SKU: PR.312419020

ISBN 9781491131862. UPC: 680160680474. 6.875 x 10.5 inches. English.

Commission ed by the San Francisco Choral Society and the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir, Terra Nostra is a 70-minute oratorio on the relationship between our planet and humankind, how this relationship has shifted over time, and how we can re-establish a harmonious balance. Part I: Creation of the World explores various creation myths from different cultures, culminating in a joyous celebration of the beauty of our planet. Part II: The Rise of Humanity examines human achievements, particularly since the dawn of our Industrial Age, and how these achievements have impacted the planet. Part III: Searching for Balance questions how to create more awareness for our planet’s plight, re-establish a deeper connection to it, and find a balance for living within our planet’s resources. In addition to the complete oratorio, stand-alone movements for mixed chorus, and for solo voice with piano, are also available separately.
Terra Nostra focuses on the relationship between our planet and mankind, how this relationship has shifted over time, and how we can re-establish a harmonious balance. The oratorio is divided into three parts:Part I: Creation of the World celebrates the birth and beauty of our planet. The oratorio begins with creation myths from India, North America, and Egypt that are integrated into the opening lines of Genesis from the Old Testament. The music surges forth from these creation stories into “God’s World” by Edna St. Vincent Millay, which describes the world in exuberant and vivid detail. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “On thine own child” praises Mother Earth for her role bringing forth all life, while Walt Whitman sings a love song to the planet in “Smile O voluptuous cool-breathed earth!” Part I ends with “A Blade of Grass” in which Whitman muses how our planet has been spinning in the heavens for a very long time.Part II: The Rise of Humanity examines the achievements of mankind, particularly since the dawn of the Industrial Age. Lord Alfred Tennyson’s “Locksley Hall” sets an auspicious tone that mankind is on the verge of great discoveries. This is followed in short order by Charles Mackay’s “Railways 1846,” William Ernest Henley’s “A Song of Speed,” and John Gillespie Magee, Jr.’s “High Flight,” each of which celebrates a new milestone in technological achievement. In “Binsey Poplars,” Gerard Manley Hopkins takes note of the effect that these advances are having on the planet, with trees being brought down and landscapes forever changed. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “A Dirge” concludes Part II with a warning that the planet is beginning to sound a grave alarm.Part III: Searching for Balance questions how we can create more awareness for our planet’s plight, re-establish a deeper connection to it, and find a balance for living within our planet’s resources. Three texts continue the earth’s plea that ended the previous section: Lord Byron’s “Darkness” speaks of a natural disaster (a volcano) that has blotted out the sun from humanity and the panic that ensues; contemporary poet Esther Iverem’s “Earth Screaming” gives voice to the modern issues of our changing climate; and William Wordsworth’s “The World Is Too Much With Us” warns us that we are almost out of time to change our course. Contemporary/agrarian poet Wendell Berry’s “The Want of Peace” speaks to us at the climax of the oratorio, reminding us that we can find harmony with the planet if we choose to live more simply, and to recall that we ourselves came from the earth. Two Walt Whitman texts (“A Child said, What is the grass?” and “There was a child went forth every day”) echo Berry’s thoughts, reminding us that we are of the earth, as is everything that we see on our planet. The oratorio concludes with a reprise of Whitman’s “A Blade of Grass” from Part I, this time interspersed with an additional Whitman text that sublimely states, “I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love…”My hope in writing this oratorio is to invite audience members to consider how we interact with our planet, and what we can each personally do to keep the planet going for future generations. We are the only stewards Earth has; what can we each do to leave her in better shape than we found her?

SKU: SB.SBMP-1663

UPC: 000308159035.

Ever clever, composer Narverud came up with a highly rhythmic celebratory composition. The title translates “We are one”, the theme being that all human beings have much in common. The energetic djembe sets the tone, the piano adds its own rhythmic design, and the singers deliver the message, at times sounding as though there should be a campfire at the center of their circle. This BEST SELLER is great fun, a profound message, and an intriguing piece. See composer notes below for pronunciation.

SKU: WD.080689579172

UPC: 080689579172.

