About the music . . .
Written for St. Alban’s Church, this new musical setting sheds new light on one of the most beloved Christmas texts. An graceful melody in the Soprano is set against the backdrop of a rich sonority in the Alto, Tenor, and Bass vocal lines. The interwoven texture creates a seamless phrases gradually yield to a straightforward declaimation of the text on the words, “Round yon Virgin.” The piece gradually builds to the third verse where the treble voices soar above the pedal tone in the male vocal parts. The piece then concludes with a brief section of repose that paints a serene mood. Appropriate for concert, scholastic, and liturgical use, this setting is accessible for a variety of ensembles.
About the text . . .
Josef Mohr (1792-1848) was an Austrian priest who is best known for authoring this famous text. It was his collaboration with Franz Gruber in 1816 at a pilgrim church in the remote Alpine village of Mariapfarr that lead to what is now one of the worlds most popular carols. Originally written in German, the English translation has been used for this work.
Dr. Michael John Trotta is a composer, conductor, and clinician regularly accepting commissions and conducting engagements throughout the country. As an educator, he has held positions at the middle school, high school, and university levels. As a composer, he is published with Colla Voce Inc., GIA Publications, Kjos Music Company, MorningStar Music Publishers, Alliance, Walton Music, and Carl Fischer Publications. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education and Masters of Music in Choral Conducting from Rowan University where he studied with Dr. Z. Randall Stroope. He completed his Doctorate in Musical Arts at Louisiana State University. He served as the Associate Director of Choral Activities at Oklahoma State University. He was recently appointed the Director of Choral Activities at Virginia Wesleyan College.
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