SKU: CF.CM9549
ISBN 9781491150818. UPC: 680160908318. 6.875 x 10.5 inches.
Make Space for Life to Live by Michael John Trotta offers captivating, expansive melodies interwoven with a piano accompaniment that makes subtle allusions to the main theme. Its mesmerizing text resonates with the singer and the audience. Appropriate for concert or festival use throughout the year, this piece is also available for SA voices (CM9274), TB Voices (CM9283) and SAB voices (CM9289).Editor's NoteAbout the WorkMake Space for Life to Live features expansive, yet accessible vocal lines perfect for choirs of all abilities and sizes. It offers compelling melodies and singable vocal lines interwoven with a piano accompaniment that makes subtle allusions to the main theme.About the TextThe text for this work was written while on an extended seashore retreat several years ago. It was the product of many long walks looking out into the vastness of the sea. It was a time in my life that was immediately preceded by great personal loss and turmoil. It was in that silence and space I was able to reconnect to that still, small voice within that reminded me that I was merely a part of something much bigger than myself. The text that was hewn from that experience is a reflection on the importance of allowing space in my daily life to experience the simple joys that every moment has to offer.Optional NarrationRegardless of race or creed the abundance that is found in the reality of the present moment is augmented by regular exposure to the arts. The capricious nature of time in the age of immediacy is that it is entirely flexible. Experience suggests that exposure to natural beauty, such as watching a sunrise unravel over the sea or a cloud formation sweep through a mountain range, allows an individual to feel part of something greater than themselves. Music has the ability to take time and slow it down, revealing to the participant their part in the whole. Taking part in choral music, whether as an audience member, singer, conductor or composer is an opportunity to slow down time long enough to allow the beauty of life to catch up with you.
SKU: C4.9790902260473
ISBN 9790902260473. 8.27 x 11.7 inches.
Forming part of the A Distant Music anthology, Praise: Psalms and Prayers 1 showcases 20 sacred choral works by Australian composers, most published here for the first time.Containing a variety of accompanied and unaccompanied works, Praise: Psalms and Prayers 1 offers choirs access to quality Australian sacred music. Settings include texts from the Book of Psalms, well-known prayers as well as a spiritual poem by Australian Erica Jolly.The 90-page volume covers a range of abilities and variety of compositional styles.
SKU: WD.080689673023
UPC: 080689673023.
Song of the Lamb extends an invitation to join a journey; it's a journey from despair to hope and from death to life, and it all begins with a Lamb. Veteran arranger Marty Parks has woven classic hymns, modern worship songs and inspirational favorites into a 39-minute work of timeless beauty. Featuring accessible vocal and piano parts and two solos, this offering from Simply Word is ideal for groups with limited rehearsal time. Churches may choose between a poignant, Scripture-based narration or an optional dramatic script, making Song of the Lamb flexible enough to meet a wide variety of performance and worship needs for the Easter season and beyond. The invitation still stands: Come join the journey, and help deliver eternity's message to your church and congregation this Easter. Accessible vocal and piano parts for churches with limited rehearsal time. Conceived for the small to mid-size church. Includes narration AND an optional dramatic script. Veteran arranger Marty Parks.
SKU: WD.080689751721
UPC: 080689751721.
SKU: ST.MB57
ISBN 9790220218293.
11 anthems by this vigorous reformer of Victorian church music show Romantic harmony and Bachian counterpoint combined with imaginative structures. These works brought new life to a uniquely English genre that had fallen into neglect at the time of their composition. CONTENTS Blessed be the God and Father (S solo SATB and Organ) Glory to God on high (SATB and Organ) Let us lift up our heart (B solo SATB and Organ) Man that is born of woman (SATB and Organ) O give thanks unto the Lord (S solo SATB and Organ) O God, whose nature and property (original version) (SATB and Organ) O God, whose nature and property (revised version) (SATB and Organ) O Lord, thou art my God (B solo SATB and Organ) Tho' round thy radiant throne on high (SS and Organ) To my request and earnest cry (B solo SSATB and Organ) Trust ye in the Lord (S solo SATB and Organ) Wash me throughly (S solo SATB and Organ) Ye who the widdow's griefs have cheer'd (SS and Organ).
