Kling No Klokka is a Norwegian folksong, about church bells ringing out at Christmastime. The words are in Norwegian, and the setting is for four-part choir (SATB), with organ or piano accompaniment. This arrangement was made for the Boys’ Choir at Trondheim Cathedral in Norway, the Nidarosdomens Guttekor, and their conductor, Bjørn Moe, and will […]
A tender new Christmas lullaby is combined with a solo trumpet, which begins to play “Lo, How a Rose ‘ere Blooming.” Text by Edward Caswall (1814-1878) Mary Breden led her Consort Singers of Loyola Marymount University in the premiere at their 2018 Christmas program.
“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.
Hodie/Today on Earth was commissioned by Garrison Keillor and “A Prairie Home Companion” in 2012. Based on the 15th century antiphon Hodie Christus Natus Est, the piece is a joyful Christmas song. It was written for the DiGiallonardo Sisters and the All-Star Shoe Band, and received its premiere on ” A Prairie Home Companion” on […]
O Lux is at once reminiscent of Renaissance motets and at home in the contemporary canon. The lyrical and ultimately transcendent piece features a cascading theme that is layered canonically. The piece has been performed by both high school and professional choirs.
Written for the CBSO Children’s Chorus, and first performed by them in Symphony Hall, Birmingham, with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, this light-hearted piece describes a day-dreaming shepherd boy, who suddenly finds himself drawn into the Christmas story. It has also been performed by a youth chorus in Liverpool, accompanied by the Royal Liverpool […]
Tchaikovsky’s orchestral masterpiece has lost an incredible 13,890 pounds!* Michael T Roberts and Zac Selissen—also known as Duo Symphonious—have captured the soaring grandeur of The Nutcracker in the intimately beautiful voice of two classical guitars. Hear this perennial classic refreshed with new color—and a few twists.*figure based on the average weight of a modern symphony […]
This setting of the classic Christmas carol begins with a quiet and intimate first verse that broadens out into an angelic, celebratory interlude section culminating in an exciting fanfare. The second verse features a soaring duet between tenor melody and soprano descant, but devolves into chaos as the text reflects on the world’s “babel sounds,” but […]
“Prelude and Cherubic Hymn” was commissioned by the John F. Kennedy School in Berlin, to mark the 25th anniversary of their annual Advent services held in Berlin Cathedral. It was performed by joint choirs, drawn from students, parents and faculty, and choir members of the American Church in Berlin on 29 November 2017. The piece […]
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, […]
I Sing of a Maiden (I syng of a mayden) is a Middle English poem or carol of the 15th century celebrating the Annunciation and the Virgin Birth of Jesus. The poem is written from a first person point of view, and contains five quatrains. No evidence of original music is known to exist, though […]
Rosa mystica is a sacred devotional cantata combining various texts in which a rose or flower is used as an analogy for the Blessed Virgin Mary, including the Rosa Mystica tradition, and Mary as the stem of the rose from which, arising out of the root of Jesse, grew Jesus, the Spotless Rose. In three […]
This is a small colection of original descants with complete or partial hymns. The descants are for Come, Thou long expected Jesus; O Come All Ye Faithful (descant and verse 5); Joy to the World; and See amid the Winter’s Snow (refrain with descant). ISMN 979-0-9025253-2-9
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 […]
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.
Sanford Dole’s Ave Maria is a harmonized setting of the Gregorian chant antiphon. The soprano part is a metrical version of the Gregorian chant melody. The other parts create a harmonic world that is uniquely Dole’s; what his choirs refer to as the “Dolian mode.”
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, […]
“Snowflakes” is a short, peaceful, wintry song for a cappella SATB chorus, with lyrics by Linda A. Copp. The piece was commissioned by Cantabile Chamber Chorale, directed by Rebecca Scott, for performance in their 2003-04 season. This piece is a great choice for high school and college, and the “Quartet Pack” option makes it ideal for a […]
The Magnificat (Song of Mary) and Nunc dimittis (Song of Simeon) are biblical canticles. Mary sings the Magnificat (“My soul doth magnify the Lord”) on the occasion of her visit to Elizabeth, as narrated in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:39–56). Simeon sings the Nunc dimittis (“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace”) […]
A very rhythmic drive characterizes this exuberant setting of the traditional Christmas text, “Christ is born today” set in Latin. Choirs love to sing the jazzy rhythms and harmonies that require care in tuning, but once mastered create a contemporary sound world that will energize any Christmas concert or service.
