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WINTER 2003 NEW ISSUE

DAVID MOONEY IRISH CHORAL SERIES

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.

Róisín Dubh
SATB unaccompanied • #5931 • c. 1:20
“Róisín, have no sorrow for all that has happened to you. You will have your pardon from the Pope in Rome. The friars are coming back by the sea, And we won’t spare the Spanish wine for my Róisín Dubh.”

Beidh Aonach Amárach
SSA & Piano • #6020 • c. 2:20

The Cat’s Ramble to the Child’s Saucer
SSA & Piano • #6019 • c. 4:30
A Medley using six popular Irish folk songs: “The Star of County Down,” “Connemara Lullaby,” “Molly Malone,” “The Spanish Lady,” “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling,” “Rakes of Mallow,” and “Mrs. McGraw”

PERCY FRENCH (1854–1920), DAVID MOONEY (arr.):
Phil the Fluther’s Ball
SSA & Piano • #6023 • c. 2:30
“Tomorrow there’ll be a fair in County Clare, Tomorrow there’ll be a fair in County Clare, Tomorrow there’ll be a fair in County Clare, What good is it to me? I won’t be there.”
“Have you heard of Phil the Fluther of the town of Ballymuck? The times were going hard for him, in fact the man was bruk, So he sent an invitation to his neighbours one and all, As to how he’d like their company that evenin’ at a ball.”


SECULAR CHORAL
CHILDREN’S CHORUS

LARRY THOMAS BELL (b. 1952): Songs of Innocence and of Experience for SSA Children, Child Soprano (No. IV & VIII), and Orchestra or Piano
Songs of Innocence
I. Introduction
#5788 • c. 2:10
II. The Lamb, III. The Nurse’s Song

#5789 • c. 3:00, c. 1:30
IV. Infant Joy, V. Spring
#5790 • c. 1:45, c. 2:30

Songs of Experience

VI. Introduction

#5791 • c. 2:00
VII. The Garden of Love
#5792 • c. 2:00
VIII. The Sick Rose, IX. The Tyger
#5793 • c. 1:30, c. 2:00
X. The Voice of the Ancient Bard
#5794 • c. 3:30

     William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience is a famous example of an adult’s perspective of the child. The child in these poems is rebellious, joyful, persistently playful, Christ-like, and always natural. The adults are, on the contrary, narrow, confining, rule-laden, Catholic, and superficial.
     An interesting balance also exists between the poems of innocence and those of experience. The Lamb is opposite The Tyger, the Nurse’s Song is transformed in The Garden of Love, and Infant Joy is answered by The Sick Rose. The piper referred to in the beginning bears a striking resemblance to the bard at the end.
     If Blake’s Songs of Innocence simply represented the child and the Songs of Experience the adult, this black-and-white distinction would hold little interest to the reader and would have less to recommend it for a musical setting. Precisely because of the interdependence of these points of view, the poems sustain repeated readings. Ultimately, the adult poet is resurrected by the regenerative power of wonder and play that seems to spring so naturally from children.
Instrumentation: 2-2-2-2, 1-1-0-0, 1 perc., harp, strings.
The full score and parts are available on Rental.
USE: concert
        • moderately difficult
        • accomplished children’s choruses, school, community, professional


SECULAR (PERHAPS SACRED) CHORAL

ADOLPHUS HAILSTORK (b. 1941): Triumph In My Song
SATB unaccompanied • #5854 • c. 5:45
“Thy various forms, imperial queen, we see. How bright their forms! how decked with pomp by thee. Thy wond’rous acts in beauteous order stand, Ye sacred choir, all my attempts befriend: Triumph in my song.”
Adolphus Hailstork has responded in kind to Phyllis Wheatly’s (1753?–1784) transcendental poem.
USE: concert or church (anthem)
        • moderately difficult
        • church, college, community, professional choruses

