SKU: JK.00702

1 John 4:7-8, Moses 6:63.

Hymn setting for mixed chorus (SATB) and piano or organ, beginning with unison women's voices and growing toward four-part harmony: All the voices from above sweetly whisper God is love.
Composer: Thomas Griggs
Arranger: Darwin Wolford
Lyricist: William W. Phelps
Difficulty: Easy
Reference: 1 John 4:7-8, Moses 6:63.

SKU: CA.2731809

ISBN 9790007201852. Key: F minor. Text language: Latin.

Biber's Requiem in F minor is amongst the most impressive settings of the Requiem Mass of the 17th century. The exact reason for the composition of the Requiem, which can be dated to 1692, is not known. The dark key color of F minor is emphasized by the instrumental scoring for two violins, three violas, basso continuo and three trombones (colla parte with the chorus). The vivid language of the Requiem text offered Biber a wealth of possibilities for expressive, musical interpretation. The intensity of the musical language used to portray lamenting and mourning is impressive. In the course of publication of the Biber Requiem, surprisingly the primary source, which until now had been thought to be missing, resurfaced and the edition could be prepared based on this astonishing discovery. This is a work of mid-level difficulty for a choir and with the clear disposition of the string parts it is well suited for performance by amateur choirs. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.2731800.

SKU: CA.3101809

ISBN 9790007204839. Text language: German/English.

The cantata dates from Bach's time in Weimar. The instrumental scoring of four violas and basso continuo - in the Leipzig performances enhanced by two recorders doubling viola I and II at the octave - is unique in Bach's cantata oeuvre. It lends a dark, luxurious sound to the four movements which is gently illuminated by the recorders. The work - with its instrumental sinfonia, a short secco recitative and an extended accompagnato recitative (both of which contain arioso inserts), a short soprano aria and a simple closing chorale - makes no great demands on the performing forces. Admirers of text interpretation by means of instrumental figuration will be richly rewarded. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3101800.

SKU: CA.3113409

ISBN 9790007207991. Text language: German/English.

The cantata Ein Herz, das seinen Jesum lebend weiss for the third day of Easter 1724 is one of those older cantatas which Bach integrated into his first Leipzig annual cycle of cantatas; it was originally composed in Kothen as a secular cantata for the New Year celebration in 1719 (BWV 134a). Rousing virtuoso arias and a magnificent final chorus containing dialog sections not only emphasize the festive character of the cantata, but also lend it a very particular charm. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3113400.

SKU: CA.4066309

ISBN 9790007076351. Key: D minor. Language: Latin.

The festive work with their, for Hasse's time, relativly large orchestra ensemble, was first performed on 29 June 1751 on the occasion of the dedication of the new Catholic Court Church in Dresden. They are appropriate for performance together in either worship services or in a concert setting. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.4066300.

SKU: CA.3911309

ISBN 9790007215484. Language: German.

A solo cantata for bass-baritone (B-f1), whose two recitatives and arias are framed with two chorale verses sung by the choir. Particularly beautiful is the first aria, accompanied by flute, oboe and basoon. The flute part can be also be performed by an alto recorder. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3911300.

SKU: CA.3113609

ISBN 9790007208103. Text language: German/English.

The cantata Erforsche mich Gott und erfahre mein Herz BWV 136 was composed in Bach's first year as Kantor of St. Thomas's in Leipzig and was first performed on the 8th Sunday after Trinity, the 18th July 1723. The librettist is unknown. The title of the cantata is taken from verse 23 of Psalm 139: Erforsche mich Gott und erfahre mein Herz; prufe mich und erfahre, wie ich's meine. (Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts) The opening chorus forms an extended fugue, framed by string writing bursting with energy. The obbligato horn accentuates and enriches the movement with a special tonal color. The alto aria in F sharp minor (movement 3) comprises a trio movement with an oboe d'amore as solo instrument in a contrasting range - a presto middle section which dramatically charges the words Denn seines Eifers Grimm vernichtet (For the fury of its zeal will destroy). In the duet (movement 5) the text is sung by tenor and bass line by line, sometimes imitating contrapuntally, and sometimes both singing together dramatically in homophonic writing. A simple chorale setting to the melody Auf meinen lieben Gott concludes the cantata. Particularly charming here is the violin which joins the four vocal parts as an independent part. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3113600.

