Four Sacred Songs

Par HERZOGENBERG HEINRICH VON. The four Sacred songs op. 89 for high voice, violin and organ were composed in 1895, when Heinrich von Herzogenberg was Professor of Composition at the Berlin Conservatory. They are dedicated to Anna Schulze, who was a colleague of Herzogenberg at the Conservatory which was headed by Joseph Joachim. Perhaps Herzogenberg’s choice of instruments for these songs was guided by his personal connection with both of his colleagues. In the religious sphere he achieved a unique transformation of the art song, represented not only by the organ accompaniment but also by the older, symbolic connotation of the violin as an angel’s instrument./ Répertoire / Choeur Mixte a Cappella

Gustav Holst has earned a place among the most revered of late 19th and early 20th century composers and is best known for his enduring Orchestral suite The Planets.But before that great work in his use of Englsh folksongs Gnostic texts and these Vedic hymns one can discern Holst’s search for a compositional Voice beyond the constraints of the European canon in the early 1900’s. Some see composition of the Vedic Hymns as a turning point in Holst’scompositional life. The quality is not completely consistent and Holst remained true to his Western musical inheritance for the most part in setting them but as art songs they are deeply felt and moving to hear.The nine songsare scored for mezzo-Soprano or baritone Voice. The texts are taken from the Rigveda one of the four sacred texts of Hinduism and the oldest religious text in the world.The first set of three comprises Ushas Varuna and Maruts or Dawn Sky and Stormclouds respectively. The second includes Indra (God of Storm and Battle) Varuna II (the Waters) and Song of the Frogs. The third group moves into the human sphere with Vac (Speech) Creation and Faith.

This definitive collection showcases twelve of the finest and most loved partsongs by Robert Lucas Pearsall (1795-1856); published in two volumes compiled and introduced by Ralph Allwood one of the UK’s pre-eminent choral directors.These works including the well known Lay a Garland In Dulci Jubilo Great God of Love and No! No! Nigella! are collected and published together for the first time. Suitable for choirs of all abilities the partsongs within this two volume collection are scored for four to eight parts and appropriate for sacred or secular usage. Beautifully engraved the original notation has been updated for contemporary use and clear rehearsalaccompaniments are provided.Both volumes will be an essential addition to any choir’s music library to be used over and over again.The Novello Choral Programme is the creation of a panel of advisors pre-eminent in the British music scene: Ralph Allwood Susan Digby David Hill Brian Kay and Barry Rose each with extensive experience in choral conducting concert work and music education. The aim is to publish essential editions from the best of the wealth of existing choral music ancient and modern while widening the repertoire with exciting new composers and new trends in music making.Ralph Allwood is one of the UK's most distinguished choral directors. He is Precentor and Director of Music at Eton College and a Choral Advisor to Novello.

There is no rose of such virtue is an anonymous mediaeval text, already well known through beautiful settings by Britten (in his Ceremony of Carols), John Joubert and others. The poem is 'macaronic' (it presents a verse in English, followed by a varying Latin refrain). This new version follows the illustrious examples above by remaining strophic and presenting broadly the same music in a succession of slightly different guises. The first verse is a straightforward four-part setting, the second gives the melody to the tenors and surrounds them with hushed, wordless writing for the other parts, and the third explores a freely canonic relationship between the tenor and soprano lines before carrying the previous verse-endings to a higher, more exalted pitch and mood. The fourth verse then expands its texture in a free climactic passage evoking the songs of praise sung by the angels. This subsides towards the final verse, where the texture of the music attenuates again to four parts, and canonic writing (based on the first four notes of the original melody) permeates all of them. This slightly extended statement leads to a hushed final cadence. Francis Pott (b. 1957) began musical life as a chorister at New College, Oxford. He held open music scholarships at Winchester College and at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he studied composition with Robin Holloway and Hugh Wood while pursuing piano studies privately in London with the distinguished British artist, Hamish Milne. Throughout the 1990s Francis was John Bennett Lecturer in Music at St Hilda's College, Oxford, and a lay clerk in the Choir of Winchester Cathedral. In 2001 he became Head of London College of Music, University of West London, later leading research across the University's Faculty of Arts and acceding in 2007 to its first Chair in Composition. Francis Pott has become recognised particularly for his sacred choral and organ music. This has been performed in concert and on radio in over three dozen countries worldwide, published by four major UK houses and released extensively on CD. Winner of four national composition awards, in 1997 he received first prize in the piano solo section of the S. S. Prokofiev Composing Competition, Moscow. In 2006 and 2011 he was a nominated finalist in the BASCA/BBC Annual Composer Awards. In summer 2012 he was winner of the international composing competition of the Cheltenham Festival, which sought new piano variations on the arioso song Bist du bei mir, well known in the arrangement by J. S. Bach. Francis lives with his wife and two children on the outskirts of Winchester. An inspiring selection of new works from a range of contemporary composers, the Novello New Choral Series offers pieces for all types of choirs, including sacred and secular works from simple, four-part settings to more expansive, yet accessible, repertoire in an exciting variety of styles. / Choeur Mixte (SATB)

