treble clef music press

2009-2010 Catalogue

Christmas music (sacred and secular)
Spirituals and folk hymns
Other sacred music
Folk song settings
Other secular music

Adam Lay I-bounden.....TC-123.....$1.70
Dienes, Katherine

Exciting rhythms for the singers and descending pedal scales for the organist give this setting great vitality. Especially suitable for a Service of Lessons and Carols.
SA and organ; Middle English. Medium.


The Angel Gabriel.....TC-279.....$1.70 
Clarke, F.R.C.        
Preview

In this original setting of a traditional English carol text, the modal melody appears in unison, in a three-part harmonization, and finally in canon. The dance-like accompaniment whirls joyously to the end.
SSA and keyboard; English. Medium.


The Animals' Carol.....TC-124.....$2.25
Williams, Felicity

The animals sing antiphonal questions and answers (in Latin) about what is happening in Bethlehem, with an exceptionally evocative piano part. Winner, 1989 Carol Writing Competition, Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto.
SA, two soprano solos, and piano; Latin and English. Easy.


Ave Maria.....TC-135.....$1.20
Dienes, Katherine

This short gem of a setting has drones, chant fragments, and overlapping "ora pro nobis" figures which evoke the sounds of a medieval convent. Latin.
SSAA a cappella. Medium.


Ave Maria.....TC-270.....$1.70
Fauré, Gabriel
(1845-1924)        Preview

From the master of memorable melodies, a short unison setting easy enough for children, sophisticated enough for adults. This piece has been recorded by the trebles of King’s College Choir, Cambridge, and will linger in your singers’ minds and hearts.
Unison, piano. Latin. Easy.


Ave Maria.....TC-280.....$1.20
Tillen, Paula Foley        
Preview

A unison beginning with low tessitura and gentle syncopations make this cool jazz setting an intimate and heartfelt prayer to Mary.SSA and piano. Latin. Easy-medium.


Bring a Torch.....TC-258.....$2.25
arr. Clifton J. Noble, Jr.    Preview

Your experienced jazz quartet (or larger ensemble) will love this smooth arrangement of the "Jeanette, Isabella" carol with interpolated text. ("Don't be makin' a noise...")
SSAA; string bass; English; Med.-Diff..


The Burning Babe.....TC-188.....$1.70
Boyd, Anne        Preview

The carol text is by the same sixteenth-century poet--Robert Southwell--as the better-known "This Little Babe." Like its sister text, it explores an unusual metaphor for the infant Jesus--in this case, a refining fire which purifies the believer. The strophic setting, with soprano solo, is dissonant and chromatic, with edgy rhythms: a fine selection to balance against sweeter Christmas settings.
SSAA a cappella. Medium-Difficult.


Castitatis thalamum (Marriage bed of chastity).....TC-111.....$1.20
Anonymous (c. 1300)

This lively 13th-century conductus from the Las Huelgas manuscript, with added optional percussion parts, makes a very effective processional. Mary is the "marriage bed of chastity" sought by God the Father for bearing the Son.
SA a cappella (optional percussion). Easy.

The Christ-Child Lay in Mary's Lap.....TC-113.....$1.20
Borroff, Edith

The text by G.K. Chesterton expresses the physical closeness of mother and child, and the wonder of the observer, in a setting with gentle, rocking rhythms and rich harmonies.
SSA a cappella; English. Medium.


A Christmas Alleluia ("Mary, What You Going to Name That Pretty Little Baby").....TC-139.....$1.70
Moore, Undine Smith, arr.

Antiphonal choirs and a small unison chant group exchange alleluias, while the soloist sings the melody of this spiritual written for the Spelman College Choir in 1971.
SSAA/SSAA, unison chant group, and soprano solo, a cappella; English. Medium.


Christmas is Coming.....TC-122.....$1.70
Walter, Lana arr.

The traditional round, "Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat" is set over a charmingly goofy three-part scat choral accompaniment. Soprano I section, or a guest children's chorus, can sing the round.
SSA & 2-part treble melody chorus a cappella; English. Easy.


Christmas Theme and Variations.....TC-202.....$1.70
Andersen, Ann Kapp      
Preview

The modal melody and ABBA rhyme scheme of the text (both original) make this new carol fresh and a little different. The harp part may be played on piano or harpsichord.
SSA & Harp; English. Medium.


Christus natus hodie.....TC-154.....$1.70
Walter, Lana

Bouncy 6/8 to 3/4 metric changes, unified by an ascending figure in the short keyboard interludes, make this joyful Christmas piece a fine concert opener. Suitable for church use as well, the text is a metric version of the Christmas antiphon, "Hodie Christus natus est" ("Christ is born today").


Congratulamini mihi, omnes (Rejoice with me).....TC-110.....$1.70
Handl, Jakob

"Rejoice with me, all ye who love the Lord" is the beginning of the text, expressing Mary's joy in a first-person responsory text incorporating parts of the Magnificat. This sturdy polyphonic setting concludes with an exultant homophonic section in triple meter.
SSAA a cappella; Latin. Medium.


December.....TC-256.....$2.25
Paula Foley Tillen     Preview

This buoyant setting of a Christina Rossetti text brings cheer to winter's gloom. Bouncy rhythmic groupings of threes and twos are homophonic, and are supported by a nicely articulated piano part.
SSAA; piano; English; Medium.

Dormi, Jesu! (Sleep, sweet babe!).....TC-169.....$1.20
Green, Jonathan D.

This gentle, homophonic setting, with its low tessitura and repeated rhythmic pattern, would definitely comfort the baby. This piece is perfect for setting a quiet mood for a Christmas service or concert.


Elizabeth's "Ave".....TC-141.....$1.70
Walter, Lana

The "Ave Maria" text has interpolations (tropes) from a 12th century manuscript. The "benedictus fructus" words (from Elizabeth's greeting to Mary at the Visitation) and the lively rhythms express Elizabeth's joy in greeting her pregnant cousin, as the infant John the Baptist leaps in her womb.
SSA and keyboard; Latin. Medium.


Four Old English Carols.....TC-183.....$2.85
Holst, Gustav (1874-1934)

These carols are of modest scale but great effect, written with sensitivity and economy so as not to overwhelm the original texts. The variety of voicings and accompaniments provides fine contrasts within the set.  

  1. A Babe is Born
    • SSA, soprano solo with piano; English
    • duration: 2’00”
    • range: b-flat - f”
    • difficulty: easy
  2. Now Let Us Sing
    • SSA, soprano solo with piano; English
    • duration: 2’30”
    • range: b-flat -f”
    • difficulty: easy
  3. Jesu, Thou the Virgin-born
    • SSAA, soprano and alto solos, a cappella; English
    • duration: 2’35”
    • range: a flat - e flat”
    • difficulty: easy
  4. The Saviour of the World is Born
    • unison with piano; English
    • duration: 1’45”
    • range: a flat - e flat”
    • diffculty: easy

Gaudete! Gaudete!…..TC-176…..$1.70
Walter, Lana arr.

Renaissance dance rhythms inform this joyous setting of a sixteenth-century melody. The clear choral writing is set off by a jaunty keyboard interlude. Homophonic refrains make this piece a natural for a massed choir performance, with sub-groups singing the verses.


Glory to God.....TC-262.....$3.50
Kevin Johnson     Preview

Call-and-response solo and choral sections, a driving 7/8 piano ostinato, and African percussion make this setting of the Gloria text exceptionally vibrant and joyful. This is the Christmas concert closer at Spelman College in Atlanta.
SSAA; piano; percussion; English; Medium.

sunglasses iconHerself a Rose, Who Bore the Rose.....TC-296.....$2.25
Eleanor Daley        Preview

Christina Rossetti’s poem extolls Mary, the mother of Jesus, exploring in images from nature the paradox of a divine, yet helpless, infant born to a human mother: “The Sun of Righteousness her Son, she was His morning star.” Eleanor Daley’s setting combines rich harmonies with a mood of hushed awe, in textures which sensitively move from unison to two-part passages, then open out to four-part harmony.
SSAA a cappella; English. Medium.


Hodie (on a text by Hildegard of Bingen).....TC-127.....$2.25
Stephan, Naomi

Strong rhythms, a wide range, unusual voicing, and the use of open fifths and medieval cantus firmus and tone painting techniques give this piece its unique excitement. A major contribution to the literature for women's voices.
SSSAA and two soprano solos a cappella. Medium/Difficult.


sunglasses iconHodie Christus natus est (Today Christ Is Born).....TC-299.....$1.70
Laster, James H.     Preview

A Christmas plainchant (familiar from Britten’s Ceremony of Carols) appears with a new organ accompaniment in this stirring setting. Chant sections alternate with strongly rhythmic, antiphonal organ/choir passages. A fine Christmas processional or concert opener. SSA and Organ; Latin; Easy-Medium.


In the Bleak Midwinter…..TC-172…..$2.25
McCollin, Frances (1892-1960)

Composed in 1934, this original, through-composed setting includes all five stanzas of the Rossetti text--even the “breastful of milk” stanza often purged from hymnals. The minor tonality, elegant and spare choral writing, and lush piano accompaniment make this a piece your choir will cherish and remember.


I Sing of a Maiden.....TC-164.....$1.20
Bennett, Jennifer

"He came al so still," repeats the 15th century English text, and this gentle setting, largely in unison, evokes the awed quiet of Christmas night. A deceptively simple minor melody, with eighth-note syncopations, floats over triplets in the spare texture of the accompaniment. Winner of honorable mention in the 1998 Amadeus Choir Christmas Carol and Chanukah Song Writing Competition, Toronto, Ontario.


Joys Seven.....TC-146.....$2.25
Laster, James, arr.

"The first great joy that Mary had," begins this counting carol on a traditional English tune. The varied verse settings in this charming arrangement are unified by a short, repeated keyboard interlude. This setting is just right for a service of lessons and carols.
SSA and keyboard. Easy.


bestseller iconThe Little Cradle Rocks.....TC-282.....$1.20
Parker, Alice     Preview

Beginning with a solo statement, then adding choral parts in unison and two, then three parts, the texture of this Christmas spiritual proclaims peace on earth and “the Christ-child born in glory.” Never rising above mezzo forte, it rocks the baby gently and proclaims his radiant promise. SSA and Mezzo-Soprano solo, a cappella. English. Easy.



