SKU: HL.49030479
ISBN 9790220122927. UPC: 841886007444. English.
Endlich eine grosse Sammlung mit allen international bekannten Weihnachstliedern.
SKU: HL.48022495
ISBN 9781476871486. UPC: 884088669676. 6.75x10.5 inches.
Texts: Latin and EnglishPublisher: Boosey & HawkesDifficulty level: 3The Ceremony of Carols is one of Britten's best-known and most-performed works. It is a brilliantly conceived and dramatic concert work which sees the voices process to their places singing unaccompanied plainsong and, at the end, processing out again to the same chant. These movements can also be accompanied but strictly only if the voices do not process. The final Alleluia can be repeated as many times as necessary to get the singers to and from their destination.The carols are for three-part children's voices (though, of course they can be sung by female adults as well) and they form a two-part work around a central Interlude for harp which is based on the plainsong from the Procession. Variety is the key word here as all the carols have such individual identities. The forthright Wolcum Yole!, the deliciously lyrical There is no Rose, the swinging Balulalow, the fiery and dramatic This little Babe all contribute to a work which is a feast of discovery throughout. Lovely solos and duos add further colour and the harp part, an inspired choice of accompaniment, enriches, colours and surrounds the voices with its pictorial musical imagery. If anything shows Britten's genius for writing for voices it must be this work.The challenges here are in creating a real equality between voice parts, fielding a confident pair of soloists, and making the most of the wonderfully colourful poems Britten has chosen to set. Pronunciation is not really an issue, but when I recorded this work with the Finzi Singers I decided to follow the example of Sacred and Profane and use authentic medieval pronunciation for which an expert coach was necessary. It brings an added element of colour to a familiar aural experience.Duration: 22 minutesPaul Spicer, Lichfield, 2011.
SKU: AP.12-0571520634
ISBN 9780571520633. English.
A Garland of Carols is a homage to Benjamin Britton's Ceremony of Carols. Written by Anthony Bolton, best known as one of the UK's most successful fund managers, it includes a translation of the traditional Portuguese carol Beijai o menino, as well as original works such as Lanterns which evokes a barren winter landscape from which we are transported to a more mystical land in the middle section. Though originally written for trebles, the carols work equally well for female voices. This is the harp part only.
SKU: LO.99-2686L
UPC: 000308125634.
Filled with charm and warmth, this traditional service is thoughtfully designed for performance by choirs of all sizes with a minimum of preparation and cost. Beloved traditional scripture readings are tightly interwoven with twenty-six carols that include just a touch of Handel and Bach! A continuous flow of carols both accompanies the scripture readings and flows seamlessly into simple arrangements for choir, choir with vocal solo or duet, and choir with congregation. One unique feature is an optional four-hand piano score that adds budget-friendly sparkle! Another welcome option is a simple handbell and percussion score with synth strings and two-hand piano. Flexibly conceived, this program can be performed in its entirety, lasting approximately 30-35 minutes, or shortened to conform to your particular Christmas needs.
SKU: HL.402077
ISBN 9781705160084. UPC: 196288056829. 9.0x12.0x0.276 inches.
The Right of Your Senses is a set of nine songs for children's voices, solo soprano, and orchestra written for the National Children's Chorus, American Youth Symphony and Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. The texts are primarily 17th-century, by Thomas Traherne and George Herbert, but two of them come from the 11th-century Enchiridion by Byrhtferth. The overarching theme is the story of creation, but not just the list of objects created: the texts deal with the emotional resonances of the sun, the sea, the air, and the moon with all their mysterious, bright, and dark potential. There is a recurring gesture in the strings, introduced at the very top: a simple descending pattern which binds many of the movements together, even when hidden in the more tumultuous sections. The first two movements are bright, whereas the middle three movements are violent and deal with the angrier natural elements. The seventh movement is the most abstract and playful, and here a direct nod to Benjamin Britten's A Ceremony of Carols, with a fast three-part canon depicting the behavior of the atom. The eighth movement, Night, is the slowest, and depicts the night sky. The final movement is calm, and encourages us: Be faithful in a little, and you shall be master over much. The piece ends with five strokes of high bells. x Nico Muhly.
