Evaluating Repertoire to Build Choral Tone
By Marie Stultz, Contributing EditorFor many conductors, selecting music has become quite a dilemma. As this editor has pointed out a number of times, the amount of music published in each cycle is overwhelming. Many conductors select music in a somewhat random fashion. Others choose music to suit a basic theme or subject idea. At the ACDA National Convention in Miami this February, I presented an interest session entitled "Score Analysis and Your Pedagogical Plan ~ Using Quality Choral Literature to Accomplish Pedagogical Objectives." The Miami Children's Chorus, directed by Timothy Sharp, sang brilliantly as we presented the concept that music selection can serve much more than simple musical programming needs.
A score can and should be evaluated and selected to train the choir, help the singers to develop and expand their singing capability. Over the past 30 years, I have identified a set of ten pedagogical areas for developing the vocal capabilities of my choirs. Most of this work was done with the treble voiced ensemble, but these pedagogical objectives can be applied to any ensemble.
TWO ROAD MAPS TO ARTISTIC SINGING
To develop and train the complete singer, you need to follow ten pedagogical objectives, organized into two "road maps." The first map demonstrates how fine diction and beautiful vowels sung on long legato lines will build a powerful unison through all three registers of the voice." This is the road map you will refer to most often with singers at all levels of development.Road Map One ~ Tone and Beautiful Legato Singing
Headtone
Diction
Mid-Range Legato
Vowels
Chest RangeEach of these six pedagogical objectives is directly related to one another. Through well-enunciated diction with beautifully centered vowels on long legato phrase shapes, you automatically build the tone of the choir in all three ranges of the voice.
Road Map Two ~ Advancing Choral Artistry
The second road map works on the singer's expanding capability, learning to interpret the score while advancing the singer's skill through accurate singing and careful observance of interpretive marks in the score.Accuracy
Articulation Artistry
Part-singing
Artistic singing occurs when the elements of pedagogy are combined into a working entity, a collaborative circle of the ten objectives. The conductor must learn to intertwine these two road maps with ease and assurance. In general, these concepts advance more quickly through unison singing.
The road maps above are taken from two of my choral literature projects: a book and ongoing website developed for Choral Excellence Press entitled Choral Excellence for Treble Voices ~ A Guide to the World's Finest Choral Literature; and a three book project from MorningStar Music Publishers entitled Innocent Sounds ~ Building Choral Tone and Artistry in Your Children's Choir.
The Ten Pedagogical Objectives
Music That Builds Headtone
Building focused, headtone singing is an important objective which conductors must constantly work on with their choirs. This is particularly true with the treble ensemble. It is important to train the singer to vocalize into the upper tessitura of the voice on a regular basis. If you are going to build a crystal-like tone quality that rings on the front of the face, you need to vocalize the choir on a regular basis from g2 to c3. As the choir grows in skill, the voice will take on greater color and richness. Select music in this area that has many d2's and rises to g2 and beyond. Music that builds headtone must have a lot of OO and EE vowels that encourage the voice to ring.Music That Builds Diction / Tone Builders
It cannot be emphasized enough that well-articulated diction is a major component in building the tone and color of your choir. We are usually taught that diction is an important factor in communicating the text so that the audience better understands the musical gesture. Fine diction is, in fact, more about vocal technique than about communicating the words. Diction automatically forces the singer to produce tones on their air. Tone building and power are direct by-products of fine diction. Well-enunciated words direct the air and tone right into the face and out the top of the head. Select music that is filled with consonant alliterations, music that is filled with hard consonants that must be evenly enunciated.Music That Emphasizes Pure Vowels
The singing of pure vowels must be a constant goal for a number of reasons. Uniform vowels add to the beauty and centered tone of your choir. Vowels that are uniformly formed among the singers directly relates to the choir's intonation. It is critical when working the choir's vowels on long notes or melismatic phrases, that they hold the first vowel shape, never the second vowel shape, in the case of diphthongs. The mouth, tongue and jaw must be sustained with the same shape just as the choir would sustain the same pitch. Beautifully shaped vowels are also part of the choir's vocal acoustic (the ability to fill the room with tone). It is extremely important that pieces in Latin be emphasized when working this area of the singer's vocal technique.Music That Encourages Legato Singing
