Choral Choir (Mixed) - Level 3 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.993786

By Madness. By Chris Foreman. Arranged by Ben Sawyer. A Cappella,Oldies. Octavo. 11 pages. Ben Sawyer #4282765. Published by Ben Sawyer (A0.993786).

An a cappella arrangement of this song by Madness. It is in two choirs: choir 1 takes melody and countermelody; choir 2 has rhythm and bass. There is a piano reduction of choir 2 so you could just use choir 1 if that is more convenient.

Choral Choir (SATB) - Level 1 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.733730

By Madness. By Labi Siffre. Arranged by Emily Blackwood. 20th Century,A Cappella,Pop. Octavo. 10 pages. Emily Blackwood #341943. Published by Emily Blackwood (A0.733730).

In the middle of UK lockdown I arranged this in the style of Madness. It's an upbeat, entertaining song which I could only dream would be allowed to be performed one day.... By arranging in A Cappella SATB harmony, I have created some of the familiar rhythms and textures with voice as the only instrument. There are vocal percussive elements not found in the original but still the freedom to express in your own way.

Choral Choir (SATB) - Level 3 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.767981

By Madness. By Labi Siffre. Arranged by Martin Jones. Oldies. Octavo. 6 pages. Mr Martin Jones #4294285. Published by Mr Martin Jones (A0.767981).

A relatively easy SATB/piano arrangement by Martin Jones who leads two large community choirs, Ashton Sings and the Broughton Community Choir, and has a wealth of experience writing and arranging for them.

The arrangement follows the Madness song closely, with some imitation of brass and string parts in the choir. It is an upbeat fun piece, and a real crowd pleaser!

It is suitable for community choirs, or for choirs who would like to sing an authentic sounding arrangement that is rewarding but not too involved.

Choral Choir,Choral,SATB Chorus - Level 3 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1491925

By Madness. By Labi Siffre. Arranged by Duncan Lloyd. Pop,Ska. 8 pages. Duncan Lloyd #1068603. Published by Duncan Lloyd (A0.1491925).

This has long been a favourite track of mine and I have eventually got round to arranging it for SATB Choir. I have preserved the changes in style that characterise the Madness arrangement and much of the accompaniment texture. All the voices parts have melodic interest and the instrumental section is realised from the sax/ string parts. This arrangement works really well and requires nothing more than a competent pianist and an enthusistic director and choir to bring it alive!

Choral Choir (SATB) - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1000880

Composed by Charles Griffin. 20th Century,A Cappella,Contemporary,Spiritual. Octavo. 6 pages. Coriolis Press #5996667. Published by Coriolis Press (A0.1000880).

SATB a cappella, ca 3' - Text by Richard Eberhard (see below)

Commissioned as part of Faith Partners, a residency underwritten by the American Composers Forum with funds provided by the Wolfensohn Family Foundation, and supplemental funding from St. Bartholomew's Church, St. Ignatius-Loyola and Temple Emanu-el. Premiered by St. Bartholomew's Church, William Tully, Rector, under the direction of William Trafka.

Text:

In after time, when all this dream
Becomes pure dream, and roughest years
Lie down among the tender grass,
And spring up sentient upon the meadow;

In that after time of great-born Aprils,
Beyond a century of tatters and malice,
When love has thrown out fear and madness
The eyes will see the sun as wonder.

In after time, when rage and chaos
Lose their sov'reign force, new dream
Will lift the shining life to spirit
And mate the make of man to merit.

Then shall holy summers come; then laughter
Godlike shake upon a dewy morning;
Then fullness grow - big with purpose,
And man shall know again his richness.

Choral Choir (SATB) - Level 1 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1103652

By Madness. By Labi Siffre. Arranged by Becky Chalmers. 20th Century,Pop,Wedding. Octavo. 7 pages. Becky Chalmers #706920. Published by Becky Chalmers (A0.1103652).

A classic song guaranteed to make your choir smile. This is a simple yet effective arrangement that really lets the tenors and basses shine. Written for SATB choir, with the sops and altos splitting into two. Originally arranged for Real Voices choir.

Choral Choir,Choral,SATB Chorus divisi - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1418462

Composed by Cassy Gress. 21st Century. 10 pages. Cassy Gress #1000029. Published by Cassy Gress (A0.1418462).

On April 8, 2024, I had the privilege to be able to view a solar eclipse in totality. I'd previously seen one at around 99% totality, but 100% is a completely different experience. I periodically glanced at the sun in my protective glasses, watching the disc shrink down to nothing, not expecting much other than the absence of a sun. But I looked away for a moment, and my son suddenly cried, It's there!

I turned and gasped: the sky was a flat twilight blue, and a crisp brilliant ring glowed in the sky, safe to view with the naked eye. The world was still, strangely silent, alien and new. We all tried to grab as many pictures as we could. After a few minutes, the moon continued its arc across the sky, and the sun's glare abruptly reappeared, already blinding even as a sliver. I can still see that ring in my mind's eye, fiercely burning, as if someone had literally cut a circle out of the sky and exposed another universe behind it.

In this piece I tried to capture the growing ominous wonder of an eclipse approaching totality. While the 2024 eclipse was not visible in Russia, the Russian word for sun, �олнце (solntse), has a lily-like fragility to it that the English equivalent does not. Various parts of the choir repeat the word throughout the piece, and the repeated ts and s sounds should create a percussive susurrance. Stagger breathing should be used throughout.

Also repeated is the Russian word for moon, луна (luna). As the eclipse approaches that crystalline moment of totality, the moon becomes more and more prominent and the text more chantlike. The refrain, first sung by a solo bass at bar 7, and sung in variation by the other parts thereafter, is repeated in its original form once by the sopranos near the top of their range. This represents the sun in final desperate ecstasy, before it too collapses into the inevitability and madness of occultation.

After an indefinite sudden pause, the shock of the moment, the choir reverently sings suscipe deprecationem nostram. Glorificamus te. As the moon frees the sun from its cold grip, the menace of the previous section threatens to return, but just as quickly fades, revealing once again �олнце в небе (the sun in the sky).