Magnificat.....TC-287.....$2.85
Donkin, Christine     Preview
The choral parts form a cloud of sound, emanating and reverberating from the soloist's mantra-like repetitions of the beginning of the text. 
10 treble parts, mezzo solo, a cappella.  Latin.  Medium.

Magnificat.....TC-161.....$2.25
Shaffer, Jeanne E.

This setting of the Canticle of Mary is suitable for both church and concert use. A refrain in 5/4 time on the antiphon "for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant" unifies the structure and lends the piece much of its rhythmic vitality and interest. The harmonies—largely diatonic but with some chromatic clashes—are mature, but do not overwhelm the text.
Liturgical use: Evensong; Advent; Annunciation; Feast of the Visitation (May 31).

Magnificat.....TC-190.....$7.95
Walter, Lana        Preview

This multi-movement setting of the Song of Mary is a major contribution to the concert literature for women’s chorus. Commissioned by the Santa Fe Women’s Ensemble in 2000, its exceptionally intelligent text setting and pure beauty of sound make this a work you will want to add to your repertoire. Two of the movements, "Et misericordia" and "Esurientes," stand alone well as short anthems. Duration: 14 minutes. Latin, with full translation.
SSA with some divisi. Medium.


Noël des Marins (Sailors' Carol).....TC-276.....$2.25
Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944)       
Preview

This original setting of a poem by Armand Silvestre has dark, powerful sections contrasting the beauty of Christmas candles on land with the darkness and danger of the sea. Gentle sections with rocking rhythms remind the absent sailors of the children they have left at home, and ask for their prayers. The piece closes with an image of the prayers of those on land, and the hymns of the sailors, meeting and crossing in the space which separates them.
SSAA, soprano solo, and piano; French; Easy-Med.


O Bethlehem.....TC-250.....$1.20
arr. Martha Alter (1904-1976)      Preview

This gentle arrangement of a Basque traditional tune uses subtly deployed drones to mark it as a shepherds' carol. The paraphrased text is suitable for general Christmas use, especially on Christmas Eve.
SSA; a cappella; English; Easy-Med.

O frondens virga (O branch, coming into leaf).....TC-144.....$2.25
Bingen, Hildegard von (1098-1179)

This new edition of Hildegard's antiphon places it in its liturgical context, pairing it with a plainchant "Magnificat" (included in this edition by William Flynn). The reprise of the antiphon has an optional added voice in organum, reflecting medieval performance practice. Latin, with full translation and historical and performance notes. In honor of Hildegard's 900th birthday.
Unison (antiphonal) a cappella. Easy/Medium.


O Little Town of Bethlehem.....TC-281.....$1.70
Childers, Brian
    Preview

A lovely new tune, simple and effective, very suitable for young children. The gentle setting has flute obbligato.
Unison with descant; piano and flute. English. Very Easy.


O magnum mysterium (O great mystery).....TC-288.....$1.70
Forbes, Guy        
Preview

Beginning with hushed, sustained chords which invoke the mystery, this piece segues to a joyful imitative "Alleluia" section. At the end, the mystery is infused with echoes of joy.
SSAA a cappella; Latin. Medium.


O magnum mysterium (O great mystery).....TC-220.....$1.70
Jakob Handl (1551-1591)       Preview

Straightforward harmonic rhythms make this double-chorus motet easier than it looks: many parts, but none too hard. Its clear-cut echo patterns on "Noe!" cry out for performance by physically separated ensembles--a joyous acoustical experience for singers and listeners alike.
SSAA/SSAA a cappella; Latin. Easy-Medium.

O Regem coeli (O King of Heaven).....TC-130.....$2.25
Victoria, Tomás Luis de (1548-1611)

This loveliest of all Christmas motets for upper voices, long out of print in the U.S., is newly edited from the original print of 1572, with literal word-by-word and prose translations and keyboard reduction.
SSAA a cappella. Medium.
 


Puer nobis nascitur.....TC-173.....$1.70
Walter, Lana

Choral drones, small percussion, and canon are some of the simple but extremely effective devices in this arrangement in 6/8 time. This piece will make a fine processional for your Christmas concert.

  • SSAA a cappella
  • duration: 1’35”
  • range: b-e”
  • difficulty: very easy

Qui creavit coelum (He who created the sky).....TC-230.....$1.70
arr. Elizabeth Poston (1905-1987)       Preview

This medieval "Song of the Nuns of Chester" has lullaby syllables at the end of each line. Elizabeth Poston has provided two versions, which the director may employ with maximum flexibility. The setting for unison voices may be performed with organ or a cappella, antiphonally or responsorially. The four-part a cappella setting has fluid vocal writing and charming modal harmony. Both settings preserve the chant rhythms of the original.
Unison or SSAA; with organ or a cappella; Latin. Easy-Medium.

Silent Night.....TC-155.....$1.20
Dienes, Katherine arr.

This full, yet gentle setting of the beloved Christmas hymn is perfect for a candlelight service or quiet concert closer. The low, rocking chords of the background choral parts are the same for all three stanzas. Interest is built by the addition of a second-stanza solo and third-stanza descants. Experiment with assigning the descants to instruments, or with supporting or replacing the lower voices with organ.

  • SSSAA, soprano solo, and three descants a cappella; English
  • 4 pages
  • duration: 2:45 min.
  • range: f to f"(top descant to c''')
  • difficulty: easy-medium


Sussex Carol (traditional English).....TC-203.....$1.70
Noble, Clifton J. Jr., arr.       Preview

This new arrangement of an old favorite has wide, clanging voicing in the handbell accompaniment, and particularly good use of duple counter-rhythms and rhythmic extension of the melody in the final stanza. The handbell part may be played on piano, organ, or harp.
SSAA & Handbells; English. Medium.


Suo Gân (traditional Welsh lullaby).....TC-129.....$1.70
Morgan, Thomas Edward arr.

Lush voicing and the subtle rhythmic texture of the choral accompaniment highlight the simple appeal of the ageless tune. With full Welsh text and phonetic rendition underlaid in the score, and word-by-word and prose translations.
SSAA (much divisi) and soprano solo a cappella. Easy.


Three Noëls.....TC-227.....$2.85
Mary Bauer (1882-1955)

1. Tryste Noël     Preview
2. I Sing of a Maiden      Preview
3. Lullay! Lullay! Lytel Child      Preview

Within the deceptively simple three-part texture, the composer has marked the subtleties of speech rhythms with sophisticated melodies and harmonies. These understated settings will ask your singers to "listen loudly." The first and third movements feature alto solos.
SSA a cappella; English. Medium.


The Twelve Days of Christmas.....TC-240.....$2.85
arr. Peter Harvey      Preview

At the beginning, this setting is deceptively demure. Don't be fooled! Choral bagpipe snarls (pipers piping), choral "dub-a-dubs" (drummers drumming), and other satisfyingly silly devices pile up in show-stopping mayhem on the "very last, the ultimate day" of Christmas.
SSAA; piano; English; Medium.

Übers Gebirg' Maria geht (O'er Judah's Hills, from Nazareth).....TC-150.....$2.25
Eccard, Johannes, arranged by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

This charming, canzonet-style motet was arranged by the young Brahms for his Hamburg women's choir in the late 1850's. The strophic text is based on the account in Luke 1 of Mary's visitation to Elizabeth. Both text and music convey the cousins' joy at seeing one another; the refrain paraphrases the Magnificat.
This piece was a favorite of the Hamberg women's choir, performed many times as its members, also, gathered to sing joyfully.
Liturgical use: Advent; Feast of the Visitation, May 31.

  • SSAA (much Alto I divisi) a cappella. German/English.
  • 8 pages, plus singing and literal transations and editorial notes
  • duration: 2:30 min.
  • range: f to a"
  • difficulty: easy-medium

Virgines prudentes (O ye wise maidens).....TC-120.....$1.70
Handl, Jakob

This very easy double chorus piece, with Chorus I-II echoes, is a wonderful introduction to the world of more than four parts. The text, based on the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, is suitable for Advent. Chosen for the 1997 ACDA National Convention women's chorus reading session. SSAA/SSAA (double chorus) a cappella; Latin. Easy.


Wassailin'.....TC-257.....$1.70
arr. Clifton J. Noble Jr.      Preview

This raucous jazz arrangement with "doo-wah" patterns goes "all over the town" in its depiction of a rowdy Christmas feast. Try it as a change of pace at a madrigal dinner!
SSAA; a cappella; English; Med.-Diff.

 

What Tidings Bringest Thou, Messenger?.....TC-200.....$1.20
Anonymous (15th c.)     Preview

This medieval English carol has question-and-answer dialogue between refrain and verses, making it very effective for pageant performance, as well as for church or concert use.
SSA a cappella (optional percussion). Easy-Medium.

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Spirituals and folk hymns

BOUND UNTO CANAAN: THREE SHAPED-NOTE HYMNS
arr. William Averitt

1. Say, Now Ye Lovely Social Band.....TC-251.....$1.70 Preview
This setting honors the angularity of the original setting's fourths, sevenths, and ninths. Its square rhythms "walk the way to Canaan's land."
SSA; a cappella; English; Medium

2. You May Tell Them, Father.....TC-252.....$1.70 Preview
Paired voices sing sprightly stanzas, while the "poor mourning pilgrim" refrain has slow, sweet chords that go straight to the heart.
SSA; a cappella; English; Medium

3. Ye Souls Who Are Bound unto Canaan.....TC-253.....$1.70 Preview
Fast, fluid melodic lines in all voices "join in and help me to sing."
SSA; a cappella; English; Medium.


A Christmas Alleluia ("Mary, What You Going to Name That Pretty Little Baby").....TC-139.....$1.70
Moore, Undine Smith, arr.

Antiphonal choirs and a small unison chant group exchange alleluias, while the soloist sings the melody of this spiritual written for the Spelman College Choir in 1971.
SSAA/SSAA, unison chant group, and soprano solo, a cappella; English. Medium.


