitch and mood. The fourth verse then expands its texture in a free climactic passage evoking the songs of praise sung by the angels. This subsides towards the final verse where the texture of the music attenuates again to four parts and canonic writing (based on the first four notes of the original melody) permeates all of them. This slightly extended statement leads to a hushed final cadence.Francis Pott (b. 1957) began musical life as a chorister at New College Oxford. He held open music scholarships at Winchester College and at Magdalene College Cambridge where he studied composition with Robin Holloway and Hugh Wood while pursuing piano studies privately in London with the distinguished British artist Hamish Milne. Throughout the 1990s Francis was John Bennett Lecturer in Music at St Hilda’s College Oxford and a lay clerk in the Choir of Winchester Cathedral. In 2001 he became Head of London College of Music University of West London later leading research across the University’s Faculty of Arts and acceding in 2007 to its first Chair in Composition. Francis Pott has become recognised particularly for his sacred choral and organ music. This has been performed in concert and on radio in

You Are Beautiful to Me-Uses: General Christ the King Hymn Arrangement Scripture: John 1:1-18; Hebrews 7:24-26; Revelation 5:11-14 Heather Sorenson has taken this enduring hymn and added an original new refrain resulting in a work that tastefully mixes the two genres together. Perfect for any service here is an anthem that will minister across the generations. Score and parts (fl perc 1-2 rhythm vn 1-2 va vc db) available as a digital download.

Anthem for SATB Choir and Organ taking the text of Psalm 117. Commissioned for the opening service of the King's Lynn Festival 1967.

Matthew Owens' St Matthew Passion for soloists SATB and Organ. Written for the Choir of Wells Cathedral of which Matthew Owens is Organist and Master of the Choristers this setting of the St Matthew Passion is ideally suited to liturgical performance during Holy Week. The principal role of the Evangelist is taken by a baritone soloist who narrates the story of Christ's trial and Crucifixion in unaccompanied chant. The other smaller solo roles of Judas (Tenor) Pilate (Tenor) Jesus (Bass) and Pilate's wife (Alto) continue in the same vein with four-part choral interspersions from the crowds soldiers and priests providing acontrast in texture. The hymn 'When I survey the wondrous cross' set to the Rockingham hymn tune appears twice throughout the work and the congregation are encouraged to join in on both occasions. The simple organ part supports the voices for the hymn and may also optionally double the choir during the narrative.