Choral Bass 1, Bass 2, baritone voice tenor 1, tenor 2 SKU: CF.CM9634 Com...(+)
Choral Bass 1, Bass 2,
baritone voice tenor 1,
tenor 2
SKU:
CF.CM9634
Composed by
Traditional Christmas
Spiritual. Arranged by
Ken Berg. Sws.
Performance Score. 16
pages. Duration 3
minutes, 40 seconds. Carl
Fischer Music #CM9634.
Published by Carl Fischer
Music (CF.CM9634).
ISBN 9781491157060.
UPC: 680160915620. 6.875
x 10.5 inches. Key: G
major. English, English.
Traditional Christmas
Spiritual.
Berg's
fantastic setting of this
beloved American
Christmas spiritual for
advanced tenor-bass
choirs tells a story of
hope and meaning. The
various textures
throughout the a cappella
arrangement with solos
add much variety and
musical interest. A
holiday programming
must!.
This beloved
American Christmas
Spiritual, like all
spirituals and/or folk
songs, tells a story.
This is a story of hope
and meaning. The
introductory solo call
and response (mm. 1-7) is
hymnic in nature, just to
get us started. (Think of
it as an effective head
fake!) The entrance at m.
8 from the upper three
voices (we'll call them
the trio part henceforth)
is pivotal. They set the
stage for the
conversation between the
singers and the soloist
for the rest of the song.
From this point, the song
is basically a Jazz Trio
in vocal form. The bass
singers take on the role
of the cool dude in the
back wearing dark glasses
and a beret playing the
string bass. They provide
the driving force for the
forward movement of the
entire song. The trio
part, basically tenors 1
& 2 and baritones,
take on the role of the
keyboard providing
chordal structure and
syncopation. Their job is
to fill the listener's
ear with sound and
rhythm. The soloist tells
the story using the known
melody and text with
appropriate improv
opportunities to keep the
listeners focused on the
message of the song.
There is enough
repetition to make for
easy learning, but this
also means that the
chords need to snap into
position cleanly every
time. The Verses are
easily identified (there
are three) and presented
with some small
variations in Verse 3
(see mm. 56-58...this
only happens once). The
Refrain (mm. 30-37) is
the part of the song
where the singers switch
from the Jazz Trio role
and actually become a
Men's Choral Ensemble.
This Refrain is repeated
after Verse 3 at mm.
66-71. Between verses 2
& 3, there is not a
refrain. Instead, there
is a bridge repeated from
the introductory
material, but used this
time to move us into a
new key signature. This
can be a very exciting
moment for the singers as
well as the listeners!
Measures 72-75 is known
in the business as a
vamp. It can be repeated
once and then move on, OR
it can be repeated
multiple times, depending
on the comfort level of
the soloist and the
response of the audience.
It is important that
there be a clear signal
from the conductor as to
how to end the vamp and
move effectively to the
actual coda of the song.
The ending should be sung
with tight control that
only looks like reckless
abandon! Faces bright;
words clean; melody
clear; rhythms precise!
Enjoy.
This beloved
American Christmas
Spiritual, like all
spirituals and/or folk
songs, tells a story.
This is a story of hope
and meaning. The
introductory solo call
and response (mm. 1-7) is
hymnic in nature, just to
get us started. (Think of
it as an effective head
fake!)The entrance at m.
8 from the upper three
voices (we’ll call
them the “trio
part†henceforth)
is pivotal. They set the
stage for the
conversation between the
singers and the soloist
for the rest of the song.
From this point, the song
is basically a Jazz Trio
in vocal form. The bass
singers take on the role
of the cool dude in the
back wearing dark glasses
and a beret playing the
string bass. They provide
the driving force for the
forward movement of the
entire song.The
“trio partâ€,
basically tenors 1 & 2
and baritones, take on
the role of the keyboard
providing chordal
structure and
syncopation. Their job is
to fill the
listener’s ear
with sound and rhythm.The
soloist tells the story
using the known melody
and text with appropriate
improv opportunities to
keep the listeners
focused on the message of
the song.There is enough
repetition to make for
easy learning, but this
also means that the
chords need to
“snap into
position†cleanly
every time. The Verses
are easily identified
(there are three) and
presented with some small
variations in Verse 3
(see mm. 56-58…this
only happens once).The
Refrain (mm. 30-37) is
the part of the song
where the singers switch
from the “Jazz
Trio†role and
actually become a
“Men’s
Choral Ensembleâ€.
This Refrain is repeated
after Verse 3 at mm.
66-71. Between verses 2 &
3, there is not a
refrain. Instead, there
is a bridge repeated from
the introductory
material, but used this
time to move us into a
new key signature. This
can be a very exciting
moment for the singers as
well as the
listeners!Measures 72-75
is known in the business
as a “vampâ€.
It can be repeated once
and then move on, OR it
can be repeated multiple
times, depending on the
comfort level of the
soloist and the response
of the audience.It is
important that there be a
clear signal from the
conductor as to how to
end the
“vamp†and
move effectively to the
actual coda of the song.
The ending should be sung
with tight control that
only looks like reckless
abandon!Faces bright;
words clean; melody
clear; rhythms precise!
Enjoy.
Clean Up Time
