In the poem “Psalm of the Sky,” Rabbi Rachel Barenblat reimagines “The Lord is My Shepherd” (Psalm 23) in a contemporary context. Performers may highlight the many instances of text painting and create contrast between moments of gentleness, boldness, and carefree movement. The last verse of Psalm 23 is included in Hebrew as a coda […]
Hildegard’s ecstatic praise of the Holy Trinity is mirrored in this expressive setting, built on an original chant inspired by Hildegard’s music. Premiere given 5/20/22 in Leipzig by Neue Kammer + Friends, conducted by Franziska Kuba.
This joyous Spiritual proclaims a fervent belief in “Freedom’s Song”, and its infectious, jaunty, rhythm- coupled with a simple, yet unforgettable melody make this a perennial favorite in the canon of slave songs. Absolutely appropriate in the context of a religious service, or festival choir performance in a secular setting.
Deep peace of the running wave to you.Deep peace of the flowing air to you.Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.Deep peace of the shining stars to you.Deep peace of the Son of Peace to you. (Words adapted from an ancient Gaelic blessing)
This carol was first published in 1833 in a collection entitled “Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern”. William Sandys, a solicitor by day and music & manuscript collector by night, purportedly came across the tune in Devonshire, England. In this gentle setting from 1991 many colors of choral writing appear with sections for SATB, 3-part men, […]
Composed and written for The Calling All Choir while at the Chalk Hill Artist Residency in Healdsburg, California. My first night at the residency I woke up before dawn. The previous evening I was enjoying the sounds of crickets chirping. I expected to hear them that morning, but instead I was met with silence. I […]
Also popularly known as “The Ryans and the Pittmans,” this song recounts the romantic entanglements of a sailor named Robert “Bob” Pittman. It is based on the English sea shanty “Spanish Ladies,” which has a number of variants known to sailors from New England to Australia. Most of the verses in this version may be […]
This setting is ideally suited for a good chamber choir with a high soprano soloist. Julie Myers’ beautiful poem suggests to the composer a journey from darkness to light, from despair to hope, and this is reflected in the music, which should be performed simply, but with expressiveness and conviction.
This setting of the Gloria text in English is excerpted from a longer Anglican communion/mass service — Communion Service in D — also published on Swirly (including settings of the Hosanna, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei). The Gloria is a simple, tuneful arrangement that can be performed as a general-purpose anthem or during the Christmas season. […]
The Children’s Hour is a setting of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem of the same name (first published in 1860) composed by Alberto Roque Santana for the Bowdoin Chamber Choir during the summer of 2011. The work is written for an actor, soprano solo, mixed choir and piano, and the composer writes that “the weight of the […]
ROY G BIV: The Colors of The Rainbow, for unison children’s chorus (grades 2-8) and piano is an easy, fun, upbeat, and educational song about the visible part of the spectrum. The title stands for “red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet”; the conventional mnemonic for the colors of the rainbow. Newton found white light splits up […]
This original anthem is suitable for all occasions and offers a gentle, contemporary setting of the text used by Anton Bruckner in his well-known composition of the same name composed in 1869. “This place was made by God, a priceless sacrament; it is without reproach.” Genesis 28:16 Exodus 3:5.
This energetic setting of Gloria in excelsis Deo, from the Latin Mass, opens with rhythmic patterns that enhance the text. Midway through, the chorus softly occults between two simple chords under an alto then baritone soloists. The opening patterns return before a fugal section at the text “cum santo spiritu.” The final Amen is another […]
This composition was composed for the New Haven Chorale in Connecticut. It was premiered at the Connecticut Chorus Conferences at Yale University.The poem begins with the question, “Little Lamb, who made thee?” The speaker, a child, asks the lamb about its origins: how it came into being, how it acquired its particular manner of feeding, […]
The voice of the English-speaking working classes is preserved in the rich body of song that developed in the centuries leading up to the Industrial Revolution and in the years surrounding the Great Depression. The songs abound with hope, despair, delight, passion and humour. This original collection of 12 folk-inspired rounds borrows lyrics from English […]
Redbirds is a lyrical setting of Sara Teasdale’s poem, evoking nostalgia and wonder through a gently folk-like melody in the Mixolydian mode. The piano suggests the chirping of cardinals as the text recalls a vivid memory—sunlight, hills, and redbirds singing above the Mississippi River—ending with a touch of wistful reflection. At a glance 2 equal […]
Gorgeous Blue Eyes comes from a larger set entitled the Four Wedding Songs which was dedicated as a wedding gift to Stephen and Stacey Squier on the eve of their wedding on July 29th, 2010. The four movements of the work were inspired by the tradition to give a bride “something old, something new, something […]
This is a straightforward setting for choir and organ/keyboard of an Appalachian carol found by John Jacob Niles (1892-1980). Niles was an American composer, singer, and collector of traditional ballads. He discovered this carol in Mayfield, Kentucky in 1933. Niles was an important influence on the American folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s, […]
This communion motet, setting the famous 14th century words attributed to Innocent VI, took the prize in the Composition Competition of The Wessex Festival in August 2016. It has since been sung in venues including Ripon Cathedral, UK. Set largely homophonically for SATB choir without divisions, its well-structured melody is complemented by the texture created […]
KONIKONECO (TTB) is a traditional call-and-response song of the Teso people, who live in eastern Uganda and in western Kenya. The lyrics, from the Atesolanguage combined with borrowings from other languages and dialects, roughly translates as “Let us celebrate our schools, our learning, and our empowerment.” The piano accompaniment suggests the arpeggios typical of Ugandan hand-held harps (a’dungu). Other […]
This sweet and gentle setting of a classic Southern Harmony hymn features the Alto section in its first verse, then opens out into a joyful depiction of the sensation of flight. The second verse features birdcalls in the piano accompaniment. Recording by First Readings Project. This recording is of the SATB version of the piece, […]
Three short poems by Sara Teasdale – 1) Grey Eyes, 2) Did You Never, 3) Nightfall – from her collection Flame and Shadow, are the basis of this set of choral songs, all bearing on a relationship, including tender, poignant, and playful emotions.
