6 minute read
Featured Composers Gwyneth Walker David Conte Stephen Chatman Don Macdonald Randall Thompson Alice Parker
TWO SUFFRAGE SONGS Sister, Come By Here! SATB Chorus (divisi) and Piano The first movement of Two Suffrage Songs is an adaptation of the spiritual, “Jesus, won’t you come by here?” in which the singers call out for others to join the cause. A jaunty piano part in swing eighths supports. The choral writing is approachable and fun. Duration: 2:45 Medium
8944 $2.60
Never Sit Down! SATB Chorus (divisi) and Piano This second movement of Two Suffrage Songs is based on the spiritual “Sit Down, Sister!” Here it is revisited with a Suffragette theme; the upbeat nature of the music reflects the energy and motivation of the strong women who fought for the right to vote. The text directly refers to Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucretia Mott. The piano accompaniment punctuates and enlivens. Fun to learn and to sing. Duration: 3:15 Medium
8945 $2.60
MADRIGALS FOR THE SEASONS A Summer’s Day SATB Chorus unaccompanied A Summer’s Day strives to capture the pleasure of the freedom of movement afforded by the season. Images of nature are illuminated, climaxing in the splendor of God’s sun: “His Caravan of Red.” Duration: 2:30 Difficult
8892 $2.60
Autumn SATB Chorus unaccompanied Conjuring up vivid images of the season, this movement is an expressive Larghetto in the minor mode. The ending includes a surprise harmonic twist that expresses both the acceptance of death and the peace that it offers. Duration: 4:45 Difficult
8893
Gwyneth Walker
Love Shall Live Forever Women’s Chorus (SSAA) and Piano The special imagery in each of these poems finds its way into the musical setting. Evening Song features moonlight sparkling on glimmering waves. The Cloths of Heaven has the lover yearning to give his beloved beautiful gifts. She Walks in Beauty provides a strong close to the set, with a quote from the Song of Solomon (Set Me As A Seal) as a coda. Duration: 9:00 Medium
8917 $3.95
Also available for SATB Chorus
8833 $4.75
David Conte
Snow-flakes SATB Chorus (divisi) unaccompanied The poetic structure of this Longfellow poem is reflected in the musical phrases. Mournful harmonies on wordless syllables accompany the main melodic line. The mood is sorrowful, as the speaker searches for signs of God’s presence in the face of grief. Duration: 5:30 Difficult
8894 $2.60
Spring SATB Chorus (divisi) and Piano A celebration of the arrival of Spring, this movement explores the harmony of man with the natural world. The setting is in a lively compound meter and is the only movement with piano. This madrigal features melismas on the word “merrily,” bringing the set to a joyous conclusion. Duration: 2:30 Difficult
8895
Stephen Chatman
TEASDALE LOVE SONGS
Written for Chorus and Piano, Stephen Chatman perfectly sets six texts by beloved American poet Sara Teasdale. Her poems examine matters of love, loss, nature, happiness, peace, and drama. In response, Chatman has created a set of works unified by their careful handling of text, unexpected and fresh harmonic variety, and pianistic writing.