SKU: CA.3119759

ISBN 9790007210519. Language: German/English.

Gott ist unsre Zuversicht BWV 197 was probably written in the second half of the 1730s for a wedding, no further details of which are known. In the opening chorus in particular, it features quite a sizeable orchestra. The text of the cantata has one major theme - trust in God! In a magnificent lullaby (movement 3) all cares are sung to sleep. The other arias, with their exceptionally exquisite combinations of scorings, make the cantata into a quite special work, albeit one which is associated with a particular occasion. The wedding cantata BWV 197 draws on older material for some of its movements. Two movements are parodies on arias from the incomplete surviving Christmas cantata Ehre sei Gott in der Hohe, BWV 197a, including the lullaby O du angenehmes Paar, of which only the last quarter survives from the Christmas cantata - it is O du angenehmer Schatz there. By using the later version, Diethard Hellmann has been able to reconstruct the original version of this dreamlike beautiful movement; however, the complete Christmas cantata cannot be reconstructed from the sources. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3119700.

SKU: CA.3118809

ISBN 9790007210021. Language: German/English.

The cantata Ich habe meine Zuversicht BWV 188 comes from the so-called Picander cycle and was written for the 21st Sunday after Trinity in 1728 or 1729. There are some particular problems associated with its transmission. The original set of parts was lost, and the manuscript score only survives in fragmentary form. Probably as early as the 18th century the score was divided up into numerous separate parts in order to make more money, or to be able to provide as many Bach relics as possible for posterity. The first movement, an instrumental sinfonia, is missing apart from the final bars. We simply know that this sinfonia is based on the 3rd movement of the Harpsichord Concerto BWV 1052 in D minor and that instead of the harpsichord, an obbligato organ was envisaged. Its successful reconstruction by the baroque specialist and organist Pieter Dirksen now makes it possible to perform the cantata again complete with the introductory sinfonia. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3118800.

SKU: CA.5506309

ISBN 9790007242060. Language: English/German. Text: Eschenburg, J. J. / Loy, Felix.

First critical edition. The oratorio Judas Maccabaeus is one of George Frideric Handel's most popular choral works. It was performed over fifty times during the composer's lifetime and was one of his first works to be performed in Germany (1772). The frequent performances given by Handel himself resulted in a particularly large number of reworkings, reflecting local conditions. This new edition therefore offers the work in two performable versions: firstly, the version of the first performance in 1747, and the one from the last oratorio season during Handel's lifetime (1758/59). This makes available all the choruses and arias which Handel ever wrote for Judas Maccabaeus. Reflecting the latest Handel research, the edition is based for the first time throughout on Handel's conductor's score, thereby eradicating not only long-perpetuated mistakes, but also providing clarity about which pieces were actually performed by Handel. By contrast with the Chrysander edition obligatory until now, the aria Father of heav'n which introduces Part III is included here in its original, longer version. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.5506300.

SKU: CA.3111709

ISBN 9790007048662. Key: G major. Language: German/English. Text: Schutz, Johann Jakob. Text: Johann Jakob Schutz.

The cantata Sei Lob und Ehr dem hochsten Gut (All glory to the Lord of Lords) BWV 117 is one of a small group of Bach's chorale cantatas which use exclusively the text of the chorale, including in the three recitatives and three arias. Only the autograph score of the cantata survives; although this enables an approximate dating to be made (c. 1730), it does not give the occasion for which the cantata was written. The choice of chorale may indicate it was composed for a wedding. Recently it has been suggested that the occasion for its composition was the birthday of the Duke of Weissenfels in 1731; but there is no firm evidence to support either theory. The cantata opens with an extended movement for chorus in which Bach contrasts the concertante orchestra with festive, almost homophonic choral writing. This chorus movement is repeated at the end. A simple chorale movement which comes fourth indicates that the nine-movement cantata was performed in two sections. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.3111700.