Phrase shapes must become an important factor in developing your choir's overall artistry. The shaping of phrases is directly related to the most important words. Part of elegant legato singing is keeping the consonants connected to the vowels. With fine legato singing all of the singers need to think "the long line." Select music filled with sustained OO and EE vowels to help develop the feeling of that long, shaped phrase. In part-singing, select music where vocal parts pass off a long legato phrase to another part. This practice will also help with the concept of the "long line."Music That Enhances the Mid-range
All choirs are forced to deal with those fuzzy notes, where the voices sound muddled and not clearly focused. This usually happens in the mid-range of the voice. Pieces need to be selected that will merge the head range down into the middle of the voice, just below the break at b1. Good diction is tremendously important when developing the mid-range of the voice. Pick pieces that tell a story or have a lot of words. The more consonants the singer must produce, the more the singers will gain in power and color in this difficult area. The choir must never be allowed to shout in this range. "Shout singing" always destroys the choir's intonation.Music That Expands the Chest Range
Once your choir can produce pure, clear tones that are uniform through the head and mid-range, they need to advance to building a balanced and uniform sound through all three ranges of the voice. With the chest range, select music with lots of yawned vowels such as AH as in "father" or EH as in "bed." Teach the concept of singing from the sternum, getting the chest to fill with tones that sounds clear and open, but warm in tone quality. Early on, select music that is not relentless, but occasionally dips into this range and then back up again into the upper tessitura of the voice. Select music that will help the singers merge all three ranges.Music That Fosters Musical Accuracy
Your best inspiration in this area: GO FOR BAROQUE! Melismatic singing so frequently used in the Baroque period will build a choir's accuracy very quickly. Contemporary music with challenging rhythms and challenging intervalic relationships will also build the choir's accuracy. Select music of lesser difficulty and build to more complex or difficult scores as the choir grows in capability. In order to be successful, the choir must always be stretched.Music That Stresses Score Articulation Marks
Composers use performance road maps, a shorthand that directs us how to interpret the score. In order to build a choir's artistry, the singers must learn to follow that shorthand carefully and accurately. Select music that is filled with extremes in dynamics, music with articulation marks and tempo changes that everyone must follow. Training the choir to interpret these marks will distinguish your choir from an ordinary choir that just sings through the music. With early music, these marks were not placed in the score. Interpretation of these scores must fall to the conductor to shape and determine. Here is where fine editions come into play.Music That Develops Part-singing
This is an area that must be carefully thought out. Singing in parts is not a shouting match! It is an artistic phenomenon of great beauty when the singers feel secure. In trying to advance the part-singing capability of the choir, start with simple canons and descants. Advance to more difficult music as the choir improves. The key here is to strike a careful balance between music that is too challenging, and music that is too easy, where the joy of fine part-singing is taken away. Select music that will advance your choir step by step. Music in this category should have a lot of imitative characteristics, where the harmonies are in thirds, and advance in difficulty as the singers mature.Music That Advances Choral Artistry
In general, extended works fall into this category. Singers need the challenge of music that is in multiple movements with artistic contrasts. Select music in this category that contains at least six of the pedagogical elements and ideally might contain all of the other nine elements in both road maps. When your choir can point out something you missed, that the composer carefully put into the score, then your choir has truly come of age.All conductors need to learn how to analyze and categorize the scores into the various pedagogical areas. When putting your music into a pedagogical category, it will force you to concentrate on that pedagogical goal during the rehearsal. All of a sudden, your choir will advance by leaps and bounds. This method will go a long way toward building the vocal technique and artistic capability of your choir. Make every effort to have one or more pieces from each category of the first road map in your choral folders. If you are going to build an artistically successful choir with rehearsals and performance that are filled with challenge, your score selection needs to be motivated by more than simple programming. You need to have a pedagogical purpose.
