If Ever There Is

for SATB choir a cappella

by Rich Campbell

“If Ever There Is” is a setting of “John’s Song,” by American poet Robert Creeley (1926-2005). The poem has a dedication to the poet John Taggart; the style of wordplay and repetition here can also be found in Taggart’s poetry. I hear it as a prayer for peace. In 1967 Creeley signed a “Writers and Editors War Tax Protest,” an ad in which over 500 vowed to protest the Vietnam War by refusing to pay a 10% war tax. “If Ever There Is,” is entirely derived from the opening melody, made up of seconds and thirds; these intervals are almost exclusively used as the work unfolds. In the first half of the piece, the choir works together, sounding an insistent plea. In the second half, the parts move more independently. We move from minor to major as the voices dream of a time when we can experience life without war. “If Ever There Is,” was a 2013 Essentially Choral selection & workshopped by VocalEssence, Philip Brunelle & Francisco Núñez.

SKU: RCL-004 Categories: Choral Music, Mixed Voices Instrumentation: Choral

Instrumentation:	A Cappella
Descriptive Tags:	Peace, Poetry, War
Difficulty:	Advanced
Sacred or Secular:	Secular
Voicing:	SATB
Language:	English

$2.50

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.

Choose Format

Clear

Quantity

Explore More Music…

	Title	Voicing	Duration	Language	Composer
	Ave verum corpus for SATB a cappella CHR-1606	SATB	2' 10"	Latin	Fawcett, David	Info/Listen/Buy »	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 […]
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 […]
	British Folksongs Medley for SATB choir and piano GTT-027		6'45"		Thornett, Gordon	Info/Listen/Buy »	These simple folksong arrangements were made for two community choirs based in Selly Oak, Birmingham, but they would be equally suitable for school choirs or other groups. Included are well known songs from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, which are woven into a continuous piece lasting about six and a half minutes. The medley starts […]
These simple folksong arrangements were made for two community choirs based in Selly Oak, Birmingham, but they would be equally suitable for school choirs or other groups. Included are well known songs from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, which are woven into a continuous piece lasting about six and a half minutes. The medley starts […]
	Elegy On The Death Of Leonard Bernstein for mixed choir a cappella JBN-019	SATB	1'30"	English	Bernstein, Jeffrey	Info/Listen/Buy »

	Lucis Creator Optime for SATB chorus unaccompanied SPN-015	SATB	3'30"	Latin	Paxton, Steven	Info/Listen/Buy »	A melodic, prayerful, and emotionally engaging setting of the ancient Latin hymn text attributed to Pope St. Gregory the Great (540-604), Supreme Creator of Light. Lucis Creator optime, Supreme Creator of light, lucem dierum proferens, Bringing forth each day’s dawn, primordiis lucis novae, Creating anew the primordial light, mundi parans originem: Which first shown when the […]
A melodic, prayerful, and emotionally engaging setting of the ancient Latin hymn text attributed to Pope St. Gregory the Great (540-604), Supreme Creator of Light. Lucis Creator optime, Supreme Creator of light, lucem dierum proferens, Bringing forth each day’s dawn, primordiis lucis novae, Creating anew the primordial light, mundi parans originem: Which first shown when the […]
	O Magnum Mysterium for a cappella SATB choir SDE-003	SATB	3'15"	Latin	Dole, Sanford	Info/Listen/Buy »	Using jazz-influenced harmonies Dole seeks to capture the mystery implied in the text. Adding the text Noe, and omitting the concluding O beata Virgo verse, the piece builds to a peppier Noel! section before returning to the opening O magnum music and leaving the audience with the quiet chords of the mystery of the scene […]
Using jazz-influenced harmonies Dole seeks to capture the mystery implied in the text. Adding the text Noe, and omitting the concluding O beata Virgo verse, the piece builds to a peppier Noel! section before returning to the opening O magnum music and leaving the audience with the quiet chords of the mystery of the scene […]
	One Silver Star for mixed voices, a cappella CME-017	SATB	3'	English	Mallonee, Caroline	Info/Listen/Buy »	A new choral piece depicting the Christmas star shining as the three Magi make their way to Bethlehem. Words by the composer. Commissioned by the San Francisco Choral Artists, and premiered in 2023 with Magen Solomon conducting.
A new choral piece depicting the Christmas star shining as the three Magi make their way to Bethlehem. Words by the composer. Commissioned by the San Francisco Choral Artists, and premiered in 2023 with Magen Solomon conducting.
	Shenandoah for SSA choir and optional piano accompaniment JDM-003	SSA	3'40"	English	Durham, Jennifer	Info/Listen/Buy »	“Shenandoah” is a new, rich arrangement for women’s voices. The piano accompaniment is optional but does provide support and some additional harmonies. Your women’s choir or trio will find “Shenandoah” to be well worth the effort. This piece is an excellent concert choice and would also be very appropriate for contests, festivals, and literary events.
“Shenandoah” is a new, rich arrangement for women’s voices. The piano accompaniment is optional but does provide support and some additional harmonies. Your women’s choir or trio will find “Shenandoah” to be well worth the effort. This piece is an excellent concert choice and would also be very appropriate for contests, festivals, and literary events.
	Tonight I Can Write for mixed choir a cappella JBN-010	SATB	5'	English	Bernstein, Jeffrey	Info/Listen/Buy »

	Wexford Carol for Mixed choir, flute, tambourine RBT-009	SATB	3'	English	Bernhardt, Ross C.	Info/Listen/Buy »

	Zoom for SATB a cappella MRS-006	SATB	3'00"	English	Roberts, Mike	Info/Listen/Buy »	I was composer-in-residence with International Orange Chorale in San Francisco in 2020, when the world shut down and all of life, it seemed, moved online to this video conferencing thingy called Zoom. Like everyone else, I was trying to figure out how this platform worked, how life was going to go from now on, and […]
I was composer-in-residence with International Orange Chorale in San Francisco in 2020, when the world shut down and all of life, it seemed, moved online to this video conferencing thingy called Zoom. Like everyone else, I was trying to figure out how this platform worked, how life was going to go from now on, and […]