The Blessing: Mixed Choir A Cappella: Choral Score

Par GILL JOANNA. This work is a reflective setting of a popular blessing used regularly in both church services and within choral concerts. Scored for unaccompanied mixed choir, the four parts are often divided to create an eight-part texture. The main melodic interest is carried in the soprano line over a supporting line of six parts provided by the lower voices. Within this short setting a variety of beautiful shifting choral combinations are used: sopranos and tenors against altos and basses, sopranos against altos, tenors and basses and finally alto and tenor lines which lead into the concluding six-part texture ending on a radiant E major chord spread over three octaves. Within these voice combinations we hear a choral texture which spans just the interval of a perfect fifth to the concluding three octave final chord, creating a wide palette of choral sound in a short space of time. Joanna herself says the following about this work: I wrote “The Lord’s Blessing” in 2018. That year, I had been on tour to New York with the London Symphony Chorus and we got the privilege to spend a day with the Westminster Choir College. At the end of the day they sang a blessing over us and I thought it was such a beautiful moment. So as soon as I got home I wrote a short blessing that I imagined would be sung at the end of a concert as a blessing over the audience. I dedicate it to the LSC./ Répertoire / Choeur Mixte SATB a Cappella

Two traditional Irish blessings - Deep peace of the running wave to you and May the road rise up to greet you - are artfully combined in this exquisitely crafted work by former King's Singer and composer Philip Lawson. A wonderful benediction for graduation spring concert and worship settings.

Several traditional Irish blessings beautifully combined together with a simple vocal arrangement. The piano accompaniment is thoughtfully contemporary which brings great appeal to younger singers. A lovely way to add an encore performance to your programming. Several traditional Irish blessings beautifully combined together with a simple vocal arrangement. The piano accompaniment is thoughtfully contemporary which brings great appeal to younger singers. A lovely way to add an encore performance to your programming.

Teach Me O God-First recorded with her group Beged Kefet Cantor Schiller's beautiful setting of the English translation of Leah Goldberg's poem is finally available for your choir. Teach me O God a blessing a prayer begins the piecetenderly with a solo giving way as the text continues to simple flowing choir harmonies.

The William Blake poems The Lamb and The Tyger are often paired together and Andrew Miller has composed them so they can be sung as a set or separately. The overlapping lines in The Lamb enter in stretto and the echo effect is enthralling largely because of the resulting harmonies. The final blessing brings a most satisfying ending. Best for advanced high school and college choirs along with community groups. Medium difficulty.

Songs Of A Rainbow Nation comprises four great songs from South Africa arranged for soprano alto and combined men's voices with a straightforward piano accompaniment - ideal for beginner choirs and for choirs in which the male singers are few or at the stage when their voices are changing. Included are: Hamba Lulu - a wedding song with a gentle comforting rhythm; Jesu Ukukhanya - featuring a call-and-response structure where a simple solo line is followed by a choral answer; Si Njay Njay Njay - a joyfully exuberant song with an infectious rhythm which can also beperformed a cappella with some optional percussion for greater effect; and Weeping - a South African pop song from the band Bright Blue which uses as its chorus the refrain from the Zulu anthem N’kosi Sikeleli Africa (God Bless Africa).  If you enjoy these songs try L’Estrange’s hit cantata Zimbe! Come sing the songs of Africa!  The arrangements form part of the Choral Basics series which has been carefully designed to provide rewarding varied repertoire for beginner choirs. Perfect for singers of all ages the series offers attractive idiomatic arrangements for SA and SA/Men choirs with carefully considered vocal ranges and straightforward piano accompaniments that support the singers. Embracing world music spirituals folk song pop classics hit shows and original pieces this series offers everything a budding choir could wish for.

A Service Blessing. A final prayer for those who offer their song as an offering of praise, this brief piece moves beyond music to encourage hearts and lives in service to the Lord. A simple melody gently bathes the anthem with a sense of innocence and sincerity. Well-balanced unison and four-part writing is supported by a pleasant and effective accompaniment. A precious and reverent way to end a worship gathering!

Simplicity often gives way to purity and beauty and that is the case with James Gosslers setting of this Irish room blessing. Serving as a concert closer or benediction the words bring peace and comfort. The music is equally serene written in achorale style.