New Releases ~ Sacred All My Spirit Longs to Savor (Ach wie hungert mein Gemüte), by Johann Crüger (1598-1662) and George Frideric Handel (1685-1759), English/German text, Augsburg, 0-8006-3886-7, SATB & keyboard. This famous tune, "Schmüke dic," was originally written by Johann Crüger. It was later revised and orchestrated by Handel for one of his Oratorios. The German text is by Johann Franck (1618-1677). Two English verses are used in this edition. The first verse is a translation of the German by Martin A. Seltz. The second English verse is taken from the "Lutheran Book of Worship." The source of this fine edition, with organ transcription by Bruce Bengston, uses as its source the "Brockes Passion of 1716." Composed homophonically, this is a very accessible anthem and gives a choir a perfect opportunity to sing in German. Difficulty rating 3. $1.60
Behold, I Make All Things New, by Robert J. Powell, English text, Paraclete Press, PPM00712, SATB & organ. This fine anthem is filled with effective suspensions and prayerful harmonies of great beauty. The piece opens with all the voice parts singing in unison. It quickly moves to homophonic passages that are rich in tonal harmonies. The anthem closes on powerful harmonies that drift into a gentle prayer-like state, with a divisi in the bass parts. Set to an adapted text from Revelation, the piece can be used for any time of year, but would work especially well during Lent. Difficulty rating 3. $1.60
Canticle of Praise, by Robert Kyr, English text, ECS, 6390, SATB (divisi) a cappella. This anthem requires an accomplished choir that can easily sing parts with crossing voices. The texts are from Psalms 23, 148, and 150, which have been freely adapted by the composer. The majority of the divisi sections are in the soprano and bass parts. It will require accomplished singers with wide ranges to handle the complex counterpoint. The canticle is filled with wide ranges in dynamics that add to the expressive nature of the setting. Composed in 2004, this almost eight minute work will require a great deal of study if it to sound artistic. The piece concludes with great power on a double forte with the sopranos singing a b2. Difficulty rating 5. $3.10
Earth and All Stars!, by David N. Johnson, arr. William D. Spurlock, English text, Augsburg, 0-8006-3881-6, SATB & piano. This is a fine setting of this popular hymn tune by David Johnson. It is dedicated to another fine composer, Ron Nelson. The piece opens in unison between all the parts. It follows with a unison verse sung by the women's section. The third verse is set canonically, which works quite well between the men and women. The last verse is set in thirds in simple homophonic style. This is the perfect anthem to choose on a Sunday when there is limited rehearsal time. It will work very well with a small choral ensemble. Difficulty rating 2-3. $1.60
How Good It Is to Sing Praises, by Leo Nestor, Latin/English text, ECS, 5780, SATB & organ (oboe and English horn or trumpet in C and flugelhorn, string orchestra or quintet & organ). This beautiful anthem opens with an instrumental introduction that appropriately sets the stage for the sopranos and altos singing chant-like passages in unison to a Latin text. Filled with lush harmonies and challenging counterpoint, the piece's changing meters will require careful study. The anthem is composed homophonically with some diverging counterpoint, which adds to the effect of this celebration of music. Adapted from "The Book of Common Prayer," this is a powerful setting of verses taken from Psalm 147. The piece was composed in 1999 with revisions in 2006. It is approximately 6½ minutes in length and is perfect for a festival where large forces are available. Difficulty rating 4. $3.10
Kad'sheinu B'mitzvotecha (Sanctify Us With Your Commandments), by Ben Steinberg, Hebrew text, Transcontinental Music, (dist. Hal Leonard), 00191545, SATB, cantor & organ. Steinberg writes well-crafted, serious music, and this piece is no exception. Commissioned by Congregation Beth Israel in Houston, Texas, this hauntingly beautiful setting of a liturgical text is appropriate for synagogue or a concert setting. Opening in unison on a melody of haunting beauty, the piece quickly moves into some contrapuntal passages that frame the cantor's part, which is effectively ornamented. The edition includes program notes, translation, and a pronunciation guide. Difficulty rating 3-4. $2.00