This setting of the classic Christmas carol begins with a quiet and intimate first verse that broadens out into an angelic, celebratory interlude section culminating in an exciting fanfare. The second verse features a soaring duet between tenor melody and soprano descant, but devolves into chaos as the text reflects on the world’s “babel sounds,” […]
Forget the traditional setting of “We thee kings of Orient are”! This is a much more reflective version, for choir and orchestra, given its first performance by the Nidarosdomens Guttekor in the splendid setting of Trondheim Cathedral in December 2017. They also performed the piece on their pre-Christmas tour, using just organ for accompaniment. The […]
This new setting of the Christmas/Epiphany words, “As with gladness, men of old did the guiding star behold” seeks to emphasize the joyful nature of the visit of the Magi to the Christ child. Set in a lively 7/8 time, it is mainly in four parts (SATB), although the 3rd verse, “As they offered gifts most rare” […]
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 […]
Nearly every December, Christmas sneaks up on me far too quickly, busy as I am with end-of-semester grading and final exams. I’m an admittedly nostalgic guy who unabashedly loves Christmas music, and every year I think to myself ‘I really should have written a Christmas piece this year’. Christmas 2015 followed a similar pattern, except […]
The words of this carol/motet are well-known from Britten’s teenage tour-de-force, but that double-chorus setting is out of the reach of most church choirs. The powerful text, alternating English and Latin in the style of medieval carols, warrants an additional, simpler setting. The work is suitable for concert performance, as well as for liturgical use […]
Commissioned by Richard Geiger for the Academy for the Study of St. Ambrose of Milan “Veni, Redemptor (Come, Redeemer)” is a new composition based on a hymn written in the 4th Century by St. Ambrose of Milan. The hymn was originally titled, “Intende qui regis Israel,” and the words invite Christ’s presence into this world […]
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!
Christmas Time in the Eyes of a Child is a light-hearted secular Christmas song for mixed choir (SATB) This version is for mixed choir (SATB), and also incorporates an optional part for children’s choir (in unison) if available. The piece would suit a community choir, or maybe a school choir. There is also an S(A) version for children’s choir, and […]
This very simple Christmas song is aimed at younger children. It is in unison throughout, apart from a brief optional descant part near the end. Accompaniment is for piano, and a few simple percussion instruments may be added if desired. This is the original version (GTT-025a), which refers directly to Christ’s Nativity, and is suitable […]
Commissioned premiere performance at Davies Symphony Hall (San Francisco) by the San Francisco Girls Chorus. The explosive Lang work was appropriately contrasted by the excellent, gentle and more subtle O Magnum Mysterium by Kurt Erickson. This world premiere was commissioned by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Here the “mystery” part of the thematic trinity […]
A lyrical carol for SATB choir, this Christmas piece imagines sunrise on the first Christmas morning. “O Gift of Glorious Sunrise” was premiered in Buffalo, NY in December 2015 by the Vocalis Chamber Choir (James Burritt 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.
This setting of the Anglican communion/mass service – Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei – is simple and tuneful. The writing is in the tradition of the great English composers of the 20th century. The Gloria is available as a separate anthem through Swirly. It can be performed as a general-purpose anthem or during the […]
A setting of words by Eric Gosney, When Love came to the world is an original carol suitable for use in either services or concerts. Its four verses talk of the response to Christ’s Nativity of the sleeping, unprepared world, the shepherds, the Magi and ourselves today. It is set for SATB choir with Tenor […]
This carol originated in the city of Wexford in the southeastern Republic of Ireland. It was transcribed from a local singer by the noted Irish author, composer, musicologist, and historian W. H. Grattan Flood (1859–1928). It eventually made its way into the Oxford Book of Carols. It has a modal (Mixolydian) feel, constantly shifting between […]
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 […]
This light-hearted holiday song was commissioned by a local community chorus, one of whose members wrote the words. I was asked to include a part for children’s choir, and I understand everyone enjoyed taking part. It has a simple message – to chase away the gloom, and spread light and happiness to all at Christmas […]
‘Rejoice! A Christmas Fanfare’ was written as the opening number for a series of four Christmas Concerts held in Birmingham’s Symphony Hall in December 2015. As a number of youth choirs and a community chorus were taking part in these concerts, they were all involved individually and jointly in the piece, which was built […]
Christmas Time in the Eyes of a Child is a light-hearted secular Christmas song for children, although it could be performed by adults. This version is specifically arranged for children’s choir with piano accompaniment, and can either be sung in unison or in two parts (SA). There is also a solo version and a mixed choir (SATB) version available, the […]
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 […]
(Choral SATB, divisi) When Shiloh Came is a Christmas poem by Marie Radcliffe Butler, published in 1877, associating the coming of the baby Jesus with initiating the hope of the Gospels. The birth of this work started with notes of E, F and A. Starting as a minimalist, dissonant piece, it turned out to be […]
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, […]
This a cappella arrangement of the well-known Christmas carol, “Away in a Manger” is set for SATB, and also features a soprano soloist in the introduction to each verse, at the end and (optionally) in the first verse. The tune is the one most closely associated with these words in the UK, Cradle Song, by […]
Christmas Carols with Guitar is a songbook of twelve classic carols arranged for guitar, and designed to work in two ways: as a strong accompaniment for singing, or as a set of lovely and user-friendly solo guitar arrangements at an intermediate level of difficulty. Gather the whole family, because these songs are in “the family […]
Gloria in D was premièred in December 2014 by the Bel Canto Chorus, Milwaukee in their ‘Christmas in the Basilica’ concerts. It is written for a large chorus, soprano soloist, brass ensemble, consisting of three trumpets and three trombones, timpani and organ. Richard Hynson, who conducted the première in Milwaukee, writes: “As music Director of […]
