Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series-As one of America's exciting young composers Dominick DiOrio is stretching the boundaries of choral music. In Alleluia he explores the percussive qualities of the Voice and the lyrical quality of theMarimba - the result is an energetic and exciting new experience for all. Duration: ca. 6:00.
Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series-With a depth and emotional range comparable to art songs spirituals have become a powerful and significant body of work in Western art music. This pairing of two songs displays a quality of emotional directness and afascination with the broad palette of feelings colours and ideas inherent in the music. Duration: ca. 6:30.
Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series-This English folk song also commonly sung throughout the American Revolutionary War tells the unfortunate eternal story of soldiers going off to war leaving loved ones at home. René Clausen artfully uses the sopranoSax to establish the sad melancholy emotion of the text while the voices reflect the emotions of those left behind.
Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series-This piece by Tom Trenney is a setting of a contemporary text by J. Philip Newell that celebrates self-awareness and openness to God's message. With subtle shifts in tonality and wide swings indynamics harmonic complexity and textual clarity Clear Our Heart O God requires a mature choir.
Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series-This setting of the poignant and evocative Christina Rossetti poem Dream Land paints dark and brooding images of shadows stars and sunless rivers.The center point of the poem is the sad singing of the nightingale whichthe composer underlines by the sound of the flute. This is a companion piece to I Am (G. Schirmer 50600076).
Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series-In this beautiful poem by Dorothy Parker Mary knows her baby is holy simply because he is hers. She considers herself blessed whenever he reaches another birthday without even knowing how few he has left. Celebrating Mary themother and Christmas Doug Brandt creates an inner voice of Mary in the Altos and Tenors while the outer voices create the ironic voice of …
Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series-This 3rd movement in the three movement work The Gentlest Lady by Doug Brandt speaks of hopes that all mothers hope for but the mother of the baby Jesus will never experience. This is strong powerful music with an endingthat is quiet and a fitting finale for this movement and the three song set.
Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series-Michael Ippolito's Rain Song for SATB choir with Viola or Cello. With long sections of aleatoric sounds a Viola scordatura and a text filled with duality of imagery this is an anthem for theadvanced and adventurous choir. The Viola (or Cello) is not an accompaniment instrument but rather a “full musical partner” and will require a fine player.
Craig Hella Johnson's setting of Dolly Parton's ?Light of a Clear Blue Morning? is infused with light and hopefulness as it opens with a solo soprano and gradually builds to a joyful overflowing of sound and vocal texture then gently relaxing into a reflective conclusion. Also includes soprano recorder.
From Craig Hella Johnson and Conspirare this artful setting of this haunting song by Annie Lennox features a soloist with choral background and percussion. This long-anticipated edition will enhance many concert programs.
Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series-Written for the 100th anniversary of the St. Olaf choir this work is commensurate with ability of one of the great choirs in America.The music makes consistent use of divisi texture expansive arcs of musical phrase and coloristic harmonies that demand excellent intonation balance and blend - all hallmarks of the St. Olaf Choir sound.
Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series-This setting of a traditional Irish blessing speaks of those who give support in times of trial with a musical tapestry of unadorned a cappella mixed chorus using soft dissonances and free-flowing counterpoint. The occasional divisi creates a sonic wash of color and overtones. Together in song we do not walk alone.
From the first intoning of the opening phrase of the text from the Hebrew Union Prayer Book this expressive work is marked by warmth and beauty. “In the rising of the sun and its going down we remember them. In the blowingof the wind and in the chill in winter we remember them.” Duration: Approx. 3:00. Recorded by Conspirare Craig Hella Johnson conductor.
Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series-Jocelyn Hagen's Soft Blink Of Amber Light for SATB divisi with Flute Clarinet Marimba Cymbals and Piano accompaniment.Written for the Houston Chamber Choir SoftBlink Of Amber Light is a multi-faceted tapestry of sound and colour. The work features a beautiful text by Julia Klatt Singer taken from her poem 'How to Live in the Modern World'.
Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series-This short unaccompanied motet celebrates the wondrous mystery of God made man with this rich setting of a traditional Latin text. Full contemporary harmonies will resound throughout your performance space supporting the serenemelody. Duration: ca. 3:40.
Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series-This setting of a prayer for peace from the Jewish liturgy is a fitting work for our time. Opening quietly it builds steadily to an intense emotional outpouring then gradually retreats to a hushed conclusion. Duration: ca.4:45.
Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series-Dale Trumbore's Lodestar was commissioned by Nova Vocal Ensemble (Jonathan Bautista director). It is dedicated to Yayra Sanchez Soprano. Opening with the phrase “How you wonder what youare ” this poem described by the composer as a sort of “fable for adults ” is set for Mixed Voices with Soprano solo as a work of lyricism and reassurance…
Written for Soprano and Tenor soloists and SATB chours.These two short Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) settings commissioned by Craig Hella Johnson and Conspirare for their September 2007 concert series in Texas were designed to frame an evening’s programme rather like a compositional ‘inhalation’ and ‘exhalation’ a crescendo and decrescendo or a prelude and postlude. Densely textured th…
Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series-This Dorothy Parker text reveals Mary's youth and courage through the memory of another then-young woman. The bright light and blinding star seen by the narrator nearly thirty years prior is remembered sensitively and with aquiet unison final statement.
This work for mixed chorus and semi chorus of the text from Ruth 1:16-17 and texts from Proverbs 30:18-19 and Psalm 139:6 is a rich largely homophonic setting that expressively portrays Ruth's famous pledge. Expertly arranged byCraig Hella Johnson from Paul Ayres original composition.
