Score-String Quartet No. 3 was commissioned in 1971 by the Julliard School for the Julliard String Quartet. It subdivides the ensemble into two duos which play contrasting movements both individually and at the same time exploring feelings of rivalry and cooperation. Elliott Carter (1908-2012) was a highly regarded American composer who continued writing innovative music into his 11th decade. His early influences included Charles Ives Gustav Holst Aaron Copland and Nadia Boulanger with whom he studied in Paris in the 1930s. He was known for always adapting and changing with the times and became more and more popular as his stature grew throughthe decades.

Par L'ESTRANGE ALEXANDER (Arr.). Simple Gifts has been sung to numerous different lyrics (particularly Sydney Carter’s 1960s hymn Lord of the dance) and the tune is very well known, thanks to its use in Aaron Copland’s score for the ballet Appalachian Spring, first performed in 1944. Elder Joseph Brackett – a shaker from Maine – originally wrote it as a ‘dancing song’ in 1848. This arrangement by Alexander L’Estrange is appropriately simple and beautifully effective. This piece is part of the Faber Choral Singles series, offering a selection of beautifully crafted arrangements in a diversity of musical styles. From Broadway, pop and folk to spirituals, gospel and original works, the series is arranged for 3-part choir (soprano, alto and a combined male-voice part) providing flexibility for any choir. Complete with straight-forward piano accompaniments supporting the vocal lines, the Faber Choral Singles series guarantees the perfect repertoire for every occasion – so get exploring and get singing! / Choral Music / Répertoire / Voix Mixtes SAB et Piano