Format : Sheet music
Music played an enormous role in the works of William Shakespeare, while his own sonnets, poems and soliloquies have provided continuing inspiration for many composers through the years. The Novello Shakespeare Choral Collection, inspired by the 400th anniversary of the Bard's death in 2016, is an exciting anthology of choral works that are settings of Shakespeare's words. For choirs of all types and abilities, this collection has been edited by David Wordsworth so that all the pieces are fantastic both to sing and hear. The collection features some beautiful settings that have well and truly stood the test of time, such as Thomas Arne's Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind and Henry Leslie's How Sweet The Moonlight Sleeps. More recent settings from 20th century and contemporary composers include Ernest Moeran's Sigh No More, Ladies, Gary Carpenter's Lo, Here, The Gentle Lark and John Tavener's Fear No More and Look In Thy Glass. Not only this, the Shakespeare Choral Collection boasts several works that were specially commissioned, including John Joubert's Be Not Afeard, Richard Sisson's Light Thickens and Pawel Lukaszewki's Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed. Some pieces have never appeared before in print, such as those by Kevin Olsen, Bernard Hughes and John Gardner. These songs truly are a joy to perform, with some relatively simple arrangements that are purely fun to sing, while some more complex settings that will be thoroughly rewarding for choirs and audiences alike. A total of 26 fantastic works comprise The Novello Shakespeare Choral Collection, which would work as a wonderful concert programme on its own, or could provide a wealth of options for choirs looking to expand their repertoire with a range of unique settings. Also included is a fascinating introduction by editor David Wordsworth, and notes describing each piece. Words written by indisputably the greatest writer in the English language can only be matched with music by composers of talent and renown such as these. The Novello Shakespeare Choral Collection is an essential anthology of stunning settings of beautiful words which will be performed and enjoyed for many years to come. A Summer Sonnet [Olson, Kevin] Be Not Afeard [Joubert, John] Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind [Arne, Thomas] Daffodils [Wertsch, Nancy] Fear No More [Sondheim, Stephen] Fear No More [Tavener, John] Four Rounds To Shakespeare Texts [Gardner, John] Full Fathom Five [Wood, Charles] How Sweet The Moonlight Sleeps [Leslie, Henry] Hymn For Shakespeare's Birthday [Berkeley, Lennox] If We Shadows Have Offended [Hughed, Bernard] It Was A Lover And His Lass [Harris, Matthew] Light Thickens [Sisson, Richard] Lo, Here, The Gentle Lark [Carpenter, Gary] Look In Thy Glass [Tavener, John] O Mistress Mine [Wertsch, Nancy] O, How Much More [Crabtree, Paul] Ophelia's Lament [Mealor, Paul] Orpheus [Weir, Judith] Orpheus With His Lute [Schuman, William] Rosemary [Helldén, Daniel] Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer's Day [Larsen, Libby] Sigh No More, Ladies [Moeran, Ernest] Tell Me Where Is Fancy Bred [Harris, Matthew] Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed [Lukaszewski, Pawel] Who Is Silvia [Harris, Matthew]
SKU: HL.50601107
ISBN 9781540006875. UPC: 888680713805. 6.75x10.5x0.131 inches.
This is the latest ?? and 7th ?? in an a cappella series going back three decades in which the texts are taken from Shakespeare's plays. ??Come Unto These Yellow Sands? is a gentle invitation to the listener, at least until the animals take over. ??Thou Canst Not Hit It,? in this interpretation, is a song about trying to hit the high and low notes. Surrounded by comedy and tragedy, ??Honour, Riches, Marriage-Blessing? is the idyllic center of the set. ??O Sweet Oliver,? with its dueling boy and girl choirs, leads into ??Willow, Willow,? where the poem's word repetitions inspire the driving rhythm.
SKU: CA.332370
ISBN 9790007182762. Key: G major. Language: English. Text: Shakespeare, William.
SKU: OU.9780193413009
ISBN 9780193413009. 10 x 7 inches.
For SSA and piano This atmospheric setting of words from Shakespeare's As You Like It is sprightly and uplifting, with singers being asked to perform with 'a bit of frost and a knowing smile'. Blow, blow, thou winter wind was originally published in the collection Hark, hark, the lark.
SKU: HL.49045791
UPC: 841886033146. 8.25x11.75x0.1 inches.
SKU: HL.14043777
ISBN 9788759815878. UPC: 888680695682. 8.5x11.75x0.265 inches. English.
Three Stages - Quodlibet for 12 Voices was composed by Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen in 2003. Commissioned by and written for Ars Nova Copenhagen. Text by William Shakespeare, Thomas Nashe, anonymous (English), Clement Janequin, Steen Steensen Blicher, street cries. Additional cries from Danish Street Cries (1860-1985) edited and collected by Vagn Holmboe.
SKU: MN.56-0042
UPC: 688670220470. English.
Commissioned by The Voices Foundation in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the ending of World War II, this most somber and dramatic piece uses texts from David Geraint Jones and William Shakespeare to chronicle the recollections and reflections of a soldier, which are not for the faint of heart. Thinking back on a more carefree past, the “speaker” assures his love that the future will again hold quiet and wonder. However, the price to be paid in between the past and the future is in blood and death. The soldier predicts poppies swaying over him as he lies freed of pain, yes, but also of passion. And he concludes, “Your peace is bought with mine, if but the echo of your laughter reaches me in hell.”.
SKU: KJ.C9305
UPC: 8402701925.
The composer of the visionary Japanese Garden now brings us a fresh take on a popular Shakespeare text. The contemporary music treatment of ABA form is stark for the 'A' sections and hopeful for the 'B' section (But my kisses bring again). Ideal for medium to advanced women's choir.