Lo V'chayil (Not By Might), by Elliot Z. Levine, Hebrew text, Transcontinental Music, (dist. Hal Leonard), 00191556, SATB a cappella with soprano and tenor descants. Although the holiday of Chanukah celebrates a military victory and a miracle of light, the text, "not by might, not by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts," is an important part of the liturgy of Chanukah. This phrase from Zechariah 4:6 reminds us that the truest way to salvation must be via the spirit of God, and not exclusively the use of force. This setting gains its powerful effect through chant-like bass and alto parts, effective descants, and a simple melody, set homophonically and in a canon. Program notes, translation and pronunciation guide accompany the edition. Difficulty rating 3-4. $2.00
O Sing to the Lord, by Andrew Carter, English text, MorningStar, 50-5101, SATB (divisi), soprano solo & organ. This glistening, powerful setting of Psalm 98:1, 5-8 (4-7) is a fabulous choice for a festival or evensong. The text versification is brilliantly done with full, rich chords of great beauty. The use of unison passages, in contrast to effective harmonic passages, simply adds to the power and expression of the text. The switch from A Major to C Major is handled with harmonic ease. The organ part requires an accomplished player who can negotiate the connecting passages between the choral sections. This is a real winner from this fine composer. Difficulty rating 4. $1.90
Pange Lingua (Sing, O Tongue), by Anton Bruckner, Latin text, GIA publications, G-6481, SATB a cappella. This fine edition by James Jordan demonstrates in simple terms the genius of Bruckner's musical writing. This simple setting on an E Phrygian Scale is filled with exquisite mystery and passion on long phrases of great beauty and power. Set in three verses to a powerful text by Thomas Aquinas (1227-1274), this accessible anthem is a wonderful introduction to this great and masterful composer. A translation, pronunciation guide, harmonic solfège analysis and program notes accompany this edition. The translation of the English text is by Ron Jeffers. Difficulty rating 3. $1.50
Psalm 67, by David Ashley White, English text, Paraclete Press, PPM00710, SATB a cappella. This setting of the famous Psalm is taken from "A Child's Bible" by Ann Edwards. Composed for Gregg Smith and the Gregg Smith Singers, this powerful setting rings right off the page. Filled with harmonies of great beauty on changing meters, the piece expands in dimension both rhythmically and harmonically. Perfect for concert or a church setting, the anthem will make an enormous impression on both singers and audience. It is crafted with great beauty, filled with tonal color on expansive phrase shapes. It requires an accomplished choir, but would be powerful when programmed in a festival setting. Difficulty rating 4. $2.10
The Day of the Lord Will Come, by Daniel Pinkham, English text, ECS, 6563, SSATB & opt. organ. Composed in 2006 and dedicated to Helen T. Taylor, this homophonic setting of 2 Peter 3: 7-10 is filled with miraculous shifting harmonies that put you on the edge of your chair. Pinkham's composition voice in the last period of his life is filled with true brilliance. The twists turns in the melodic fabric are wonderful to hear and behold. This short, two-minute piece is filled with staggering, wonderful moments of tonal color only Pinkham can write. He will be missed but his music will live on forever. Difficulty rating 4. $1.45
TREBLE VOICES~SACRED
A Gaelic Prayer, by David M. Lowry, English text, Paraclete Press, PPM00716, unison & organ. This simple setting of a famous Gaelic prayer is ideal for the intermediate choir, working the chest and mid-range of the choir, and connecting these more difficult ranges with the head range. Set in D Major, it rises nicely into the head range as it builds in power and dynamics. Although simple, it is not recommended for the young choir, in which there might be a tendency to shout. The piece would be appropriate for working the unison sound of a women's chorus. Difficulty rating 2. $1.60Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost, by Malcolm Archer, GIA Publications, G-6492, SA & keyboard. From the Royal College of Music Series for young voices, this anthem is set to works by Christopher Wordsworth (1807-1885). This piece contains crossing voice parts that will develop the choir's partsinging capability. The unison writing in the mid-to-head range will build an even tone quality. Difficulty rating 2. $1.50