(Novello New Choral Series)-There is no rose of such virtue is an anonymous mediaeval text already well known through beautiful settings by Britten (in his Ceremony of Carols) John Joubert and others. The poem is ‘macaronic’ (it presents a verse in English followed by a varying Latin refrain). This new version follows the illustrious examples above by remaining strophic and presenting broadly the same music in a succession of slightly different guises. The first verse is a straightforward four-part setting the second gives the melody to the tenors and surrounds them with hushed wordless writing for the other parts and the third explores a freely canonic relationshipbetween the tenor and soprano lines before carrying the previous verse-endings to a higher more exalted pitch and mood. The fourth verse then expands its texture in a free climactic passage evoking the songs of praise sung by the angels. This subsides towards the final verse where the texture of the music attenuates again to four parts and canonic writing (based on the first four notes of the original melody) permeates all of them. This slightly extended statement leads to a hushed final cadence.Francis Pott (b. 1957) began musical life as a chorister at New College Oxford. He held open music scholarships at Winchester College and at Magdalene College Cambridge where he studied composition with Robin Holloway and Hugh Wood while pursuing piano studies privately in London with the distinguished British artist Hamish Milne. Throughout the 1990s Francis was John Bennett Lecturer in Music at St Hilda’s College Oxford and a lay clerk in the Choir of Winchester Cathedral. In 2001 he became Head of London College of Music University of West London later leading research across the University’s Faculty of Arts and acceding in 2007 to its first Chair in Composition. Francis Pott has become recognised particularly for his sacred choral and organ music. This has been performed in concert and on radio in

Das Liederspiel. Par HUMPERDINCK ENGELBERT. When Engelbert Humperdinck’s fairy tale opera Hänsel und Gretel was premiered on 23 December 1893 in Weimar conducted by Richard Strauss, the work could look back on an extensive history of origin. Humperdinck’s younger sister Adelheid Wette (born in 1858) had displayed a great interest in literature in her youth and written a variety of poems for special occasions. In 1888, she wrote a fairy tale entitled Schneewittchen [Snow White] and her brother supplied some songs for this piece. Further fairy tale collaborations followed which were customarily performed within the family circle, and the first draft of the Hänsel und Gretel was begun in 1890. Adelheid’s husband would be celebrating his 34th birthday on 16 May of this year and his wife intended to surprise him with a performance of her version of this fairy tale. Her brother was allotted the task of composing the accompanying songs and, a month before the birthday, she wrote a letter to him in Mainz where Engelbert Humperdinck was among other activities working as an editor for the Schott publishing house, ordering a “very pretty folkloric” Tanzlied [Dance song], a Waldlied [Forest song] (or Echolied [Echo song]), a Schlummerlied [Lullaby] and a Kickericki-Lied [Cock-a-doodle-doo song] from her “dear sugar-sweet little brother... Engel-Bärtchen [angel beard]”. She enclosed the corresponding verses with the letter and “for fun” also provided her own invented melody for the Schlummerlied and rhythmic suggestions for the Tanzlied. Humperdinck went straight to work and, as related in an entry in his diary, was already able to play the songs to the director of the publishing house, Dr Ludwig Strecker, by 19 April. This was the history of origin of the four songs published for the first time edited in form of their original versions in this edition Brüderchen komm’ tanz’ mit mir, Wer ruft mir im Walde doch alles nach, In den Zweigen die Vögelein und Tirelireli! ‘s ist nicht mehr früh “for two children’s voices and piano accompaniment” (see manuscript1). In his reply letter to his sister in which the fair copy of the songs were enclosed, Humperdinck wrote: “As you see, the pitch of the melodies is not too high and I have incorporated your melodies. Let me know soon whether you like the little songs. By the way, the ‘cock-a-doodle-doo’ can also be sung on one note (E flat) instead of on the four notes of the chord.” The first performance of the song-play was held as planned within the family circle with Wettes’ two eldest daughters in the two principle roles. Spurred on by the success of the family performance, initial plans were forged to adapt the song-play into a singspiel with numerous musical numbers and rhymed dialogues; Hermann Wette participated in a draft of the text. The particell of this singspiel had been completed by Christmas 1890. Hugo Wolf and a few others however advised the composer to extend the singspiel into a through-composed fairy tale opera. Humperdinck followed this advice and worked on what he ironically termed as a “Kinderstubenweihfestspiel“ [sacred festive play for the nursery] during the next two summers in Bayreuth. Tanzliedchen [Dance song] and Morgenweckruf [Cock-a-doodle-doo song] were eventually included in the opera in a modified form. / Niveau : Intermédiaire / Répertoire / 2 Voix et Piano

