Choral Music by

    Highlights: Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany

• A vital 7/8 meter enlivens a strikingly original SATB setting of the Medieval text, "Out of Your Sleep, Arise and Wake!" An impressive yet accessible work issued by Shawnee - Mark Foster (MF 0588)

• "Hark, What Good News" is an elegant setting for accompanied SAB of a little known German carol, available from St. James Music Press.

• Three compelling SATB anthems in one octavo! A Christmas Triptych provides evocative original settings for fine traditional texts: Adam lay y-bounden, I Sing of a Maiden, and When Christ Was Born of Mary Free. Issued in the Mark Foster Choral Series by Shawnee Press (MF0600)

• Two a capella gems for SATB: an old English Carol newly arranged, "Blesséd Be that Maid Marie," and a new compsition setting Rosetti'e beloved poem, "Love Came Down at Christmas;"  both available from St. James Music Press.

• Shifting accents in a 6/8 meter lend sprightly syncopation to an original SATB accompanied composition that sets a charming but little known Isaac Watts text, "Shepherds, Rejoice." (Carl Fischer CM8740)
  

• Lively keyboard accompaniments support SATB arrangements of two exuberant carols, "Venite Adoremus Dominum,"(Mark Foster MF 581) and "My Dancing Day." (Coronet 392-41593)

• The medieval mystery of the rose unfolds in two exquisite original SATB compositions, "There us no rose of such virtue" (H. W. Gray GCMR 03598) and "A lovely rose is all my song" (Carl Fischer CM 8281)

• A compelling original composition for unaccompanied SATB setting a mystic portion of a Richard Crashaw poem, "The Starry Stranger"  (Shawnee MFA0028)
  

• The compelling Advent  tune by Lowell Mason is newly arranged for accompanied SA(T)B, "Watchman Tell Us of the Night," available from St. James Music Press.
  

• A compelling 15th century riddle verse finds a contemporary solution in the original SATB composition, "A God and yet a man?," published by Randall Egan (EC-337).

• Especially suited to the Annunciation, a finely crafted accompanied SAB arrangement of  "The Linden Tree," a setting of an old German tune, available from St. James Music Press.

For other fine seasonal works, please see the Advent/Christmas/Epiphany section of the Classified Complete Works List.

Lent and Communion Favorites

A moving SATB arrangement of a haunting Dutch melody, newly paired with the W.C. Dix poem, "Come unto me," published in the Mark Foster Choral Series by Shawnee Press (MF2173)John Greenleaf Whittier's poem "Immortal Love, Forever Full" takes on new breadth and intensity in an original composition for accompanied SATB, issued as Coronet 392-41704.

The classic text "Draw Nigh and Take the Body of the Lord" receives an evocative original setting for a cappella SATB in Carl Fischer's publication CM 8333.

John Keble's lovely poem, "Blessed are the Pure in Heart," receives a sensitive unaccompanied SATB setting in Carl Fischer's CM 8351

A moving paraphrase of Psalm XXIII appears with an American folk tune setting for accompanied for SATB in "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need," Carl Fischer CM 8370.

A compelling English tune arranged for SATB sets the spiritual tone for Holy Week in "O Mortal Man, Remember Well" (Lawson-Gould M70-617).

The gripping Thomas Tallis setting of the scriptural text "Verily, I say unto you" is edited for SAB and available from Carl Fischer (CM8564).

A powerful text and tune is given a fail-safe arrangement for two-part accompanied mixed voices in "What Grace and Beauty Shone," issued by Carl Fischer (CM 8352).

Easter Season and Pentecost

• The resurrection verses of the traditional carol "My Dancing Day"receive a lively keyboard accompaniment in a joyful SATB setting issued as Coronet 392-41593, available through Theodore Presser

• A beloved text suited for Pentecost is transformed and enriched in an insightful original composition for accompanied SAB, "Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart"(Mark Foster MF 2138).

• The Easter story is recounted in a lilting, a cappella SATB arrangement of a charming Irish tune, "Let Christians All, With One Accord, Rejoice" (H.W. Gray GCMR 03588).

• A mixed accompanied arrangement of the hymn tune Mendon is a failsafe Pentecost anthem, "Come, Gracious Spirit" (Concordia 98-2971).