SKU: PR.312419280
ISBN 9781491137925. UPC: 680160692613.
Terra Nostra focuses on the relationship between our planet and mankind, how this relationship has shifted over time, and how we can re-establish a harmonious balance. The oratorio is divided into three parts:Part I: Creation of the World celebrates the birth and beauty of our planet. The oratorio begins with creation myths from India, North America, and Egypt that are integrated into the opening lines of Genesis from the Old Testament. The music surges forth from these creation stories into “God’s World” by Edna St. Vincent Millay, which describes the world in exuberant and vivid detail. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “On thine own child” praises Mother Earth for her role bringing forth all life, while Walt Whitman sings a love song to the planet in “Smile O voluptuous cool-breathed earth!” Part I ends with “A Blade of Grass” in which Whitman muses how our planet has been spinning in the heavens for a very long time.Part II: The Rise of Humanity examines the achievements of mankind, particularly since the dawn of the Industrial Age. Lord Alfred Tennyson’s “Locksley Hall” sets an auspicious tone that mankind is on the verge of great discoveries. This is followed in short order by Charles Mackay’s “Railways 1846,” William Ernest Henley’s “A Song of Speed,” and John Gillespie Magee, Jr.’s “High Flight,” each of which celebrates a new milestone in technological achievement. In “Binsey Poplars,” Gerard Manley Hopkins takes note of the effect that these advances are having on the planet, with trees being brought down and landscapes forever changed. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “A Dirge” concludes Part II with a warning that the planet is beginning to sound a grave alarm.Part III: Searching for Balance questions how we can create more awareness for our planet’s plight, re-establish a deeper connection to it, and find a balance for living within our planet’s resources. Three texts continue the earth’s plea that ended the previous section: Lord Byron’s “Darkness” speaks of a natural disaster (a volcano) that has blotted out the sun from humanity and the panic that ensues; contemporary poet Esther Iverem’s “Earth Screaming” gives voice to the modern issues of our changing climate; and William Wordsworth’s “The World Is Too Much With Us” warns us that we are almost out of time to change our course. Contemporary/agrarian poet Wendell Berry’s “The Want of Peace” speaks to us at the climax of the oratorio, reminding us that we can find harmony with the planet if we choose to live more simply, and to recall that we ourselves came from the earth. Two Walt Whitman texts (“A Child said, What is the grass?” and “There was a child went forth every day”) echo Berry’s thoughts, reminding us that we are of the earth, as is everything that we see on our planet. The oratorio concludes with a reprise of Whitman’s “A Blade of Grass” from Part I, this time interspersed with an additional Whitman text that sublimely states, “I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love…”My hope in writing this oratorio is to invite audience members to consider how we interact with our planet, and what we can each personally do to keep the planet going for future generations. We are the only stewards Earth has; what can we each do to leave her in better shape than we found her?
SKU: JK.19990
Hebrews 9:28, John 14:6*** Some Janice Kapp Perry products may require a few days additional shipping time. Thank you!
46 new hymns, inspired by the General Conference addresses of Elder Jeffry R. Holland. (October 1994 - April 2017).Collection includes: All Ye Who Watch the Master's Sheep Are the Heavens Truly Open? Are We Not All Beggars? As an Ensign to the Nations A Sinless, Pure and Holy Man Be Clean, Oh House of Israel Be Not Afraid, But Be Believing Bless Me to Be a Little More Like Thee Do You Love Me? Christ Can Heal the Broken Hearted ever We'll Remember For God Loves Us With All His Heart For God So Loved the World God Has Raised Up Noble Daughters God will Never Leave the Weary He Will Bring Rest to Your Soul His More Excellent Way Holy Father, King of Heaven How Fair Upon the Mountain I Am a Child of Destiny I Bear My Witness of the Lord In Heaven There Is a Law Inviting All to Come to Christ I Testify I Would Be Thy True Disciple let Not Your Heart Be Troubled Let Thy Word Be In Our Hearts Lord, Accept My Humble Offering Lord, I Believe Lord, I'll Strive to Live Worthy of Thy Love Lord, We Pray For All the Children May We Have the Tongues of Angels My Life is Not My Own None Were With Him Oh Come Ye Heavy Laden Come Our Faith Unites Us With One Heart The Keys of the Kingdom The Love of God Is Without End The Mother of All Living The Words of God Will Never Cease The Worth of Souls Is Great Indeed Through a Thousand Generations To the Rising Generation Who Will Now Speak For the Widow? Wilt Thou, Lord, In Me Abide You Can Always Come Back HomeComposer: Janice Kapp Perry Lyricist: David B. LarsenReference: Hebrews 9:28, John 14:6*** Some Janice Kapp Perry products may require a few days additional shipping time. Thank you!