16 Contemporary Works For Mixed Voices-16 contemporary sacred works for mixed voices. Exciting new choral works by some of the most highly regarded British choral composers of our time - from Jonathan Dove and Howard Goodall to Judith Bingham and Jonathan Harvey. Contemporary settings of key sacred texts such as Agnus Dei Gloria and The Lord is my shepherd for use in concerts church services and choral evensongs throughout the year. Includes accompanied and unaccompanied works for mixed-voice choirs (four to eight parts) from intermediate to more advanced level. Introduction and commentary with valuable rehearsal and performance tips by internationally acclaimed British choral conductor Simon Halsey. Allworks also available as individual choral leaflets.

Love me sweet was composed for the occasion of the composer's wedding in July 2010. The text consists of four verses taken from Elizabeth Barrett Browning's ironic poem A Man's Requirements which ends with the couplet, 'I will love thee - half a year - As a man is able.' This setting responds to the purer sentiments of the earlier verses, employing a lilting metre, a harmonic idiom and a piquant sprinkling of dissonance. An inspiring selection of new works from a range of contemporary composers, the Novello New Choral Series offers pieces for all types of choirs, including sacred and secular works from simple, four-part settings to more expansive, yet accessible, repertoire in an exciting variety of styles. Tom Wiggall is a London-based composer writing mainly for voice, stage and screen. In recent years Tom's work has taken in large-scale community opera projects, numerous anthems and songs, and music for film and television including Melvyn Bragg's ITV1 series Faith in the Frame and Channel 4's The Art Show. Tom is also Director of Music at Highgate School. / Choeur SATB

Novello New Choral Series-A Gaelic Blessing is a simple and catchy piece by Craig McLeish. This piece will be particularly useful for school junior and community choirs and a tuneful introduction to singing simple contrapuntal lines.The second soprano part repeats the tune at bar 33 and should dominate here; the first sopranos and altos should support appropriately. Ease and beauty of tone should be of paramount importance throughout.An inspiring selection of new works from a range of contemporary composers the Novello New Choral Series offers pieces for all types of choirs including sacred and secular works from simple four-part settings to moreexpansive yet accessible repertoire in an exciting variety of styles.Craig McLeish began his musical life as a chorister at St Paul’s Cathedral under Barry Rose. He began composing at the age of ten and his preces and responses for four trebles are still in the repertoire. After a degree at York University he returned to London to study at the Guildhall and sang again at St Paul’s as a tenor. At the time he also arranged and copied music for West End shows such as Les Miserables and Miss Saigon and played bass guitar for various groups. This led to a spell in the cult pop band ‘Fat & Frantic’ who shaved the top 100 twice with the whimsical anthem Last night my wife hoovered my head. He also worked as musical assistant for David Heneker (Half a Sixpence) and David Fanshawe (African Sanctus).In 1992 Craig became director of the Methodist Association of Youth Clubs Orchestra and Singers performing concerts throughout the UK and becoming involved in a number of recordings and BBC broadcasts. During this time he arranged more than 250 orchestral scores ranging from Queen to Calamity Jane Stravinsky and Stevie Wonder. Alongside this he began arranging and writing songs for children’s collections (Big Blue Planet Love Shone Down) and producing recordings and string arrangements for various artists (Sheila Walsh

The four volumes in this series are designed to contribute to musical and vocal development at the next progressive level of study . Singers using this set will be exposed to songs with wider ranges that require more vocalflexibility and vocal control. The songs in this collection represent various periods of music history as well as selected sacred solos. Compiled by Joan Frey Boytim.

Beautiful piano solo arrangements of hymns and sacred favorites featuring wonderful harmonic treatment coupled with innovative voice leading. Moderate to intermediate in difficulty. Songs include: Rock of Ages All Creatures ofour God and King Jesus the Very Thought of Thee and more. All audio for the book is available as a free download.