    Confirmation and Ordination

• Almighty God, who hast me brought... SAB (ed. Thomas Ford) Carl Fischer CM8510
• Blessed are the pure in heart...S ATB (text by John Keble, 1819) Carl Fischer CM 8351
• Come, Gracious Spirit... SATB (arr. hymn Mendon) Concordia 98-2971
• Come, thou Holy Spirit... SATB (anon. Latin) H.W. Gray GCMR 03606
• Come Thou Fount...SAB (arr. Sacred Harp, 1844) Carl Fischer CM 8421
• Guide me, O Thou great Jevovah... SATB (arr. Southern Harm., 1835) Mark Foster MF 2102
• If ye love me... SSAA (ed. Thomas Tallis) Lawson-Gould M70-542
• Immortal love, forever full...S ATB (text by J. G. Whittier, 1856) Coronet 392-41704
• In heavenly love abiding... SAB (arr. Finnish melody) Carl Fischer CM8582
• Jesus, the very thought of Thee... SATB (anon. Latin, tr. Caswell) Flammer A-6394
• My shepherd will supply...SATB (arr/ Southern Harm., 1854) Carl Fischer CM 8370
• O, for a closer walk... SATB (arr. Missouri Harmony, 1820) H.W. Gray GCMR 0354
• Spirit of God, Descend...SAB (text by George Croly, 1854) Mark Foster 2138
• Surprising Light... SATB (arr. Christian Lyre, 1830) Mark Foster MF 2102
• Verily I say unto you... SAB (ed. Thomas Tallis) Carl Fischer CM8564
• We praise Thee and we bless Thee... SAB (arr. J. Crueger) Carl Fischer CM 8499 

Thanksgiving

• A little known tune becomes a new favorite when a sturdy yet lyric English folksong sets the familiar seasonal text "We plow the fields and scatter," arranged for accompanied SATB (H. W. Gray GCMR 9506).

• An old American shape-note hymn tune is given a rugged and robust arrangement for SATB, using the William Williams poem "Guide me, O thou great Jehovah" in a set of Two Early American Hymns, Mark Foster MF2102.

• A paraphrase of Psalm 23 suits the season with a soaring American folk tune arranged for accompanied for SATB in "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need," Carl Fischer CM 8370.

• For SAB, the lovely Sacred Harp tune known as Beech Spring receives a sweeping accompanied arrangement using the text "Come, Thou Fount of Ev'ry Blessing"  (Carl Fischer Cm 8421).

Memorial

• As Pants the Hart for Cooling Streams....SATB (arr. Southern Harmony, 1835) Carl Fischer CM 8350

• Blessed are the pure in heart...SATB (text by Keble, 1819) Carl Fischer CM 8351

• Come Unto Me... SATB (arr.15th C. Dutch tune) Shawnee Press (MF2173)

• In Heav'nly Love Abiding...SAB (arr. Finnish folk melody) Carl Fischer CM8582

• Jesus, the very thought of Thee...SATB (text anon. Latin, trans. Caswell) Flammer A-6394

• My shepherd will supply my need...SATB (arr. Southern Harmony, 1854) Carl Fischer CM 8370

• None other lamb...SATB (text by Rossetti,1830-94) Concordia 98-2967

• O, for a closer walk with God...SATB (arr. Missouri Harmony, 1820) H.W. Gray GCMR 035

• A Psalm of Praise...SATB (text by Richard Baxter), Shawnee MF 2184
   
• Steal away to Jesus...SATB (arr. African-American spiritual) Tetra-Continuo TC1106

Select Folk Hymns and Spirituals for SATB

• A sturdy yet lyric American folkhymn carries an old Tate & Brady paraphrase of Psalm 42 in a very popular accompanied SATB setting, "As Pants the Hart for Cooling Streams" (Carl Fischer CM8350).

• The lovely Sacred Harp tune known as Beech Spring receives a sweeping accompanied arrangement using the text Come, Thou Fount of Ev'ry Blessing  (Carl Fischer Cm 8421)

• The 1835 Southern Harmony tune Pleasant Hill is paired with the moving Isaac Watts paraphrase of Psalm 23 in a lyrically flowing work, "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need" (Carl Fischer CM 8370).

• Two American Folkhymns paired in a rich, new resource by Mark Foster (MF 2102) provide: "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah" and "Surprising Light.

• "Go Down, Moses," a strong setting with a hair-raising modulation (arr. African-American spiritual) Coronet 392-41772.