Done Foun' My Los' Sheep.....TC-108.....$1.20
Jackson, Marylou India arr.
This quiet and gentle setting is a showcase for your soprano soloist, with the chorus singing background chords and alleluias throughout. The text is on the parable of the lost sheep--excellent for church use.
SSAA and soprano solo a cappella; English. Easy/Medium.


Elijah Rock.....TC-217.....$2.85
Noble, Clifton J. Jr., arr.       Preview

Did someone say the treble choir is the wimpy choir? I don't think so. Not if you turn them loose on the driving rhythms of this Gospel arrangement, which incorporates "Rock-a My Soul" and an optional rap section. This piece is definitely a concert closer.
SSAA & Piano; English. Medium.

Joshua Fit de Battle of Jericho.....TC-107.....$1.20
Jackson, Marylou India arr.

Your second altos will love this setting--they get the melody in the refrain, and lots of low f's during the verses. The strong rhythms of this setting will energize your chorus!
SSAA and soprano solo a cappella. Easy/Medium.


Listen to the Angels Shouting.....TC-165.....$2.85
Noble, Clifton J. Jr. arr.
This arrangement is a medley of three spirituals: "Come down, angels," "Listen to the angels," and "My way's cloudy," all from The Story of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, one of the earliest printed collections of slave spirituals. In all three, angels are the heavenly messengers who inspire and lead the singers out of bondage into the promised land.
In this arrangement, the angels are not dimpled cherubs, but rather towering figures who energize the singers in their difficult and dangerous journey. Swing rhythm sections alternate with softer sections in straight rhythm, in this fine concert closer with barn-burning piano accompaniment.
The spirituals' Exodus imagery makes this medley suitable for Passover programming, as well as for concerts which honor slave spirituals.
  • SSAA and piano
  • 14 pages
  • duration: 5:00 min.
  • range: e to g#''
  • difficulty: medium


The Little Cradle Rocks.....TC-282.....$1.20
Parker, Alice       Preview

Beginning with a solo statement, then adding choral parts in unison and two, then three parts, the texture of this Christmas spiritual proclaims peace on earth and “the Christ-child born in glory.” Never rising above mezzo forte, it rocks the baby gently and proclaims his radiant promise. SSA and Mezzo-Soprano solo, a cappella. English. Easy.


Poor Wayfaring Stranger.....TC-114.....$1.20
Bratton, Lee arr.
This texture of this setting evokes the longing to go "over Jordan, over home" with its effective use of octaves, and of chords blossoming out from unisons to wide voicings and back again.
SSAA and soprano solo a cappella. English. Easy/Medium.

Shaker Suite (Three Shaker Spirituals).....TC-162.....$2.85
Gilbert, Nina arr.

  1. Oh, the Beautiful Treasure
  2. We Will Walk with Mother and Mourn
  3. Hop Up and Jump Up

Explore the American heritage of Shaker hymnody with these three settings of lesser-known, very appealing Shaker spirituals.
Each brief setting grows from its underlying melody to make an exceptionally unified arrangement. With a different technique as the focus for each arrangement, these minute-long pieces make fine vocalises for your choir. "Oh the beautiful treasure," with its square rhythms, horn calls, and harmonic texture opening out and closing, is excellent for teaching chord tuning. "We will walk with Mother and mourn," with its smooth, stepwise, rising and falling melody, is a fine exercise for legato singing. "Hop up and jump up," with its crisp rhythms and phrase fragments tossed from part to part, calls for rhythmic clarity and clean entrances and cutoffs.

From the Nina Gilbert Choral Series


Steal Away.....TC-248.....$1.20
arr. Marylou India Jackson (d. 1969)      
Preview

Audiences get very quiet when they hear that special simple piece. This setting is one such, a lost gem from the choral director at Bennett College for Women, 1931-1935.
SSAA; a cappella; English; Easy.

Wade in the Jordan River.....TC-228.....$2.25
arr. Clifton J. Noble, Jr.      Preview

If you have looked longingly at Jerry Noble's spirituals, and decided they were just a little beyond your choir, this arrangement written for children's choir is good news for you! The combined setting of "Wade in the Water" and "Deep River" has all the rhythmic energy and pianistic bravura we love in Jerry's work--but with just two or three choral parts.
SSA & Piano; English. Easy-Medium.

Walkin' 'Round Heaven.....TC-197.....$2.25
Laster, James    
Preview

This original spiritual has an easygoing style, with dotted rhythms, chromatic interest, finger snaps, and an independent piano part.
SSA andpiano. Medium.

Top of catalogue
Christmas music (sacred and secular)
Spirituals and folk hymns
Other sacred music
Folk song settings
Other secular music

 

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Alleluia....TC-267....$1.70
by Joseph Gregorio   
Preview

"Alleluia" is the entire text of this new work for women's choir. Moving mostly in gentle quarter- and half-notes, this finely-wrought setting begins and ends gently, with a crescendo to double forte in the middle section. Your church choir can sing this anthem-length setting any time except Advent and Lent; and your concert choir will find it a lovely middle-of-program piece which teaches careful tuning and seamless blend. SSAA a cappella. Easy-Medium.


Alleluia. Ascendit Deus.....TC-210.....$1.70
Bencini, Pietro Paolo (c. 1670-1755)    
Preview

This bouyant baroque setting of a Psalm text imitates the sound of the trumpet with melismas in both choral parts. (If your two-part treble choir enjoyed Purcell’s “Sound the Trumpet,” they will revel in this.) The basso continuo part has been realized, and may be doubled by cello or bassoon.
SA & Organ; Latin. Easy-Medium.


sunglasses iconAlleluia! Christ the Lord is Risen.....TC-295.....$1.20
Winges, Mark     Preview

Exultant rhythms and meter changes proclaim the joy of Easter in this new setting of the “Christ is erstanden” text. It is short, and it bursts with energy—the perfect Introit or Gospel procession for your principal service on Easter Day. Brass parts are available in dual versions, for flexible use: 2 Trumpets in C/ B-flat, Horn/Trombone, and Trombone.
Unison; Keyboard or Brass quartet; English. Easy.


Ave verum.....TC-116.....$1.20
Dienes, Katherine

Choral phrases end on sustained sixth chords, forming a background for soprano and alto solos in octaves. Subtle rhythmic groupings of quarter and eighth notes declaim the text beautifully. Chosen for the 1997 ACDA National Convention women's chorus reading session.
SSAA, soprano and alto solo a cappella. Latin. Medium.


 

Cantate Domino (O sing unto the Lord).....TC-249.....$2.25
Michele Roueché      
Preview

Rapid declamations of "Cantate Domino" in 6/8 and 3/4 give this setting a percussive energy, set off by a solo descant and warm slower sections.
SSAA; a cappella; Latin; Medium.

Canticle of the Creatures.....TC-189.....$1.20 
Hytrek, Sister Theophane (1915-1992)      
Preview

This radiant setting of the Hymn of Saint Francis to Brother Son and Sister Moon is a harmonized chant, in which the declamation of speech rhythms and accents is a vital part of the performance. It is the traditional festival song of the School Sisters of St. Francis in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, sung at all their reunions. English.
SSAA a cappella. Easy.


The Children's Call for Peace: Three Beatitudes.....TC-187.....$1.70
Parker, Alice          Preview

Every note counts in the spare, evocative texture of this haunting prayer for peace. Choral parts in stark contrary motion alternate with recitative-like solos; the accompaniment may also by played on strings.
SA and piano or organ. Easy-Medium.


Da pacem Domine (Give Peace in Our Time, O Lord).....TC-159.....$1.20
Olsson, Håkan

This powerful plea for peace makes a fine invocation, or opening selection for a concert dedicated to issues of nonviolence, war and peace. Easier than it appears, its clear tonal center provides a firm footing for introducing techniques such as sudden harmonic changes and gradually built tone clusters. Sung by the Peninsula Women's Chorus, Dr. Patricia F. Hennings, Director, at the 1992 Western Division ACDA convention in Honolulu, this piece is exceptionally rewarding for both singers and audience.

  • SSAA (some divisi)a cappella; Latin
  • 2 pages
  • duration: 2:00 min.
  • range: e to a"
  • difficulty: medium

Dancing,....TC-185.....$2.25
Tucker, Scott A.        Preview

"I stumble and tumble," begins this freely-rendered medieval text, set in 6/4 over a delightfully lurching scat ostinato in 12/8. Written for the women of the Cornell University Chorus, it works easily when conducted in a big 2. English.
SSAA a cappella. Medium.


Exite Sion filiae (Go Forth, Daughters of Zion).....TC-145.....$2.25
Czerny, Carl (1791-1857)

A setting of a hymn text on Jesus' crown of thorns, this largely homophonic setting, by a composer most known for his piano exercises, is beautifully grave and dignified. Suitable for Lent. Latin, with full translation.
SSAA a cappella. Easy/Medium.


Father Julius Canticles (Magnificat and Nunc dimittis).....TC-195.....$2.25
Dienes, Katherine       Preview

These new settings of the traditional Evensong canticles were sung at the Washington National Cathedral by the Norwich Cathedral (UK) Girls’ Choir on their American tour in 2000. With ostinato organ accompaniment for manuals only, their extended solos and soaring, imitative choral parts are understated but effective. English.
2-pt. treble with organ. Medium.


Fruits of the Selfless Heart (text by Mother Teresa).....TC-215.....$1.20
Atkinson, Elizabeth J.      
Preview

"The fruit of silence is prayer..." Thus begins Mother Teresa's statement of faith and purpose, a poem which she entitled, "A Simple Path." This gentle setting with long note values is given in both a short version, and a longer version with a soloists' counter-melody. It is particularly suitable for use as a benediction, or for repeated singing during the administration of communion, whenever a mantra-like effect of sung prayer is desired.
SSAA & and optional SA solos a cappella; English. Easy-Medium.


Give Thanks for Music.....TC-272.....$1.70
Parker, Alice       Preview

Invoking the key, tempo, and rhythms of the Thanksgiving hymn, "We gather together," this setting builds a cumulative texture over an original melody in the alto line. Commissioned by Sigma Alpha Iota in honor of their hundredth anniversary, it makes a fine festival opener.
SSA and piano, English. Easy-Medium.


