This choral sparkles with rhythmic vitality, an easy-to-feel use of mixed meter, marvelous contrasts in texture and dynamics, and the clever addition of flute and percussion to enhance the crisp piano accompaniment. Outstanding for mixed voices, it is now available for your men's choirs! Available: SATB; SAB; TBB; 2-Part; PianoTrax CD.
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List: $2.50
Text: anon.
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Difficulty level: 3
The Ceremony of Carols is one of Britten's best-known and most-performed works. It is a brilliantly conceived and dramatic concert work which sees the voices process to their places singing unaccompanied plainsong and, at the end, processing out again to the same chant. These movements can also be accompanied but strictly only if the voices do not process. The final Alleluia can be repeated as many times as necessary to get the singers to and from their destination.
The carols are for three-part children's voices (though, of course they can be sung by female adults as well) and they form a two-part work around a central Interlude for harp which is based on the plainsong from the Procession. Variety is the key word here as all the carols have such individual identities. The forthright Wolcum Yole!, the deliciously lyrical There is no Rose, the swinging Balulalow, the fiery and dramatic This little Babe all contribute to a work which is a feast of discovery throughout. Lovely solos and duos add further colour and the harp part, an inspired choice of accompaniment, enriches, colours and surrounds the voices with its pictorial musical imagery. If anything shows Britten's genius for writing for voices it must be this work.
The challenges here are in creating a real equality between voice parts, fielding a confident pair of soloists, and making the most of the wonderfully colourful poems Britten has chosen to set. Pronunciation is not really an issue, but when I recorded this work with the Finzi Singers I decided to follow the example of Sacred and Profane and use authentic medieval pronunciation for which an expert coach was necessary. It brings an added element of colour to a familiar aural experience.
Duration [A Ceremony of Carols, complete]: 22 minutes
Paul Spicer, Lichfield, 2011
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List: $2.65
This Rod Stewart classic is a heart-felt song about a love that a parent has for their kids. It is timeless and continues to be covered by major pop artists and included in TV and movies.
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List: $26.99
Written in the style of students performing in Nairobi, Kenya, Harambee (a Swahili word that symbolizes unity) is full of energy, with an occasional drum and optional clapping to embellish the rhythm and enliven the performance.
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List: $2.25
Performed by the Indianapolis Children's Choir on their recent European tour, these arrangements include optional English lyrics. Use the recorded pronunciation guide to help your choir learn the original Czech.Available separately: SATB, 2-Part Treble, ChoirTrax CD and IPak. Performance Time: Approx. 4:35.
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List: $2.25
Your young singers will sparkle like the lights on the tree with this charming and easily-learned partner song with “O Christmas Tree.” Delightful lyrics describing ornaments, garland and fragrant pine branches combine with the traditional carol for a perfect holiday showcase. Available separately: 2-Part, ShowTrax CD. Duration: ca. 2:00.
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List: $26.99
This traditional Scottish song recalls the escape of Bonnie Prince Charlie to the Isle of Skye. The gently rocking motion of the 6/8 meter and the cello obbligato combine with the well-crafted vocals to create a magical atmosphere in performance. An excellent choice for developing ensembles! Available separately: 3-Part Mixed, 2-Part, VoiceTrax CD. Duration: ca. 3:00.
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List: $2.35
The #1 pop hit for four weeks in 1965, this iconic Beatles song is the most recorded song of all time, making it a standard that transcends generational labels. A perfect choice for programs at any time of year! Available separately: SATB, SAB, SSA, ShowTrax CD. Rhythm Section parts available digitally (gtr, b, dm). Duration: ca. 3:20.
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List: $2.15
The elegant piano accompaniment gently supports and echoes the smooth vocal lines in this expressive and lyrical folksong setting. It's simply stunning! Available: SATB, SAB, SSA. Performance Time: Approx. 3:10.
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List: $2.65
