Piano,Vocal,Voice - Level 5 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1272498

By Maria Thompson Corley. By Spiritual. Arranged by Maria Thompson Corley. 21st Century,Christian,Religious,Sacred,Spiritual. Score. 28 pages. Maria Thompson Corley #864723. Published by Maria Thompson Corley (A0.1272498).

“Crossing Jordan� grew out of my daughter Kiana’s surprise request that I arrange a spiritual for voice, piano and cello for her senior recital. She received a degree in commercial music the year before COVID shut everything down, at a time before climate change made blizzards an anomaly here in Central PA. As a result, snow days still existed. I spent one of them doing the first draft of “Deep River,� her favorite.




Later, I decided that if singers engage a cellist for a concert, they might like to program more than one piece for them, so I chose two more water-themed spirituals to complete the set. “His Name So Sweet� is a more meditative version of the song than I’ve generally heard. I wanted the piano, cello, and briefly the voice to imitate the fountain in the text. The mood is ecstasy, resulting from the fundamental change that baptism is meant to create. “Deep River� also includes “Michael Row The Boat Ashore� and “The Water Is Wide.� The latter isn’t a spiritual, however, taken together the message is that the river is deep, the water is wide, but with (the Archangel?) Michael’s help, Jordan can be crossed. “Wade in the Water� is one of the most well-known spirituals. I focus on the idea of escaping enslavement: the opening is quiet, furtive, maybe even nervous. The Moses in the text can be understood to be Harriet Tubman, who might urge escapees to wade in the water so pursuing dogs couldn’t follow their scent. In my mind, the ending symbolizes that the party has vanished, never to be enslaved again.

Piano,Vocal,Voice - Level 5 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.846529

Composed by Maria Thompson Corley. Concert,Contemporary. Score. 9 pages. Maria Thompson Corley #5803441. Published by Maria Thompson Corley (A0.846529).

The title alludes to the classic Joni Mitchell song, however, this is a piece of classical music. The poem refers to the burning of Notre Dame, then the inevitable physical decline inherent in aging, then the unexpected crumbling of our democratic institutions. The original melodic material echoes the fragments taken from the two masters of the Notre Dame school of organum, however, the dissonant, challenging piano accompaniment deconstructs them. The middle section is wistful and less dissonant, followed by a return to the earlier musical material. The piece ends with the quote from Perotin with which it begins, the vowel O, however, at the end it is a moan of regret. Words and music by Maria Thompson Corley, incorporating Leonin's Haec Dies and Perotin's Beata Viscera.

Piano,Vocal,Voice - Level 5 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.845954

Composed by Maria Thompson Corley/William Steffe. Arranged by Maria Thompson Corley. Concert,Contemporary,Holiday,Patriotic. Score. 24 pages. Maria Thompson Corley #6679339. Published by Maria Thompson Corley (A0.845954).

Commissioned by Julia Carey and Juventas Ensemble, this duet was premiered in early July of 2021 by Kelley Hollis, soprano, James Dargan, baritone, and Julia Carey, piano as a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King. The title of the concert was Yearning to Breathe Free. Julia conceived of the idea of combining Dr. King's I've been to the mountaintop speech with Julia Ward Howe's Battle Hymn of the Republic, however, the rights to Dr. King's speech weren't made available in time. As a result, the composer wrote a poem based on the portion of Exodus to which King alluded in his famous speech, in which Moses is giving a final speech to the Israelites from Mount Nebo. He knows he won't be allowed to cross over, and so he urges his people to be courageous as they continue on without him. 

The opening is very dissonant, because the images of a terrible swift sword unleashing fateful lightning struck me as terrifying. After commanding the heavens to let him speak, Moses also acknowledges his fear, as well. As the piece progresses, the familiar Battle Hymn Melody appears, as does Go Down Moses.

James Dargan, for whom the piece was written, has an unusual range. Alternate notes are provided, as a result. 

The piece starts at about 1:18:10 of the concert, which can be found on the Juventas website.

Piano,Vocal,Voice - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1297753

Composed by Civilla D. Martin and Charles H. Gabriel. Arranged by Maria Thompson Corley. Sacred. Score. 9 pages. Maria Thompson Corley #887728. Published by Maria Thompson Corley (A0.1297753).

This score is a transcription of an improvisation recorded for Soul Sanctuary, a collection of my arrangements of hymns and spirituals released by Navona in 2022. It should be performed with great freedom and expression. The metronome mark is only for reference. I’ve simplified Maria Clark’s vocal line; the singer is free to either sing this as written or create their own embellishments.

Piano,Vocal,Voice - Level 5 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1297754

Composed by Civilla D. Martin and Charles H. Gabriel. Arranged by Maria Thompson Corley and Maria Burke-Clark. Sacred. Score. 10 pages. Maria Thompson Corley #887729. Published by Maria Thompson Corley (A0.1297754).