Hildegard Motets.....TC-170.....$2.85
Löfberg, Maria

The outer movements of this set have some of the most interesting two-part writing we’ve seen for a long time. Their immense rhythmic vigor and melodic vitality are paired with sensitive text setting. The middle-movement solos are equally rewarding. The texts all invoke personifications of female spirituality: the Church as bride, Wisdom with her whirling wings, the Holy Spirit, and the Church as mother. Latin.

  1. O choruscans lux stellarum (O glistening starlight)
    • SA with piano or organ
    • duration: 2’45”
    • range: a-g”
    • difficulty: medium
  2. O virtus Sapientie (Sophia! you of the whirling wings)
    • Alto (chorus unison or solo) with piano or organ
    • duration: 1’30”
    • range: c’-d”
    • difficulty: easy
  3. Spiritus sanctus (The Spirit of God)
    • Soprano solo with piano or organ
    • duration: 1’50”
    • range: f’-g”
    • difficulty: medium
  4. Nunc gaudeant (Let Mother Ecclesia sing for joy!)
    • SA with piano or organ
    • duration: 3’10”
    • range: a - a flat”
    • difficulty: medium

Jesu, dulcis memoria (Jesus, the very thought of thee).....TC-148.....$1.70
Cleveland, Michael

This mellifluous setting is achingly sweet but never sappy, with distinctive writing for all parts and an independent keyboard accompaniment. An unusually good match of a 12th century hymn text (known in English as "Jesus, the very thought of thee") and its musical setting. Latin, with full translation.
SSAA and keyboard. Medium.


Kyrie.....TC-261.....$1.70
Kevin Johnson      
Preview

The traditional ninefold Kyrie form, with mezzo-soprano solo, blooms over a cool jazz piano ostinato. This is the companion piece to TC-262, "Glory to God."
SSAA; piano; Latin and English; Medium.


L'Éternel est mon berger (God Is My Shepherd).....TC-234.....$2.25
James G. Smith (b. 1935)        
Preview

Beautifully shaped vocal phrases, over a stately accompaniment now and then reminiscent of a sarabande, make this minor-key setting of Psalm 23 linger memorably in the ear. First conceived as a solo song, then as a unison chorus, then as a two-part chorus, it may be performed in any of these ways, in English or in French.
Unison or SA & Piano or Organ; French or English. Easy-Medium.

A radiant setting of the Magnificat (Song of Mary) with an antiphon for Easter season, this setting alternates plainchant verses with tone-painting polyphonic sections in vigorous rhythms, for lovely and effective contrasts of rhythm and texture.
SSAA a cappella; Latin. Medium.


Miserere mei, Deus (Have mercy on me, O Lord).....TC-149.....$2.25
from Miserere in D Minor
Hasse, Johann Adolph, edited by Ralph Hunter

In this opening movement from a major baroque work from the Venetian ospedali repertoire, the choir's sustained, mostly homophonic chords are interwoven with angular chromatic lines in the upper strings. The lower strings and continuo support this texture with detached repeated chords, to make a rich texture of complementary independent parts. Edited by Ralph Hunter from the composer's autograph manuscript, this piece was sung by the 1999 ACDA National Women's Honor Choir in Chicago.

  • SSAA, strings, and continuo (score and parts available); Latin
  • 8 pages, plus literary translation and editorial notes
  • duration: 4:30 min.
  • range: g to g"
  • difficulty: easy-medium

Instrumental parts:

  1. Violin 1.....TC-149-VLN1.....$1.70
  2. Violin 2.....TC-149-VLN2.....$1.70
  3. Viola.....TC-149-VLA.....$1.70
  4. Cello/Bass.....TC-149-VC.....$1.70
  5. Continuo realization.....TC-149-CONT.....$1.70
  6. Full score.....TC-149-ORCH.....$10.00

Missa Brevis in C for Two Equal Voices.....TC-300.....$3.50
Gounod, Charles (1818-1893)

Gloria in excelsis! A new easy Mass setting you can sing in church--and elsewhere. This Missa Brevis from 1877 was dedicated to the Congrégation des Dames auxiliatrices de l’Immaculée Conception. Founded in 1858, by 1880 the order’s mother house in Paris had 72 members, and maintained an orphanage for 90 children and a 30-bed hospital. This Missa Brevis would have made a fine, practical setting for the sisters to sing at High Mass, and perhaps for the orphans to sing as well. The movements are just the right length to work well during the liturgy, and simple enough to learn quickly and remember easily. Although very easy, they carry their text well, and benefit from careful dynamic shaping by experienced choirs. Individual movements may also be sung as free-standing church anthems, or as concert pieces.
We are happy to provide the entire Mass in octavo form, or to negotiate print licenses for individual movements—email treblecleforders@aol.com for a fee schedule and a permission form, and we’ll send you a downloadable file.
SA and Organ or Harmonium; Latin. Easy.

1. Kyrie (Lord, Have Mercy)      Preview
2. Gloria in excelsis (Glory to God in the Highest)      Preview
3. Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy)      Preview
4. O Salutaris Hostia (O Redeeming Sacrifice)      Preview
5. Agnus Dei (O Lamb of God)      Preview


O Virgo splendens (O Virgin Resplendent).....TC-274.....$1.70
Anonymous (14th c.)      Preview

A late medieval canon, moving almost entirely in fluid eighth-note triplets, comes to rest at the end of each phrase. Edited by Mark Winges for the Piedmont Children's Choirs, this piece works beautifully as a processional.
SSA a cappella, Latin. Easy-Medium.


O virtus Sapientie (O Excellence of Wisdom).....TC-209.....$2.85
Stephan, Naomi        
Preview

Quasi-medieval modal tonality, open intervals, and the pulsing sixteenth-note rhythms of the accompaniment make this setting of Hildegard’s tribute to the Spirit, the personification of wisdom, an exciting choice. If necessary, the percussion parts may be played by one organist on two manuals, or by two players of electronic keyboards.
SSA, vibraphone & marimba; Latin (Hildegard of Bingen). Medium.



Out in the Rain (text by Christina Rosetti).....TC-205.....$1.70
Galante, Brian    
Preview

This meditation on a graveyard ("Easter Monday") brings the poet to an acceptance of the mystery of death. Sung by the Louisiana State University Women’s Choir, directed by Sara Lynn Baird, at the ACDA 2002 Southern Division convention in Charlotte, its mostly-homophonic texture is evocative and touching. Appropriate for memorial services.
SSA & piano (strings score and parts available); English. Easy-Medium.


Petite Mass.....TC-140.....$2.85
Walter, Lana

This Latin setting of the Kyrie, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei (and parts of the Gloria and Credo) works beautifully for both church and concert use. Its modest scale serves well at a Mass or service of Holy Communion, and its interesting harmonies, metric structure, and texture make the work stand well alone. Take it on tour!
SSA a cappella. Medium.


Psalm 67.....TC-286.....$1.70
Clarke, F.R.C.    Preview
This Psalm setting provides cathedral-style grandeur in only two treble parts. The opening and closing sections of its ABA’ form put the two choral parts in dialogue over sustained organ chords, while the triumphant middle section’s homophonic choral parts alternate with trumpet stop solos. The text is especially suitable for Evensong, Thanksgiving, or festival services.
SA and organ, English. Easy-Medium.


Quid ploras, muller? (Why Do You Weep, Woman?).....TC-198.....$2.25
Vladimiroff, Maxim      
Preview

This setting of the Easter morning colloquy between the two angels and Mary Magdalen, based on John 20:13, is a splendid introduction to modern choral techniques: free rhythmic ostinatos, sprechgesang (speech song), enharmonic changes, and varied vibrato are all prepared and supported for the singers. Chosen by Nina Gilbert for the Nina Gilbert Choral Series. Latin, with full translation.
SSSAA a cappella. Medium.

Regina coeli (Queen of Heaven).....TC-193…..$2.25
Lully, Jean-Baptiste (1632-1687)      
Preview

This agreeable setting, with imitative entrances but a largely homophonic texture, is a fine introduction to baroque style. In several sections with contrasting meters, it employs dotted rhythms, hemiolas, and melismatic settings of the “alleluia” text refrain. A realization of the figured bass is included. Latin, with full translation.
SSA and organ. Easy-Medium.


Salve Regina (Hail O Queen).....TC-167.....$1.70
Löfberg, Maria

This supple and mellifluous setting seems to grow from plainchant--its largely stepwise motion grows naturally out of text accents, and individual sections are singled out now and then, for variety in texture. This deceptively simple piece is intelligent and lovely.
SSAA a cappella; duration: 2’00”; range: a-g”; difficulty: medium.


SEVEN SABBATH SONGS
Karen A. Tarlow

These seven sacred songs are suitable for treble, mixed, or men's choirs, or for solo performance. The texts are taken from various Sabbath services; many are suitable for use as anthems in Christian worship. While all are easy, each has distinctive features-rhythmic extension of a phrase, shifting meters, or harmonic subtleties-which make the set rank very, very high on the "simple does not have to mean stupid" scale. Please, before you buy another boring dreidel song, look at these.

1. Horeini Adonai (Teach Me Thy Way).....TC-241.....$1.70   Preview

Flowing ¾ meter and a pentatonic tune make this morning prayer a heartfelt invocation. (By the way, this piece is a natural for Kodaly teaching.)
Unison; piano; Hebrew; Easy.

2. Yism'chu (Let the Heavens Rejoice).....TC-242.....$1.70  Preview

The text, from Psalm 96 (the basis for the "Venite" canticle), exhorts all creation to rejoice. The irregular rhythms and harmonic-melodic minor patterns in the choral part give the piece tremendous energy, as does the syncopated and wide-ranging piano accompaniment.
Unison; piano; Hebrew; Easy-Med.

3. Ahavat Olam (With Everlasting Love).....TC-243.....$1.70    Preview
This blessing from the Sabbath morning service thanks God for the blessing of the teachings of the Scriptures. Its foursquare melodic contours and arpeggiated piano octaves suggest the singers' sturdy reliance upon the word of God. 

4. Yih'yu l'ratzon (Let the Words of My Mouth).....TC-244.....$1.70 Preview
This blessing in 12/8 time is a setting of Psalm 19:4. Phrases alternate between E Minor and G Major, giving the piece harmonic vitality over a cross-meter piano figure.

