SKU: CF.CM9734

ISBN 9781491161142. UPC: 680160919734. Key: A minor. English. Basque Carol.

A Basque Carol (also known as Gabriel's Message) holds a special place in Western music. The carol originates from Basque country around the 13th century, based on the Latin hymn, Angelus ad Virginem (likely of Franciscan origin). The tune quickly spread throughout Europe, finding popularity in Britain where it was even referenced in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales: Playing so sweetly that the chamber rang; / and Angelus ad virginem he sang. . .. Interestingly, the melody we know and love today is derived from the original Basque version. In my view, this tune is a perfect example of melody-crafting. It is at once hauntingly beautiful, yet warm and joyous. Its contours are complex, dramatic, yet singable. I believe this melodic accessibility is the key to the song's lasting popularity. I would also attribute A Basque Carol's continued popularity to its elegant translation into English (by Sabine Baring-Gould, who rediscovered the original Basque tune). Translations often risk sounding unimaginative, coarse, and blunt. This translation is strikingly different. It was graced with an especially poetic translation including lines such as his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame. I am very excited to offer a new perspective on this classic carol, joining the tradition of composers preserving and reimagining a priceless medieval melody. My first goal was to create a flowing, richly-textured, even cinematic string accompaniment for the choir. This approach was very much inspired by the dense, string-writing style of English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. My second goal was to make the arrangement flexible enough to be performed with only choir, only strings, or (best of all) both ensembles combined. To further complement this approach, I've added an obligato line for a solo recorder (solo flute or violin work just as well). If you listen carefully, you will hear a quote from my other favorite holiday carol, Jesu Bambino. I hope you enjoy performing A Basque Carol. I especially hope that you sense the ancient magic cast into this tune, hearing the ineffable qualities that have compelled us to sustain it for nearly a millennium. Whether you're a choir, a string orchestra, or a combined ensemble, this arrangement of A Basque Carol will surely be a haunting and lovely addition to your next holiday program!.
A Basque Carol (also known as Gabriel’s Message) holds a special place in Western music. The carol originates from Basque country around the 13th century, based on the Latin hymn, Angelus ad Virginem (likely of Franciscan origin). The tune quickly spread throughout Europe, finding popularity in Britain where it was even referenced in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales:  “Playing so sweetly that the chamber rang; / and Angelus ad virginem he sang. . .”.Interestingly, the melody we know and love today is derived from the original Basque version. In my view, this tune is a perfect example of melody-crafting. It is at once hauntingly beautiful, yet warm and joyous. Its contours are complex, dramatic, yet singable. I believe this melodic accessibility is the key to the song’s lasting popularity. I would also attribute A Basque Carol’s continued popularity to its elegant translation into English (by Sabine Baring-Gould, who rediscovered the original Basque tune). Translations often risk sounding unimaginative, coarse, and blunt. This translation is strikingly different. It was graced with an especially poetic translation including lines such as “his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame.”I am very excited to offer a new perspective on this classic carol, joining the tradition of composers preserving and reimagining a priceless medieval melody. My first goal was to create a flowing, richly-textured, even cinematic string accompaniment for the choir. This approach was very much inspired by the dense, string-writing style of English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. My second goal was to make the arrangement flexible enough to be performed with only choir, only strings, or (best of all) both ensembles combined. To further complement this approach, I’ve added an obligato line for a solo recorder (solo flute or violin work just as well). If you listen carefully, you will hear a quote from my other favorite holiday carol, Jesu Bambino.I hope you enjoy performing A Basque Carol. I especially hope that you sense the ancient magic cast into this tune, hearing the ineffable qualities that have compelled us to sustain it for nearly a millennium. Whether you’re a choir, a string orchestra, or a combined ensemble, this arrangement of A Basque Carol will surely be a haunting and lovely addition to your next holiday program!

SKU: BT.EMF100023

SKU: BT.MUSMFK100089

ISBN 9781780385556.

Music For Kids: Jingle Bells features 18 favourite Christmas tunes with melody line and chord symbols, ideal for Guitar, Ukulele and Recorder. The pack is ideal to encourage your child to sing, with fun backingtracks on CD featuring sing-along versions of all the songs.

• Audio CD of all of the songs
• Library of Guitar and Ukulele chords
• Fun-filled activity pages with Christmas scenes and stickers

SKU: CA.411281

ISBN 9790007253646. Key: D minor. Church Slavonic/German.