• "O, for a closer walk with God," a smooth, lyric, assured work (arr. Missouri Harmony, 1820) H.W. Gray GCMR 0354.

• "Steal Away to Jesus," a classic unaccompanied setting with a solo soprano descant (arr. African-American spiritual) Tetra-Continuo 1106.

• "We plow the fields," a sturdy setting with a sweeping flow (arr. English folksong) H.W. Gray GCMR 9506.

• "Were you there?," a richly harmonized unaccompanied setting (arr. African-American spiritual) Concordia 98-2745.

Representative Original Works for SATB

• A majestic original composition commissioned for SATB and organ, setting a poemby Richard Baxter (Shawnee MF2184)

• John Greenleaf Whittier's beloved poem "Immortal love, forever full" newly transformed in a sweeping setting (Coronet 392-4170)

• The ancient devotional poem, "Jesus, the very thought of Thee," infused with sweet intensity ( Flammer A-6394)

• "A God and yet a man?," solves a medieval riddle in a modern unaccompanied setting (Randall Egan E337)

• A strong contemporary setting of John Donne's immortal "Hymn to God the Father" (H. W. Gray GCMR 03588)

• The classic Latin text "Draw Nigh, and Take the Body of the Lord"  in an evocative modern setting (Carl Fischer CM 8333).

• Christina Rossetti's lovely poem "None Other Lamb" is a heart-felt gem (Concordia 98-2967).

• John Keble's meditation on the Beatitudes, "Blessed are the Pure in Heart," in a sweetly nostalgic setting (Carl Fischer CM 83510).

• An old hymn text, "Bread of the world," newly revealed in a setting of freshness and clarity (H.W. Gray GCMR 03594).

• The full breadth and conviction of the translated Latin text, "Come, thou Holy Spirit" accompanied by a rich organ part. (H.W. Gray GCMR 03606

Some Literature for Women and Trebles

• Gregor Aichinger's lovely motet "Ave Regine Coelorum" is edited for SSA in the Mark Foster catalog carried by Shawnee Press (MF0937)

• A strong and earthy a cappella arrangement for SSA of the favorite old English folk song, "Scarborough Fair" was issued by Mark Foster(MF 971) and is now distributed by Shawnee Press.

• Your ensemble will enjoy se lively English madrigals expertly edited for SSAA: Morley's "Hark, Jolly Shepherds" and "Shoot, False Love" (Lawson Gould M70 643 and 566); and Weelkes's "Whilst Youthful Sports" and "Now Every Tree Renews" (Lawson Gould M70 564 and 616)

• Masterworks edited for SSAA and published by Lawson-Gould Music-70 include "If Ye Love Me" by Thomas Tallis (M70-542), and Franz Schubert's "Salve Regina" (M70-653) which has received international recognition

• Christina Rossetti's charming Christmas poem, "The Shepherds had an Angel," receives a lovely and lush accompanied SA setting (Carl Fischer CM 8352).

• Also for Christmas, two a cappella SSAA settings of old German music, Scheidt's "A Child is Born in Bethlehem" and the Piae Cantiones tune "On This Day, Earth Shall Ring" (Lawson-Gould M70-611 and M70-552).

Select Music for SAB and SSAB

Four fine pieces truly conceived for S-A-Baritone:

    * a sweeping setting of a Crüger tune, "We Praise Thee" (Carl Fischer CM 8499);
    * a sweetly flowing paraphrase of Psalm 23, "In Heavenly Love Abiding" (Carl Fischer CM8582);
    * a strong yet folk arrangement, "Come, Thou Fount of Ev'ry Blessing" (Carl Fischer CM 8421);
    * and a moving original composition "Spirit of God, Descend" (Mark Foster MF 2138).

Young ensembles with only one changed voice-part can enjoy music from England's Golden Age in SSAB editions of Thomas Weelkes's "Welcome, Sweet Pleasure" and "Hark, All Ye Lovely Saints Above" (CPP-Belwin, OCTO 2560 and SV9813).

Classic a cappella literature edited for SAB:

* Thomas Ford's "Almighty God, Who Hast Me Brought" and Christopher Tye's "Hail to the Lord's Anointed," paired in a value priced octavo by Carl Fischer, CM 8509.

* Richard Farrant's "Call to Remembrance" and "Verily, I Say unto You" by Thomas Tallis, similarly paired in Carl Fischer's CM 8564.

There now are ten pieces in this new series with St. James Press, and more are on the way!