SKU: GI.G-8815
UPC: 785147881506. English, Latin. Text Source: Romans 11:29, Latin Vulgate. Scripture: Romans 11:29.
I composed this setting in my last weeks of study at Westminster Choir College. The Latin text (Sine paenitentia enim sunt dona et vocatio Dei) translates roughly to “Truly, without regret are the gifts and callings of God.†This piece serves not only as an outward affirmation for all to embrace and use their God-given talents, but also as an inward mantra for myself, as I move into an uncertain period in my life after completing my undergraduate studies. Many of the colors and textures found within this piece were influenced by my experience singing with the Westminster Williamson Voices for two years. While the “sine paenitentia†text may allow shades of doubt to creep in, all uncertainty and fear is dispelled upon singing “sunt dona et vocatio Dei.†—Cortlandt Matthews Here is an amazing performance by The Westminster Williamson Voices at the Choral Insititute at Oxford. Ryan Manni, Conductor.
SKU: MN.CH-1373
UPC: 765844006228. Latin.
This Mass of Acceptance is dedicated to Bill Beck and the choir at St. Cyril's because of their unflagging support for me during my time of grief and sorrow after Phyllis, my wife of nearly 54 years passed away in March of 2011. In spite of continuing heartache that is abating over time, I have come to understand that my life must go on if for no other reason than to respect her commitment to love and affection for the many people she touched throughout her long and productive life. By continuing to write music I feel I am respecting her support for me whatever my artistic aspirations. I will continue for so long as I shall live to express my deepest sense of veneration and homage for her through music, poetry, art and wherever else this muse may lead me. -Dale Jergenson.
SKU: CF.CM9700
ISBN 9781491160008. UPC: 680160918607. Key: A minor. Hungarian. Hungarian Folk.
In 2014, Chanticleer commissioned me to make a new arrangement of the Hungarian-Romani folk song Jarba, Mare Jarba for their 2014 touring program. Passed down orally through the Romani communities, this beautiful folk song, with text in a language called Beas (beh-osh), speaks of a deep longing to visit one's homeland, a place where the singer can never return. Chanticleer consists of twelve men whose vocal ranges span from low bass to high soprano, equivalent to the range of a mixed choir of women and men. I composed slow sections of original material to represent the singers' longing to return home; these are interspersed with the folk song's traditional fast sections. The incorporated shouts and calls in the score are typically found in the performance of Central European folk songs. I hope you enjoy singing this new version of Jarba, Mare Jarba that contains all of the vigor and excitement of the Chanticleer version. PERFORMANCE NOTES All spoken sounds (indicated by x noteheads) should be performed by individuals. Feel free to elaborate with more sounds of your own in the tradition of Eastern European folk music. If the piece is memorized, feel free to experiment with clapping on the off-beats of m. 93 to the end. TEXT Transliteration Jarba, mare jarba mas duce a casa, da nu pot ca am jurat, Jarba, mare jarba mas duce a casa, da nu pot ca am jurat. Mare jarba, verde jarba nu me pot duce a casa. Jarba, mare jarba mas duce a casa, da nu pot ca am jurat. O mers mama de pe sat, O lasat coliba goala, Infrunzitu, ingurzitu da plina de saracie, da plina de saracie. Mare jarba, verde jarba nu me pot duce a casa. Jarba, mare jarba mas duce a casa, da nu pot ca am jurat. Translation Green grass, tall grass, I would like to go home, but I cannot, because I have sworn not to. Tall grass, green grass - oh, that I cannot go home! My mother has left the village; she left the hut empty, Adorned with leaves but full of poverty. Tall grass, green grass - oh, that I cannot go home! Tall grass, green grass - I would like to go home. but I cannot, because I have sworn not to. Stacy Garrop's music is centered on dramatic and lyrical storytelling. The sharing of stories is a defining element of our humanity; we strive to share with others the experiences and concepts that we find compelling. She shares stories by taking audiences on sonic journeys - some simple and beautiful, while others are complicated and dark - depending