SPRING 2003 NEW ISSUES
DAVID MOONEY IRISH CHORAL SERIES
This New Issue brings the fourth installment of the DAVID MOONEY IRISH CHORAL SERIES. The first three installments of Mooney’s stunning arrangements of Irish traditional music last spring, fall and winter were an instant success. As head of the keyboard department of the Conservatory of Music and Drama at Dublin Institute of Technology, Mooney is well known in Ireland and the UK where his arrangements have appeared on record, TV and radio.
Those items which can be sung only in Irish Gaelic have an English text transliteration underlaid, and a complete IPA pronunciation guide as well as an English translation in the front matter. All items in this installment are appropriate for multicultural concert occasions, and are of moderately easy to moderate difficulty.
Those items with treble voicing may be performed by children or adults.
Rug Muire Mac do Dhia (Mary bore a child for God)
Solo Voice, SA & Organ • #6049 • c. 4:15
“Mary bore a child for God, Jesus Christ, the lord of the heavens; Her virginity endures for all time, The woman most revered by the blind.”
USE: Christmas
• moderately easy
• church or concert use
• church, high school, college, community, professional choruses
Lord of the Dancing Day (Lord of the Dance/My Dancing Day)
(A Stainer & Bell publication distributed by ECS Publishing)
SATB, Harp or Keyboard, Flute or Piccolo, Violin and optional Percussion
ECS Publishing #3.3400 • c.3:40
“Dance, then, wherever you may be; I am the Lord of the Dance, said he, And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be, And I’ll lead you all in the Dance, said he.”
The set of parts, #3.3401, is available from ECS Publishing.
USE: Christmas
• moderately easy
• concert use
• high school, college, community, professional choruses
SACRED CHORAL
DAVID CONTE [b. 1955]: O magnum mysterium
SSATBB • #5888 • c. 3:00
Commissioned by the San Francisco Choral Artists, Magen Solomon, Conductor, O magnum mysterium is a setting of the famous, ancient Latin text that in translation reads, “O Great mystery, and wondrous sacrament, that mere animals witnessed our Lord’s birth, lying in a manger bed. O blessed Virgin, whose womb was chosen to carry our Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia.” As is often the case with settings of this text, this one features an exultant, extended Alleluia as the closing section.
USE: Christmas
• moderately difficult
• church use only
FRANK FERKO [b. 1950]: Magnificat
SATB & Organ • #5990 • c. 8:50
“My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.” This setting of the Magnificat was commissioned by the South Bend Chamber Singers, Nancy Menk, Music Director, for a performance at the Christmas at Loretto concert on December 16, 2001, at the Church of Our Lady of Loretto on the campus
of the College of St. Mary, South Bend, Indiana. Sung in English to words from The King James Bible, this setting features haunting, unique, chromatic vocal melodies and harmonies and a striking organ part that is at times soloistic and at other times accompanimental.
USE: Christmas, general
• moderately difficult
• church use only
ELLIOTT GYGER [b. 1968]: Creator alme siderum
SAATBB • #5778 • c. 3:30
Elliott Gyger is new to ECS Publishing. This setting of Creator alme siderum was written for Jennifer Lester and the Parish Adult Choir at St. Paul Catholic Church, Cambridge, Massachusetts. They gave the first performance on Sunday, December 3, 2000, as part of their annual Advent service of Lessons and Carols.
While the melody of this setting is that of the familiar plainchant hymn, the rhythmic values have been recast to accommodate natural word stresses rather than the metrical stresses of the original poetry. The piece may be sung either in Latin or in English.
USE: Advent
• moderately difficult
• church use only
ARTHUR MAUD [b. 1932]: Ave plena gracia
SSATB • #5869 • c. 3:30
“Ave plena gracia, Dei mater Maria. Hail be thou, Mary most of honour, thou bare Jesu our Saviour, Maria, Ave plena gracia.” This work was written as a commission for Dr. Stanford E. Lehmberg and the choir of St. Clement’s Episcopal Church, St. Paul, Minnesota, and performed for the first time by that group at the Advent Lessons and Carols service of 1983. The composer in his capacity of Artistic Director of Concentus Musicus Minnesota (specializing in the performance of music written before 1650) had performed much of the 15th century English carol repertoire as found in the Ritson, Selden and Egerton manuscripts. He chose a text from Ms. Egerton 3307 in the British Museum (now the British Library) that seemed to reflect the liturgical and academic inclinations of the choir and its director. One of the performance venues of the medieval carol is thought to have been the academic or ecclesiastical collegiate banquet or feast. The present musical setting is essentially more worshipful and varied than the 15th century settings, some of which might be described as “rollicking,” although verse two does continue that tradition somewhat.
