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Secular and Sacred Choral Music

Secular Choral Music

Lauer, Elizabeth
of Wilton, Connecticut

Fear No More...
(text by William Shakespeare)
for double mixed chorus a cappella
5'6" #040145 AP-523 $4.00

score sample (pdf)

Sigh No More, Ladies
(text by William Shakespeare)
for three part treble chorus a cappella
3' #040146 AP-524 $3.50

score sample (pdf)

McKay, Francis Thompson
of Washington, D.C.

River Time (text by William Styron)
for 2-part children’s chorus, mixed chorus (SATB, flute, percussion and harp
10' 040016 AP-516A $15.00 percussion and harp, #040016 AP-516B $11.00
Parts may be duplicated as needed.

Munn, Zae
of Notre Dame, Indiana

Memorial
SSA a cappella
3'30" $1.25 #040001 AP-501

A positive reflection on the connectedness between the living and the dead. Memorial (1992) is based on texts from a short story by Ann Kilkelly which tells of a parade to a cemetery where a child recites In Flander's Field. A woman remembers reciting the same poem years ago, at the end of which all present feel the connection of the living to the dead.

Van Appledorn, Mary Jeanne
of Lubbock, Texas

Two Shakespeare Songs:
Under the Greenwood Tree (1'10")
Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind (2'20")
SATB and piano
3'30" $3.50 #040002 AP-502

Stylistically crisp and rapidly projected, this double feature exemplifies the choral trends of the Eisenhower years.

Vercoe, Elizabeth
of Rockport, Massachusetts

Irreveries from Sappho
SSA and piano
7' $3.00 #040003 AP-503
Recording: Capstone CD (CPS-8714)

"hugely funny, elegant" (St. Louis Dispatch)

Titles: Andromeda Rag, Older Woman Blues, & Boogie for Leda.

Irreveries from Sappho, for women's chorus, is an arrangement of one of the composer's six song cycles on texts by women. The piece is wickedly satiric and full of musical jokes and parodies. The composer comments: "Although Sappho's poetry is over 2500 years old, it seems remarkably up-to-date. Its wit calls for whatever musical sleight of hand a composer might muster: thus, the use of popular idioms and hidden tunes (Turkey in the Straw, Auld Lang Syne), as well as the more respectable tricks of the trade, such as counterpoint and recitative. Sappho's three women have clearly distinctive voices, but all three bespeak a fierce pride."

Sacred Choral Music

Austin, Elizabeth Scheidel
of Storrs, Connecticut

Christ Being Raised, Romans 6:9-12
SATB a cappella
$1.25 #040004 AP-504 

"In all of her works, Austin uses an expressive, eclectic language..." (IAWM Journal)

The piece won First Prize in the National Federated Music Club Competition.

score sample (pdf)

Barnett, Carol
of Minneapolis, Minnesota

Eternal Life with Thee
SATB a cappella (moderate difficulty)
$1.25 #040005 AP-505  

The anthem is dedicated to Elaine Phillips, and was written in 1987. The composer describes the piece as a short, prayerful meditation.

Bohun, Lyle de
of Washington, D.C.

Alleluia
SATB a cappella
$1.25 #040006 AP-506

Composed in residency at the Aspen Music School in Aspen, Colorado, Alleluia possesses 'cutting edge' counterpoint which appealed to Darius Milhaud, the composer's mentor at the time.

Meditation
SATB a cappella
$1.25 #040007 AP-507

This sacred anthem was first performed on May 10, 1974 at the Mount Horeb Baptist Church, William R. Hawkins, director. It is the first piece published by Arsis Press (1974)

Thou Shall Light My Lamp
SSATB a cappella (suitable for Mother's Day)
$1.25 #040008 AP-508

A bit scary at first glance, this Mother's Day anthem propels itself forward with very few rehearsals. The text is by Loren K. Davidson

Bolz, Harriet (1909-1995)

How Shall We Speak?
SATB with piano or organ accompaniment
$1.25 #040009 AP-509

A forthright challenge to all to put faith into action. An anthem of moderate difficulty.

Sweet Jesus
SAB with piano or organ accompaniment
$1.25 #040010 AP-510

Awarded First Prize in the National League of American Pen Women Biennial SAB Choral Competition in 1974. Singularly appropriate as an anthem for Holy Communion, Sweet Jesus is contemplative and inspiring.

