SKU: PR.362034230
ISBN 9781598069556. UPC: 680160624225. Letter inches. English.
When the Texas Choral Consort asked Welcher to write a short prologue to Haydn's The Creation, his first reaction was that Haydn already presents Chaos in his introductory movement. As he thought about it, Welcher began envisioning a truer void to precede Haydn's depiction of Chaos within the scope of 18th-century classical style - quoting some of Haydn's themes and showing human voices and inhuman sounds in a kind of pre-creation melange of color, mood, and atmosphere. Welcher accepted this challenge with the proviso that his prologue would lead directly into Haydn's masterpiece without stopping, and certainly without applause in between. Scored for mixed chorus and Haydn's instrumentation, Without Form and Void is a dramatically fresh yet pragmatic enhancement to deepen any performance of Haydn's The Creation. Orchestral score and parts are available on rental.When Brent Baldwin asked me to consider writing a short prologue to THE CREATION, my first response was ĂąâŹĆWhy?ĂąâŹÂĂ THE CREATION already contains a prologue; itĂąâŹâąs called ĂąâŹĆRepresentation of ChaosĂąâŹÂ, and itĂąâŹâąs HaydnĂąâŹâąs way of showing the formless universe.Ă How could a new piece do anything but get in the way?Ă But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.Ă The Age of EnlightenmentĂąâŹâąs idea of ĂąâŹĆChaosĂąâŹÂ was just extended chromaticism, no more than Bach used (in fact, Bach went further).Perhaps there might be a way to use the full resources of the modern orchestra (or at least, a Haydn-sized orchestra) and the modern chorus to really present a cosmic soup of unborn musical atoms, just waiting for HaydnĂąâŹâąs sure touch to animate them.Ă Perhaps it could even quote some of HaydnĂąâŹâąs themes before he knew them himself, and also show human voices and inhuman sounds in a kind of pre-creation mĂ©lange of color, mood, and atmosphere.Ă So I accepted the challenge, with the proviso that my new piece not be treated as some kind of ĂąâŹĆovertureĂąâŹÂ, but would instead be allowed to lead directly into HaydnĂąâŹâąs masterpiece without stopping, and certainly without applause.Ă I crafted this five minute piece to begin with a kind of ĂąâŹĆmusic of the spheresĂąâŹÂ universe-hum, created by tuned wine glasses and violin harmonics.Ă The chorus enters very soon after, with the opening words of Genesis whispered simultaneously in as many languages as can be found in a chorus.Ă The first two minutes of my work are all about unborn human voices and unfocused planetary sounds, gradually becoming more and more ĂąâŹĆcoherentĂąâŹÂ until we finally hear actual pitches, melodies, and words.Ă Three of HaydnĂąâŹâąs melodies will be heard, to be specific, but not in the way he will present them an hour from now.Ă ItĂąâŹâąs almost as if we are listening inside the womb of the universe, looking for a faint heartbeat of worlds, animals, and people to come.Ă At the end of the piece, the chorus finally finds its voice with a single word: ĂąâŹĆGod!ĂąâŹÂ,Ă and the orchestra finally finds its own pulse as well.Ă The unstoppable desire for birth must now be answered, and it is----by HaydnĂąâŹâąs marvelous oratorio.Ă I am not a religious man in any traditional sense.Ă Neither was Haydn, nor Mozart, nor Beethoven.Ă But all of them, as well as I, share in what is now called a humanistic view of how things came to be, how life in its many forms developed on this planet, and how Man became the recorder of history.Ă The gospel according to John begins with a parody of Genesis:Ă ùâŹĆIn the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.ĂąâŹÂĂ Ă I love that phrase, and itĂąâŹâąs in that spirit that I offer my humble ĂąâŹĆopenerĂąâŹÂ to the finest work of one of the greatest composers Western music has ever known.Ă My piece is not supposed to sound like Haydn.Ă ItĂąâŹâąs supposed to sound like a giant palette, on which a composer in 1798 might find more outrageous colors than his era would permitĂąâŹÂŠbut which, I hope, he would have been delighted to hear.
SKU: CF.CM8776CD
ISBN 9780825852053. UPC: 798408052058. Text: Gary Hallquist. Gary Hallquist.
A striking setting of an original text, beautifully written for Alto solo with mixed choir by one of the best new church choral writers of the day, this choral anthem is perfect for anniversary Sundays, All Saints Day, or mission-emphasis worship. The words state very clearly, the vision and purpose of the Christian Church, while calling believers to accountability for responding to the challenge of life today. Musically, the piece is dynamic, lush and powerful, and incorporates the familiar hymn Lead On, O King Eternal, that fits well with the spirit and message. An accompaniment track offers full instrumental support for choirs and soloist.
SKU: WD.080689862120
UPC: 080689862120.
The life-changing story of Jesus' death and resurrection is told from the unique perspective of the Samaritan woman at the well as she is transformed by the sacrificial love of Christ in this passionate new work from Deborah Craig-Claar, Allan Douglas and Phillip Keveren. Two actresses portray the woman called Anna - an older woman who looks back at the Passion events from a post-resurrection perspective, and her younger counterpart who encounters Jesus at the well and joins His followers in Jerusalem during Passion Week. The extraordinary score includes songs written or made popular by today's most accomplished artists, including Michael W. Smith, Keith Getty, Stuart Townend, Matt Maher, and Natalie Grant. Phillip Keveren's breathtaking chamber ensemble instrumentation creates an intimate and compelling experience. At only 40 minutes in length and with only two female characters, one male character, and purely optional sets/lights/costumes, Never Thirst Again can be offered by churches of any size or production capability.Includes songs written or made popular by Michael W. Smith, Keith Getty, Stuart Townend, Matt Maher, Natalie Grant, Tony Wood, Michael Farren, Audrey Assad, and Shelley Johnson. Chamber ensemble instrumentation creates an intimate and compelling experience. Accessible cast requirements: two female characters, one male character - costumes, props, and sets are purely optional. Reader's Theatre script available at www.wordmusic.com. Features early American classics There Is a Fountain and My Song in the Night. Thoughtful benediction, Peace Be with You, or an exuberant and congregational Finale.