This score is a transcription of an improvisation recorded for Soul Sanctuary, a collection of my arrangements of hymns and spirituals released by Navona in 2022. It should be performed with great freedom and expression. The metronome marks are only for reference; this piece should never sound metronomic. 

Piano,Vocal,Voice - Level 3 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.845949

Composed by Maria Thompson Corley. Concert. Score. 17 pages. Maria Thompson Corley #6265265. Published by Maria Thompson Corley (A0.845949).

The texts are adapted by the composer from four of Aesop's fables: The Fox and the Grapes, The Fox and the Stork, The Fox and the Goat, and The Fox and the Crow. These lighthearted pieces are written with developing voices in mind, and include hints of jazz, early music, and light opera.

Piano,Vocal,Voice - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1284049

Composed by Spiritual. Arranged by Maria Thompson Corley. 21st Century,Chamber,Christian,Sacred,Traditional. Score. 7 pages. Maria Thompson Corley #875222. Published by Maria Thompson Corley (A0.1284049).

“Crossing Jordan� grew out of my daughter Kiana’s surprise request that I arrange a spiritual for voice, piano and cello for her senior recital. She received a degree in commercial music the year before COVID shut everything down, at a time before climate change made blizzards an anomaly here in Central PA. As a result, snow days still existed. I spent one of them doing the first draft of “Deep River,� her favorite.

Later, I decided that if singers engage a cellist for a concert, they might like to program more than one piece for them, so I chose two more water-themed spirituals to complete the set. “His Name So Sweet� is a more meditative version of the song than I’ve generally heard. I wanted the piano, cello, and briefly the voice to imitate the fountain in the text. The mood is ecstasy, resulting from the fundamental change that baptism is meant to create. “Deep River� also includes “Michael Row The Boat Ashore� and “The Water Is Wide.� The latter isn’t a spiritual, however, taken together the message is that the river is deep, the water is wide, but with (the Archangel?) Michael’s help, Jordan can be crossed. “Wade in the Water� is one of the most well-known spirituals. I focus on the idea of escaping enslavement: the opening is quiet, furtive, maybe even nervous. The Moses in the text can be understood to be Harriet Tubman, who might urge escapees to wade in the water so pursuing dogs couldn’t follow their scent. In my mind, the ending symbolizes that the party has vanished, never to be enslaved again.

Piano,Vocal,Voice - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1284044

Composed by Spiritual. Arranged by Maria Thompson Corley. 21st Century,Chamber,Sacred,Spiritual,Traditional. Score. 9 pages. Maria Thompson Corley #875216. Published by Maria Thompson Corley (A0.1284044).

“Crossing Jordan� grew out of my daughter Kiana’s surprise request that I arrange a spiritual for voice, piano and cello for her senior recital. She received a degree in commercial music the year before COVID shut everything down, at a time before climate change made blizzards an anomaly here in Central PA. As a result, snow days still existed. I spent one of them doing the first draft of “Deep River,� her favorite.

Later, I decided that if singers engage a cellist for a concert, they might like to program more than one piece for them, so I chose two more water-themed spirituals to complete the set. “His Name So Sweet� is a more meditative version of the song than I’ve generally heard. I wanted the piano, cello, and briefly the voice to imitate the fountain in the text. The mood is ecstasy, resulting from the fundamental change that baptism is meant to create. “Deep River� also includes “Michael Row The Boat Ashore� and “The Water Is Wide.� The latter isn’t a spiritual, however, taken together the message is that the river is deep, the water is wide, but with (the Archangel?) Michael’s help, Jordan can be crossed. “Wade in the Water� is one of the most well-known spirituals. I focus on the idea of escaping enslavement: the opening is quiet, furtive, maybe even nervous. The Moses in the text can be understood to be Harriet Tubman, who might urge escapees to wade in the water so pursuing dogs couldn’t follow their scent. In my mind, the ending symbolizes that the party has vanished, never to be enslaved again.

The YouTube link is for soprano.

Piano,Vocal,Voice - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1284056

Composed by Spiritual. Arranged by Maria Thompson Corley. 21st Century,Chamber,Sacred,Spiritual,Traditional. Score. 8 pages. Maria Thompson Corley #875229. Published by Maria Thompson Corley (A0.1284056).

“Crossing Jordan� grew out of my daughter Kiana’s surprise request that I arrange a spiritual for voice, piano and cello for her senior recital. She received a degree in commercial music the year before COVID shut everything down, at a time before climate change made blizzards an anomaly here in Central PA. As a result, snow days still existed. I spent one of them doing the first draft of “Deep River,� her favorite.

