Autumnal Music
Light of Late NovemberSATB div. a cappella
Dale Trumbore
Difficulty:
“Light of Late November” sets Barbara Crooker’s poem Praise Song, which describes in vivid detail the simple beauty of an autumn evening.
“Light of Late November,” by Dale Trumbore
Performed by The Singers – Minnesota Choral Artists; Matthew Culloton, director.
Dale Trumbore is a Los Angeles-based composer and writer whose music has been praised by The New York Times for its “soaring melodies and beguiling harmonies.” Her music has been widely performed in the U.S. and internationally by ensembles including the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Pacific Chorale, Pasadena Symphony, The Singers – Minnesota Choral Artists, and VocalEssence.
Check out more of Dale Trumbore’s music!
Like A Leaf
SATB, piano
Elizabeth Alexander (Seafarer Press)
Difficulty:
A rhapsodic setting of Wendell Berry’s wise and simple prayer:“When I rise up let me rise up joyful like a bird. When I fall let me fall without regret like a leaf.” Equally appropriate for concert stages, memorial services and graduation ceremonies, “Like a Leaf” is a wholehearted affirmation of the joys and sorrows of life.
“Like A Leaf,” by Elizabeth Alexander
Performed by Highlands High School Choirs (Fort Thomas, KY), Jacob Young, conductor
Praise Wet Snow Falling Early
SATB, piano
Elizabeth Alexander (Seafarer Press)
Difficulty:
Opening with a tender appreciation of one morning’s light, “Praise Wet Snow Falling Early” gradually grows into a broader meditation on darkness, transcendence and hope. With the understated sensibility of art song and an expressive piano accompaniment, this song offers a deeply moving experience for both performers and audience.
Elizabeth Alexander (b. 1962) grew up in the Carolinas and Appalachian Ohio. Her love of music, language and challenging questions is reflected in her catalog of over 100 songs and choral works, and a style which moves effortlessly between concert stage, choir loft and jam session. Her music has been performed by soloists, chamber musicians and orchestras around the world, as well as by thousands of choirs.
Check out more of Elizabeth Alexander’s music!
The Birds’ Lullaby
SSAA a cappella
Katerina Gimon
Difficulty:
A beautiful setting of Canadian Aboriginal poet E. Pauline Johnson’s “The Birds’ Lullaby,” Gimon’s piece features lush and lilting melodies intertwined with moments of aleatory (bird whistles and echoed or ‘out-of-time’ melodic lines) creating a gentle and at times dreamy texture.
“The Birds’ Lullaby,” by Katerina Gimon
Performed by Elektra Women’s Choir; Morna Edmundson, Artistic Director.
Composer, improviser, and vocalist Katerina Gimon’s uniquely dynamic, poignant, and eclectic compositional style has earned her a reputation as a distinct voice in contemporary Canadian composition and beyond. Her music has been described as “sheer radiance” (Campbell River Mirror), “imbued…with human emotion” (San Diego Story), and capable of taking listeners on a “fascinating journey of textural discovery” (Ludwig Van), earning her several honours including multiple SOCAN Awards (2016, 2021, 2022), nomination for Western Canadian Composer of the Year (2021), and a Barbara Pentland Award for Outstanding Composition (2022).
Check out more of Katerina Gimon’s music!
Coffee Calling
SATTB a cappella
Also available for SSAA.
Fresh Ayre Music (J. David Moore)
Difficulty:
An original doo-wop, written as a promotion for Dunn Brothers Coffee Shops in the Twin Cities, “Coffee Calling” is easily turned into a general paean to the loving cup with the substitution of a few words. Favorite line: “two hours work in ten seconds flat/Decaf drinkers can’t do that.”
J. David Moore is a composer, arranger, conductor, teacher, and Southerner who has lived in the Upper Midwest for most of his life. His music has been called “endlessly inventive,” “glorious…haunting…breathtaking,” and “joyous…wild and elemental.” He publishes through his company Fresh Ayre Music, and is the founder and conductor of The First Readings Project, a chamber choir that acts as a resource for composers in the development and promotion of new work. He lives with his wife Anna in Minneapolis, where he bakes bread, drinks tea, and is distracted by beauty.
Check out more of J. David Moore’s music!
More Autumnal ideas!
Autumn Colours in the Canal
Christine Donkin
SSAA, piano
Circles
Timothy C. Takach Publications
SATB a cappella
Standing Tall
Ellen Gilson Voth
For SATB, SA, SAB, or SSAA and piano.
Our Contributing Editor
Jonathan Campbell, BA, MSM, DMA, currently serves as Director of Music at Zion Lutheran Church, Anoka, MN., and is a Contributing Editor for Graphite Publishing. His music publishers include Augsburg Fortress, Concordia, Morningstar, GIA, Sacred Music Press, and Falls House. He won first prize in the Morningside Choral Composition Contest and was also awarded a Faith Partner’s Residency with the American Composer’s Forum. Jonathan has served many churches, conducted the Chorale of the Honors Choirs S.E. MN for eight years, and has served on the faculties of Winona State University, Augsburg University, and Pomona College.
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