Heari ng just one gifted voice sing an inspired piece of music can be a glorious, moving experience. Hearing it accompanied by musical instruments played by skillful musicians can be even
more exciting. But...put together a group of exceptional Human Voices, joined in perfect harmony, skillfully arranged and executed, and a cappella music can take us to even greater heights of musical expression, soul-stirring emotion, and musical appreciation!

Th e music in this book acts as a SPOTLIGHT illuminating the brilliance and exceptional qualities of the Human Voice, made even more brilliant and exceptional by virtue of the fact that these songs magnify and glorify God. SPOTLIGHT features a group of voices weaving a tapestry of sound and movement, textures and lyrics…spotlighting the Human Voice, yes, but even more significantly, spotlighting the One Who created those voices and gave us the gift of all music!

A rranged by gifted arrangers Cliff Duren and David Wise (both of whom have their own special love of a cappella music!), SPOTLIGHT is both balanced and diverse in its content, including Hymns, Worship Songs, CCM Songs, Christmas and Patriotic Songs, being done in traditional a cappella styles and in the fresh, contemporary style of groups like Pentatonix.

SKU: PR.312419280

ISBN 9781491137925. UPC: 680160692613.

Terra Nostra focuses on the relationship between our planet and mankind, how this relationship has shifted over time, and how we can re-establish a harmonious balance. The oratorio is divided into three parts:Part I: Creation of the World celebrates the birth and beauty of our planet. The oratorio begins with creation myths from India, North America, and Egypt that are integrated into the opening lines of Genesis from the Old Testament. The music surges forth from these creation stories into “God’s World” by Edna St. Vincent Millay, which describes the world in exuberant and vivid detail. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “On thine own child” praises Mother Earth for her role bringing forth all life, while Walt Whitman sings a love song to the planet in “Smile O voluptuous cool-breathed earth!” Part I ends with “A Blade of Grass” in which Whitman muses how our planet has been spinning in the heavens for a very long time.Part II: The Rise of Humanity examines the achievements of mankind, particularly since the dawn of the Industrial Age. Lord Alfred Tennyson’s “Locksley Hall” sets an auspicious tone that mankind is on the verge of great discoveries. This is followed in short order by Charles Mackay’s “Railways 1846,” William Ernest Henley’s “A Song of Speed,” and John Gillespie Magee, Jr.’s “High Flight,” each of which celebrates a new milestone in technological achievement. In “Binsey Poplars,” Gerard Manley Hopkins takes note of the effect that these advances are having on the planet, with trees being brought down and landscapes forever changed. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “A Dirge” concludes Part II with a warning that the planet is beginning to sound a grave alarm.Part III: Searching for Balance questions how we can create more awareness for our planet’s plight, re-establish a deeper connection to it, and find a balance for living within our planet’s resources. Three texts continue the earth’s plea that ended the previous section: Lord Byron’s “Darkness” speaks of a natural disaster (a volcano) that has blotted out the sun from humanity and the panic that ensues; contemporary poet Esther Iverem’s “Earth Screaming” gives voice to the modern issues of our changing climate; and William Wordsworth’s “The World Is Too Much With Us” warns us that we are almost out of time to change our course. Contemporary/agrarian poet Wendell Berry’s “The Want of Peace” speaks to us at the climax of the oratorio, reminding us that we can find harmony with the planet if we choose to live more simply, and to recall that we ourselves came from the earth. Two Walt Whitman texts (“A Child said, What is the grass?” and “There was a child went forth every day”) echo Berry’s thoughts, reminding us that we are of the earth, as is everything that we see on our planet. The oratorio concludes with a reprise of Whitman’s “A Blade of Grass” from Part I, this time interspersed with an additional Whitman text that sublimely states, “I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love…”My hope in writing this oratorio is to invite audience members to consider how we interact with our planet, and what we can each personally do to keep the planet going for future generations. We are the only stewards Earth has; what can we each do to leave her in better shape than we found her?

SKU: HL.2050309

UPC: 797242360299. 6.75x10.5x0.364 inches.

The cross, the very instrument of death, now becomes the symbol of life.The crown, so magnificent, now becomes the symbol of how far God is willing to go to redeem us. If there is no cross, there is no crown.And so Jesus, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in Heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus Christ is Lord - Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

SKU: HL.2050288

UPC: 797242287190. 6.75x10.5x0.311 inches.

