SKU: CA.924100
ISBN 9790007244361. Language: French. Text: Gounod, Charles.
In Charles Gounod's L'absent, composed in 1873, the absent one asks at night time whether the beloved remembers him in the light of the moon and at the sound of the evening prayer bells. These art songs were originally composed not for chamber choir, but for solo voice and piano. Denis Rouger has carefully adapted them to suit the requirements and expressive possibilities offered by a larger ensemble, without losing the any of the qualities of the original in the process. Each part in the choir has a melodic line drawn from the harmonic and rhythmic framework. In the process, the variety and refinement of the choral language combines with an enormous flexibility in form and expression, as French melodies or German art song demand from a soloist and pianist. The songs have been recorded by the figure humaine chamber choir on the CD Kennst du das Land ... (Carus 83.495).
SKU: CA.926000
ISBN 9790007249229. Key: F major. Language: French. Text: Barbier, Jules.
The three verses of Aimons-nous, separated by piano interludes, are cheerful and amorous, an invitation to everlasting mutual love. The text portrays this almost as a law of nature: rivers and streams combine, the sun embraces the earth, and the birds snuggle close to each other in their nest. Light, rippling syncopations in the piano accompany Gounod's typical catchy melodic writing in the vocal parts. The writer Jules Barbier was Gounod's favored opera librettist (Faust, Romeo et Juliette), but many other 19th century opera composers also set his texts, including Camille Saint-Saens, Giacomo Meyerbeer, and Jacques Offenbach. This art song was originally composed not for chamber choir, but for solo voice and piano. Denis Rouger has carefully adapted it to suit the requirements and expressive possibilities offered by a larger ensemble, without losing the any of the qualities of the original in the process. Each part in the choir has a melodic line drawn from the harmonic and rhythmic framework. In the process, the variety and refinement of the choral language combines with an enormous flexibility in form and expression, as French melodies or German art song demand from a soloist and pianist. The songs have been recorded by the figure humaine chamber choir on the CD Kennst du das Land ... (Carus 83.495).
SKU: AP.43618
UPC: 038081491585. English.
Introducing Gounod's beloved Ave Maria, based on a prelude from J. S. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, in an accessible choral arrangement. The melody passes through all voices, while well-written choral parts provide support. An excellent way to introduce not one, but two master composers!
About Alfred Choral Designs
The Alfred Choral Designs Series provides student and adult choirs with a variety of secular choral music that is useful, practical, educationally appropriate, and a pleasure to sing. To that end, the Choral Designs series features original works, folk song settings, spiritual arrangements, choral masterworks, and holiday selections suitable for use in concerts, festivals, and contests.
SKU: CA.926100
ISBN 9790007249236. Key: E major. Language: French. Text: Goethe, Johann Wolfgang / Gallet, Louis.
In Goethe's novel Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship, the girl Mignon embodies the longing for Italy. In the novel, she sings the song Kennst du das Land, wo die Zitronen bluhn [Do you know the country where the lemon trees flower]. Charles Gounod set a free translation of the text by Louis Gallet in 1871. At the appassionato, melodies heavy with longing over a piano part with flowing triplet figurations express the wanderlust for the country where die Orangen wie Gold glanzen! This art song was originally composed not for chamber choir, but for solo voice and piano. Denis Rouger has carefully adapted it to suit the requirements and expressive possibilities offered by a larger ensemble, without losing the any of the qualities of the original in the process. Each part in the choir has a melodic line drawn from the harmonic and rhythmic framework. In the process, the variety and refinement of the choral language combines with an enormous flexibility in form and expression, as French melodies or German art song demand from a soloist and pianist. The songs have been recorded by the figure humaine chamber choir on the CD Kennst du das Land ... (Carus 83.495).
SKU: CA.335350
ISBN 9790007240394. Language: Latin.
Score available separately - see item CA.335300.
SKU: CA.335130
ISBN 9790007240172. Key: G minor. Language: Latin.
Score available separately - see item CA.335100.
SKU: CA.335090
ISBN 9790007240134. Key: E flat major. Language: Latin.