O heilge Nacht, by Franz Liszt (1811-1886), Latin text, Carus-Verlag, 40.711/10, SSA, tenor solo & organ or keyboard. This Christmas song had it first performance on December 25, 1881, after the composer's death. It was published in Berlin in 1882. The piece is set in 6/4 meter with a quiet Lento marking. The tenor solo is framed by the treble voices acting as an accompaniment. It is often composed in two parts with a lot of doubling between the voice parts. The carol closes in a quiet unison that redefines the word peaceful. This is an exquisite setting of the text that is set mostly a cappella. The organ part acts as a connector between the graceful voice parts. Difficulty rating 4. $2.50
O Lord, Remember, by Jane Marshall, English text, ECS, 6367, unison voices & keyboard. This touching, anonymous text is from a prayer found in a chapel in Norwich Cathedral in England. It was originally written on a common piece of wrapping paper found in Ravensbruck, the largest concentration camp for women in Nazi Germany. Composed for women's chorus or for solo mezzo soprano, this touching setting is filled with great humility and a prayerful solace. It is completely appropriate to program with children's voices, which would add poignancy to this quiet plea for forgiveness. Difficulty rating 3. $1.45
O salutaris hostia I, by Franz Liszt (1811-1886), Latin text, Carus-Verlag, 40.711/20, SSAA & organ. Composed for female voices, this piece had its first performance after the composer's death in 1869. It was published in 1871 by Regensburg and dedicated to F.X Haberi. Like a lot of Liszt's choral music, the organ part is quite sparse, with the voices singing a cappella between the connecting tissue of the accompaniment. Wide in range, this piece is best programmed with the advanced treble ensemble or woman's chorus. Difficulty rating 4. $2.50
Oster-Hymne, by Franz Liszt (1811-1886), Latin text, Carus-Verlag, 40.711/40, SAA & organ or keyboard. This single movement in honor of Mary Magdalena is taken from the Christus-Oratorium. As in the previous piece by Liszt, the organ functions as a link connecting the a cappella vocal sections. The opening "alleluia" is composed on unison voices. The piece alternates between unison singing and simple partwriting. Difficulty rating 3. $2.50
Tantum ergo, by Franz Liszt (1811-1886), Latin text, Carus-Verlag, 40.711/30, SSAA & organ. This Tantum ergo was originally written for men's voices and arranged for women's voices later. Composed homophonically, the organ part for this piece is more supportive of the voice parts. This particular anthem requires an alto section with a good low range, and would be more appropriate for women's voices. Difficulty rating 4. $1.95
Three Yiddish Chanukah Songs for Treble Choir, arr. William Zukof & Elliot Z. Levine, Hebrew/Yiddish/English text, Transcontinental Music (dist. Hal Leonard), 00191555, SSA & keyboard. Included in this collection are arrangements of Mi Zeh Hidlik, Boruch Tate, Zingt der Tate and We Come to You Children. These fine arrangements are part of the Western Wind Music Series from Transcontinental. The edition includes a pronunciation guide and program notes. These pieces are perfect for schools or in a concert environment. Difficulty rating 3. $2.75Veni Sancte Spiritus (Come, Thou Holy Spirit Bright), by Randall Giles, Latin/English text, Paraclete Press, PPM00707, unison, handbells & tabor. Set in 10 verses, this anthem is constructed around three themes. A great choice for working Latin diction, it is also ideal for working the mid-to-head range of young singers. The piece uses 14 handbells and requires an accomplished ensemble of players. Based on a sequence hymn for Pentecost by Pope Innocent III (1161-1216), the English translation is by Rev. Dr. Charles P. Price by permission. Difficulty rating 2. $1.60
