Welcome to my October newsletter! I’m starting to hear about Christmas performances now, and it’s lovely to see my Christmas Cantatas getting more outings – ‘O Come Emmanuel ‘(Great Missenden Choral Society, 7 December, and Kenilworth Union Church, Illinois, 8 December), ‘A Light in the Stable’ (South Chiltern Choral Society, 14 December). Performances of individual carols include my ‘Love came down at Christmas’ in a version for upper voices and harp, (Woldingham School Choir, Westminster Cathedral, 9 December) and the first performance of my ‘Lie Still and Slumber’ (Vivamus Choir, St. Clement Danes Church, London, 12 December).
I’m also looking forward to going to the Association of British Choral Directors (ABCD) convention at Reading University on 25-26 October, where I shall have the opportunity to introduce some of my music, and to meet up with composing and singing colleagues.
There’s a list of new and recent publications at the end of this newsletter, but the main focus today is a curated list of some of my pieces for mixed choir with piano accompaniment. In the same way as in other recent newsletters, I’ve listed them here according to subject matter, with a short description of each. Each title links to a page on my website which brings more information. Colne Edition publications are available as digital downloads (minimum ten copies) from www.sheetmusicdirect, or www.sheetmusicplus. Please contact me direct if you need fewer than ten copies, more than twenty copies, or printed copies.
I hope that this list might suggest some programming ideas, and please contact me for any advice you may need. All pieces are for SATB with piano, and between two and five minutes, unless identified as ‘cantata’. This list does not include Christmas carols, or music for church services.
The Joy of Singing
Endless Song (cantata for mixed choir and piano or strings) – six movements celebrating the power and joy of song. Colne Edition
Music for the Soul – reflective, focussing on the healing and expressive power of music. (a movement from Endless Song) Colne Edition
My life flows on – a lively tribute to the traditional song ‘How can I keep from singing’, (a movement from Endless Song) Colne Edition
My Song (This Song of Mine) – a colourful setting of the beautifully spiritual poem by Rabindranath Tagore, also available in an unaccompanied version. (a movement from Endless Song) Colne Edition
The Gift to Sing – a setting of the poem by James Weldon Johnson: whatever troubles life might bring, singing will ‘turn the gloom to cheerful day’. (a movement from Endless Song) Colne Edition
One Voice for All – a lively song about singing and care for the environment (SABar – also available in an upper voice version) Colne Edition
Cherishing our World
This is our world – (cantata for SATB and youth choir, with piano or small orchestra) – six movements based on our hopes and dreams for the future. Colne Edition
In such a night – tolling bell sounds, together with rich and sonorous chords, provide a background for a colourful portrait of the beauty of nature. A movement from Pictures of Night) Colne Edition
Rainbow – reflecting the beauty, but also the healing powers of the rainbow, symbol of the caring professions. Also available for upper voices. Colne Edition
One Voice for All – a lively song about singing and care for the environment (SABar – also available in an upper voice version) Colne Edition
Peace, beauty, and calm
Canticle of Freedom (A Song for Peace) (cantata for SATB and optional youth choir, with orchestra) – this extended four-movement work uses texts from a wide variety of sources on the subject of peace and freedom. Colne Edition
Calm and deep peace/Simple Gifts – this expressive song combines a setting of a few lines of Tennyson with an arrangement of the traditional Shaker song, Simple Gifts. SATB or SA, in The Oxford Book of Flexible Choral Songs, OUP.
In such a night – tolling bell sounds, together with rich and sonorous chords, provide a background for a colourful portrait of the beauty of nature. (A movement from Pictures of Night) Colne Edition
Love on my heart from heaven fell – an expressive and colourful setting of the poem by Robert Bridges, also available in an upper voice version. Colne Edition
Rainbow – reflecting the beauty, but also the healing powers of the rainbow, symbol of the caring professions. Also available for upper voices. Colne Edition
One Voice for All – a lively song about singing and care for the environment (SABar – also available in an upper voice version) Colne Edition
The Gartan Mother’s Lullaby – a richly-textured arrangement of the traditional Irish song, for voices in up to four parts, in The Oxford Book of Flexible Choral Songs, OUP.