on the needs and dramatic shape of the story. Garrop served as the first Emerging Opera Composer of Chicago Opera Theater's Vanguard Program. She also held a 3-year composer-in-residence position with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, funded by New Music USA and the League of American Orchestras. She has received numerous awards and grants including an Arts and Letters Award in Music from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Fromm Music Foundation Grant, Barlow Prize, and three Barlow Endowment commissions, along with prizes from competitions sponsored by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Omaha Symphony, New England Philharmonic, Boston Choral Ensemble, Utah Arts Festival, and Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble. She is a Cedille Records artist; her works are commercially available on more than ten additional labels. Her catalog covers a wide range, with works for orchestra, opera, oratorio, wind ensemble, choir, art song, various sized chamber ensembles, and works for solo instruments. Notable commissions include My Dearest Ruth for soprano and piano with text by Martin Ginsburg, the husband of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, The Transformation of Jane Doe for Chicago Opera Theater, The Battle for the Ballot for the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, Goddess Triptych for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Glorious Mahalia for the Kronos Quartet, Give Me Hunger for Chanticleer, Rites for the Afterlife for the Akropolis and Calefax Reed Quintets, and Terra Nostra: an oratorio about our planet, commissioned by the San Francisco Choral Society and Piedmont East Bay Children's Chorus. Garrop previously served as composer-in-residence with the Albany Symphony and Skaneateles Festival, and as well as on faculty of the Fresh Inc Festival (2012-2017). She taught composition and orchestration full-time at Roosevelt University 2000-2016) before leaving to launch her freelance career. She earned degrees in music composition at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (B.M.), University of Chicago (M.A.), and Indiana University-Bloomington (D.M.).In 2014, Chanticleer commissioned me to make a new arrangement of the Hungarian-Romani folk song Jarba, Mare Jarba for their 2014 touring program. Passed down orally through the Romani communities, this beautiful folk song, with text in a language called Beas (beh-osh), speaks of a deep longing to visit one’s homeland, a place where the singer can never return. Chanticleer consists of twelve men whose vocal ranges span from low bass to high soprano, equivalent to the range of a mixed choir of women and men. I composed slow sections of original material to represent the singers’ longing to return home; these are interspersed with the folk song’s traditional fast sections. The incorporated shouts and calls in the score are typically found in the performance of Central European folk songs. I hope you enjoy singing this new version of Jarba, Mare Jarba that contains all of the vigor and excitement of the Chanticleer version.PERFORMANCE NOTESAll spoken sounds (indicated by x noteheads) should be performed by individuals. Feel free to elaborate with more sounds of your own in the tradition of Eastern European folk music.If the piece is memorized, feel free to experiment with clapping on the off-beats of m. 93 to the end.TEXTTransliterationJarba, mare jarba mas duce a casa, da nu pot ca am jurat, Jarba, mare jarba mas duce a casa, da nu pot ca am jurat. Mare jarba, verde jarba nu me pot duce a casa.Jarba, mare jarba mas duce a casa, da nu pot ca am jurat.O mers mama de pe sat, O lasat coliba goala,Infrunzitu, ingurzitu da plina de saracie, da plina de saracie. Mare jarba, verde jarba nu me pot duce a casa.Jarba, mare jarba mas duce a casa, da nu pot ca am jurat.TranslationGreen grass, tall grass, I would like to go home, but I cannot, because I have sworn not to.Tall grass, green grass – oh, that I cannot go home!My mother has left the village; she left the hut empty, Adorned with leaves but full of poverty.Tall grass, green grass – oh, that I cannot go home! Tall grass, green grass – I would like to go home.but I cannot, because I have sworn not to.Stacy Garrop’s music is centered on dramatic and lyrical storytelling. The sharing of stories is a