Richard Rodney Bennett: Four Country Dances: Oboe or Saxophone & Piano:

This is Bennett's first collection of choral pieces written specifically for the Christmas season. These four carols to American texts recall traditional music of the New World the composer's home for many years and bring a welcome fresh approach to the festive idiom: along with the well-loved Away In A Manger and I Wonder As I Wander Bennett gives us his interpretation of two Spirituals - A Child of God and Rise Up Shepherd and Follow.For unison high voices with Piano accompaniment.Score and parts of an orchestral string accompaniment by the composer are available on hire from the publisher (Novello &Company).

Roger Quilter (1877-1953) was a British composer best known for writing many gentle and beautiful songs. Along with Henry Balfour Gardiner and Percy Grainger he was a member of the Frankfurt Group a group of friendswho studied composition together at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt. Written in 1945 The Cradle In Bethlehem is an art song based on the Christmas story. Its words were written by RodneyBennett (1890-1948) an English poet and children’s author and father of the composer Richard Rodney Bennett. It is scored here for solo or unison Voice with Piano accompaniment.

The four songs arranged here manifest composer Richard Rodney Bennett?s omnivorous musical sourcework. La belle Au Pied De La Tour was set by Poulenc in his Chansons Francaises. L?amour De Moi is an old Gallic tune that entered the French popular song canon with recordings in the 1970?s by several French singers. La Chaine was frequently sung by chanteuse Damia over the decades of her career from the early 1900?s onward. La Pauvre Mariée tells of the hardships of marriage but is set to a jolly gigue. Movements may be played separately.Composer performer and arranger Richard Rodney Bennett was internationally respected for his serious music and many award-winning film scores(Murder on the Orient Express Nicholas and Alexandra) as well as his works for children and his religious pieces. In addition this markedly versatile musician frequently performed as a jazz pianist and arranger.

For four male voices unaccompanied. Piano part is included on the score for rehearsal purposes only.

Three Piece Suite for alto saxophone and piano is a transcription made by the composer in 1996 of three movements from his Four Piece Suite for two pianos of 1974. First performed on 21 March 1996 by John Harle. Duration c. 10 minutes. Includes Score and Part. For ABRSM examinations.

The text of Susanni is a translation of Martin Luther's hymn of 1535, Vom Himmel hoch . The music is based loosely upon the well-known chorale melody, which, at times, is quoted in full in both voices and organ. Except where indicated, singers should adopt a legato style, especially in the repeated quaver patterns. In the bars which appear to be in compound time, conductors should beat in crotchets. An inspiring selection of new works from a range of contemporary composers, the Novello New Choral Series offers pieces for all types of choirs, including sacred and secular works from simple, four-part settings to more expansive, yet accessible, repertoire in an exciting variety of styles. Bill Ives has spent his life in choral music - as a singer, conductor, teacher and composer (writing as Grayston Ives). He was a chorister at Ely Cathedral and later studied music at Cambridge, taking composition lessons with Richard Rodney Bennett. After Cambridge he sang in Guildford Cathedral Choir before joining the King's Singers, with whom he recorded and performed worldwide. For eighteen years he directed the Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford. During his tenure the choir earned a Grammy nomination for a disc of music by Orlando Gibbons, and gave the première of Paul McCartney's Ecce Cor Meum, written especially for them. In 2008 his work as a composer and conductor of church music was recognised with the award of a Lambeth DMus and a Fellowship of the Royal School of Church Music. / Choeur SATB Et Orgue

The text of Susanni is a translation of Martin Luther’s hymn of 1535 Vom Himmel hoch. The music is based loosely upon the well-known chorale melody which at times is quoted in full in both voices and organ. Except where indicated singers should adopt a legato style especially in the repeated quaver patterns. In the bars which appear to be in compound time conductors should beat in crotchets.An inspiring selection of new works from a range of contemporary composers the Novello New Choral Series offers pieces for all types of choirs including sacred and secular works from simple four-part settings to more expansive yetaccessible repertoire in an exciting variety of styles. Bill Ives has spent his life in choral music as a singer conductor teacher and composer (writing as Grayston Ives). He was a chorister at Ely Cathedral and later studied music at Cambridge taking composition lessons with Richard Rodney Bennett. After Cambridge he sang in Guildford Cathedral Choir before joining the King’s Singers with whom he recorded and performed worldwide.For eighteen years he directed the Choir of Magdalen College Oxford. During his tenure the choir earned a Grammy nomination for a disc of music by Orlando Gibbons and gave the première of Paul McCartney’s Ecce Cor Meum written especially for them. In 2008 his work as a composer and conductor of church music was recognised with the award of a Lambeth DMus and a Fellowship of the Royal School of Church Music.

Commissioned by the BBC for the BBC Proms. First performance given by the BBC Symphony Chorus conducted by Stephen Jackson at the Albert Hall on August 5th 2007.