SAILING TO BYZANTIUM (1928) SSAATTBB a cappella 6:30

With the kind permission of A P Watt Ltd at United Agents, UK, on behalf of Caitriona Yeats, I have 

set to music what is perhaps the most famous poem of William Butler Yeats (1865-1939). The use of

eight parts allows seamless transitions from higher to lower ranges or vice versa, and the full sweep

of choral densities from one to eight parts. The work is somewhat difficult, but hardly insurmountable 

for a well auditioned and well rehearsed chorus of at least 35-40 singers. In keeping with the kaleidescopic

images of Yeats mystical vision, the musical style changes many times throughout, though always tonal.

 

All my works are written in Sibelius, so fully professional scores in PDF or hard copy are available, as well as mp3 demos.

Please have a look at some of my other choral titles on my ChoralNet page, and still more at my site:

www.jamesjohnsonmusic.net

 

Regards, James Johnson

Williams BA ’64, Yale DMA ’78, organist in Adolphus Busch Hall at Harvard 1971-1991,

ASCAP, AGO, Mensa, Who’s Who in America