defining element of our humanity; we strive to share with others the experiences and concepts that we find compelling. She shares stories by taking audiences on sonic journeys – some simple and beautiful, while others are complicated and dark – depending on the needs and dramatic shape of the story.Garrop served as the first Emerging Opera Composer of Chicago Opera Theater’s Vanguard Program. She also held a 3-year composer-in-residence position with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, funded by New Music USA and the League of American Orchestras. She has received numerous awards and grants including an Arts and Letters Award in Music from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Fromm Music Foundation Grant, Barlow Prize, and three Barlow Endowment commissions, along with prizes from competitions sponsored by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Omaha Symphony, New England Philharmonic, Boston Choral Ensemble, Utah Arts Festival, and Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble. She is a Cedille Records artist; her works are commercially available on more than ten additional labels.Her catalog covers a wide range, with works for orchestra, opera, oratorio, wind ensemble, choir, art song, various sized chamber ensembles, and works for solo instruments. Notable commissions include My Dearest Ruth for soprano and piano with text by Martin Ginsburg, the husband of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, The Transformation of Jane Doe for Chicago Opera Theater, The Battle for the Ballot for the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, Goddess Triptych for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Glorious Mahalia for the Kronos Quartet, Give Me Hunger for Chanticleer, Rites for the Afterlife for the Akropolis and Calefax Reed Quintets, and Terra Nostra: an oratorio about our planet, commissioned by the San Francisco Choral Society and Piedmont East Bay Children’s Chorus.Garrop previously served as composer-in-residence with the Albany Symphony and Skaneateles Festival, and as well as on faculty of the Fresh Inc Festival (2012-2017). She taught composition and orchestration full-time at Roosevelt University 2000-2016) before leaving to launch her freelance career. She earned degrees in music composition at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (B.M.), University of Chicago (M.A.), and Indiana University-Bloomington (D.M.).ÂÂ.
SKU: CF.CM9572
ISBN 9781491153666. UPC: 680160911165. 6.75 x 10.5 inches. Key: Gb major. English. Sanford F. Bennett (1836-1898).
Aaron Humble's arrangement of this beloved old favorite from American hymnody is appropriate for both school and church. With soaring obligato lines and shimmering harmony, when sung with a warm and gentle tone,?The Sweet By and By??is certain to paint a picture of a better time for us all to look forward. Also available for TTBB Voices (CM9571).I have great memories of my family gathering around the piano to sing hymns. As my sisters and I learned more about music through lessons, band, and choir, we started adding harmony and really making music. The old American hymnody really holds a special place in my heart. Webster set Bennett's text in a time when American theology had taken a turn away from earlier ideas where God was a god of vengeance and anger. In this new era of optimism, God became more familiar, more loving, and more reassuring. With this in mind, this arrangement should be sung with a warm and gentle tone allowing the dissonances to shimmer, the sweetness of the harmonies to bloom, and the obbligato lines to soar.
SKU: HL.14043071
6.75x9.75x0.05 inches.
The world premiere of A New Commandment , a piece by the late Sir John Tavener specially commissioned for Summer Fields, was in February 2014 at the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford. This work was possibly one of his very last commissions before his sudden and untimely death in November 2013. COMPOSER'S NOTE I have set these words from St John's Gospel many times, because I feel them to be among the most profound and therefore key texts in the Christian faith. This setting falls into three sections with an ABA structure. A New Commandment is dedicated to my mother-in-law Mary, but it is also an unspoken tribute to the Spanish master Victoria who has inspired methroughout my life..
