There is no rose of such virtue is an anonymous mediaeval text, already well known through beautiful settings by Britten (in his Ceremony of Carols), John Joubert and others. The poem is 'macaronic' (it presents a verse in English, followed by a varying Latin refrain). This new version follows the illustrious examples above by remaining strophic and presenting broadly the same music in a succession of slightly different guises. The first verse is a straightforward four-part setting, the second gives the melody to the tenors and surrounds them with hushed, wordless writing for the other parts, and the third explores a freely canonic relationship between the tenor and soprano lines before carrying the previous verse-endings to a higher, more exalted pitch and mood. The fourth verse then expands its texture in a free climactic passage evoking the songs of praise sung by the angels. This subsides towards the final verse, where the texture of the music attenuates again to four parts, and canonic writing (based on the first four notes of the original melody) permeates all of them. This slightly extended statement leads to a hushed final cadence. Francis Pott (b. 1957) began musical life as a chorister at New College, Oxford. He held open music scholarships at Winchester College and at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he studied composition with Robin Holloway and Hugh Wood while pursuing piano studies privately in London with the distinguished British artist, Hamish Milne. Throughout the 1990s Francis was John Bennett Lecturer in Music at St Hilda's College, Oxford, and a lay clerk in the Choir of Winchester Cathedral. In 2001 he became Head of London College of Music, University of West London, later leading research across the University's Faculty of Arts and acceding in 2007 to its first Chair in Composition. Francis Pott has become recognised particularly for his sacred choral and organ music. This has been performed in concert and on radio in over three dozen countries worldwide, published by four major UK houses and released extensively on CD. Winner of four national composition awards, in 1997 he received first prize in the piano solo section of the S. S. Prokofiev Composing Competition, Moscow. In 2006 and 2011 he was a nominated finalist in the BASCA/BBC Annual Composer Awards. In summer 2012 he was winner of the international composing competition of the Cheltenham Festival, which sought new piano variations on the arioso song Bist du bei mir, well known in the arrangement by J. S. Bach. Francis lives with his wife and two children on the outskirts of Winchester. An inspiring selection of new works from a range of contemporary composers, the Novello New Choral Series offers pieces for all types of choirs, including sacred and secular works from simple, four-part settings to more expansive, yet accessible, repertoire in an exciting variety of styles. / Choeur Mixte (SATB)

In Search Of... Pharrell Williams is the fascinating account of one of the most revered singers and songwriters in the music business today. Working tirelessly to write and produce some of the biggest hits in the last 20 years before coming to the forefront as a singer and songwriter in the early 21st century, this is the story of a modern day musical genius.2013-14 was dubbed by Oprah Winfrey as 'The Year of Pharrell', due to his incomparable stamp on popular music at the time. With Robin Thicke's 'Blurred Lines', Daft Punk's 'Get Lucky' and his own solo single 'Happy' dominating the charts and the radio waves, you couldn't avoid hearing Pharrell Williams' soulful voice and catchy music wherever you went. In this unique portrayal of a master of modern music, Paul Lester tells the story of the boy with humble beginnings who became a multitalented megastar.As part of the producer-duo The Neptunes, Pharrell Williams helped a number of pop stars have a string of hits throughout the 2000s, including Britney Spears, Kelis and Nelly. Simultaneously, Pharrell enjoyed success with his rap-rock band N*E*R*D, producing hit after hit while still maintaining other projects. While continuing to produce and write for other artists, Pharrell stepped more and more into the limelight, co-writing and singing his own tunes, many of which appear on the list of bestselling songs of the century so far.For fans of Pharrell, this astonishing biography tells the story of the singer, songwriter, producer, designer, philanthropist and entrepreneur through engaging interviews with the man himself, as well as his closest musical collaborators. If you are new to Pharrell's music, Paul Lester's book is an interesting account of modern music's true Renaissance man, a hugely creative talent who has had a fascinatingly fruitful career. / Livre

Par LAURIDSEN MORTEN. Morten Lauridsen's I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes was written for Stephen Layton and Polyphony and has been recorded on Lauridsen: Nocturnes (Hyperion, CDA 67580). Purchase the sheet music here arranged for mixed vocal chorus. In speaking of Lauridsen in his book Choral Music in the Twentieth Century, the author Nick Strimple says of him, 'he is the only American composer in history who can be called mystic, [whose] probing, serene work contains all the elusive and indefinable ingredient which leaves the impression that all questions have been answered [. . . ] From 1993 Lauridsen's music rapidly increased in international popularity, and by the centuy's end he hadeclipsed Tandall Thompson as the most frequently performed American choral composer'. This piece is from Faber's Choral Signature Series which introduces a wealth of new or recently written choral music to choirs in search of fresh repertoire. the series draws in a rich diversity of living composers and includes both lighter and more challenging contemporary works, offering a thrilling array of varied styles./ Feuillet / SATB

Vocal score. Par LEDGER PHILIP. Ce livre présente 60 des meilleurs madrigaux pour SATB, choisi parmi les centaines de candidats possibles. Les grands compositeurs du genre sont représentés chacun par plusieurs madrigaux et les moindres chiffres par un ou plusieurs. / Date parution : 2013-07-20/ Recueil / Choeur Mixte (SATB)

Par DOVE JONATHAN. A dramatic, characterful setting by one of Britain's most talented young composers. With a flawless feel for choral and vocal textures, Jonathan Dove fully exploits the drama and wit of the text to produce an immensely rewarding and approachable work./ Feuillet / Choeur

Par GRITTON PETER. Pour SATB accompagnés et non accompagnés 30 pièces variées allant dans le style du classique et sentimentale à l'humour et folle. Avec les normes du répertoire sont de nouveaux morceaux et arrangements frais par certains des plus beaux arrangeurs. Le volume offre un kaléidoscope inégalée de rappels de concert. Peter Gritton étudié la musique au Clare College, Cambridge avant de prendre un poste à Christ Church, Oxford comme un contre-ténor Lay greffier. Pierre a chanté avec une variété de groupes, dont The Sixteen, Le Cambridge Singers, Gabrieli Consort, je Fagiolini, et un groupe étroite harmonie, le blues léger, avec qui il a voyagé dans le monde entier. Il est actuellement Directeur de la Musique à l'école St-Paul. Londres, ainsi que bénéficiant d'un horaire chargé de composer, arranger, et le chant. / Niveau : Facile à Difficile / Recueil / Chant