Thomas Simaku's La Leggiadra Luna arranged for choir a capella. The music begins with a song-like expression introduced at a slow pace as if emerging from the remoteness of time itself. It is clearly based on the musical utterance of the 'white modality' but these modal segments are constantly surrounded by chromatic inflections throughout the work. Each section of the choir pursues its own path but during a compositional process of ‘zooming in and out’ as it were their individual qualities are highlighted. It is as if the initial sound object - which to begin with was far away- is brought nearer to us in time andspace. A variety of short segments predominantly modal but stemming from different chromatic ‘locations’ are often superimposed. The task of filtering out this 'amourphous' texture and giving its constituent elements - be they melodic or harmonic or a combination of both - a renewed identity becomes an essential compositional aim through which the process of crystallization occurs. The main strategy of the piece is thus exploring the interrelationship between these two sound-worlds (modal and chromatic) and their temporal qualities (ancient and modern) musical or otherwise.

Christ is Born of Maiden Fair is a rhythmic yet flowing Christmas choral work that will appeal to a wide range of choirs. David Matthews skilfully manipulates the modal sound-world to create music that hints at the medieval while maintaining an essentially contemporary sound.The Faber Choral Signature Series 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 contemporary composers and includes both lighter and more challenging contemporary works offering a thrilling array of varied styles.

Par HUSZAR LAJOS. Lajos Huszár composed his motet for mixed choir Strafe mich nicht in deinem Zorn commissioned by the town of Debrecen for the 26th Béla Bartók International Choir Competition in 2014. The composer says about his work: ''This choral work is the closing piece of a series for mixed choir consisting of three motets in German. The text is from the Bible as translated into German by Martin Luther (parts of Psalms 6 and 7), supplemented by a few words of a chorale. Its style is based on modal key systems and it adapts throughout to the singing voice.''/ Répertoire / Choeur Mixte

This SATB setting of Hildegard von Bingen's Ave Generosa text uses a hauntingly joyful tonality paying homage to the mysterious story of Mary. A beautiful middle section is surrounded by contrasting modal beginning and ending sections. The juxtaposition of sustained and moving moments holds true to the composer's style while the harmonic structure and vocal construction offer something very fresh.

Anyone with an appreciation of Israeli folk songs or a taste for something exotic will enjoy this setting of a well-known Eastern tune. Elliot Levine's harmony captures the mysterious modal flavor of Middle Eastern song while adding a few tasteful twists of his own. Perfect for school choirs. Level: Easy-Medium.

The Christmas lullaby is a must at Christmas. With a lovely plaintive obbligato above a calm and sweetly rocking modal tune the warmth and tenderness of the season is captured in song. Greg Pysh may be a new published writer but his craftsmanship displays a more experienced skill. Available: SATB.

Another beautiful and original setting of the well-known Sabbath eve text. The modal harmony is Shukiar's own changing when you least expect it. Yet this piece for solo or unison choir and keyboard will be easily learned by amateur choirs - and quickly picked up by congregations who will enjoy its style. Level: Meduim

Tal Vez Tenemos Tiempo (Maybe We Have Time) is O’Regan’s first work setting text in Spanish for which the composer has chosen quite a homophonic setting and harmonic clarity. His work incorporates tonal modal minimalism jazz and African influences though in this work modality and tonality are powerfully in evidence.Contemporary British composer Tarik O’Regan divides his time between New York City and Cambridge England composing as well as writing and speaking about music in print and on radio. His works range from chamber pieces and Choral compositions to chamber opera and full-length ballet. He was nominated for two Grammy awards in 2009 forhis album Threshold of Night and his reputation continues to grow.

Eleanor Daley sets this Wesley text in an antiphonal style between the SATB choir and organ (or brass quartet parts available separately). The sound is majestic and declamatory just as one would expect from an Easter fanfare with a hint of modal harmony resulting in a strong and accessible Eastertide anthem.Eleanor Daley - composer choral clinician and freelance accompanist - is the director of music at Fairlawn Heights United Church in Toronto Ontario. A proficient pianist and organist she recieved her Bachelor of Music Degree in Organ Performances from Queen's University in Kingston Ontario and holds diplomas in Piano and Organ from the Royal Conservatory ofMusic Toronto and Trinity College England. A prolific composer with a remarkable gift for melody Eleanor has well over eighty published choral compositions and is commissioned extensively throughout North America Great Britain Europe South Africa and the Far East. As a freelance accompanist and choral clinician she works with the Toronto Children's Chorus the Elmer Iseler Singers The Amadeus Choir and the Bach Children's Chorus.

