Written for The Singers, Newcastle Upon Tyne, a choir
of approx. 25 beautiful clear voices! There is a live
recording of the first performance of this piece by the
Singers in the YouTube video below.
I thought "While Shepherd’s watched" presented some
good opportunities for word painting, so I’ve made a
very different modernised version using word painting
throughout.
When angels appear there are high ethereal sounds;
"glory" sounds mysterious, "round" goes around (up and
d...(+)
Written for The Singers, Newcastle Upon Tyne, a choir
of approx. 25 beautiful clear voices! There is a live
recording of the first performance of this piece by the
Singers in the YouTube video below.
I thought "While Shepherd’s watched" presented some
good opportunities for word painting, so I’ve made a
very different modernised version using word painting
throughout.
When angels appear there are high ethereal sounds;
"glory" sounds mysterious, "round" goes around (up and
down); "mighty dread" and "troubled minds" are very
troubled; "great joy" breaks that mood and is of course
very joyful and positive; "to you in David’s town"
etc. is a narrative section as it is telling a story;
"in a manger laid" sounds like someone gently laying a
baby in a crib (to me, anyway!); more high ethereal and
"glory" type shining music as seraphs and angels
appear; then this resolves to a peaceful ending on the
"peace on Earth" passage. The end is meant to sound
like something going on for ever and ever as the
sopranos and basses hold the chord on "peace" and "good
will" while inner parts move up and down through each
other with "begin and never cease" and "good will hence
forth" intertwining.
The YouTube video is the first public performance. It's
a little quieter than I intended to start with, but
gets going well later. At the end I go to shake hands
with the conductor and nearly wipe out the Sopranos...
SHEET MUSIC