SKU: HL.14033692
1. The Native Land of Light (for mixed chorus, SATB) 2. Come lift me up (for mixed chorus, SATB -) -) the second movement may be performed by a children's chorus or by the female voices (SSA) from a mixed chorus Programme Note From my very first aquaintance with these Andersen poems, I was deeply moved by the simple, almost naive, yet evocative imagery, with which Andersen realized his visions, images like: The Melody of the Heart, The Poem of Beauty, A Spiritual Hindustan, Fly, Death, over the Sea of Time, fly to Eternal Summer. Along with this childishness Hans Christian Andersen's poetry encompasses enormous - almost Willim Blake-ish - cosmic visions, in theinterpolations between e.g. reaching the Heaven as opposed to you'll find it in a Rosebud, or the juxtaposition of Everyday Life and Eternal Poetry - which become one. Thus the music came to life in my immediate encounter with these words, which almost sang themselves into my Musical Furnace - if you will. Per Norgard.
SKU: WD.080689676024
UPC: 080689676024.
This smorgasbord of favorites serves up some sing-able settings fromA trusted arranger Marty Parks.A Designed primarily for senior choirs, Well-Seasoned Praise is also appropriate for small choirs or large choirs with limited rehearsal time.A A Two versions of optional narrationA are included:A one for use prior to each song as a simple spoken set-up in worship when the songs are used separately, or another version for using the songs as a complete musical - perfect as a spring worship concert, a dinner on the grounds homecoming (recipes included!) or other similar events.A A bonus 3-song patriotic musical is also included making this book a resource you'll use time and again! Features songs perfect for small choirs, senior choirs and large choirs with limited rehearsal time. Includes mini patriotic musical. Perfect for summer camp meeting style events. Features recipes.
SKU: WD.080689756726
UPC: 080689756726.
SKU: BA.BA08525
ISBN 9790006566037. 27 x 19 cm inches. Text Language: English. Text: Silvestri, Charles Anthony.
â??Tonight I Dance Aloneâ? for double choir a cappella consists of three poignant episodes from the life of an old man. We encounter him before his wedding, before celebrating his wedding anniversary and now as an elderly widower who says to his grandson:â??Soon we will dance in the God-light, My love and I. Soon will the moon be ours again, And the endless shining stars In the halls of heaven. Soon, my love, very soon; But tonight, one last time, Tonight I dance alone.â?The libretto and the descriptive music are deeply moving and constitute an ideal partnership. This is MÃ¥rten Jansson's first collaboration with the well-known librettist Charles Anthony Silvestri. The piece provides a well-worth challenge for ambitious choirs.It was world-premiered by the Saint Louis Chamber Chorus under the baton of Philip Barnes on 1 October 2017 in Saint Louis, MO (USA)The performance can be viewed on YouTube
SKU: SU.80101419
Missa in incerto tempore (The Davison Mass) (2018) was commissioned by the Harvard Glee Club. It was premiered by the Harvard Glee Club, Cambridge, Massachusetts (Andrew Clark, Director of Choral Activities) and the All Saints' Choir of Men and Boys (Ashmont Boy Choir), Dorchester, Massachusetts; (Andrew Sheranian, Organist and Master of Choristers). The Latin title, meaning Mass in uncertain times, refers to the centuries of comfort, inspiration, and spiritual enrichment that the mass (and the musical settings for its celebration) has provided to many individuals through difficulty and uncertainty. I cannot deny that the times in which this piece was composed are the most nationally and internationally uncertain of my own life to date. That fact had a definite impact on the tone and emotional character of the piece. However, there is a universality as well, since one could readily feel that all times have a sense of uncertainty, especially since we never know exactly what the future holds. The first three movements have somewhat enigmatic endings. The end of the Agnus Dei tries to temper (but not erase) that uncertainty with a degree of optimism and fervor in a passionate plea of Dona nobis pacem. Instrumentation: SATB Chorus, Men's Chorus, and Two Organs (Opt. One Organ) Duration: 20' Composed: 2018 Published by: Zimbel Press.
SKU: AP.49738
UPC: 038081568256. English.
