Bright was the Star
This simple Christmas setting resulted from an international collaboration between Brian Holmes of California and Gordon Thornett from the UK. Brian’s poem has been set for mixed voices (SATB) and piano (or organ). The piece describes how the cold of winter is turned into spring by the coming of the Christ Child.
Bright was the Star received its first performances in the UK, by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and CBSO Chorus, conducted by Simon Halsey in December 2013. The orchestration is also available by arrangement with the composer.
In the recording you will hear the version for choir and orchestra.
| Difficulty: | Intermediate, Advanced Student |
| Descriptive Tags: | Light, Love, Peace, Praise, Prayer, Star |
| Sacred or Secular: | Sacred |
| Voicing: | SATB |
| Instrumentation: | Orchestra, Piano |
| Season or Event: | Advent, Christmas, Winter |
| Language: | English |
| Duration: | 1-5 Minutes |
This title is available in print or for immediate download. For both options, there is a minimum required quantity of 8 copies for choral titles. Please support self-publishing composers by ordering the quantity according to the number of singers in the ensemble that will perform the work.
Print orders are printed on demand and shipped by our printing partner, and can be expected to be processed within a few days of the order. Please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] to follow up.
Explore More Music…
Title | View | Voicing | Duration | Language | Composer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SATB | 14' | English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Among The Trees The Clearing Rests In Song and Shade I Go Among the Trees and Sit Still All the Earth Shall Sing (The dark around us, come) Three Songs for SATB Choir & Piano Words by Wendell Berry These three songs are about finding peace and unity within nature. Balance comes to many of […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SATB | 3'30" | English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The words of Job are paired with the style of the American work song or chain gang song for this a cappella SATB setting. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SATB | 4'30" | English ⋅ Latin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This setting of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ stately, mixed-meter hymn tune uses shimmering tone clusters to depict the textual themes of light and fire in the first two verses. The third verse emphasizes themes of humility and service in an earthy a cappella setting, after which a building organ interlude leads into a towering and majestic […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SATB | 5' | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This composition won first prize in the Longfellow Choral Composition Competition in 2011. I have enjoyed Longfellow’s poetry for many years–“Excelsior” in particular. However, I’ve never managed to develop a huge amount of sympathy for the poem’s protagonist. Here we have a youth who ignores the advice of everyone around him that his journey was […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SATB | 2'30" | English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This arrangement of the well known spiritual would suit a good school, college or community choir. It is light and a little jazzy in style. While it can be accompanied by piano alone, the addition of string bass and solo violin is to be recommended. Drum kit could also be an optional addition from letter […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SATB | 4' | English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I Lift Up Mine Eyes (Psalm 121) is part of the section (Psalms 120-134) of psalms called the ‘Songs of Ascents’, meaning “to sing while going up.” It is a song of thanksgiving sung by the psalm singer, possibly on the way to Jerusalem with the hills of Jerusalem in view. The psalm contains two […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SSAA | 3' | English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This inspirational piece for treble voices begins and ends with a canon. Originally written for a high school girl’s choir, it is appropriate for younger singers as well as professionals. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SATB | 2'30" | English ⋅ Italian ⋅ Neapolitan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Neapolitan Carol evokes the starry night in Bethlehem, as three travelers from afar arrive to pay homage to the newborn child. Sung in the original Neapolitan, the arrangement also includes an optional English text by the composer. At a glance: SATB • piano • c. 2’15” Difficulty: easy-moderate For HS, university, community choirs Neapolitan pronunciation […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SSAA | 2'40" | Yiddish | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Daniel Paulson and VoxMusica commissioned this beautiful a cappella arrangement of Avrom Goldfaden’s beloved Yiddish lullaby. A beautiful solo verse is followed by a lush contrapuntal setting your singers and audience will find very meaningful. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SSA | 2'45" | English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| “To Soar” was premiered on June 3 and 9, 2018 in New York City by Accord Treble Choir, directed by Liz Geisewite. A live recording appears on Accord’s 2019 album Celestial & Terrestrial. I chose this poem by Walt Whitman to fit the theme of Accord’s June 2018 concert program “On Wings.” The piece squeezes […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||