USE: Advent
• moderately easy
• church use only
LEO NESTOR [b. 1948]: Virgin Great and Glorious
SATB & Organ • #5658 • c. 2:40
Set to a text by Ephrem of Syria (c. 303–373) as translated by Jeremy Ashton in the New Catholic Hymnal and with a Latin refrain from the Dominican Nuns of Summit and a translation by Leo Nestor, this set of energetic variations on a strong Basque melody and refrain is flavored with lush harmonies in the chorus and dancing organ figuration.
“Virgin great and glorious, Bearing God’s own Son for us, Far above things of earth, Shine your purity and worth. Ave mater Domini! Filium laudemus Dei! Ave, Mother of the Lord! Sing the Son, by all adored.” [The refrain may be sung in Latin or English.]
USE: Christmas
• Annunciation and Marian feasts
• moderately easy
• church and Christmas concert use
DANIEL PINKHAM [b. 1923]: Christmas Jubilations (Piano/Choral Scores)
I. Tecum principatus
II. Lux fulgebit
III. Hodie nobis de cælo
IV. Verbum caro
V. Hodie Christus natus est
SATB & Piano • #5974 • c. 14:00
SA or TB & Piano • #6158 • c. 14:00
Daniel Pinkham’s Christmas Jubilations is a worthy successor to his celebrated Christmas Cantata. It is scored for SATB (or SA or TB) chorus and wind quintet or piano. Each of the five movements can be performed separately. The settings of familiar Latin texts (a translation is included) range from the mysterious to the
lustiness of a mediaeval English carol. Wind parts areof moderate difficulty. The choral parts are challenging but extremely brilliant and have great audience appeal.
The score and parts for Wind Quintet (Catalog Nos. 5972, 5973, respectively) are available from the publisher.
USE: Christmas
• moderately difficult
• church or concert use
• good church, college, community, or professional choruses
JULIAN WACHNER [b. 1969]: Introit for the Season of Epiphany
SATB • #5825 • c. 2:00
“O Lord open thou our lips and our mouth shall show forth thy praise. The Lord hath manifested forth His glory. O come let us adore Him. The earth is the Lord’s and He made it. O come let us adore.” (The Book of Common Prayer, adaptation by Julian Wachner.) Although it is brief, this practical, attractive setting still manages to showcase the unique voice of this dynamic composer.
USE: Epiphany
• moderately easy
• church use only
SECULAR (MAYBE SACRED*) CHORAL
Mixed Chorus — Christmas Carols
*(Many of these carols can be used as anthems during Christmas season services.)
JAMES MCCULLOUGH [b. 1939]: How Far Is It To Bethlehem?
SATB • #6036 • c. 3:10
New to ECS Publishing, James McCullough resides in Malden, Massachusetts. Composed to the well-known text by Frances Chesterton, How Far Is It To Bethlehem? was first performed at Harvard University, The Memorial Church, on December 19th and 20th, 1999, by the Harvard University Choir, conducted by Dr. Murray Forbes Somerville.
USE: Christmas
• moderately easy
• church or concert use
ROBERT CONVERY [b. 1954]: Christmas Daybreak
SATB • #6025 • c. 3:30
Robert Convery is new to ECS Publishing. Christmas Daybreak, on a poem by Christina Rossetti (1830– 1894), was commissioned by The Bridge Ensemble, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in a series of commissions for newly composed Christmas carols. This carol has been performed many times since its creation and first performance which was given by The Bridge Ensemble, Donald Nally, Director, in December, 1996.
USE: Christmas
• moderately easy
• church or concert use
• church, high school, college, community, professional choruses
FRED GRAMANN [b. 1950]: Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow
Solo Voice, SATB • #5873 • c. 2:50
“There’s a star in the East on Christmas morn, Rise up, shepherd, and follow.
It’ll lead to the place where the Savior’s born, Rise up, shepherd, and follow.”
This lovely setting of the celebrated African-American Spiritual was premiered at the American Church in Paris. The solo may be sung by a male or female voice, or by several or all of the first sopranos.