Dimitri Stepanowitsch Bortniansky (1751-1825) seems to have composed the majority of his liturgical works and most of his Sacred Concertos in the 1780s and 1790s, before he was appointed Kapellmeister to the court ensemble in St. Petersburg. Heidi Kirmsse has added a German singing text to the five most popular pieces from the complete volume (CV 4.111). The festive Concerto no. 6 Ehre sei Gott in der Hohe is for Christmas, and no. 9 Heut ist der Tag, den Gott, der Herr, gemacht for Easter. No. 15 Lasst uns singen, kommt herbei is in the major key and is a very effective piece. Tchaikovsky edited Bortniansky's sacred works and is said to have particularly admired no. 32 O lass mich, Herr, mein Gott, erkennen mein Ziel. Bortniansky himself probably best liked no. 33 Sag, meine Seele, warum verzagest du? The work was sung at his funeral.

*addition to the choral repertoire with works from the Orthodox liturgy/ Eastern Europe
*includes the original Church Slavonic text underlaid (in transliteration).
*effective solo/tutti alternations.

SKU: HL.14013753

Distracted With Care And Anguish (Insanae Et Vanae Curae) is a motet for four voices. The accompaniment for Great Organ has been arranged by Joseph Barnby.

Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was an Austrian composer who became the figurehead of the classical movement. He formed a close and mutually respectful relationship with Mozart, and later taught Beethoven, but it was his compositions that left an indelible mark on the musical landscape of Western Europe.

SKU: CA.9700312

ISBN 9790007238766. Language: Latin.

Following his death, Pergolesi's last larger composition, the Stabat Mater of 1736, immediately became one of the most popular sacred works of the late baroque-early classical era. Numerous publications made this icon of Italian sacred music known throughout Europe. It was arranged by, among others, J. S. Bach (Tilge, Hochster, meine Sunden, BWV 1083), J. A. Hiller and Abbe Vogler. The most popular arrangement was the one made around 1800 for the Vienna Court Kapelle, in which Antonio Salieri, Franz Xaver Sussmayr and I. X. Ritter von Seyfried added woodwind instruments and obbligato trombones to the string accompaniment. In addition the 2-part texture of the upper voices in the original was arranged for 4 parts with obbligato soli. It was only in this opulent, sonorous version, which Otto Nicolai and three composer colleagues offered to 19th century Viennese music lovers. The piece is of medium difficulty. In the Viennese version it is a rarity that offers an enrichment to the repertoire for choirs wishing to discover something new. Score and part available separately - see item CA.9700300.

SKU: HL.50490228

ISBN 9790080145531. UPC: 884088531638. 7.5x10.75x0.365 inches. Hungarian, English, German. Sandor Veress; Melinda Berlasz.

Volume II of the collected edition of the choral works of Veress contains seven Hungarian folksong cycles or cantatas, a choral poem in Hungarian and a choral cycle in English. In his first creative period (1929-1939), which he spent in Hungary, Sandor Veress's direct involvement in Hungarian folk music research played a decisive part: his folksong experience gained through personal collecting work found expression in his first period of composition for mixed choir. In the course of the 1960s, after his emigration, he returned on two occasions to the a cappella mixed choir genre: in 1962 he wrote a piece for mixed choir to mark the 60th birthday of the great Hungarian poet Gyula Illyes (Oda Europahoz - Ode to Europe, based on the poem by Illyes), and in 1967, at the request of the Australian Radio Company, he composed for the 'Adelaide Singers' chamber choir Songs of the Seasons, a seven-movement madrigal cycle making exceptional demands on the performers, to verses by the Australian poet Christopher Brennan (1870-1932).

SKU: AP.48401

UPC: 038081552248. English.

This retro blast from the past made its debut in the 1984 fantasy movie of the same title and went on to hit the top of the pop charts in the U.S. and throughout Europe. Featured prominently in the season 3 finale of Stranger Things---as the kids from Hawkins, Indiana attempt to save the world . . . again. Alan's awesome arrangement promises to be an easy-to-teach singer favorite!

About Alfred Pop Choral Series

The Alfred Pop Series features outstanding arrangements of songs from the popular music genre. These publications provide exciting, contemporary, and educationally-sound arrangements for singers of all ages, from elementary through high school, to college and adult choirs.