We See God's Glory All Around Us, by Hal H. Hopson, English text, MorningStar, 50-5100, unison, keyboard & handbells. This simple anthem is appropriate for both the beginning and intermediate choir. The lyrical original melody set to a text by the composer. Set in A-B-A-B-C form, the two verses plus refrain help the young singer merge the mid-and-head range. The C section quotes the great hymn, LASST UNS ERFREUEN, taken from "Geistliche Kirchengesäng," a collection first published in Köln in 1623. This anthem is part of the newly revamped series "Innocent Sounds Treble Chorus Series." Difficulty rating 2. $1.50
Down by the Riverside, arr. Brant Adams, English text, Santa Barbara Music, SBMP 678, TTBB & piano. This challenging arrangement calls for an accomplished male chorus that can sing the piece in the proper style. It is filled with syncopated rhythms, effective key changes, humor and swing-like sections that will entertain the audience and singers alike. Difficulty rating 4. $2.35
O coruscans lux stellarum (O sparkling light of the stars), by Frank Ferko, Latin text, ECS, 6562, TTBB (divisi) a cappella. Filled with haunting harmonies, this is a wonderful original piece set to a text by the first published woman composer in the world, Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179). Ferko's obvious reverence for this fine composer shines through the music. Chant-like in style, the piece will sound luminous on men's voices. Filled with changing meters and lyrical contrapuntal phrase shapes, this piece is a must for the accomplished male chorus. Ferko is also a scholar of the great French composer, Olivier Messien, and the two influences shine through this music with great brilliance. This piece quotes Hildegard's original chant freely with some variations by Ferko. This is a must for the accomplished male chorus. A six-minute work, program notes are included in the edition. Difficulty rating 4. $1.75
They Shall Hunger No More (from Revelation of St. John), by Dominick Argento, English text, Boosey & Hawkes (dist. Hal Leonard), 48019307, TTBB & piano. Set to a text from Revelation, this is a simplified version of one movement from a major work composed in 1968. It is a dramatic, dark movement that is unbelievably haunting. The piece opens in unison with uncanny shifts in the melody. The octave unisons in the opening 32 measures are extremely powerful. Difficulty rating 4. $1.80
Climbin' Up the Mountain, Children!, arr. Rollo Dilworth, English text, Hal Leonard, 08745955, SAB & piano. Commissioned by the 2006 Sing a Mile High Children's Choral Festival in Denver, Colorado by the Young Voices of Colorado, the piece, this arrangement uses rhythmic and melodic kernels that are repeated to build the musical structure. The melody is first introduced by the men, with the various elements building in structure and sound with the help of the sopranos and altos. This is the perfect choice to use with the middle choir and would be an ideal selection for a festival or honors choir. The entire arrangement shifts from spiritual to gospel style. Difficulty rating 3-4. $1.70
New Releases ~ Secular Bai Mir Bisti Sheyn, by Sholom Secunda, arr. Josh Jacobson & Art Bailey, Yiddish/English text, Transcontinental Music (dist. Hal Leonard), 00191552, SATB, 3 female solos, clarinet, keyboard & opt. drums. Secunda was a well-known composer for the Yiddish theater, and after Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin wrote new English lyrics for this song, it was a 1938 hit for the Andrews Sisters. This arrangement is filled with wonderful images on lighthearted phrase shapes, and should be great fun to sing. The clarinet part suggests the swing bands of the 30's and 40's. This edition has program notes, translations and a Yiddish pronunciation guide. Difficulty rating 3-4. $3.00
Baj, Baj, Baj (Trouble, Trouble, Trouble), arr. Stephen Hatfield, Hungarian/English text, Boosey & Hawkes (dist. Hal Leonard), 4809412, SATB a cappella. This is a fine setting of this Transylvania folksong often used at weddings. Hatfield has created in the vocal parts a string band sound that would typically accompany this type of tune. This piece requires a real stylistic performance typical of the region. The arranger has included extensive program notes and performance suggestions to build the appropriate style, and a translation of the text. No pronunciation guide is provided, but the English translation can be used if you have no one available to help with the Hungarian diction. Difficulty rating 4. $1.80
