SKU: HL.48181676

Chanson angoumois (S solo and SCTBar chorus).

SKU: BA.BA08966-90

ISBN 9790006564002. 27 x 19 cm inches. Text Language: Latin. Preface: Schellevis, Hans.

Sacred works occupy a large part of Charles Gounod's oeuvre. It was the Messe solennelle en l'honneur de Sainte Cecile that established his fame as a church composer. Its melodic invention and effective handling of the orchestra reveal a close proximity to opera.

This Urtext edition is based not only on the original print of 1856 but also on copyists' manuscripts and autograph sources. Rounding off this well-researched Urtext edition are an informative Introduction and a detailed Critical Commentary. The edition is being published to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Gounod's birth.

* Gounod's well-known mass in a new Urtext edition
* Bilingual Foreword (Ger/Eng) and Critical Commentary (Eng)
* Idiomatic piano reduction
* In preparation for the Gounod bicentenary year 2018

SKU: CA.926000

ISBN 9790007249229. Key: F major. Language: French. Text: Barbier, Jules.

The three verses of Aimons-nous, separated by piano interludes, are cheerful and amorous, an invitation to everlasting mutual love. The text portrays this almost as a law of nature: rivers and streams combine, the sun embraces the earth, and the birds snuggle close to each other in their nest. Light, rippling syncopations in the piano accompany Gounod's typical catchy melodic writing in the vocal parts. The writer Jules Barbier was Gounod's favored opera librettist (Faust, Romeo et Juliette), but many other 19th century opera composers also set his texts, including Camille Saint-Saens, Giacomo Meyerbeer, and Jacques Offenbach. This art song was originally composed not for chamber choir, but for solo voice and piano. Denis Rouger has carefully adapted it to suit the requirements and expressive possibilities offered by a larger ensemble, without losing the any of the qualities of the original in the process. Each part in the choir has a melodic line drawn from the harmonic and rhythmic framework. In the process, the variety and refinement of the choral language combines with an enormous flexibility in form and expression, as French melodies or German art song demand from a soloist and pianist. The songs have been recorded by the figure humaine chamber choir on the CD Kennst du das Land ... (Carus 83.495).

SKU: CA.925300

ISBN M-007-24915-1. Key: E minor. Language: French. Text: Verlaine, Paul.

Paul Verlaine spent 555 days in prison because he had shot his fellow poet and companion Arthur Rimbaud with a revolver whilst in a drunken state. This spell in prison evidently fostered his artistic inspiration, so at least it did his literary career some good. The world of French literature even gave Verlaine the unofficial title Prince des Poetes. In the poem Prison the author was able to draw on his very own experiences: the monotony behind bars (expressed musically in Gabriel Faure's setting through the repeated target note of b), the inner rebelling against this monotonous stillness (surprising forte dynamic), and the reproachful self-questioning: Was hast du getan? ... Was hast du mit deiner Jugend getan? [What have you done? ... What have you done with your youth?] (diminishing piano). Denis Rouger, founder and director of the figure humaine chamber choir, has arranged art songs for solo voice and piano for his ensemble, in the process carefully adapting these to the needs and expressive possibilities offered by a larger ensemble. Music edition for the successful CD Kennst du das Land... (Carus 83.495).

SKU: GI.WW1723

UPC: 785147015062. English. Text by Daniel Elder.

Midwinter Song is a Christmas carol that calls us to love, faith, and hope. With a beautiful and supportive piano accompaniment and accessible vocal lines, this work will appeal to a wide variety of levels. Susan Labarr's Midwinter Song is a new work for Advent or Christmas. Labarr opens the piece with a gentle piano solo that perfectly captures the mystery of the poetry—the words seem to travel out of a time in the deep past and give homage to the neglected art of both rhythm and rhyme. In particular, the description of the world gathering in amber halls in the first verse wonderfully conjures images of medieval casltes or mead halls lit only with firelight and candles, full with the sound of carols. Choral Journal, May 2019, Volume 59, Number 10.

SKU: HL.357348

UPC: 840126943306. 6.75x10.5x0.029 inches. Isaiah 55:12, Luke 19:40.

Swinging with joy, this cheerful original is filled with confidence, boldly sharing a song of praise and devotion. An infectious theme sounds in unison before giving over to urban gospel-styled harmonies that sweep the listener along in celebration. Special vocal effects accompany a soloist in the middle section, building energy to a rollicking recap of the theme. A powerful finale to your service or concert, you won't want to miss this easy-to-learn affirmation of faith!