GWYNETH WALKER (b. 1947): Harlem Songs
1. Spirituals
SATB & Piano • #5769• c. 3:24
2. Harlem Night Song
SATB & Piano • #5770 • c. 3:15
3. Tambourines
SATB & Piano • #5771 • c. 4:00
Harlem Songs are set to the poetry of Langston Hughes (1902–1967), an African-American poet who lived most of his life in Harlem.
Spirituals
is about strength. It opens with ascending patterns representing
“the rising shafts ofmountains …something strong to put my hands on.” The focus then shifts to thestrength of song in times of trouble: “I heard my mother singing when life hurt her: Gonna ride in my chariot someday!”
The music then rises to the affirmation:“Sing, O black mother! Song is a strong thing.”
Harlem Night Song
is infused with the language of blues: mixed major and minor tonalities, a gentle tempo, humming. The music is nocturnal, atmospheric. The chorus sings “I love you,” as if calling back and forth across the Harlem rooftops.
A change of pacefollows in the middle of the piece: “Down the street, a band is playing…” Scat singing, percussive vocal effects and random patterns of “I love you” bring this work to a close.
In Tambourines, a variety of hand-tapping patterns and vocal sounds are employed to suggest the playing of this instrument. The intent is to capture the spirit and joy of playing a tambourine (or an imaginary tambourine). These “pseudo-tambourines” then accompany several gospel tunes that appear in the middle of this piece.
A joyous closing section celebrates “tambourines to the glory of God!”
USE: Concert
       • moderately difficult
       • high school, college, community, professional

 

SECULAR CHORAL

STEPHEN CHATMAN (b. 1950): Time Pieces
1. Tempus
SATB & Piano • #7.0417 • c. 2:33
2. Come, My Celia
SATB & Piano • #7.0418 • c. 1:54
3. I Saw Eternity
SATB, Violin & Piano • #7.0419 • c. 3:00
4. Clocks

SATB & Piano • #7.0420 • c. 2:45
Time Pieces consists of four settings of texts or sounds relating to the idea of time. Both the music and the diverse secular texts echo various styles, aesthetics, and emotions, chronologically spanning many centuries. The contrapuntal, spiritual, and dramatic qualities of Tempus (Auctoritates Aristotelis) contrast the light-hearted, bittersweet tone of Come, My Celia (Jonson), composed in a quasi-Renaissance syllabic style. Although three of the songs are unaccompanied, the added violin double stops in I Saw Eternity
(Vaughan) create an austere sense of open space, simplicity, and extended time. The culminating “time piece,” Clocks is inspired by the composer’s antique grandfather clock. It is a textual and musical glossary of clock sounds, consisting of mostly soft, delicate, repetitive “tick-tock” (etc.) motives and the occasional “cuckoo” or low, loud Westminster chime sounds (“dong” and “bong”).
USE: concert
        • moderately difficult
        • high school, college, community, professional choruses


SACRED CHORAL
JEWISH TRADITION

STANLEY M. HOFFMAN (b. 1959): Yih’yu l’ratson
(May the Words of My Mouth)

SATB unaccompanied • #5864 • c. 2:30
An intensely moving, introspective, modal setting of the text “May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
USE: temple (liturgical), church (non-liturgical)
        • moderately easy


SACRED CHORAL

RONALD ARNATT (b. 1930): Psalm 100
SATB, Congregation & Organ • #5460 • c. 2:00
Using his own Psalm translation, Ronald Arnatt has created another very practical setting for our Psalm Songs Series which may be sung with or without congregational participation. The antiphon for congregational use appears at the bottom of the last page and may be photocopied free of charge.
USE: general (non-liturgical)
        • easy
        • church use only

DAVID ASHLEY WHITE (b. 1944): The Eyes of All
SATB unaccompanied • #5767 • c. 3:45
The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord, and you give them their food in de season. This expressive setting of Psalm 145:16–22 (alt.) from The Book of Common Prayer features modern tonal harmonies, yet is quite accessible.
USE: general (non-liturgical)
        • moderately easy
        • church use only