Dover Beach Revisited, by Dominick Argento, English text, Boosey & Hawkes (dist. Hal Leonard), 48019171, SATB & piano. This is another breathtaking piece by this great composer, famous for his operas and his Pulitzer Prize winning song cycle From the Diary of Virginia Woolf. Filled with exquisite harmonies and wave-like phrase gestures, this is set to the famous poem by Matthew Arnold, which was also set as a famous solo song by Samuel Barber. The rhythmic complexities on changing meters require an accomplished choir. That being said, the text versification is brilliantly conceived. Moving from tonality to atonality, the unusual harmonic changes add to the beauty of this setting, in which the piano is written sparsely and independently of the voices. The piece closes in quiet resolution in unison that splits into a surprising b flat seventh chord that makes your skin crawl. This great piece is worth every effort to learn and perform with great artistry. Difficulty rating 4-5. $1.95
Grandmother Moon, by Eleanor Daley, Santa Barbara Music, SBMP 683, English text, SATB (divisi) a cappella. Composed homophonically on poignant harmonies, this is a fine setting of a text by Mary Louise Martin, who resides on a small island in British Columbia. She is part of the Mi'kmaq people, the first people to occupy Nova Scotia. Set in a minor, this reverent piece is filled with some wonderful moments. In typical Daley style, the text versification is impeccable. Difficulty rating 4. $1.60
Still wie die Nacht (Calm as the Night), by Karl Bohm, arr. Robert Sieving, German/English text, Santa Barbara Music, SBMP 688, SATB & piano. This arrangement of the famous solo song by one of Germany's leading 19th century songwriters is quite nicely realized. The English version of the German translation was done by American Harvard graduate Nathan Haskell Dole (1852-1935), and has been a popular translation for years. This tuneful piece is often sung in English. This arrangement for four parts carefully takes its lead from the harmonies in the piano part. It has been arranged in the original key of D Flat Major. Difficulty rating 3-4. $1.65
The Irish Cliffs of Moher, by Daniel Brewbaker, English text, Boosey & Hawkes (Hal Leonard), 48019312, treble voices, SATB, uilleann pipes, bodhran & string orchestra (or piano). This is the second movement of larger Irish cantata entitled Out of the Mist, Above the Real. It was given its premiere under the baton of Doreen Rao in Maymouth, Ireland in 2002. Brewbaker has drawn over 30 years of life experiences to create this work, set to a text by Wallace Stevens. Filled with rhythmic and intervalic challenges, the piece requires accomplished choirs of both treble and mixed voices. Difficulty rating 4-5. $2.25
The Wheel, by David L. Brunner, English text, Boosey & Hawkes (dist. Hal Leonard), 48019168, SATB & piano. This wonderful piece set to a text by Wendell Berry that describes dancing and the beauty of couples joining with others, is filled with challenging rhythms. Set in the key of C Major, it opens in unison between the voice parts with the piano playing arpeggios. Much of the choral writing must be sung a cappella or with a piano part written independently of the voices. Difficulty rating 3-4. $1.95
Child of the Pure Unclouded Brow, by Henry Mollicone, English text, ECS, 6424, unison, solo & piano. Set to a text by Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) and William Luce, this simple piece will build the mid-range singing of a young choir. Set in the key of F Major in 4/4 time, it is the ideal vehicle to teach simple music reading skills. Difficulty rating 2. $1.45
Crióme mi madre (from "Four Spanish Lullabies"), by Francisco J. Núnez, Spanish text, Boosey & Hawkes (Hal Leonard), 48019280, SA & guitar. Composed in the mid-range of the voice, this lullaby is filled with off beat rhythms. Much of the piece is composed in unison with some simple part writing that will be excellent for teaching part-singing. Program notes, translation and pronunciation guide are included in the edition. It is set to an anonymous Spanish text. Difficulty rating 3. $1.70