5. Ush'mor tseiteinu (Guard Our Going Out).....TC-245.....$1.70 Preview
This benediction prays for protection during the night, and peace. Its swaying rhythms in 4/4, and section sung to the syllables "dai, dai", encourage the singers to experience the music very directly, in almost trance-like fashion.
Unison; piano; Hebrew; Easy.

6. Hineini muchon (Behold, I Am Prepared).....TC-246.....$1.20 Preview
The only truly two-part piece in the set, this is also the most serious, with slightly edgy harmonies, in 5/4 meter. The two choral parts exchange a simple pattern on repetitions of "Hineini;" the text is a powerful prayer used to focus the worshiper's attention before formal prayer, or before performing a mitzvah, an intentionally moral act.
2-part; piano; Hebrew; Easy.

7. Shalom rav (Grant Lasting Peace).....TC-247.....$1.20  Preview
This modal setting is a blessing, invoking peace upon God's people, Israel.
Unison; piano; Hebrew; Easy-Med.


Sing and Make Melody.....TC-260.....$2.25
Alice Parker      
Preview
With pentatonic tunes backed by syncopated repeated patterns, this cheerful anthem, in 4/4 throughout, recalls Alice Parker's leading of improvisatory sings.
SSAA; a cappella; English; Medium.
 
Ubi caritas (Where There Is Love).....TC-184.....$1.70
Daley, Eleanor    
Preview

A unison chant in Latin alternates with a homophonic setting in English, and then combines with it, in this lovely original setting.
SSAA a cappella. Medium.

Wie lieblich sind Deine Wohnungen (How lovely are thy dwellings).....TC-229.....$2.85
Josef Rheinberger (1839-1901)       Preview

Nothing displays the warmth of sound of a women's chorus like music of the German romantic composers--and this setting of Psalm 84, in its earlier version, is a jewel of that repertoire. For those choirs who must sing sacred music in English, we include an underlaid singing translation used at Wellesley College in the 1880's. An optional organ part, which serves largely to support the chorus, was added later; it is available separately.
SSA & Harp or Piano; German or English. Easy-Medium.

Within Thy House Forever…..TC-168…..$1.20
Gawthrop, Daniel E.

Excerpts of the Requiem text in Latin, and metric verses of Psalm 23 in English, make this moving elegy suitable for memorial services and All Saints’ observations, as well as for general sacred use.

  • SSAA a cappella
  • duration: 4’25”
  • range: a flat-a”
  • difficulty: medium

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Christmas music (sacred and secular)
Spirituals and folk hymns
Other sacred music
Folk song settings
Other secular music

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Folk song settings


Artsa alinu (We have come up to the land)….. TC-178….. $1.70
Gilbert, Nina arr.

This "macho march" setting of an Israeli pioneer song makes fine use of rapid alternation between unisons and vigorous chords. This one is a rouser! The Hebrew text is phonetically underlaid, with full Hebrew text and translation, with prononciation guide, included.

  • SSAA a cappella
  • duration: 1’50”
  • range: g-g”
  • difficulty: easy-medium

From the Nina Gilbert Choral Series

Los bilbilicos (The Nightingales).....TC-255.....$2.25
arr. Paula Foley Tillen      Preview

This haunting Judeo-Spanish song about the pains of love and the nightingale's song explores its harmonic minor melody with effective voice crossing. The clarinet obbligato is wonderful!
SSA; piano; clarinet; Ladino; Easy-Med.

Chad gadya (One Little Goat) (trad. Jewish).....TC-196.....$2.25
Glick, Mark, arr.       Preview

This lively cumulative table song--the Jewish equivalent of "The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly"--has for centuries been sung toward the end of the Passover Seder meal, when the adults are wine-mellowed and the children are falling asleep. This arrangement, with its zesty piano and small percussion parts, and maximum flexibility in assigning stanzas of the text, makes a fine closer for a spring concert. Aramaic, with full translation.
SSAA with piano and sm. percussion. Medium.


Cuckoo is a Pretty Bird.....TC-271.....$1.70 
Clemens, James E., arr.         
Preview

Beware of false love! This spare but lively setting of the American folk song has just enough piano accompaniment to give it momentum; everybody else gets the melody and some simple counter-melodies. Love goes wrong in this song, but the rhythmic vitality of its modal harmonies is upbeat: no whining.
SSA and Piano; English. Easy.


Down by the Salley Gardens.....TC-163.....$1.70
Cleveland, Michael arr.

This frankly sentimental Irish ballad of long-lost love has appealing double descants, independent four-part writing for a full soprano and alto range, yummy harmonies and voicing, and an irresistible choral cadenza which imitates the easy movement of the waving grass. Regretful but never self-pitying, the Yeats poem concludes, "But I was young and foolish, and now am full of tears."

  • SSAA and piano
  • 8 pages
  • duration: 4:00 min.
  • range: f# to g"
  • difficulty: medium

The Erie Canal.....TC-214.....$2.25
Noble, Clifton J. Jr., arr.      
Preview

That mule named Sal may never be the same after this rambunctious musical treatment. The swing choral rhythms, with scat interpolations of the names of towns “from Albany to Buffalo,” are supported by a down-and-dirty accompaniment your pianist will love. Performed by the Smith College Glee Club, Jonathan Hirsh, Director, at the ACDA Eastern Division 2002 convention in Pittsburgh.
SSAA & Piano; English. Medium-Difficult.


Flow Gently, Sweet Afton.....TC-126.....$1.70
Walter, Lana arr.

A lyrical setting of this Robert Burns text, with sensitively drawn rhythmic interest in the piano part.
SSA, optional alto solo, piano. Easy.


Housekeeper's Tragedy.....TC-109.....$1.70
Eichhorn, Hermene arr.

Every chorus needs a silly song, and this North Carolina folk song is it: a jaunty tune, passed from part to part, chronicles the struggles of the grime-fighting housewife who finally "lay down and died and was buried in dirt." Audiences really enjoy this one!
SSA, soprano and alto solo, and piano. Easy.


Jubilee.....TC-254.....$2.25
arr. Peter Harvey       Preview

This chipper setting of a sassy little American Appalachian play-party song will cheer you up. Promise. "Boys as pure as a lump of coal, girls as sweet as candy" all take their turn to "swing and turn" at the refrains.
SSAA; guitar or piano; English; Easy-Med.

K’wae-jina ching-ching nah-neh...TC-171...$1.70
Gilbert, Nina arr.

Because this arrangement builds on repeating short verses and refrains, this song of warning and complaint is accessible to western singers. Suggestions for performance alternatives give additional flexibility. The Korean text is underlaid phonetically, with full Korean text and translation, and guides to pronunciation, given as well.

  • SSAA a cappella; Korean
  • duration: 2’00”
  • range: c-g”
  • difficulty: medium

From the Nina Gilbert Choral Series


The Maid on the Shore.....TC-142.....$2.25
ter Hart, Stella, arr.

This new setting of a Newfoundland folk song text relates the tale of a young woman, abducted by sailors, who outwits and escapes them, and steals their gold. It begins and ends with bagpipe-like choral drones. Singers will enjoy the different accompaniment figures as the modal melody is passed from one part to another. Finalist in the Diva Complex 1996 Composition contest.
SSAA, high bongo, and tambourine. Medium.


The Old Woman in a Basket.....TC-147.....$1.70
Walter, Lana, arr.

The lilting setting reflects the happy-go-lucky nonsense of the text: "There was an old woman who lived in a basket seventy times as high as the moon." Traditional words and tune.
SSA and piano. Easy.


Quare Bungle Rye (Irish Folk Shanty).....TC-278.....$2.85
Bull, Tina, arr.      Preview

A bouncy shanty with nonsense syllable interludes and refrains tells the cautionary tale of a sailor and a girl of the town—and this time it is the sailor who is left holding the baby.
SSAA with piano and flute, English. Medium.


Roulez jeunes gens, roulez (Roll, young folks, roll).....TC-219.....$3.50
arr. Joseph Gregorio        Preview

Three ships full of wheat come into port, and sailors and young women haggle over their wares. Who will be cheated? This rousing concert-closer features clapping and stomping body percussion. It is high-energy entertainment, written for the Cornell University Glee Club, and now part of their permanent repertoire.
SSAA, piano; French. Medium.

Shenandoah.....TC-156.....$1.70
Lycan, William, arr.

The haunting melody is variously placed against pedal points, with unison phrase closings, in the alto line, and at close imitation, to give the acoustic feeling of the singers' listening and longing for the sound of the beloved.

  • SSAA (some divisi) a cappella
  • 6 pages
  • duration: 2:30 min.
  • range: f to g"
  • difficulty: medium

Three Maritime Folk Songs
Henderson, Ruth Watson, arr.

1. Johnny's Gone A-Sailing.....TC-211.....$2.25....Preview
A young woman disguises herself as a sailor, and follows her Johnny to war. As “Jack Munro” she is small and slender, but never falters in battle.
SA, Piano & optional Oboe; English. Medium.

2. When I Was in My Prime.....TC-212.....$2.25....Preview
In this lament over a faithless lover, the deserted one chooses a weeping willow over the violet and the rose. The modal tonality is very appealing, especially in the solo stanza.
SAA, Soprano Solo, Piano, & optional Oboe; English. Medium.

3. Nell Flaherty's Drake.....TC-213.....$2.85....Preview
This lively tribute to a much-loved dead duck praises his attributes in life (“his feet they were yellow”), and details the horrible fate wished upon his killer. With choral “quack-quacks” in seconds, never has revenge been so much fun.
SAA, Piano, & optional Oboe; English. Medium.


The Water is Wide.....TC-218.....$1.70
arr. Clifton J. Noble, Jr.        Preview

This sweet--but never drippy--setting of a familiar English folk moves into gentle swing rhythm ostinato patterns, supporting soprano and alto solos.
SSAA a cappella; English. Easy-Medium.

Women on the Plains: Three Canadian Folk Songs
Parker, Alice arr.