JANE MARSHALL (b. 1924): Words From Two Women:
1. Nurture; 2. The Simple Path

SATB unaccompanied • #5872• c. 2:00
The music and these two texts convey the spirituality and dedication of women separated in time by seven centuries. The first text by Mechtild of Magdeburg deals with comforting the broken. Regarding the second text,
Mother Teresa handed out her words concerning prayer, faith, love, service and peace on what she called her “business card” to friends and followers.
USE: general (non-liturgical)
        • moderately easy

DANIEL PINKHAM (b. 1923): If God Be For Us
SATB & Organ • #5049 • c. 5:32
If God be for us, who can be against us? A striking setting of Romans 8:31–39 (abridged), If God Be For Us was originally written for SATB and organ and was later scored for strings (quintet or orchestra), optional 2 oboes and optional organ. Performing materials (Catalog No. 5994) are available from the publisher.
USE: general (non-liturgical)
        • moderately difficult
        • church use only

RICHARD DELONG (1951–1994): Immortal Love, For Ever Full
SATB & Organ • #4856 • c. 3:36
This setting of a text by John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892) features fresh, appealing melodies. This piece will be particularly successful in small and mid-sized churches where simple beauty is desired.
USE: general (non-liturgical)
        • easy
        • church use only

JULIAN WACHNER (b. 1969): Aaronic Benediction
SATB unaccompanied • #5806 • c. 1:12
The Lord bless you, and keep you; The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and grant you peace. [Amen]. Although it is brief, this practical, attractive setting of Numbers 6:24-26 still manages to showcase the unique voice of this dynamic young composer.
USE: general (liturgical)
        • moderately easy
        • church use only


SACRED VOCAL

JEWISH TRADITION

STANLEY M. HOFFMAN (b. 1959): Yih’yu l’ratson
(May the Words of My Mouth)

• High Voice & Keyboard • #5876 • c. 2:30
• Low Voice & Keyboard • #5877 • c. 2:30
(See preceding notes for the choral versions)


SECULAR VOCAL

HENRY MOLLICONE (b. 1946): Three Simple Songs
• Soprano & Piano • #6005 • c. 6:20
The set is composed to three poems by Emily Dickinson: There is another sky, God made a little Gentian, and Poor Little Heart! These settings preserve the elegance and clarity of text by keeping the music relatively simple in content, therefore making them ideal for young professionals and college-age students of voice.
USE: recitals, auditions
        • moderately easy

DANIEL PINKHAM (b. 1923): When Love Was Gone
• Medium Voice & Piano • #5052 • c. 9:00
The poems are by the late James Wright, a Pulitzer Prize winner. The subject matter is the American Midwest but the treatment is universal. There are songs about love realized, of lost love, of nostalgia and of mystery. This set is at once tuneful and atmospheric.
USE: recitals, auditions
        • difficult


DANIEL PINKHAM: Called Home
• Medium Voice & Piano • #5194 • c. 10:00
The poems are by Emily Dickinson. The work is designed for the professional singer in a concert performance and calls for the projection of a wide range of emotions and vocal colors. A striking final set for the serious recital program.
USE: recitals, auditions
        • moderately difficult




MUSIC FOR ORCHESTRA

JULIAN WACHNER (b. 1969): Incantations
• Study Score • #5824 • c. 15:00
Incantations, a high energy work for large orchestra, is an overture-length piece, ideal for use as a concert opener. In reviewing the premiere performance, The Boston Globe said “Incantations cast spells with its mysterious, often static quality, and its hypnotic mottos for timpani, its oriental colors (the ringing of
crotales at one point), its suggestion of a wild sacrificial dance.” Making extensive use of mixed meter and virtuoso writing, this concerto-like work is appropriate for professional and conservatory orchestras.
USE: concert
        • difficult
        • Composer’s Engraved Facsimile Edition


JULIAN WACHNER: Idyllwild Fanfares
• Study Score • #5823 • c. 8:00
Idyllwild Fanfares was commissioned and first performed by the Idyllwild International Chamber Orchestra. It is a jazzy, “American” work ideally suited for performance by youth and community orchestras, and is accessible to musicians and audience alike. The composer adds, “This work will add a fun punch to any program!”
USE: concert
        • moderately difficult
        • Composer’s Engraved Facsimile Edition

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