USE: Christmas
• moderately easy
• church or concert use
• church, high school, college, community, professional choruses
DEREK HEALEY [b. 1936]: From Our Happy Home
SATB & Organ ad lib. • #5986 • c. 1:30
Derek Healey is new to ECS Publishing. Set to a text by Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888), the tempo for this Christmas piece, Allegro giocoso, describes the mood the composer has tried to evoke in this four-verse paean. The melody is in the soprano in the first verse, the tenor in the second, the bass in the ATB third verse, and in the final verse it returns to the soprano voice while the bass sings a repeated four note “bell” motif in its highest range.
USE: Christmas
• moderately easy
• church or concert use
SECULAR CHORAL
Mixed Chorus — Christmas
GWYNETH WALKER [b. 1947]: Rejoice! (A Medley of Christmas Carols)
1. What Child is This?
2. Love Came Down at Christmas
3. Good Christian Friends Rejoice!)
SATB & Orchestra or Piano • #6067 • c. 11:00
Rejoice! was commissioned by Marilyn Haugen Roverud for The Juletide Festival 2001, Luther College. It was premiered November 28, 2001 in Decorah, Iowa by the Luther College Choirs and Orchestra, Timothy Peter, Conductor. It is a set of new musical settings of three traditional Christmas carols or poems. The intent is to explore the dramatic character of each song.
“What Child is This?” focuses on the question aspect of the lyrics: “What child is this...?” Therefore, the answer: “This, this is Christ the King!” is delayed until after two verses. The first round of questions are posed by the men, with the women’s voices interjecting additional phrases of “What child, what child is this?” The second verse reverses the roles. Then comes the much-anticipated refrain. The third verse presents the chorus in static harmonies, while the accompaniment provides the rapid, “shimmering” patterns reflective of the lyrics: “So bring him incense, gold and myrrh...” The final refrain (answer) is triumphant.
“Love Came Down at Christmas” is a new setting of the poem by Christina Rossetti. Here, the image of descending (from the title) is the focus of the introduction, marked “gently, as love descending from heaven, or snow falling.” The pattern of step-wise descent is then taken up by the chorus. The essence of this song is
gentleness and simplicity. The tonality throughout is C Major, and the meter is 4/4. At the end, while the chorus holds the final chord, a little cadenza is heard in the accompaniment - perhaps a single snowflake descending at Christmas time.
A bridge passage leads into Good Christian Friends Rejoice! This is a joyful, lilting song. Many repetitions of the word “Rejoice!” are included. The tempo is quick. And the chorus is called upon to sing with as much energy as possible.
(One small note for the astute listener: the composer, a resident of a family-owned dairy farm, often inserts cows into the lyrics of her songs.)
Rejoice! was composed during the summer of 2001 at the composer’s studio on the Brainstorm Dairy Farm in Braintree, Vermont.
INSTRUMENTATION: 2 Flutes, Piccolo, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets in B-flat, 2 Bassoons, 4 Horns in F, 3 Trumpets in C, 3 Trombones, Tuba, Timpani (doubling on Glockenspiel), 2 Percussion, (Percussion 1: Triangle, Suspended Cymbal, Tambourine, Percussion 2: Cowbell, Crash Cymbal, Bass Drum), Organ (or Keyboard), Strings.
The full score and parts are available on rental from the publisher.
USE: concert
• moderately easy
• high school, college, community, professional choruses
SECULAR CHORAL
Mixed Chorus — Chanukah
ROBERT APPLEBAUM [b. 1941]: Three Pieces for Chanukah
(total duration: c. 10:30)
1. Oh, Chanukah/Y’mei hachanukah
SATB • #5902 • c. 3:15
2. Maoz tzur
SATB • #5903 • c. 3:45
3. Funky Dreidl (I Had a Little Dreidl)
SSATB • #5904 • c. 3:30
Robert Applebaum is new to ECS Publishing. Three Pieces for Chanukah is not so much a set of arrangements of familiar words and tunes than it is a set of original compositions based on them. The first two settings feature jazz-influenced, classical harmonic and melodic treatment of the tunes. The mood of the first setting is upbeat and the mood of the second one is more subdued. The mood of the third setting is extremely upbeat; it is composed in a straight funk style, albeit contrapuntal. The front matter to each edition features program notes, a pronunciation guide for the Hebrew words and the Hebrew and English texts.
