SKU: PR.312419090
ISBN 9781491135778. UPC: 680160687848. English, Hebrew.
In Stacy Garrop’s inspired hands, divisi mixed chorus provides a rich palette of texture and color. Her setting intermingles three versions of the Hebrew folk tune, taking artistic advantage of contrasts between solo and tutti, homophony and grand antiphony, divisi men and divisi women, and the gradual braiding and unbraiding of Hebrew and English texts. LO YISA GOY is the explicitly anti-war Scriptural text better-known in its English translation that begins, “And they shall beat their swords into plowshares... nation shall not lift up a sword against nation.â€.When Jonathan Miller asked me to write two pieces for Chicago a cappella, I knew right away that I wanted to choose two songs from my own past.The first piece, Hava Nagila, is a celebratory song full of joy. I wanted the second work to contrast the first, and to this end, I chose the somber text of Lo Yisa Goy, a prayer for peace. I remember singing this song as a young child in Hebrew school and synagogue, always in context (at least in my congregation) of praying for the state of Israel. I think we’re at a particular point in which people in a lot of different nations could use such a prayer. For this reason, you’ll hear the words in both Hebrew and English.In my research of previous versions of the melody, I discovered three variants for the tune, all of which I have incorporated into my piece.
SKU: PE.EP68578
ISBN 9790300759630. English.
Of Time and Passing (2016) is a cycle of three choral songs written specifically for the London-based ensemble, VOCES8, taking into consideration their versatilityand ability to beautifully intone a range of vocal colors with precision and grace.
The first song, I. Life, sets my translation of the poem A Vida by Brazilian poet Olavo Bilac (1865-1918), a poet I discovered while studying Brazilian Portuguese at the University of Michigan. I was drawn both to the simplicity of the text and to the possibilities of teasing out dual contrasting moods. In the beginning and end, this song explores a texture that is very much alive: wave-like contours, throbbing sounds, and plenty of flowing movement. Rising eighth-note motives in particular emphasize the fleetingness of life. But in the middle of the song, the listener is given a slowed-down atmosphere to savor life's beauty.
II. To Everything a Season capitalizes on VOCES8's ability to effectively interpret popular genres a cappella. This ancient text is taken from Ecclesiastes (dated around 300 B.C.) but I set it to a modern, rhythmically-regular and percussive pop-style idiom. Since popular music in whatever era is designedto appeal to a specific ?present time?, it is by its very nature ephemeral, and therefore seemed an apt metaphor to evoke the transitory nature of seasons.
III. Into Your Hands, confines the writing into no more than four parts, often with octave unisons.This creates a more direct and word-focused setting in which the Psalmist?s urgent words are placed at the forefront. Largely homophonic, this song is at times chorale-like, at times madrigal-like,finally relinquishing it?s tension into peaceful rest, proclaiming ?You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God??
- Daniel Knaggs
SKU: HL.35006236
UPC: 747510066248. 6.75x10.5 inches.
This new edition of “Exsultate lusti in Domino” was prepared from Denkmaler der Tonkunst in Osterreich. An excellent example of eighteenth-centuray choral writing, this work is a wonderful teaching tool as well as an impressive performance piece. The double choir effect of women and men creates a rich texture, which routinely alternates between major and minor modes. The result is a complex sounding, yet only moderately difficult work, accessible to high school, college, and church choirs.
SKU: BA.BA07414
ISBN 9790006559183. 27 x 19 cm inches. Text Language: Latin.
Based on the well-known bible text “Sing unto the Lord a new song†(Psalm 96:1-3), this upbeat composition with strong dynamics and flowing block chords alternating with fast-paced polyphony brings across this joyful message and enthuses singers.Originally conceived for male choir, women’s voices have now been added so that this version for mixed choir presents a further dimension of colour. This version also makes it possible to divide the choir into two groups, one for women and another for men, and to have them sing either together or as separate units. The version for mixed choir was premiered in Uppsala Cathedral (Sweden) on 26 October 2013, with the Uppsala Cathedral Singers conducted by Ulric Andersson.“My music is my own and I have never tried to be original. That has always been my motto and I have only tried to use music to express all the feelings which life has to offer. This has led people to describe my music as ‘so sad that it sounds like birds who have lost their wings‘ but also as ‘the happiest classical music that we have ever heard’.My compositions are almost all sacred. They express not only my own faith but also my appreciation and respect for the timeless texts that have been used for centuries and centuries.â€MÃ¥rten Jansson (b. 1965), elected member of the Föreningen svenska tonsättare (the Society of Swedish Composers), graduated from the Royal College of Music, Stockholm (KHM) with an MFA degree in Music Education, Dalcroze Eurhythmics and Voice. For more than ten years he was the music director and conductor of “Carmenâ€, one of the most prominent womens’ vocal ensembles in Sweden. He currently teaches choral conducting and music theory as well as giving vocal tuition at the Bolandgymnasiet and Musikskolan in his home town of Uppsala.Please find a recording of Cantate Domino performed by the Riga Recording Studio Singers (Latvia) by clicking on Multimedia.
SKU: M2.MOS-81239
ISBN 9790203797395.
Der grossartige Chorsatz des fruhbarocken Meisters ist nicht doppelchorig, sondern real achtstimmig angelegt. Fast 400 Jahre lag das Werk vergessen in den Archiven, bis sich der Melchior-Franck-Experte und Herausgeber Knut Gramss seiner annahm.
SKU: CA.990500
ISBN 9790007087005. Language: Latin.
Kurt Suttner, editor of the carus novus series, has written as follows in the foreword to the printed edition of Schanderl's setting of Psalm 90: The seven verses of Psalm 90 contrast the eternity of God with the transitoriness of man.This contrast is symbolized in the composition by the majestic, slow-moving basic pulse of the music, and by rhythmically taut, concise, polyphonic melodic figures. This contrast exactly matches the words which speak either of the permanence of God (Domine - Lord) or the transitory nature of man (convertimini filii hominum - return ye children of man - mane sicut herba - like the grass).
SKU: HL.49012985
ISBN 9790001123563. 9.25x12.0x0.429 inches. Latin.
SKU: OU.9780193378346
ISBN 9780193378346. 12 x 8 inches.
For SSAATTBB and organ This poignant anthem was originally composed to be sung at a funeral. It is a beautifully composed work, sufficiently sombre for such an occasion, but with a celebratory element which is uplifting and comforting.
