Literature
Recommendations from your R&S Chairs
by
James Kinchen,
WCDA State R&S Chair
Spring/Summer
2004 issue
of Soundings, the WCDA Newsletter
WOMEN’S CHOIR REPERTOIRE
Submitted by Alan Rieck
One
of the greatest challenges in finding music for women’s choir is
breaking the stereotype of what those ensembles are. Too frequently
people think of second tier ensembles that primarily sing lyrical
nature songs. It doesn’t have to be that way. Go out and do some pieces
that break that mold. Here are some ideas:
1. Nada te turbe, Joan Szymko
SSAA, CELLO; SANTA BARBARA MUSIC PUBLISHING #SBMP 334
This is a hauntingly beautiful and lyrical piece in which the cello
provides counterpoint to the vocal lines. “Nada te turbe” incorporates
smooth use of mixed meters and both Spanish and English texts. My
students and audiences loved it. It was frequently called the favorite
piece on the program.
2. Dance on My Heart, Allen Koepke
SSA, PIANO; SANTA BARBARA MUSIC PUBLISHING #SBMP 34
Many are familiar with this bouncing “story” piece. It is fun to sing
and provides for the teaching of many concepts to the young choir.
3. Messe Basse, Gabriel Fauré
SA, ORCHESTRA (ORGAN OR PIANO ALSO POSSIBLE); THEODORE PRESSER CO.
#312-40598
This piece is a classic in the women’s repertoire. It is very
accessible for the young singer and begins to open up the world of
French romantic harmony. It is definitely worth the time and effort.
How often do women’s choirs get the chance to sing an extended work?
4. Witches’ Chorus (from Macbeth),
Giuseppe Verdi
SSA, ORCHESTRA OR KEYBOARD; OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS #OCCO 21
(#2 from Three Opera Choruses for Upper Voices)
This high-energy opera chorus is a great introduction to the genre for
the younger singer. It is exciting to sing and also fun to explore the
story of Macbeth. Opera has many gems for the women’s choir—don’t be
afraid to use them. Students will love this music and release some of
their own stereotypes about opera.
5. Go Where I Send Thee!, Paul
Caldwell and Sean Ivory, arr.
SSA, PIANO; EARTHSONGS
This piece is part of The Anton Armstrong Choral Series and is a gospel
arrangement of the familiar spiritual. There are some great harmonic
and rhythmic moments throughout.
MIDDLE SCHOOL/EASY HIGH SCHOOL REPERTOIRE
Submitted by Mary Bigus
1. I Will Sing, Ruth Elaine Schram
(Alfred)
SAB, PIANO (OPTIONAL CELLO); ALFRED #21111 (ALSO AVAILABLE FOR SA)
Ruth has given us another little gem. The text is so appropriate,
especially for the young musician. The texture between the piano and
voice is just beautiful. This piece sets itself up for many technical
tools to work on with the young singer, vocal placement in particular.
The entire piece falls within a comfortable range for the changing
voice. If you have a wonderful cellist within your school, there is a
cello part available.
2. Deo Dicamus Gratias, Jerry Estes
SATB, PIANO; ALFRED #21728 (ALSO AVAILABLE IN 3-PART MIXED & SSA)
A beginning middle school choir can successfully perform this
selection. It’s beautiful line and texture make for a wonderful
teaching experience. It does break into a soprano division, but nothing
very difficult.
3. A Classic Kyrie (based on Handel ‘s
“Sarabande”), Sally Albrecht, arr.
SATB, PIANO; ALFRED #21076 (ALSO AVAILABLE FOR 3-PART MIXED)
The Sarabande on which this piece is based comes from Handel’s Suite in
D Minor. The edition is clean, straightforward. This piece works well
for the advanced middle school or young high school student. On
occasion, the basses are expected to do octave leaps, which could prove
to be an issue for some young singers.
4. May You Always Have a Song, Sally
Albrecht & Jay Althouse
SATB, PIANO; ALFRED #21203 (ALSO AVAILABLE FOR SAB)
Here is a selection that will just grab at your heartstrings! The text
will touch anyone who has ever sung in a choir. “May you always have a
song and feel it deep within your soul. And may your friends all sing
along.” The accompaniment is well written and complements the beautiful
four-part harmonies.
5. La Musica (The Music), Jay Althouse
SATB, PIANO; ALFRED #21823 (ALSO AVAILABLE FOR SAB)
Fun “rhythmic” lyric! Wonderful balance of Spanish and English.
Excellent writing for the young singer. Soprano and alto will find a
thre-part split, but nothing that they couldn’t handle. This piece will
just sweep you away!
COMMUNITY CHOIR REPERTOIRE
Submitted by Ruth Knoll
My
list has been chosen based on my experience directing a community
chorus of 50-60 nonauditioned singers representing all age levels and
from all walks of life in a community of about 11,000 people, though we
draw from quite a wide surrounding area. My people simply just “love to
sing.” Many are church choir members; some have been in high school
choirs; a few sang in college choirs and only a handful has ever had
private training. I hope that the repertoire will stretch them
musically, but not be inaccessible, and that we will sing a variety of
things that interest them as well as the trained and untrained
listening public.
