Sing We Now of Christmas: SATB: Vocal Score

These Christmas spirituals from North America and the Caribbean have been arranged in the Gospel style by Daryl Runswick. This collection is perfect both for the well-seasoned gospel choir and for choirs looking to extend their repertoire and try something new. Daryl Runswick has included some hints on singing in the gospel style for those who are attempting this for the first time.

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus is the timeless Tommie Connor Christmas classic. Now choruses can add the playful festive favourite to their seasonal repertoire with this SATB arrangement.This single sheet choral pop is perfect for choirs wanting to create their own Christmas programme piece by piece.

A second set of innovative jazz arrangements of three carols originally created for a service of Jazz Carols at St Martin in the Fields London by Will Todd. Rich harmonies serve to bring new expression to familiar Christmas material written for SATB Voices and Piano with scope for optional congregational/audience singing. They can be performed using the supplied Piano part or embellished using the chord symbols above. Double bass may also be used in addition to Piano again following the supplied chord symbols. We three kings is also available in an arrangement for mixed voices and jazz ensemble (jazz trio and optional brass quintet) compatible with this vocal score.

Novello New Choral Series- La Ballade de Jésus Christ is an arrangement of a French carol from the seventeeth century or earlier. The tune is well known as the hymn Let all mortal flesh keep silence from The English Hymnal and this arrangement was commissioned in 2007 by the Oxford choir Sospiri for their CD of Christmas music Videte Miraculum. The text a miniature morality tale has a simple almost childlike quality to it and this is reflected in the shimmering harmonies and soft fleeting dissonances presenting the story as a bitter-sweet fairy tale.The Novello New Choral Series is an inspiring selection of new works from a range ofcontemporary composers offering 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. This collection is perfect for choirs looking to broaden their repertoire and explore some of the best new music around.Born in 1963 John Duggan was a chorister at Westminster Cathedral and studied music at Oxford. Whilst still a boy he dreamed of writing in the choral tradition of Victoria Tallis and Palestrina. His vocal music has delighted both singers and audiences across Europe and the USA. He has written for a number of choirs including Commotio Westminster Cathedral Choir the Hildegard Choir and Sospiri and has received commissions from the Edington Music Festival Crossover Intergenerational Dance Group Oxford Youth Dance and The Oxford-Grenoble Association. He composers regularly for film and dance and performs as a singerand choral director whilst working as a recording engineer and producer.

A jolly Christmas carol-This lively carol was commissioned in 2005 by Lichfield Cathedral Special Choir (now called the Cathedral Chorus) to celebrate the birth of Hannah Scriven and Holly Mason the daughters of the two cathedral organists at that time. The words were specially written by Tony Barnard the then Canon Chancellor at Lichfield and a member of the choir. This carol whilst not entirely foreign to my normal style touches more ‘country and western’/popular buttons than I am in the habit of touching. But I wanted to write a tuneful piece which swayed and danced and reflected the colourful imagery of Tony Barnard’s text. Recommended recording: Comeout Lazar – The shorter choral works of Paul Spicer (Regent REGCD280) by The Chapel Choir of Selwyn College Cambridge and Claire Innes-Hopkins (organ) directed by Sarah MacDonald. Text: This child of God who’s born on Christmas day whom shepherds view to whom kings homage pay is called to be a shepherd and a king. Sing alleluias praise this wondrous thing. This child of God is shepherd born to lead through pastures green by banks of golden reed; nor left nor right but ever on the way which leads to Calvary and endless day. This child of God this Son of David’s line is root of tree a shoot a fruitful vine it shelter gives to all who see the way which leads them to the cross and Easter day. This child of God this many spangled star is light’ning flash which dazzles near and far; bright light to guide our feet along the way that leads to Calvary and endless day. This child of God is called to save mankind to open eye and ear the heart and mind; to heal and make the lame man leap and play along the road that leads to Easter Day. This child of God let angel voices praise. Give God the glory live his loving ways. Let peace on earth o’er come our worldly strife through all who walk his road throughout their life. Tony Barnard

Sight-singing is important in the development of independent musicianship. The music in this collection will aid in the development of this skill but also be interesting enough to motivate the singer and be substantive enough to be useful in a variety of performance applications.Song categories include Patriotic Christmas Folk Song Renaissance and Baroque Part Songs and Spirituals. All songs will stand alone as a cappella settings. Several songs also have optional Piano accompaniments. Sight-reading or analysis tips are included for each selection.

Sing Out The News is a joyful and exciting song for SATB choir a cappella. Perfect for Christmas concerts.