The Novello Shakespeare Choral Collection, edited by David Wordsworth, provides a generous and eclectic selection of pieces for choirs of all types and abilities. The collection can work as a concert programme in itself, and offers an enticing range of works, from Thomas Arne’s hearty ‘Blow, blow, thou winter wind’ and Henry Leslie’s artless 19th-century setting of ‘How sweet the moonlight sleeps’, to delightful works by 20th century composers such as E.J. Moeran and Lennox Berkeley, and accessible contemporary pieces including Gary Carpenter’s atmospheric ‘Lo, here, the gentle lark’, and John Tavener’s mystical settings of ‘Fear no more’, and ‘Look in thy glass’.
In addition, several works have been commissioned especially for the collection, including John Joubert’s magical ‘Be not afeard’, Richard Sisson’s mischievous ‘Light Thickens’, Paweł Łukaszewski’s beautiful ‘Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed’. Several pieces appear in print here for the first time, including Kevin Olson’s jazz-inspired ‘A Summer Sonnet’, Bernard Hughes’ simple setting of ‘If we shadows have offended’, and John Gardner’s witty ‘Four Rounds to Shakespeare Texts’.
Truly music to beguile and charm audiences and choirs alike – if music be the food of love, sing on!
In North America the collection can be purchased online here or in your local music store.
Outside North America the collection can be purchased at: http://www.musicroom.com/se/id_no/01118368/details.html or in your local music store.
Full listing:
Be not afeard – John Joubert
Blow, blow, thou winter wind – Thomas Arne
Daffodils – Nancy Wertsch
Fear no more – Stephen Sondheim
Fear no more – John Tavener
Four Rounds to Shakespeare Texts – John Gardner
Full fathom five – Charles Wood
How sweet the moonlight sleeps – Henry Leslie
Hymn for Shakespeare’s Birthday – Lennox Berkeley
If we shadows have offended – Bernard Hughes
It was a lover and his lass – Matthew Harris
Light Thickens – Richard Sisson
Lo, here, the gentle lark – Gary Carpenter
Look in thy glass – John Tavener
O, how much more – Paul Crabtree
O mistress mine – Nancy Wertsch
Ophelia’s Lament – Paul Mealor
Orpheus – Judith Weir
Orpheus with his lute – William Schuman
Rosemary – Daniel Helldén
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day – Libby Larsen
Sigh no more, ladies – E.J. Moeran
A Summer Sonnet – Kevin Olson
Tell me where is fancy bred – Matthew Harris
Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed – Paweł Łukaszewski
Who is Silvia? – Matthew Harris
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