USE: concert
• No. 1 is moderately easy, Nos. 2 & 3 are moderately difficult
• good high school, college, community, professional choruses
SECULAR CHORAL
Mixed Chorus — 9/11 Remembrance
DAVID CONTE [b. 1955]: O Sun from “September Sun”
SATB (divisi) • #6086 • c. 7:00
Set to a text by John Stirling Walker, September Sun for SATB chorus (divisi) and string orchestra was commissioned in memory of those who perished on September 11, 2001, by St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, New York City, William Trafka, Director of Music. The work was premiered on September 15th, 2002.
O Sun is the unaccompanied movement from this work.
Orchestration for September Sun: Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Violoncello, Contrabass (Minimum number of string players - 3/3/2/2/1).
Duration of each movement: I. Prelude - 2 minutes, II. O Sun - 7 minutes, III. In New York - 7 minutes, IV. Postlude - 2 minutes. Total duration: 18 minutes.
The full score and parts are available on rental from the publisher.
The piano/choral score (Catalog No. 6085) is available from the publisher.
USE: 9/11 remembrance
• moderately difficult
• good high school, college, community, professional choruses
VOCAL
Children’s Voices
ALINE SHADER [1936-2002]: Ten Songs
Children’s Voices & accompaniment • #6140 •
1. Una Luna Brilla (Children’s Voices & opt. Xylophone & Rhythm Instruments)
Full Score (Catalog No. 6141)
Xylophone Part (Catalog No. 6142)
Vocal Part (Catalog No. 6143)
(The remaining songs are for Children’s Voices & Piano)
2. Bicycles (Catalog No. 6144)
3. A Catchy Tune (Catalog No. 6145)
4. Fanfare for Young Voices (Catalog No. 6146)
5. Happy Birthday, World (Catalog No. 6147)
6. Lullaby to the Trees (Catalog No. 6148)
7. A Nice Little Piggy (Catalog No. 6149)
8. Partners (Catalog No. 6150)
9. When Phoebe Claps Her Hands (Catalog No. 6151)
10. You and I (Catalog No. 6152)
Aline Shader was well known in music education circles in the greater Boston area, both as a talented teacher and as a prolific composer of children’s songs.
Una luna brilla has been recognized on the national level by the Music Educators National Conference (MENC).
This collection of ten brief songs, which spans the years 1973-2001, all feature very catchy melodies and easy-to-play accompaniments. This songbook provides a representative cross-section of the creative life of this composer.
(All catalog numbers listed above are also available separately from the publisher.)
USE: classroom, school and community concerts
• easy to moderately easy
ORCHESTRAL WITH VOICES
JULIAN WACHNER [b. 1969]: Canticles
I. Introduction
II. Adagio and Fugue
III. Adagio
IV. Aggressive Allegretto
V. Nunc dimittis
Soprano Solo, SATB Solo Quartet,
SATB Chorus & Chamber Orchestra • #5845a • c.17:00
SATB Choral Score • #5845
Completed in 1994, Canticles is a stirring, five-section work: The texts for Part I (Psalm 2) and Part V (Nunc dimittis) are from The Book of Common Prayer, adaptation by Julian Wachner. Parts II-IV feature texts by Shelli Jankowski- Smith.
INSTRUMENTATION: Flute doubling Piccolo, 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets, Percussion (3 players), Piano, Harp, Organ, Strings.
The full score and parts are available on rental from the publisher.
The closing section, Nunc dimittis, is available seperately from the publisher in a version for SATB chorus divisi unaccompanied, #5830.
USE: concert
• difficult
• full study score
• composer’s facsimile edition
INSTRUMENTAL
Organ
DEREK HEALEY [b. 1936]: From the Gaelic
(Ten Preludes on Irish Melodies)
1. Slane I (Lord of all hopefulness)
2. Bunessan (Morning has broken)
3. Caoineadh na marbh (Alas, grief at night and in the morning)
4. Slane II (Lord of all eagerness)
5. Fanad Head (They are all gone into the world of light)
6. Wexford Carol (an Intermezzo) (Good people all, this Christmas-time)
7. Slane III (Lord of all kindliness)
8. Cormac (For the might of thine arm we bless thee)
9. Peacefield (Divisions) (Jesus, Lord, we look to thee)
10. Slane IV (Lord of all gentleness)
Organ Solo • #6127 • c. 17:15
Derek Healey is new to ECS Publishing.
This work was originally conceived to be played as a complete unit—each movement following the previous one without a break. However, movements may be played individually as voluntaries, or grouped together as the
player wishes, e.g., Slane I, II, III and IV. The registrations may be altered at the players’ discretion.
USE: Christmas, General
• church or concert use
• moderately difficult to advanced
|