Here's a rhythmic modern-day showstopper with the heart of a timeless classic. This spectacular opening number from the Netflix movie, Jingle Jangle has unmistakable theatrical flair---no surprise since the movie was originally conceived for the stage. The brightly optimistic lyrics will shine at any time of year, not just the holidays! What I got in my hands could be the spark that turns it all around . . . 'Cause all my life I've waited for this day. Don't miss the impressive SoundTrax accompaniment and a flexible SoundPax orchestration for rhythm and synth. (or optional horns).
SKU: PR.312419020
ISBN 9781491131862. UPC: 680160680474. 6.875 x 10.5 inches. English.
Commissioned by the San Francisco Choral Society and the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir, Terra Nostra is a 70-minute oratorio on the relationship between our planet and humankind, how this relationship has shifted over time, and how we can re-establish a harmonious balance. Part I: Creation of the World explores various creation myths from different cultures, culminating in a joyous celebration of the beauty of our planet. Part II: The Rise of Humanity examines human achievements, particularly since the dawn of our Industrial Age, and how these achievements have impacted the planet. Part III: Searching for Balance questions how to create more awareness for our planet’s plight, re-establish a deeper connection to it, and find a balance for living within our planet’s resources. In addition to the complete oratorio, stand-alone movements for mixed chorus, and for solo voice with piano, are also available separately.Terra Nostra focuses on the relationship between our planet and mankind, how this relationship has shifted over time, and how we can re-establish a harmonious balance. The oratorio is divided into three parts:Part I: Creation of the World celebrates the birth and beauty of our planet. The oratorio begins with creation myths from India, North America, and Egypt that are integrated into the opening lines of Genesis from the Old Testament. The music surges forth from these creation stories into “God’s World†by Edna St. Vincent Millay, which describes the world in exuberant and vivid detail. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “On thine own child†praises Mother Earth for her role bringing forth all life, while Walt Whitman sings a love song to the planet in “Smile O voluptuous cool-breathed earth!†Part I ends with “A Blade of Grass†in which Whitman muses how our planet has been spinning in the heavens for a very long time.Part II: The Rise of Humanity examines the achievements of mankind, particularly since the dawn of the Industrial Age. Lord Alfred Tennyson’s “Locksley Hall†sets an auspicious tone that mankind is on the verge of great discoveries. This is followed in short order by Charles Mackay’s “Railways 1846,†William Ernest Henley’s “A Song of Speed,†and John Gillespie Magee, Jr.’s “High Flight,†each of which celebrates a new milestone in technological achievement. In “Binsey Poplars,†Gerard Manley Hopkins takes note of the effect that these advances are having on the planet, with trees being brought down and landscapes forever changed. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “A Dirge†concludes Part II with a warning that the planet is beginning to sound a grave alarm.Part III: Searching for Balance questions how we can create more awareness for our planet’s plight, re-establish a deeper connection to it, and find a balance for living within our planet’s resources. Three texts continue the earth’s plea that ended the previous section: Lord Byron’s “Darkness†speaks of a natural disaster (a volcano) that has blotted out the sun from humanity and the panic that ensues; contemporary poet Esther Iverem’s “Earth Screaming†gives voice to the modern issues of our changing climate; and William Wordsworth’s “The World Is Too Much With Us†warns us that we are almost out of time to change our course. Contemporary/agrarian poet Wendell Berry’s “The Want of Peace†speaks to us at the climax of the oratorio, reminding us that we can find harmony with the planet if we choose to live more simply, and to recall that we ourselves came from the earth. Two Walt Whitman texts (“A Child said, What is the grass?†and “There was a child went forth every dayâ€) echo Berry’s thoughts, reminding us that we are of the earth, as is everything that we see on our planet. The oratorio concludes with a reprise of Whitman’s “A Blade of Grass†from Part I, this time interspersed with an additional Whitman text that sublimely states, “I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love…â€My hope in writing this oratorio is to invite audience members to consider how we interact with our planet, and what we can each personally do to keep the planet going for future generations. We are the only stewards Earth has; what can we each do to leave her in better shape than we found her?
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