St Asaph Toccata was commissioned by Symphony Hall Birmingham as part of the Bach to the Future Series. The composer writes: 'The original title for the piece was Toccata Machine as I had an image of the gigantic Symphony Hall organ as some kind of mad machine uncontrollably spewing out manic toccata figuration. Except for a short oasis of calm two-thirds of the way through the piece is very lo…
This short evocative piece is built of block chords simple diatonic melodies and pedal notes in the left hand. It is recorded by Thalia Myers on USK 1221CD.
For SATB unaccompanied.This anthem sets the Oculi omnium gradual to still reflective music. Including sections of plainchant alongside richer textures and close harmonics it is a beautiful piece that will appeal to a range of mixed-voice choirs. A non-singing translation of the words is included.
for SATB unaccompanied Salus Aeterna is a bright and mercurial piece that makes full use of the delicious fleeting harmonies and close-written sonoroties of its flowing melodic lines. It sets a Sequence for Advent Sunday that looks forward to Christ's coming and subsequent judgement of all things.
The Mass for All Saints is a captivating setting of the Latin Missa brevis. The accessible choral lines idiomatic organ part and colourful harmonies make this an ideal work for choirs looking for a fresh take on familiar words.
Ruchill Linn sets a text by the Perthshire poet Robin Bell. 'Linn' means waterfall and the poem meditates on a still spring evening at dusk. The piece is illustrative with aqueous tumbling vocal figuration and plaintive bird song.
LM-7: Aquarius was the seventh lunar module that NASA sent into space on teh Apollo 13 mission. The piece is in eleven continuous sections the proportions of which are derived from the ten letters and the number of the title. It is a show-off display piece with spotlit solos for each player.
For SATB (with divisions) and Organ.Commissioned by the choir of Merton College Oxford In the beginning was the Word provides a welcome musical setting of this iconic biblical text. The choral lines combine plainchant with harmonically intricate passages and all is complemented by a soloistic organ part. Suitable for use throughout the church year.
Written to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of the Foundress of St John's College Cambridge this celebratory setting is jubilant melodic and full of lively figuration for both the choir and the organ.
This work sets a poem by George Meredith. The poem Winter heavens begins as a winter landscape before coming richer stranger and more metaphysical. Winter heavens was premiered in December 2011 by the BBC Singers and Stephen Cleobury.
This setting was commissioned by the BBC Singers and premiered in April 2012. The text recounts the destruction of the ancient city of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC.
Written whilst the composer was living in Comeragh Road the litanies of the title are sixteen discrete sections of music varying in length from two seconds to a minute. Each of these blocks has a different texture musical character and registration from its predecessor and the structure of the piece is articulated by a pattern of contrasts repetitions and allusions.
Commemorating the martyrdom of St Catharine this reflective piece sets the Antiphon at First Vespers Feast of All Saints alongside a thought-provoking contemporary poem by Colin Tan full of vivid imagery. Melodic lines reminiscent of plainchant enhance the contemplative mood.
This piece is demanding for both the singers and the accompaniment with much ornamentation in the vocal part. The work is slow in tempo and the text is by Algernon Charles Swinburne.
This anthem is set to a text by the 10th-century Sufi mystic Al-Junaid. For the most part the mood is intimate and introspective; intertwining whispered melodies sometimes in free time alternate with quiet homophony. There is a moment of soaring unrestrained ecstasy towards the end of the piece before it draws to a hushed conclusion.Suitable for a variety of occasions this is beautiful cha…
This anthem sets the Antiphon at All Saints to a lively melody and rich sonorous harmonies. Opening and closing with a drawn-out melisma the music moves between different rhythms and textures from the short offbeat rhythms after the opening to the smooth but equally rhythmic music in the middle section. Ideal for use during the Festival of All Saints.
A challenging yet delicate anthem with subtle key-signature changes Vocal divisions in up to eight parts and alternating homophonic and polyphonic passages the piece combines excerpts from the synonymous medieval hymn and Wordsworth's poem The Virgin making it especially suitable for celebrations of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
For SATB unaccompanied.This is a vibrant and rhythmic Christmas carol based on an anonymous 15th-century text. The modal feel and lively rhythms lend this carol a medieval character which will delight singers and audiences alike. An enjoyable option for any SATB choir at Christmas.
for SATB unaccompanied Offprinted from Advent for Choirs this setting of the Matin Responsory is full of drama and varied choral textures from its declamatory opening in G minor until its unexpected but thrilling conclusion in B major.
Setting text recorded in an early fourteenth-century Cambridge manuscript this work presents evocative solo passages above sustained notes and rich multi-layered canon-like passages in the upper voices.
Due to popular demand this exquisite piece has been made available as a separate choral leaflet. It is also in the anthology Weddings for Choirs. Ideal for concerts and special occasions such as weddings and anniversaries this choral song sets a beautiful text by Paul Eluard to rich sumptuous music which will delight singers and listeners alike.
With specially written poems by Karlis Verdins based on the Adonis chapters from Frazer's The Golden Bough each song in this little cycle explores a single Affekt.
This lively piece draws on complex rhythms and dance elements and combines them with lyrical passages reminiscent of the haunting melodies of the Welsh folk tradition. The use of harmonics open strings and unison playing reiterate the techniques and unique sound world inhabited by folk music.
Set to words by the Estonian poet Doris Kareva Our flags are wafting in hope and grief is a humanist anthem to the power of conviction and community in times of social turmoil.
Rigwreck sets a text by poet Pierre Joris on the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Frequent vocal divisions a wide range of dynamic expression spoken lines and powerful word-painting highlight the poem's emphasis on humanity's responsibility for the natural world and make this piece an exciting challenge for choirs.