Soprano, clarinette, piano, percussion, violon, violoncelle.Durée : 30 mn' Charlie ' : fable musicale d'après Matin brun de Franck Pavloff, composée pour l'ensemble Aleph par Bruno Giner.Résumé de l'action :Charlie et son copain vivent une période troublée par la montée d'un régime totalitaire : l'Etat brun...Charlie et son copain vivent une période troublée par la montée d'un régime totalitaire : l'Etat brun. L'Etat brun a décrété arbitrairement de supprimer tous les chats qui ne sont pas brun. Quelque temps après, il en est de même pour les chiens, les journaux, les maisons d'édition et les bibliothèques. Bientôt la milice arrête tous les propriétaires de chiens et de chats non conformes. Néanmoins, Charlie et son copain continuent à vivre d'une façon très ordinaire, entre tiercé, jeux de cartes, match de foot et autres moments de la vie quotidienne. Ni des héros, ni des salauds. Simplement, pour éviter les ennuis, ils détournent les yeux et acceptent chaque nouvelle contrainte.' En 2003 je découvre par hasard Matin Brun de Franck Pavloff, courte nouvelle de quelques pages qui décrit à la fois la montée d'un régime totalitaire et la réaction - où plus exactement l'absence de réaction - des protagonistes, à savoir Charlie et son copain. C'est un texte extrêmement simple (presque un conte pour enfants), lisible en quelques minutes et pourtant capable de générer de longues heures de réflexion'Composé pour l'ensemble Aleph, Matin Brun s'est transformé en Charlie, sorte de fable musicale contemporaine à un seul personnage (le copain de Charlie) où se côtoient récitatifs, chansons, slogans, airs, choeurs parlés ou chantés, collages, citations, etc.Délibérément issu des petites formes opératiques des années 1920/1930 Charlie est une tentative de réponse à plusieurs questions qui me taraudent l'oreille autant que l'esprit : comment porter musicalement un texte qui a du sens ' Comment mettre en résonance musique savante et populaire ' Comment métisser le langage musical sans tomber pour autant dans le désuet ou le plagiat ' Comment gérer le rapport atonal-tonal-modal et lui donner une signification ' Quel rôle pour les instrumentistes dans une dramaturgie qui n'est pas tout à fait du théâtre musical et encore moins de la musique pour le théâtre ' Bref, comment s'approprier une certaine forme de post-modernité lorsqu'on a été ' biberonné ' aux avant-gardes de l'après guerre ' '' La vision première de l'oeuvre est sonore, fugace, violente et définitive. Et puis... et puis vient le temps de l'écriture...une errance chargée d'encre et de papier, tentative d'écrire dans sa propre langue ce qu'on ne sait pas encore écrire 'Né en 1960 à Perpignan, Bruno Giner commence ses études musicales à Toulouse, puis dans sa ville natale et à Barcelone. A Paris, il suit régulièrement les cours de Pierre Boulez au Collège de France et travaille la composition (électroacoustique et instrumentale) successivement avec Luis de Pablo, Ivo Malec et Brian Ferneyhough.Aujourd'hui, ses oeuvres sont jouées dans de nombreux festivals français et internationaux, et sont interprétées par différents ensembles de musique contemporaine (Aleph, Sic, Fa, L'instant donné, Grame, Nomos, Motus, Intercontemporain, Quatuor Arditti, Klangheimlich, Frullato, Xasax, Ars Nova Nürnberg, Ixtla, Slowind). ' Ce n'est pas la moindre qualité de la musique de Bruno Giner que de nous permettre de mesurer l'étendue de nos préjugés (enfin, je parle pour moi), a écrit Bertrand Dubedout. Restons à l'écoute. Ce compositeur, dont la réflexion et la démarche se nourrissent aussi bien de Boulez ou Ferneyhough, que de Schaeffer ou de Malec, et qu'une insatiable curiosité conduit aussi bien chez Schumann ou Machaut que chez les Pygmées, nous réserve encore bien des surprises, nous mijote bien des émerveillements 'Son catalogue comporte des pièces pour solistes, des partitions de musique de chambre, de la musique vocale, orchestrale, des oeuvres pour l'apprentissage, etc. Sa musique révèle un caractère charnel, parfois virtuose, une énergie canalisée par la formalisation d'une écriture rigoureuse qui n'empêche pas un travail plus empirique sur la morphologie et la matière sonore.En 1998, Bruno Giner reçoit le Prix Hervé Dugardin décerné par la SACEM pour l'ensemble de son oeuvre.Parmi ses dernières compositions, citons Paraphrase sur ' Guernica ' de Paul Dessau pour clarinette, violoncelle, piano et percussions (2003), TCP 17 pour harpe, guitare et mandoline (2005), Clameurs, concertino pour deux percussions et ensemble à vents (2006), Charlie opéra de chambre d'après Matin brun de Franck Pavloff (2007), Extra pour huit violoncelles (2007-2008), Quatuor #3 pour quatuor à cordes et percussion (2008). Parallèlement à ses activités compositionnelles, Bruno Giner a régulièrement collaboré à différentes revues musicales, encyclopédies ou labels discographiques (The New Grove, La Lettre du Musicien, Les cahiers du CIREM, Musica falsa, Motus, etc). Par ailleurs, il signe trois livres : Musique contemporaine : le second vingtième siècle (Editions Durand, 2000), Toute la musique ' (Editions Autrement Junior, 2003), De Weimar à Térézine 1933-1945 : l'épuration musicale (Editions Van de Velde, 2006). / Musique De Chambre Et Quintette