This piece was written for the Boston Children’s Chorus for the Martin Luther King Celebration on National ABC Television. Recorded on there second CD sounds Harmony in 2009 and available from CD baby. “Dreams” It’s about building community and breaking down barriers. The song that you will hear aim to tell a story and teach […]
A traditional text for Psalm Sunday in the Christian Calendar. However, since it is also found in the Psalms, it is appropriate for uses at other times, especially for festive, celebrative occasions. Church choruses love this exuberant setting as do congregations. Organists will appreciate opportunities to shine as well.
KONIKONECO (3-Part Mixed chorus) is a traditional call-and-response song of the Teso people, who live in eastern Uganda and in western Kenya. The lyrics, from the Ateso language combined with borrowings from other languages and dialects, roughly translates as “Let us celebrate our schools, our learning, and our empowerment.” The piano accompaniment suggests the arpeggios […]
“Snow Globe Upon a Sill” is a New Year’s piece. Using the childlike metaphor of a snow globe, the work is a tender and moving reflection on transition and the possibility of renewal that comes at the close of one year and the start of another. Perfect for a winter concert! Also available from Swirly […]
This new setting of the traditional Latin prayer features traditional harmonies and a simple unhurried rhythm, providing ample space for prayer and contemplation of the one blessed among women.
“Cantemus in omni die” is a setting of a hymn to the Virgin Mary written by Cú Chuimne Sapiens, an Irish monk active at Iona by the early 8th century (died 747). It is the earliest known Latin hymn to Mary originally composed in the Western Christian Church rather than translated into Latin from earlier […]
Sim Shalom is a solemn Hebrew prayer in D minor accompanied by piano or organ. It is ideal for a worship setting and has often been used for that purpose, though the lyrical choral refrain and soprano/tenor solos can work well for any choir that would prefer to focus on just a few phrases of […]
Chanukah Candle Blessing is an original SATB setting of the traditional Jewish prayer recited before lighting the menorah. Short, not difficult, and sung in Hebrew, this piece is appropriate for winter concerts and synagogue use. Click on Soundcloud above to listen to an excerpt. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech ha-olam a-sher ki-de-sha-nu be-mitz-vo-tav ve-tzi-va-nu le-had-lik […]
This is a tuneful, contemporary setting of a multi-verse carol for choir a cappella using an original melody. It starts with a statement by the alto section and gradually adds parts and harmonic variations. The unusual time signature of 5/4 provides a lilt and propels the piece forward. All parts sing the melody along the […]
As is often the case with my work, this music seemed to naturally grow out of the text—a haunting medieval poem about the death of Jesus Christ. The poem’s enigmatic symbolism and otherworldly affect resulted in what was for me an unusually mysterious and ethereal composition. Some of the inspiration for the work came from […]
A dramatic setting of the classic Russian folk song. Good for developing singers, but also a good choice for some lovely unison singing with more advanced ensembles.
“Snow Globe Upon a Sill” is a New Year’s piece. Using the childlike metaphor of a snow globe, the work is a tender and moving reflection on transition and the possibility of renewal that comes at the close of one year and the start of another. Perfect for a winter concert! Also available from Swirly […]
Charles Wesley’s hymn text based on the story of Jacob wrestling with the angel depicts a deeply human struggle for truth and understanding. This a cappella setting of the text grows with the building intensity of Jacob’s determination, finally breaking into the joy of revelation and reassurance in the final verse.
About the Coventry Litany of Reconciliation On the night of 14th November, 1940, Coventry and its Cathedral endured a one-off, but relentless, bombing campaign. Overnight, the ‘Moonlight Sonata’ offensive destroyed much of central Coventry, hundreds of its people and left its Cathedral in ruins. Only the outer shell of the walls and the tower remained […]
This is a simple a cappella setting of William Blake’s poem, ‘Little Lamb, who made thee?’ The two verses are set for SATB, with an optional soprano solo at the beginning. It was written for Sutton Coldfield Chamber Choir, but is suitable for a group of any size, from quartet upwards!
This work received second place in the 2015 Ithaca College Choral Composition Competition. It sets a poem by A. E. Housman which was not published until after his death. In 1895 Oscar Wilde was imprisoned for two years for being a practicing homosexual, a crime in England at that time. Housman’s poem, while seemingly tongue-in-cheek, […]
“O Child” is written from the perspective of Joseph and Mary, imagining what they might have been thinking and feeling when they first beheld the newborn baby Jesus. Composer Michael T. Roberts also penned the words, inspired by his experience as a father of two.
SATB a cappella settings of three ancient Latin texts in a style reminiscent of Renaissance polyphony, but mixing dissonant and tonal harmonies in a challenging but singable texture. Melodies are often disjunct, even passing from section to section, but always lyrical and poignantly expressive. De castitatis thalamo, virgo virginum, and Ave Maria. Ave Maria also […]