Times and Seasons
Welcome Spring! (four movement cantata for SATB, optional youth choir, and piano or strings). A lighthearted and accessible work which takes us from the melting of the snows to the glory and promise of summer. Colne Edition
Pictures of Night – (five movement cantata for SATB, optional youth choir, and piano) Ranging from the beauty of a still night to the excitement of a firework display, and from the mystery and terror of darkness to the calm of the new moon. Colne Edition
Spring is Sprung – a humorous setting of the traditional tongue-twisting text, from Welcome Spring!, also available in a version for upper voices. Colne Edition
Fireworks – the colours, the sounds, the glitter, the explosions, and the final rocket descending! Also available for two-part voices. From Pictures of Night, Colne Edition
In such a night – tolling bell sounds, together with rich and sonorous chords, provide a background for a colourful portrait of a summer night. (A movement from Pictures of Night) Colne Edition
New Moon – this gentle but expressive song tells of the guiding light of the new moon. Also available for upper voices (a movement from Pictures of Night) Colne Edition
A Feast for Christmas – (SATB, optional narrator, optional children’s choir, with piano, or brass quintet, or strings) This popular 8-movement cantata contrasts the cooking of the Christmas dinner with more reflective Christmas themes, with an opportunity for the audience to join in at the end. Ideal for Christmas concerts. Colne Edition
Christmas Celebration – the first and last movements of A Feast for Christmas combined, ending with ‘We wish you a merry Christmas’. Colne Edition
Birds and Beasts
Hark, hark, the lark – A lyrical melodic line together with trills from the piano characterise this setting of Shakespeare’s well-known poem. Scored for SABar, (baritone optional). In The Oxford Book of Flexible Choral Songs, OUP.
You spotted snakes – This Shakespeare setting responds to the changes of mood between the spiky depiction of snakes and other ‘evil’ creatures, and the calm and soothing lullaby sections. SABar, (baritone optional). In The Oxford Book of Flexible Choral Songs, OUP.
The Tiger – a spiky and dramatic setting of William Blake’s poem, for voices in up to four parts. In The Oxford Book of Flexible Choral Songs, OUP.
The Owl and the Pussycat – the well-known Edward Lear poem. (A movement from Mr Lear and from Three Nonsense Songs) Colne Edition
Journeys
Travelling Tales – eight movements on the subject of journeys, combining poems of the past with poems by today’s young people, this cantata is scored for SATB and optional youth choir, with piano (or piano duet plus percussion). Colne Edition
Travel Prayer – A gentle and expressive setting of a prayer from the Scottish Islands for safety on journeys by land and sea. From Travelling Tales, Colne Edition
Why does he gallop? – R. L. Stevenson’s poem about the mysterious horse-rider given exciting and rhythmic treatment. From Travelling Tales, Colne Edition
Shakespeare
Hark, hark, the lark – A lyrical melodic line together with trills from the piano characterise this setting of Shakespeare’s well-known poem. Scored for SABar, (baritone optional). In The Oxford Book of Flexible Choral Songs, OUP.
You spotted snakes – a response to the changes of mood between the spiky depiction of snakes and other ‘evil’ creatures, and the calm and soothing lullaby sections. SABar, (baritone optional). In The Oxford Book of Flexible Choral Songs, OUP.
Full Fathom five – a colourful setting of this magical and mysterious text for SABar (baritone optional). In The Oxford Book of Flexible Choral Songs, OUP
When that I was and a little tiny boy – a response to the humour and the pathos of the epilogue to ‘Twelfth Night’. In the collection Shall I compare thee?, OUP.
Humour
Mr Lear – This popular cantata is an entertainment based on the life of Edward Lear, scored for SATB, optional children’s choir, optional narrator, with piano or brass quintet. Colne Edition
Three Nonsense Songs – Broom, Shovel, Poker and Tongs, The Owl and the Pussycat, and The Table and the Chair: selected movements from Mr Lear, Colne Edition
Health and Safety – three fun and amusing songs setting standard safety instructions and warning announcements. SATB, also available for SSA and Cambiata choir. OUP (via Chimes Music Digital if the printed copy is unavailable)
Christmas Recipe – a jolly madrigal style setting of a 200-year-old recipe for a massive Christmas dinner. From A Feast for Christmas, Colne Edition
Spring is Sprung – a humorous setting of the traditional tongue-twisting text, from Welcome Spring!, also available in a version for upper voices. Colne Edition
Mind the Gap – this rhythmic, fun, and characterful account of a train journey on London’s underground is guaranteed to raise a smile! For SABar, (also available in other scorings) From Travelling Tales, Colne Edition
New Colne Edition publications include:
Spring is Sprung (SATB version)
Blessed Assurance, and Amazing Grace (two easy arrangements for SA(T)B and keyboard in the Colne Prayer and Praise for Choirs series)
Cyprus Dances for piano duet (four hands at one piano) and for string orchestra
Three Picasso Portraits for saxophone quartet (SATBar)
Little Suite (five short contrasting movements). Three (five) versions: Two oboes and cor anglais; 3 flutes or flute choir; 3 clarinets or clarinet choir
Also recently published are Volume 8 and Volume 9 of the Oxford Hymn Settings for Organists series (edited jointly by Rebecca Groom te Velde and myself, and with contributions from both of us) and another hymn-tune prelude on ‘Sussex’ in the collection Be Still for the Presence vol. 1 ( Church Organ World). And new publications from GIA, Banks Music Publications, and Church Organ World, are on the way too!