1. Old Grandma.....TC-117.....$1.70
Vigorous hemiola rhythms paint the picture of the endlessly busy woman pioneer, the loyal helpmeet to Grandpa, as she works through her staggering list of chores. "It's no wonder Grandma's hair turned gray!"
SSAA and piano. Easy/medium.

2. Away, Far down the River (Adieu de la mariée).....TC-118.....$1.70
The pioneer bride bids farewell to her parents as she prepares to go West, leaving everything she knows. This haunting setting has lovely birdcall effects in the accompaniment.
SSA and piano. Easy.

3. Punching the Dough.....TC-119.....$1.70
This pioneer wife speaks for every exasperated woman who knows that "shooting out biscuits" takes more gumption than shooting out windows and lights! Energetic syncopations will keep you on your toes.
SSAA and piano. Easy/medium.

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Christmas music (sacred and secular)
Spirituals and folk hymns

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Other secular music

bestseller iconAnd Ain't I A Woman!.....TC-290.....$2.25
Borwick, Susan
Preview
Sojourner Truth's stirring words come to even more vibrant life in this blues-y setting with a strong piano part. Beginning in unison, the choral texture builds in each refrain to a stirring finale. Perfect for observing Black History Month or Women's History month, this piece leaps off the page to compel the attention of performers and audience alike.
SSA chorus, Piano, and Optional String Bass. English. Easy-medium.

Angels Singing Out of Tune...TC-175...$2.25
Szymko, Joan

Can it be that, even in heaven, women work a second shift? Joan Szymko’s setting turns the sense of Byron’s poem on its head. She imagines a heaven where frazzled angels never rest: the lurching rhythms and goofy chromatics of the heavenly choir showcase a soprano soloist who spins out of control...

  • SSAA with soprano solo, a cappella
  • duration: 3’20”
  • range: f-a” (soloist to b”)
  • difficulty: medium-difficult

Botany.....TC-191.....$1.70
Cooman, Carson P.      
Preview

The poem by Kathleen Wakefield describes the deceptive appearance of the moth mullein flower, which reminds us that "We are not who we appear to be." This simple and effective setting was commissioned for the Voces Feminae Choir of the Bulgarian Music Festival in 2000.
SSA and piano. Easy. 


Breath in the Wind.....TC-283.....$1.70
Clemens, James E. Preview

This simple but sophisticated pentatonic piece conveys the spirituality of nature with echoing and canonic statements of a haunting original melody. Kodaly educators will find the piece particularly teachable and rewarding. The flute obbligato may be played on a transverse flute, an alto recorder, or a Native American flute in B pentatonic minor—or omitted if necessary.
SSA with flute
obbligato, English. Easy.

Canzonette a tre...TC-180...$2.85
Monteverdi, Claudio (1567-1643), edited by Joan Yakkey

These four songs describe the pangs of thwarted romantic love: torment, desire, and longing. (The third may be the world's only love song declaring envy of a flea--including hopping rhythms.) These songs include a wide range of Renaissance musical devices, including imitation, cadential suspensions, metric changes, and dance-like rhythms. Since they are short and strophic, they give your singers multiple chances of mastering idioms of Renaissance polyphony on a small scale.

  1. Il mio martir (My torment)
    • SSA a cappella
    • duration: 1’40” x 4
    • range: g-g”
    • difficulty: medium
  2. Son quest’I crespi crini (These are the curly locks)
    • SSA a cappella
    • duration: 0’56” x 4
    • range: f sharp - g”
    • difficulty: medium
  3. Godi pur del bel sen (Delight in the beautiful bosom)
    • SSA a cappella
    • duration: 1’00” x 4
    • range: g-g”
    • difficulty: medium
  4. Hor care canzonette (Now dear canzonets)
    • SSA a cappella
    • duration: 0’55” x 2
    • range: g-a”
    • difficulty: medium

Circle.....TC-192.....$1.70
Szymko, Joan      
Preview

In this medieval mystic text the circle is an image for meditation, first excluding, then embracing, the world. The musical setting reflects the image with contracting and expanding textures, and a soprano solo. English.
SSAA a cappella with Soprano solo. Medium-Difficult.


Come to Me ("Echo") (text by Christina Rossetti).....TC-216.....$2.25
Cleveland, Michael        
Preview

The ambiguous tonality of the opening section reflects the poet’s restlessness, in this cry of longing for a dead lover “in the silence of the night.” A richly romantic setting which showcases beautiful choral sound.
SSAA & piano; English. Medium.


Desertscapes.....TC-179.....$5.95
Payne, Maggi

This is that special piece for your special choir: a tonal, a cappella, double chorus tour de force of minimalist techniques that sounds like...the desert! This piece repays careful study: the conductor who helps the singers identify repeated patterns, and the relation of each part to its counterpart in the other chorus, will accelerate the learning process. Your reward is four sections of differing programmatic effects, to be performed as one long movement.

  1. Pyramid Lake
    • SSAA/SSAA a cappella
    • duration: 1’30”
    • range: g-e”
    • difficulty: medium-difficult
  2. Death Valley
    • SSAA/SSAA a cappella
    • duration: 1’50”
    • range: b flat - f”
    • difficulty: medium-difficult
  3. Bryce Canyon
    • SSAA/SSAA a cappella
    • duration: 2’40”
    • range: a-d”
    • difficulty: medium-difficult
  4. Devil’s Playground
    • SSAA/SSAA a cappella
    • duration: 2’20”
    • range: f-a”
    • difficulty: medium-difficult

Dream Song.....TC-277.....$1.70
Daniels, Mabel Wheeler (1878-1971)        Preview

This legato lullaby with rocking rhythms imagines dreams coming in on little boats at sunset, then sailing away again at dawn.
SSAA a cappella, English. Easy-Medium


Dum Dianae vitrea (When Diana's silver light).....TC-112.....$1.70
Daniels, Mabel Wheeler (1878-1971)

Both sound and sense of the Carmina Burana text on the restful loveliness of moonrise are beautifully set in this lyrical, technically strong piece, first published in 1942.
SSA a cappella. Latin. Medium.


Elinor Wylie: Incantations
Parker, Alice

Mirroring the poems they set, these pieces express a rare depth of emotion through spare choral textures. Demanding—and rewarding—parts for piano and clarinet.
For SA (some divisi), piano, and clarinet. Medium difficulty.

I. Incantation.....TC-131.....$1.70
A driving 7/8 piano ostinato heightens the musical tension of antiphonal invocations of darkness and light.

II. Nameless Song.....TC-132.....$1.70
"My heart is cold and weather-worn": heavy chromatic chords in the piano underlie choral appoggiaturas in parallel movement, expressing sorrow and loss.

III. Fair Annet's Song.....TC-133.....$1.70
Arpeggiated passages in contrary motion for piano and clarinet, and scattered choral melodies, express fleeting nature: "One thing comes and another thing goes."

IV. Madman's Song.....TC-134.....$2.25
Galloping rhythms portray the lure of the hunt, and the urge to follow and "hallo, hallo," in this paean to impulsive action.



Farewell....TC-285.....$1.70
Shea, John         Preview

“The sound of flamenco, faint and receding, leaves an ache.”  Sinuous flamenco rhythms highlight this image of sunset on the beach, as the romance of the day fades and the new moon brings the surge of another tide. The poem is by Lauri Coltri.  
SSAA with Soprano Solo; Piano and Claves, English. Easy-Medium.


Had I the Heavens’ Embroidered Cloths.....TC-177.....$1.70
Cleveland, Michael

"I would spread the cloths under your feet," sings the lover to the beloved in this warm, rich setting of a Yeats poem.

  • SSAA and piano
  • duration: 3’ 00”
  • range: f-g”
  • difficulty: medium

Hope Is the Thing: An Emily Dickinson Suite
Diemer, Emma Lou

This five-movement major addition to the repertoire for women’s chorus has widely differing voicings and textures. All the movements use Emily Dickinson’s domestic images--bees, birds, balls of yarn--to express hopes and fears relating to the future and the past. Commissioned by Bella Voce of Reno, Nevada, Jennifer Tibben-Lembke, Director.  

bestseller icon1. Hope is the thing with feathers....TC-207.1.....$1.70....Preview
SSA & Piano; English; Medium.

2. A bird came down the walk....TC-207.2.....$1.70....Preview
SSA & Piano; English; Medium.

3. My life closed twice before its close....TC-207.3.....$1.20....Preview
SSAA a cappella; English; Medium.

4. If you were coming in the fall....TC-207.4.....$1.70....Preview
SA & Piano; English; Medium.

5. Some things that fly there be....TC-207.5.....$1.70....Preview
SA & Piano; English; Medium.


How Do I Love Thee?.....TC-143.....$2.25
Christensen, Nathan

Elizabeth Barrett Browning meets Mae West in this swing setting of the immortal love poem, paraphrased by the composer. "Boh-doo" and "wah-wah" scat passages put an original spin on this text, and bring the house down when it is performed with gusto. Winner of the Diva Complex 1996 Composition Contest.
SSAA a cappella. Medium.


The Lake Isle of Innisfree....TC-275.....$1.70
Tillen, Paula Foley   Preview

This serene Yeats setting tells how the poet, even in the midst of city life, can daydream himself to an Irish “happy place” for the solace of solitude and nature.  Paula Tillen has captured the dreamy longing with of the text a simple yet memorable melody, underlaid with subtle rhythmic patterns.
SSA with Piano; English. Easy.




L'Amicizia (Friendship): Polka Duett.....TC-199.....$1.70
Hodges, Faustina Hasse (1822-1895)      
Preview

 "Adorable" is the only word for this parlor piece from the 1860’s, with its rumtity-tum piano accompaniment and operatic flourishes for the singers. The two choral parts, like true friends, are sometimes parallel, sometimes divergent, each maintaining her own character and taking it in turns to shine. Italian or English.
SA and piano. Easy-Medium.