Listen, I love you This music of this piece draws deeply from Sara Teasdale’s text, exploring the somber words through paired, contrapuntal voices enhanced by underlying harmony and slow syncopation in the accompaniment. The middle and final sections evolve beautifully with contrasting tonal regions and undulating keyboard arpeggios. Duration: 2:00
8801 SATB Choral Score $2.05 8807 SSAA Choral Score $2.05
Love Me Soft, rolled chords of the harp-like piano accompaniment, lilting 6/8 meter, folk-like melody, and consistent homophonic choral texture all serve in this piece to highlight Sara Teasdale’s whimsical poem of brown-thrush, “April, love, and kisses.” Repetitive lines “Love me, love me, love me!” serve as uniting musical refrains. Duration: 1:45
8802 SATB Choral Score $2.35 8808 SSAA Choral Score $2.35
Oh day of fire and sun Chatman sets Sara Teasdale’s dramatic poem with excitement, speed, and extremity. The syncopated homophonic choral textures, high tessituras, and expansive gestures of the piano accompaniment serve to explore the vivid images of Teasdale’s text. Duration: 1:30
8803 SATB Choral Score $2.35 8809 SSAA Choral Score $2.35
The Mystery This poem depicts deep, lasting love while also raising a question “Can I ever know you / Or you know me?” Chatman’s expressive setting begins simply, builds in complexity, and then recedes. Duration: 2:30
8804 SATB Choral Score $2.35 8810 SSAA Choral Score $2.35
After Love The poem opens, “There is no magic any more,” establishing the theme of passing love. This setting of a poignant text emphasizes the natural rhythm of the words, mixed meters, and irregular phrase lengths. The climax embraces sustained, intense vocal lines in contrary motion, supported by an undulating piano accompaniment. Duration: 1:45
8805 SATB Choral Score $2.35 8811 SSAA Choral Score $2.35
Joy This piece is a fast, joyous outburst, with the perpetual motion of syllabic, step-wise vocal lines punctuated by staccato chords and, eventually, high arpeggio figures in the accompaniment. The song reaches a rousing climax on the optimistic line, “Now at last I can live!” Sopranos divide, occasionally into three. Duration: 1:30
8806 SATB Choral Score $2.80 8812 SSAA Choral Score $2.80
Don Macdonald
When the Earth Stands Still Chorus unaccompanied "I wrote this for my wife Allison Girvan's small but advanced youth choir, Laline... I decided to compose a song much as a contemporary songwriter would, with my own lyrics and a form based around repeating verse and chorus. This is probably one of the easiest pieces of mine to learn yet one of the hardest to perform since the long phrases require a great deal of attention to dynamics, breathing, and consistency of tone." —Don Macdonald
Alleluia Conceived at one of the busiest and most stressful periods in his life, and at a time of great international turmoil, Thompson found time and inspiration in only seventy-eight bars of music and two words- Alleluia, Amen- to create one of the most cherished and frequently performed pieces of a cappella vocal music ever written. Duration: ca. 5:45 Moderately Difficult
1786 SATB version 2593 SSAA version 2312 TTBB Version $2.60 $2.60 $2.60
The Last Words of David Chorus and Piano or Orchestra Commissioned and premiered in 1949 by the Boston Symphony Orchestra to honor Dr. Serge Koussevitsky for 25 years of directorship. Roaring ascending scales in the accompaniment reflect the great strength of this Old Testament text. The popularity of this anthem is surpassed only by Thompson's Alleluia. Duration: ca. 3:30 Moderately Difficult
2294 SATB version 2154 TTBB version $2.35 $2.35
Available separately from Melodious Accord Come, ye disconsolate
Baritone Solo, SATB Chorus, and Keyboard or Harp Medium
8950 8950A Choral Score Harp Part $2.05 $5.00
Lord, I approach thy mercy-seat
SATB Chorus unaccompanied Moderately Easy
8949 Choral Score $2.05
When I survey the wondrous cross
Alto Solo, SATB Chorus, and Keyboard or Harp Moderately Easy
8954 Choral Score 8954A Harp Part
Randall Thompson
Frostiana
Seven Country Songs by Robert Frost
Chorus and Piano OR Band OR Full Orchestra OR Chamber Orchestra Conceived at one of the busiest and most stressful periods in his life, and at a time of great international turmoil, Thompson found time and inspiration in only seventy-eight bars of music and two words- Alleluia, Amen- to create one of the most cherished and frequently performed pieces of a cappella vocal music ever written. Duration: 25:00 Medium
8160 Piano/Choral Score $11.00
Alice Parker
Alice Parker’s Melodious Accord— now available in a new edition!
This “Concert of Praise” is entirely based upon hymn tunes and texts found in the first five editions of a shape-note hymnal entitled Genuine Church Music. This cantata is divided into four movements: Welcome; Old Testament; New Testament; and Farewells.