Madrigals by the Renaissance composer Monteverdi provided the inspiration for my own Madrigali. Symbolic images of flames burning and fire recur often in Italian love poems from this era and my cycle on texts employingthis fire motive blends stylistic musical features of the period (word painting modality bold harmonic shifts intricate counterpoint augenmusik etc.) within a contemporary compositional idiom. The music emanates from asingle primal sonority (the “Fire-Chord”) which opens the piece and is found extensively throughout all six movements in myriad forms and manipulations providing motivic unity to complement the poetic. This cycle ofmadrigals has been designated an American Choral Masterpiece by the National Endowment for the Arts.--Morten Lauridsen

Madrigals by the Renaissance composer Monteverdi provided the inspiration for my own Madrigali. Symbolic images of flames burning and fire recur often in Italian love poems from this era and my cycle on texts employingthis fire motive blends stylistic musical features of the period (word painting modality bold harmonic shifts intricate counterpoint augenmusik etc.) within a contemporary compositional idiom. The music emanates from asingle primal sonority (the “Fire-Chord”) which opens the piece and is found extensively throughout all six movements in myriad forms and manipulations providing motivic unity to complement the poetic. This cycle ofmadrigals has been designated an American Choral Masterpiece by the National Endowment for the Arts.--Morten Lauridsen

This well-loved American Hymn dates from the 19th century when the practice of shape-note singing was widespread throughout the country as a way of teaching every citizen to read music and vast outdoor 'camp meetings' were held regularly for the purpose of praise through song. John Jacob Niles's arrangement for Upper Voice Choir (SSA) is true to the musical spirit of the hymn's origins in being modal stirring and largely homophonic.

An old 'Marian? prayer, realized in a modal, archaic musical language, without forgetting expressive contemporary solution. 'Very early music, very calm and harmonic?, following the definition of a choir director. / Choeur Mixte A Cappella (Satb)

The songs in this collection include the modern art song Legend of Rosemary (verse by Reginald Arkell) a bluesy Stop All The Clocks (W H Auden) the droll dizziness of desire The Bakery (13th Korean courtesan) creepy evocation of mother’s love juxtaposed with evil using three keys simultaneously in Infant Song (Charles Causley) and the poignant My Boy Jack haunting modal Harp Song of the Dane Women and a contemplation of wrongdoing using constantly shifting key and time signatures in Gertrude’s Prayer (all Rudyard Kipling).Contemporary English composer singer and Vocal coach Betty Roe is best known for her church and Choral music revue songs music for schools and solosongs like these. She has a particular affinity for setting poetry imaginatively and sensitively.