Little Dove.....TC-138.....$2.25
Raum, Elizabeth

This romantic, Schubertian song tells of a dove who, in her flight, sees both the world's suffering and the power of singing to heal it: "Oh, how the music melts the sadness!" Strophic, with metric and major/minor key changes, this setting lingers in the ear.
SSAA and piano. Easy/Medium.



maggie and milly and molly and may.....TC-284.....$2.25
Stoop, Margaret Collins     Preview

This deceptively simple poem by E.E. Cummings describes how four little girls who play on the beach have very different experiences. Sharply observed musical depictions of their finds (a shell, a starfish, a crab, and a stone) make for good discussion points in rehearsal, and the flute part tiptoes, scuttles, and skips its commentary on the seaside adventure.
SA with piano and flute, English. Medium.

Malolo (Lullaby on a Samoan text).....TC-158.....$1.20
Lockwood, Annea

Mellifluous Samoan lull words, like "manulele" (bird) and "suamalie" (sweet), are the basis for this hypnotic lullaby of repeated and recombined pentatonic patterns. Accessible to average choirs, this piece, with its subtle rhythmic interest and carefully crafted dynamic changes, is rewarding for more advanced choirs as well.
SSA a cappella; Samoan; 4 pages; duration: 2:30 min.; range: e' to d"; difficulty: easy-medium.


A Midsummer Night's Dream: Fairy Songs.....TC-157.....$2.25
Parker, Alice

  1. Lullaby for Titania ("You spotted snakes")
  2. Oberon's Blessing ("Now until the break of day")

These deceptively simple pieces are perfect for use as teaching pieces, and as incidental music for a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare's comedy of the fairies' enchantment of two pairs of noble lovers and of Bottom the weaver.
As teaching pieces, their pentatonic melodies, limited range, and use of repetition and canon make them ideally suited to Kodaly techniques. Their rhythmic clarity makes them a good vehicle for simple choreography, and the recorder parts can be played by onstage musicians.

  • SA, mezzo solo, and two recorders
  • 10 pages
  • duration: 2:00 min. each
  • range: e' to e" (chorus); c' to c" (solo)
  • difficulty: easy

 

Mulligatawny Macbeth.....TC-266.....$4.75
Govedas, John E.      
Preview
This setting of the "Witches' Song" from Macbeth boils and bubbles with shrieks, cackles, and short spoken solos. The piano part sets a thundery stage for "Double, double toil and trouble" choral ostinatos and six minutes of general musical mayhem. Some "choralography" (flickering lizard tongues, panting dog sounds) is provided for, with scope for much, much more. The Oakville Children's Choir, directed by Glenda Crawford, made this piece a big hit at the 2005 ACDA National Convention.
SSAA; piano; English; Medium.

My Girls: Three Songs on Poetry by Lucille Clifton
Walker, Gwyneth

SSA a cappella

  1. This Morning.....TC-151.....$2.25
    "A bright girl, a jungle girl, shining quick as a snake" is the gutsy narrator of this morning song of bold greeting. The voices have strong, syncopated rhythmic figures on "nn" and "la" sounds, and slide upward on "girl" for well-crafted—and enjoyable—instrumental effects.
    • 10 pages
    • duration: 3:00 min.
    • range: g to a"
    • difficulty: medium

  2. To My Girls.....TC-152.....$1.70
    "I command you to be good runners," the poet tells her four graceful, nearly grown daughters. Reflective homophonic sections tell the mother's hopes. They alternate with ostinato patterns of simmering energy, reflecting the dancing excitement of four girls ready to burst forth, out into the world.

    • 7 pages
    • duration: 2:30 min.
    • range: f to g"
    • difficulty: medium
  1. Sisters.....TC-153.....$2.85
    The most percussive of the set, this "can't wait to do this" piece features schoolyard-style partnered handclap patterns for singers in pairs. That's in addition to finger snaps, and cymbal, brush, and sticks-on-the-rim vocal percussion effects, all painting a lively picture of the "very same place" that "you and me," sisters, come from.
    • 15 pages
    • duration: 3:40 min.
    • range: g to g"S
    • difficulty: medium

No Thank You, John.....TC-186.....$1.70
Gray, Ruth Morris      
Preview

In Christina Rossetti’s text, the speaker mocks a vacillating suitor even as she rejects him. This setting, with madrigal-style flourishes in the refrain, perfectly captures the light cruelty of the text.
SSAA and piano. Easy-Medium.


The Path of Light
Henderson, Ruth Watson

1. Landscape.....TC-264.....$1.70....Preview
The poem, and the rhythmic plan of increasing and decreasing activity, describe a female sun's path from dawn to night. Along the way, she illumines a lake, marigold blossoms, and icy mountain tops. SSAA and piano, English, Medium.

2. Night.....TC-265.....$1.70....Preview
Female night rolls out a cover of darkness and paints the skies with stars, then summons her loyal companion, the male moon. SSAA and piano, English, Medium.


Peace.....TC-259.....$2.85
Martha Alter (1904-1976)        Preview

This lost gem from just before World War II sets an ancient Greek paean to the blessings of peace: spiders spin webs over swords and shields, and young warriors have a big party. The piano accompaniment's warlike dissonances are juxtaposed to the choir's peace motifs in an effective struggle. A fine concert closer.
SSAA; piano; English; Med.-Diff.


Puisqu’ici-bas toute âme (As each spirit here below) .....TC-269.....$2.25
Fauré, Gabriel (1845-1924)      Preview

This duo is a passionately melodic declaration of love. Written for adults but accessible to children, it has antiphonal sections, mostly easy harmony sections, and strophic structure.
SA, piano. French. Easy-Medium.


The Quangle Wangle's Hat.....TC-125.....$2.25
Williams, Felicity

Chorus members play small percussion to represent the flock of imaginary animals who come to roost on the Quangle-Wangle's hat. While this piece was written for school children, adult women have been known to argue, "No, I wanna be the Fimble Fowl!" Fun for chorus and audience.
SA, piano, and percussion. Very easy.


Ronde du crépuscule (Round dance at twilight).....TC-166.....$2.85
Chaminade, Cécile (1857-1944)

"Ronde du crépuscule," first published in 1909, is a fine example of the effortless, buoyant charm which characterizes Chaminade's music. The text tells the story of the fairy Queen Mab and her unnamed lover, kissing at twilight at the edge of the wood. Attendant elves dance and sing praises of their love.
The choral parts are easy, the soaring solo is just made for a soprano who loves to get up on a "g" and hold it, and the ripply piano part is showy without being terribly difficult. This piece is a treat for you and your choir.

  • SSAA, soprano solo, and piano; French
  • 12 pages, plus translation and historical notes
  • duration: 4:30 min.
  • range: g to f#'' (solo to g")
  • difficulty: easy

Rose Trilogy
Eleanor Daley

1. A Red, Red Rose.....TC-231.....$1.70....Preview
"O my Luve's like a red, red rose." Eleanor Daley sets the Robert Burns text to a soaring melody, with lush harmonies and rippling piano accompaniment.
SSA & Piano; English. Easy-Medium.

2. A White Rose.....TC-232.....$1.70....Preview
"The red rose whispers of passion, and the white rose breathes of love." Alternating 6/8 and 7/8 measures give this setting a distinctive rhythmic drive and urgency.
SSA & Piano; English. Easy-Medium.

3. The Lost Rose.....TC-233.....$1.70....Preview
"Come, all forsaken, and mourn you with me." With a foursquare minor melody and very low octaves in the piano, this doom-laden rebuke of a faithless lover carries great power.
SSA & Piano; English. Easy-Medium.


Sea Visions.....TC-121.....$2.25
Gawthrop, Daniel E.

The central poem, by Madeleine L'Engle, depicts Neptune as a Sea Bishop who blesses all the creatures of sea and land. Gawthrop's vocally grateful text setting is particularly strong here, with occasional imitative entrances.
SSAA a cappella. Medium.


Seasons of Love
Daley, Eleanor

The English part song is back, with New World freshness and flair!

Spring....TC-291....$2.25       Preview

 “Come live with me, and be my love,” invites the Christopher Marlowe poem, and the sprightly rhythm of the unison opening draws all the parts in one by one. Adventurous harmonies follow in this tribute to the English madrigal.
 SSAA a cappellaEnglish. Medium.

bestseller iconMidsummer....TC-292....$1.20      Preview

A modal minor melody, both lyrical and spare, opens this evocation of love that never was. Rich harmonies in the middle section, recalling an ornamented chorale, tell of the love the poet wanted to happen. The ending, with its open fifth, portrays sharp regret.
SSAA a cappella; English. Medium.

 bestseller iconAutumn....TC-293....$1.70     Preview

“O, when I was in love with you,” begins the cheeky A.E. Housman poem about love that’s left behind—on purpose. Open fifth drones on “la la la” recall the sturdy peasant sound of a hurdy-gurdy, while the larky melody in 6/8 time is a modern tribute to medieval dance tunes.
SSAA a cappellaEnglishMedium.

Winter....TC-294....$1.70    Preview

The William Butler Yeats poem, “When you are old and grey,” speaks of the memory, in old age, of love and its loss. The rich double-chorus texture recalls the polychoral motet, and the piece’s ending, an extended treatment of the word “stars,” brings the cycle to a wistful close.
SSAA/SSAA a cappella; English. Medium.
 


Shall I Compare Thee?....TC-273.....$1.70
Noble, Jr., Clifton J.      Preview

The languorous rhythms in this bossa nova setting of Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 portray love in full bloom, when the sun is hot and love will be forever.
SSA, piano, English. Medium


She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways....TC-289.....$1.70
Hawkins, Patrick        Preview

The simple poem by William Wordsworth describes his sorrow after the death of Lucy, unobtrusive as a violet in life, leaving an aching regret when her death makes such a “difference to me.”  This largely homophonic setting presents subtle rhythmic nuances with some hemiola, and one imitative entrance at “fair as a star.”  
SSA and Piano, English. Easy-Medium.


Sigh No More, Ladies.....TC-263.....$2.85
Noble, Jr., Clifton J.      Preview

This high-energy setting of the song from Much Ado about Nothing advises ladies to be happy without fickle men, who have "one foot in sea and one on shore." At the refrains, with their "hey nonny nonny's" and "woe, woe, woe's", the bard goes be-bop. See if your singers catch the piano's reference to a hornpipe!
SSA and Piano; English; Medium.