1. Te Deum, W. A. Mozart, Walter
Rodby, ed.
SATB, PIANO OR ORGAN (OR VIOLIN I AND II, VIOLA, CELLO, BASS); ROGER
DEAN PUBLISHING CO. # CS 921
This short work (about 7 minutes long) was written when Mozart was in
his teens and shows his exuberant nature. Walter Rodby was responsible
for this edition; no new music has been added, though some of the
original instrumental parts have been incorporated into the
accompaniment. We performed it with piano, but organ or just a string
quartet could be used. An English translation duplicates, where
possible, the exact syllabication of the Latin and incorporates the
Latin meaning into the English text. There are three movements:
Te Deum Laudamus, very spirited, is
essentially through-composed, with some repetition of melodic and
rhythmic fragments. The Latin text is very syllabically set and less
familiar to many choirs that sing Latin. There is a short, contrasting
Adagio section at the conclusion.
Aeterna Pax, also through-composed.
In Te Domine, a polyphonic
rendering of the phrase “In Te Domine, non, non confundar in aeternum.”
Singers enjoy the thematic dialogue as they feel confident with the
notes.
2. Six Love Songs, Johannes Brahms
SATB, FOUR HAND PIANO ACCOMPANIMENT AND OPTIONAL VIOLIN OBBLIGATO; E.C.
SCHIRMER MUSIC CO. # 388
(These are six selections from Opus 52 and Opus 65 of his Liebeslieder
Waltzes; also available for men’s and women’s voices.) I chose this
selection for my chorus because we had recently performed How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place
and I wanted to show another side of Brahms. (We also owned the music
and two fine pianist -- a necessity! -- were available for the
accompaniment.) All the pieces contain short, repeated sections and
move in very spirited fashion. They show the Brahms sweeping melodic
style and lovely harmonic changes with typical waltz-like accents. This
version is only in English. (I was able to locate an older, LP
recording by Elaine Brown and Singing City in English for reference.)
3. Love Lost--A Cycle of Four Satirical Poems
on Love, Paul Sjolund
SATB, UNACCOMPANIED - A CAPPELLA; WALTON MUSIC CORP. #- W 2702
Wishing to program a short section on “humor” in choral music, I
remembered these selections from my high school teaching days. I also
thought these would “stretch” my choir in terms of contemporary chord
structures, declamatory style (a lot of rubatos), and crystal-clear
diction, and yet allow them to have fun chuckling over the lyrics.
These are all through-composed little jewels based on poetry by three
different authors. The final punch lines on numbers 2, 3 and 4 are
especially good! There are limited divisi in this cycle. Written for
the Luboff Choir, the low basses will love the range!
“One Perfect Rose”
(Dorothy Parker, poet) is the longest of the four, and that is not very
long! It has lots of opportunity for dynamic contrasts and rubatos. (33
measures).
“When You’re Away”
(Samuel Hoffenstein, poet). Once you are past the fourth chord (a four
note tonal cluster) the harmonies are only slight dissonant. (10
measures).
“Careless Talk”
(Mark Hollis, poet) is only seven measures long and straightforward.
“Your Little
Hands” (Samuel Hoffenstein, poet) presents again great opportunities
for rubatos with just a touch of dissonance. (13 measures).
4. O Music, Thou Most Lovely Art
(Musik dein ganz lieblich Kunst), Johann Jeep,
Ray Robinson, ed. and English text
SATB, UNACCOMPANIED; HINSHAW MUSIC #HMC -934
This is a lovely Renaissance jewel by the Renaissance composer, Johann
Jeep (1562-1650); short (42 measures) but effective. I think it is
wholesome for non-auditioned adult groups toexperience the purity of
sound that we try to elicit in Renaissance (madrigal-style) literature.
The imitation is beautiful with an interesting contrasting final 10
measures. It can be sung in English or German. I have performed it
first in English, as the words are meaningful, and then repeated it in
German.
5. Fanfare, Rich McKinney
SATB, A CAPPELLA (LIMITED DIVISI); JENSON PUBLICATIONS # 455-06014
With a text by Sandra Chapman (wife of Alan Chapman, at that time
director of the Ft. Madison, Iowa Chamber Choir, to whom the piece is
dedicated), this 20-measure choral fanfare is rich in meaning and
musical strengths. There is just a touch of contemporary dissonance and
several meter changes. I quote the text for its beauty:
“Song go on, touch
the part of me that’s closed to all, save music,
Find
the voice that’s silent yet can sing.
Make of
me a vessel, holding melody’s reward,
Savoring
the sounds that unlock hearts.
Strike
my soul with tones to lift men’s minds.
Song go
on -- and make me whole.”
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