Callaway, Ann
of Berkeley, California

Agnus Dei 1
SSATB a cappella with soprano solo
$1.00 #040011 AP-511

 

cover by Lyle Boonescore sample (pdf)

Diemer, Emma Lou
of Santa Barbara, California

God Is Love
SSAATBB with electronic tape (moderate difficulty)
$1.50 #040012 AP-512 (tape is 7 1/4 ips 1/4 track stereo @ $15.00)

"a remarkable effect of spiritual otherworldliness" (The American Organist)

This choral piece requires the chorus to speak as well as sing, and is in six continuous sections. There is an electronic tape part as well. It was composed for the 1982 Annual Arts Festival of the Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Washington, D.C. The American Organist review says, "If you have successfully tried anthems with electronic tape in the past, do consider this one. The anthem uses John 4:13-21 for text, and has two sections of choir speaking the text with tape background and two sections of choir singing the text with the tape doubling the voice parts."

Frazier-Neely, Cathryn
of Kensington, Maryland

Bless the Lord, O My Soul!
SSAA a cappella
$1.25 #040013 AP-513

This sacred anthem is dedicated to Mark and paraphrases Psalm 103.

Funk, Susan
of Los Angeles, California

Vision of the Cross: Psalm 22
SATB with baritone solo and organ accompaniment
$2.00 #040014 AP-514

The text is Psalm 22, adapted. The piece is a dramatic and challenging setting of this powerful psalm.

Owens, Terry Winter
of Staten Island, New York

The New Jerusalem: Revelation, Chapter 21
SATB with flute, triangle and piano
$2.00 #040015 AP-515

Commissioned in 1991 for the sesquicentennial of Christ Church in Hudson, Ohio, the piece contains a spoken part for solo baritone.

Pierce, Alexandra
of Redlands, California

Resurrection, A Christmas anthem
SATB with flute and piano or organ accompaniment
$1.25 #040016 AP-516

Written in 1983 for high school chorus, the piece is richly harmonic with spirited rhythmic motifs, and flute and piano parts suitable for intermediate players. The text of this anthem links Easter with Christmas, death with birth, the holly making a crown of thorns. The instrumental parts are independent but provide the voices with reassurance of their pitches. The text is by Robert Lee Stuart.

The Road to Calvary
SATB a cappella with soprano and baritone solos
$1.50 #040017 AP-517

Written for adventuresome church or college choirs, the piece is lyrical with a few harmonic surprises, occasional changes of meter, and conservative ranges for the soloists. The solos for soprano and baritone are short (8 and eleven measures respectively), and both solos are accompanied by the choir. The text is by Robert Lee Stuart.

Shatin, Judith
of Charlottesville, Virginia

'Tis a Gift To Be Simple
traditional Shaker hymn
SATB a cappella (easy to moderate difficulty)
$1.25 #040018 AP-518

The setting of this traditional Shaker hymn uses word painting to color the musical fabric.

Vercoe, Elizabeth
of Rockport, Massachusetts

God Be in My Head
Women's or mixed chorus, finger cymbals and keyboard
$1.25 #040019 AP-519

This short piece based on the text of the beautiful and familiar prayer from the Sarum Rite is a choral arrangement of the piece concluding the composer's monodrama on Joan of Arc, Herstory III.

Webber, John
of Portsmouth, England

Jesus Prayed for His Disciples
SATB a cappella
$1.25 #040020 AP-520

This anthem was commissioned by the choir of St. James Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., and written in 1982.

Whitworth, Kelly
of Panorama City, California

Adoration
SATB choir, two flutes, organ and percussion
7' $2.50 #040021 AP-521

Adoration is dedicated to the composer's church choir at the Byfield Parish in Georgetown, Massachusetts and was written in 1977. The choral writing is rhythmically straightforward—mostly homophonic—but with many metric changes from 2/4 to 3/4 and back again.

There are also many instances of close harmonic writing to present modest challenges. Easy flute duets open and close the piece although there is one solo flute flourish that is more demanding. The percussion part is easy, calling for suspended cymbal, chimes, and bass drum.

 

 
 
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