Les sirènes (The Sirens).....TC-115.....$2.25
Boulanger, Lili (1893-1918)

The sea creatures whose irresistible singing lures sailors onto the rocks, boast of their deadly beauty in this impressionistic setting of a French text. "We are the loveliness that charms the strongest..." Chosen for the 1997 ACDA National Convention women's chorus reading session.
SSA, SAA[or T] semi-chorus, and soprano solo with piano; French. Medium.



Six Songs for Two Voices, from Shakespeare
Mary Carmichael (1851-1935)
Our latest contribution to the "simple does not have to mean stupid" niche. First published in 1885, these settings are modest in scope, yet imaginatively constructed. With considerable rhythmic energy, independence of the two voices, harmonic variety, and interesting accompaniments, they transcend the idiom of the Victorian parlor ballad which they superficially resemble.
SA & Piano; English. Easy.

1. Tell Me Where Is Fancy Bred.....TC-221.....$1.70....Preview

2. A Poor Soul Sat Sighing.....TC-222.....$1.20....Preview

3. Under the Greenwood Tree.....TC-223.....$1.70....Preview

4. Take, Oh Take Those Lips Away.....TC-224.....$1.20....Preview

5. When That I Was a Tiny Little Boy.....TC-225.....$1.70....Preview

6. Who Is Sylvia?.....TC-226.....$1.70....Preview


 

sunglasses iconSky-Born Music.....TC-298.....$1.70
Tillen, Paula Foley      Preview

The poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson expresses the Transcendental truth that inspiration—sky-born music—shines through all of nature, even the lowest, un-pretty parts. The composer’s soaring melody perfectly expresses the joy of the text. Good for when you need a “spiritual but not religious” piece for non-sectarian use. SSAA Chorus, Soprano Solo, and Piano; English; Medium.

A Song of Rain.....TC-174.....$1.70
Boyd, Anne

This piece gives your chorus a chance to play with sound: tone clusters build, and the choral wind machine cranks up, to herald the storm. Then the choral “pitter-patter,” using hocket and overlapping rhythms, portrays the rain falling on parched Australian towns.

  • SSA (some divisi), soprano solo, a cappella
  • duration: 3’ 05”
  • range: g-g”
  • difficulty: medium.

Songs from "The Princess".....TC-201.....$3.50
Holst, Gustav (1874-1934)       Preview

This new edition of Holst’s beloved settings (from Tennyson’s long narrative poem) reveals them to be models of musical economy for the time-starved teacher, as well as gems of pure loveliness. Devices such as antiphonal and echo choirs, repeated sections in parallel major and minor, and well-handled canonic techniques, make each movement a distinctive delight.
5 movements: SSAA/SSAA; SSAA/SSAA; SSAA; SSA; SSSAA, all a cappella; English. Medium.


Songs of Sunrise
Smyth, Ethel (1858-1944)

1. Laggard Dawn.....TC-102.....$1.20
"Sisters, the poor and friendless need you..." An elegaic song of keeping hope alive during the long struggle for women's suffrage, first published in 1911. Lovely horn calls in paired voices, with an effective chromatic coda.
SSA a cappella. Easy.

3. The March of the Women.....TC-101.....$1.20
"Shout! Shout! Up with your song!" The battle anthem of the British women's suffrage movement, this stirring piece expresses women's strength and solidarity in wider struggles, "shoulder to shoulder and friend to friend." First published in 1911.
SSA and piano. Easy.


Songs of the City
Ritchie, Anthony

A little girl pretends she is dressed in her mother's wedding gown. With her dandelion bouquet and tiara of daisies she welcomes her imaginary guests in this nostalgic hesitation waltz setting.
SA, piano, flute, and cello. Easy.

Instrumental parts:

  • Flute.....TC-136-FL.....$1.20
  • Cello.....TC-136-VC.....$1.20

A "Cries of London" for right now, this bouncy boogie-woogie praises city sights, sounds, and smells: neon lights, the bus conductor's call, and the inviting smells from take-away restaurants. "It's the city life for me!" SA, piano, flute, and cello. Easy/Medium.

Instrumental parts:

    • Flute.....TC-137-FL.....$1.70
    • Cello.....TC-137-VC.....$1.70

Spring Pastoral: Lisa.....TC-128.....$1.70
Howe, Mary (1882-1964)

"Lisa, go dip your long white hands/In the cool waters of that spring..." The "evanescent dreaminess" (Mrs. Howe's words) of the text are set in an impressionistic style, with repeated evocations of "Lisa, Lisa" by the chorus. First published in 1936.
SSA and piano. Medium.


Tango Dada.....TC-182.....$2.25
Smith, Jim

The utterly silly text free-associates from "tango" ("A tutu and also a tattoo") as the chorus sings sultry tango rhythms. With castanets, of course! Written for Diva Complex.

  • SSAA a cappella
  • duration: 3’10”
  • range: a-a”
  • difficulty: medium

Three Seas…..TC-181…..$2.85
Parker, Alice

Alice Parker here uses simple devices to achieve sophisticated effects: first, choral unisons expanding to long chords; then melodic tritones in 5/8 meter, with the voices in canon; then rocking rhythms in contrary motion. Instrumental score and parts are available from the publisher.

  1. There is a solitude of space
    • SAA with piano OR 2 flutes, harp, and bassoon
    • English
    • duration: 2’10”
    • range: a flat - g flat”
    • difficulty: medium
  2. As if the Sea should part
    • SSA with piano OR harp and bassoon
    • duration: 1’50”
    • range: b-f”
    • difficulty: medium
  3. A soft Sea washed around the House
    • SA with piano OR flute, harp and bassoon; English
    • duration: 2’55”
    • range: a-a”
    • difficulty: medium

Three Shakespeare Songs, Op. 39
Beach, Amy (1867-1944)

Clear-textured settings of the fairies' songs from A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Tempest, these songs are lavishly effective in their text setting, harmony, rhythm, and dynamics. The beauty of sound of women's voices shines through these pieces. First published in 1897.
SSAA a cappella; English. Medium difficulty.

  • Over Hill, over Dale, No. 1.....TC-104.....$1.70
  • Come unto These Yellow Sands, No. 2.....TC-105.....$1.70
  • Through the House Give Glimmering Light, No. 3.....TC-106.....$2.25


Tragico tecti syrmate (Clothed with Tragic Robes).....TC-160.....$2.85
di Lasso, Orlando

This angels' lament for the destruction of a city is the crown of Renaissance music for upper voices. While each of the largely syllabic parts is independent, together they interweave in a stately harmonic rhythm, conveying both the dignity of formal mourning, and the richness of the city and its people that are no more. The text, with its images of ice, fire, smoke, and wind-borne ash, is chilling in its prescience of nuclear winter, and in its evocation of past and present wars.
This piece may be appropriately programmed for concerts centered around issues of peace and war, or commemorating the Holocaust or the bombing of Hiroshima.

  • SSSAAA a cappella; Latin
  • 12 pages, plus literary translation and editorial and performance notes
  • duration: 5:45 min.(two sections)
  • range: e to a"
  • difficulty: medium

Under the Greenwood Tree....TC-268....$2.25 
Noble, Jr., Clifton J.       Preview

This jaunty swing duet, from Shakespeare's As You Like It, is a lovers' dance of mutual attraction. Some of its "Come hither" passages are in seductive quarter-note triplets. Others are antiphonal, in swing eighths with rhythmic shifts of the text. This setting perfectly expresses the happy springtime flirtatiousness of the text.
SA and Piano; English; Medium.

 

The Unfolding of the Flower.....TC-208.....$1.70
Telfer, Nancy       Preview

The text, on the nature of divine love, is “unfolded” by progressively longer fragments, working back from the final word. Homophonic choral parts and a rippling accompaniment lend special charm to the texture.
SSAA & Piano; English. Easy.


WELCOME LOVE: FOUR SETTINGS OF 17TH CENTURY LOVE POETRY
Lana Walter

The part song is back! These settings of lesser-known English and American secular poems are new gems for the repertoire, with sensitive text setting and lovely choral sound.

1. A Welcome.....TC-236.....$1.70     Preview
"Welcome, welcome do I sing" begins this enumeration of the beloved's beauties, by William Browne of Tavistock. The joy of seeing the beloved, more welcome than spring, bubbles up through this rhythmically energetic setting.
SSA, a cappella; English; Medium.

2. The Mad Maid's Song.....TC-237.....$1.70  Preview
With a desperate intensity worthy of Ophelia, the bereaved madwoman seeks her lover's grave. This movement showcases an alto soloist.
SSA; a cappella; English; Medium.

3. To My Dear and Loving Husband.....TC-238.....$1.70 Preview
The Anne Bradstreet poem is set with a heartbreakingly lovely soprano solo over tutti chords. The chorus comes into its own in a rich divisi section, with widely-voiced six-part chords.
SSA, a cappella; English; Medium.
 
4. Pack, Clouds Away!.....TC-239.....$1.70   Preview
The lover invites all the birds to say good morning to the beloved. With three little solos from within the chorus and a hemiola-driven pulse, this delightful setting is spring incarnate.
SSA, a cappella; English; Medium.


What Can Lambkins Do?.....TC-235.....$2.25
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) Preview

It's time to revive the music of this splendid Afro-British composer! The accompaniment to this setting of the Christina Rossetti poem leaps in irregular eighth-note patterns, suggesting the frolicking and nudging of the lambs and baby birds who cuddle up close to their mothers. A perfect choice for a spring or Mother's Day concert.
SSA & Piano; English. Easy-Medium.


When I Am Dead, My Dearest.....TC-194.....$1.70
Luby, Timothy       Preview

Christina Rossetti’s text is beautifully reflected in the quiet, almost detached mood of the beginning of this setting, which changes to a more impassioned sorrow at the words, "I shall not see the shadows."
SA and piano; optional cello, harp. Easy-Medium.


Wish You Were Here.....TC-206.....$2.85
Christensen, Nathan F.       Preview

Will the City Mouse thrive on imported cheese or wig out from stress? Will the Country Mouse benefit from clean country air, or die from boredom? The swing rhythms of this charmer (from the composer of Treble Clef’s perennial favorite, “How Do I Love Thee?”) lead to a surprise ending to the fable you thought you knew.
SSAA & Acoustic Bass; English. Medium-Difficult.