Jesus, the King. Jesus, King of the Ages. Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords.The Royalty of Jesus - the only Son of God - the Firstborn over all creation - is woven into the very fabric of the Scriptures. He is a Lamb with the lineage of a Lion. He is a pauper with the unsearchable riches of an inexhaustible Kingdom. He is a Man with no home whose Eternal Throne rests in the Courts of Praise. He is a teacher with no formal credentials who is the Creator of all Knowledge.No one can ever lay claim to His unique station as Savior of the World.And yet, Christ Jesus . . .Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in Heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:6-11)This is the story of our redemption. This is the story of the miracle of our moving from the bloodline of Adam to the bloodline ofChrist. Only one figure in all of history could have accomplished this.This is His story...Jesus, No Other King!

SKU: MN.CH-1184

Scripture: Jeremiah 12.

Phrases from Jeremiah 12 were selected for this choral setting because of the emphatically joyful celebration and expectation contained therein. Robert Shaw, shortly before his death, was quoted in The Choral Journal as saying that if he were to continue to compose, he would use more of the characteristics of the Jazz/swing genre. The composer states: This was right down my alley. While I am not captured by much of the current folk and rock type music being played in churches, I nevertheless like the themes of joy which are often found in it. Theological stances in lyrics are not meaningful to me. I am drawn by the human, emotional reaction to the sense of the Divine Being's presence in the writer's life. Sing for Joy! is an attempt to capture that reaction. Duration 2:12.

SKU: OU.9780193397828

ISBN 9780193397828. 12 x 8 inches.

Rigwreck sets a text by poet Pierre Joris on the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Frequent vocal divisions, a wide range of dynamic expression, spoken lines, and powerful word-painting highlight the poem's emphasis on humanity's responsibility for the natural world and make this piece an exciting challenge for choirs.

About Oxford New Horizons

N ew Horizons showcases the wealth of exciting, innovative, and occasionally challenging choral music being written today. It encompasses the whole gamut of small-scale choral genres, both secular and sacred, and includes pieces for upper-voice and mixed choirs. With titles by some of the most accomplished choral composers active in Great Britain and abroad, the series introduces new repertoire and fresh talent to a broad spectrum of choirs. New Horizons features composers with growing reputations for quality composition reflecting a strong individual voice. The series is continually expanding and should be the first place to look for attractive and performable contemporary choral music.

SKU: GI.G-8114

UPC: 785147811404. English. Text Source: 'Is a Murmuring Dove nearby' from Feel the Spirit in the Kicking Text by Richard Leach.

A lullaby that images being in the stable while visualizing Christ's human journey. If this were not a Christmas piece, it would have been published in our Celebration Series: It is suitable for voices with keyboard alone or with guitar and bass. A C instrument could also easily double lines of the accompaniment.

SKU: MN.CH-1316

Sometimes in the scramble of preparing for the future, students lose sight of the inherent value of every human being. They forget that they each are unique, that they each have something to offer to that world they are soon to enter. This anthem is designed to remind them, and their audiences, of that inherent value, and that if they nurture their uniqueness, it will serve them well. Duration 2:45.

SKU: FG.042-07947-8

ISBN 979-0-042-07947-8.

In this three part virtuoso choral work Heininen ponders with his characteristic intensity - but also with lyricism - the role of the heart in human philosophy and in love. The words are based on poems by Gunnar Bjorling, Stephen Crane and the composer himself. The work was written for the BBC Singers in 1979 who gave its first broadcast performance. 1...sydameni sinulle... (Fi/Lat) * 2...being bestial (Eng) * 3...ego in mundo in corde (Lat/Ger/Eng).

SKU: HL.338925

UPC: 840126914443. 6.75x10.5x0.029 inches.

Using the “Ave Maria” text as a prayer for all humans in our life's voyage, the tune Ms. Rugen creates sounds reminiscent of an Irish folk song. Her harmonies are 21st century and ever so sensitively displayed. A sense of being on a 17th century vessel that is crossing the ocean to new lands permeates through the music. It is transporting. This is a lovely concert selection for advanced high school, college and community choirs. Medium in difficulty.