Later, I decided that if singers engage a cellist for a concert, they might like to program more than one piece for them, so I chose two more water-themed spirituals to complete the set. “His Name So Sweet� is a more meditative version of the song than I’ve generally heard. I wanted the piano, cello, and briefly the voice to imitate the fountain in the text. The mood is ecstasy, resulting from the fundamental change that baptism is meant to create. “Deep River� also includes “Michael Row The Boat Ashore� and “The Water Is Wide.� The latter isn’t a spiritual, however, taken together the message is that the river is deep, the water is wide, but with (the Archangel?) Michael’s help, Jordan can be crossed. “Wade in the Water� is one of the most well-known spirituals. I focus on the idea of escaping enslavement: the opening is quiet, furtive, maybe even nervous. The Moses in the text can be understood to be Harriet Tubman, who might urge escapees to wade in the water so pursuing dogs couldn’t follow their scent. In my mind, the ending symbolizes that the party has vanished, never to be enslaved again.

Piano,Vocal,Voice - Level 5 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.845941

Composed by Maria Thompson Corley. Concert,Contemporary. Score. 5 pages. Maria Thompson Corley #5828117. Published by Maria Thompson Corley (A0.845941).

Text by Countee Cullen. This song was premiered at the 2017 African American Art Song Alliance convention. The poem is about a woman who doesn't fit in heaven because of her tendency for sensuous dancing. It opens with an accompaniment reminiscent of Palestrina, which conflicts with the vocal line to depict the text. The music modulates to a key a tritone away, to symbolize the devil, and the piano part evolves into a habanera. .

Piano,Vocal,Voice - Level 5 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1284047

Composed by Spiritual. Arranged by Maria Thompson Corley. 21st Century,Christian,Sacred,Spiritual,Traditional. Score. 15 pages. Maria Thompson Corley #875219. Published by Maria Thompson Corley (A0.1284047).

“Crossing Jordan� grew out of my daughter Kiana’s surprise request that I arrange a spiritual for voice, piano and cello for her senior recital. She received a degree in commercial music the year before COVID shut everything down, at a time before climate change made blizzards an anomaly here in Central PA. As a result, snow days still existed. I spent one of them doing the first draft of “Deep River,� her favorite.

Later, I decided that if singers engage a cellist for a concert, they might like to program more than one piece for them, so I chose two more water-themed spirituals to complete the set. “His Name So Sweet� is a more meditative version of the song than I’ve generally heard. I wanted the piano, cello, and briefly the voice to imitate the fountain in the text. The mood is ecstasy, resulting from the fundamental change that baptism is meant to create. “Deep River� also includes “Michael Row The Boat Ashore� and “The Water Is Wide.� The latter isn’t a spiritual, however, taken together the message is that the river is deep, the water is wide, but with (the Archangel?) Michael’s help, Jordan can be crossed. “Wade in the Water� is one of the most well-known spirituals. I focus on the idea of escaping enslavement: the opening is quiet, furtive, maybe even nervous. The Moses in the text can be understood to be Harriet Tubman, who might urge escapees to wade in the water so pursuing dogs couldn’t follow their scent. In my mind, the ending symbolizes that the party has vanished, never to be enslaved again.

Piano,Vocal,Voice - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1284058

Composed by Spiritual. Arranged by Maria Thompson Corley. 21st Century,Chamber,Sacred,Spiritual,Traditional. Score. 9 pages. Maria Thompson Corley #875231. Published by Maria Thompson Corley (A0.1284058).

“Crossing Jordan� grew out of my daughter Kiana’s surprise request that I arrange a spiritual for voice, piano and cello for her senior recital. She received a degree in commercial music the year before COVID shut everything down, at a time before climate change made blizzards an anomaly here in Central PA. As a result, snow days still existed. I spent one of them doing the first draft of “Deep River,� her favorite.

Later, I decided that if singers engage a cellist for a concert, they might like to program more than one piece for them, so I chose two more water-themed spirituals to complete the set. “His Name So Sweet� is a more meditative version of the song than I’ve generally heard. I wanted the piano, cello, and briefly the voice to imitate the fountain in the text. The mood is ecstasy, resulting from the fundamental change that baptism is meant to create. “Deep River� also includes “Michael Row The Boat Ashore� and “The Water Is Wide.� The latter isn’t a spiritual, however, taken together the message is that the river is deep, the water is wide, but with (the Archangel?) Michael’s help, Jordan can be crossed. “Wade in the Water� is one of the most well-known spirituals. I focus on the idea of escaping enslavement: the opening is quiet, furtive, maybe even nervous. The Moses in the text can be understood to be Harriet Tubman, who might urge escapees to wade in the water so pursuing dogs couldn’t follow their scent. In my mind, the ending symbolizes that the party has vanished, never to be enslaved again.

This arrangement was created at the request of pianist Julia Carey. It is the only piece of the three that has been transcribed for this combination. The YouTube video is for soprano, piano and cello.