Moh lee hwah (Jasmine Flowers), arr. B. Wayne Bisbee, Chinese text, Santa Barbara Music, SBMP 677, SA, piano, hand chimes & finger cymbals. This simple Chinese folksong will be easy to learn as you introduce the choir to Chinese diction. Pentatonic in structure, the simple descant will quickly train the young choir to sing in parts. A translation and pronunciation guide is included in the edition. Difficulty rating 2-3. $1.60
Windy Nights (from "Two Windsongs"), by Imant Raminsh, Boosey & Hawkes (Hal Leonard), 48019414, SSAA & piano. This beautiful piece is the second movement composed for the Contra Costa Children's Chorus entitled "Two Windsongs." It is set to a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson and is marked "mysterious." The piece opens in unison but quickly moves into harmonies that at times are quite complex. The piano and oboe parts require accomplished players. The piece is filled with imitative layers that build in power. The canonic structure of some of the phrases will help with the learning of this challenging piece. Difficulty rating 4. $1.80
EXTENDED WORKS
The Evening Star, by Valerie Shields, English text, ECS, 6401, SSA (divisi), flute & piano. This four-movement work is set to a text from the seventh century BC, written by Sappho, one of the few women poets whose writings have survived from ancient Greece. The edition contains a pronunciation guide and translation of the text. The first movement, "The Evening Star," is composed in a straightforward fashion, mixing the ancient Greek with the English translated by Mary Barnard. It is homophonic in structure. The second movement, "Awed by Her Splendor," is filled with changing meters on challenging intervalic relationships, with phrases composed contrapuntally. The third movement, "Tonight I've Watched Moon," also has shifting meters and is constructed homophonically. The final movement is a reprise of movement one. The six minute piece is filled with shimmering beauty. Difficulty rating 4. $3.70
Three Nonsensical Songs, by Andrew Carter, English text, MorningStar, 50-5300, SA (divisi) & piano or full orchestra. This fine extended work is the first in a set of new editions in the Innocent Sounds Treble Chorus Series. All three movements of this brilliant piece are published separately and as a collection of three, with full orchestral score for sale and orchestral parts available as a rental. The first movement, "They Went to Sea in a Sieve," is set to a wonderful text by Edward Lear (1812-1888). It contains contrapuntal lines filled with humor and sea-like phrase shapes that cleverly describe the text. The second movement, "Beautiful Soup," is set to a famous humorous poem by Lewis Carroll (1832-1898). This short movement begins in unison but quickly moves to homophonic partwriting, with some challenging but amusing harmonies. The final movement, "The Elephant Is a Bonnie Bird," is cleverly set to an anonymous text with additional text by the composer. This nonsense text about an elephant who "builds his nest in rhubarb tree" will have everyone laughing at some of the images of this whacky poem. The orchestral writing is brilliant and adds to the amusing images. The piece received its premiere on March 5, 2005 at the Adler Theatre in Davenport, Iowa, with a second performance on March 6 at Centennial Hall in Rock Island, Illinois. It is an ideal work to program with large forces and a good second extended work to include on that same program and add to the entire programs amusement would be Scott Wheeler's Whiskers and Rhymes which is also filled with great humor and requires string orchestra, solo violin and percussion. Both pieces are about 15 minutes in length, making a fabulous last half of a concert. Difficulty rating 4. $5.00
Difficulty Ratings Guide: All selections reviewed in The Choral Room are given a difficulty rating to help you select the music most appropriate for your singers. 1 - easy; 2 - accessible; 3 - medium difficulty;4 - advanced difficulty; 5 - extreme difficulty